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UPSL

2027 US Open Cup Qualifying: Open Cup-bound Deportivo Rose City wins first UPSL title

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Deportivo Rose City celebrates after defeating Miami United FC in the 2026 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL
Deportivo Rose City celebrates after defeating Miami United FC in the 2026 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL

An early goal at the start of the match drove the momentum for Deportivo Rose City to earn its first United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) championship. The Oregon side didn’t look back and earned a 3-1 win over Miami United FC in Sunday’s title game for the UPSL Spring Season championship.

The game was played at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles, with both teams having already earning the UPSL’s two automatic entries in the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by reaching the championship game.

For Rose City, it will be their first-ever US Open Cup appearance, while Miami United qualify for the eighth time, after missing out on last year’s competition.

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 “We feel really good, we feel happy, we feel proud. We’re just enjoying this,” said DVO Rose City head coach Daniel Miranda. “It’s amazing after 10 seasons.”

Early in the 9th minute, Rose City’s Tristan Evans put his team in the lead. His team continued to hold possession for most of the half. However, that did not faze Miami United. The Open Cup regulars increased their intensity as they hunted for their first-ever UPSL title.

As the match continued on, an offensive push from Miami United left the back field open. In the 33rd minute, DVO Rose City accidentally evened the score as the ball rolled past one defender and slipped behind the keeper for an own goal – leaving the match tied at 1-1. 

MATCH BROADCAST

In the second half, it was evident that both teams wanted to break the tie as soon as possible. 

In the 57th minute, DVO Rose City’s Dustin Corea got that chance, putting them back in the lead with what would be the game winner. Corea notched a brace and made it 3-1 in the 74th minute. His late actions helped lift DVO Rose City to their first-ever league title.

“We had so many chances but those two goals made a difference,” Miranda said. 

“I feel like we are one of the top teams, well it kinda proves it now, but we knew it all along in the beginning,” Evans’ said. “It feels amazing that everyone can see that we can be at this top level.” 

The clubs also earned a spot in the 2027 U.S. Open Cup field. For Miami United it marks their eighth appearance in the Open Cup and their fifth in the past six editions. Deportivo Rose City will be making their Open Cup debut next year, after failing to qualify for the 2026 tournament through Open Division qualifying.

HOW THEY GOT TO THE FINAL

UPSL Spring Semifinal #1

Miami United 3:1 NY Renegades
Miami United – Luis Peralta 42’, Guido Cacciabue 67’, David Mizrahi 83’
NY Renegades – Junior Rosero 31’

SAVED PK – Sebastian Ruiz (NYR) saved by Franco Acerbi (MU) 62’

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

Miami United are returning to the US Open Cup after missing out on the 2026 edition.

The now eight-time Open Cup qualifiers overcame a 1-0 deficit midway through the first half to win 3-1 at UCLA’s Drake Stadium in the opening game of the UPSL Spring National Finals. The win also puts them in Sunday’s UPSL Spring Championship against Deportivo Rose City. Miami United also gained a measure of revenge for a 3-0 loss to the Renegades in the 2025 UPSL Fall National Finals, denying the 2025 UPSL Fall champs back-to-back UPSL Championships.

United played the weekend with one of its players, Matias Alejandro Pourrain, who was detained by immigration officers in Miami while trying to fly to the finals. Something that sat with Miami all weekend.

After largely controlling the game for the first half hour, the Renegades got on the scoreboard when Open Cup veteran Junior Rosero scored in the 31st minute. Rodrigo Descalzo stole the ball at midfield then passed to an onrushing Rosero, who beat Miami United goalkeeper Franco Acerbi. Rosero’s Open Cup resume dates back to 2018 with the Long Island Rough Riders, followed by appearances with Oyster Bay United (2022), the New York Pancyprian Freedoms (2025) and last year with the Renegades.

The Renegades goal seemed to wake Miami United up, as they drew level in the 42nd minute. Santiago Fajardo’s shot from the top of the box was blocked and Luis Peralta collected the loose ball, juked Renegades defender Dillon Woods and calmly beat goalkeeper Eric Edwards to tie the game 1-1.

In the 62nd minute, the Renegades were handed an excellent chance to regain the lead when Rodrigo Descalzo was fouled by Miami United’s Juan Collazo at the penalty spot. The Renegades’ 2026 Spring goal scoring leader Sebastian Ruiz (16 goals) stepped up for the penalty, but Miami United goalkeeper Franco Acerbi repeated his heroics from two weeks ago by saving the spot kick, diving to his left but stopping the ball with his feet. In the UPSL Quarterfinals on July 25, Acerbi saved two penalty attempts in Miami United’s PK shootout win over SCU Heat. United very nearly scored on a counterattack following the save but United’s shot went wide.

Five minutes later, Miami United took advantage of a major Renegades gaffe when defender Cristhian Garcia and goalkeeper Edwards had a moment of confusion between them, allowing Guido Cacciabue to swoop in and score an easy goal to make it 2-1.

With five minutes remaining Miami United put the game away when David Mizrahi took a pass from substitute Ramiro Lizaso and dribbled into the penalty area, sending Edwards diving the wrong way with a shot just inside the left post.

Things got a bit heated in second half stoppage time, but cooler heads prevailed in the end with Miami United walking away 3-1 winners. If the Renegades are to make their third straight Open Cup appearance in 2027, they’ll have to navigate the Open Division qualifying tournament that starts in September 2026 and runs through November.

MATCH BROADCAST

UPSL Spring Semifinal #2

Deportivo Rose City 2:1 Central Kansas United
Deportivo Rose City: Luis Banegas 2’, Richard Stewart 90’+4
Central Kansas United – Juan Lozada 34’ (PK)

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

Portland, Oregon’s Deportivo Rose City earned their first ever berth in the US Open Cup with a dramatic 2-1 win over Central Kansas United in the UPSL National Finals at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

Deportivo got off to a very quick start, scoring the opening goal with just 1 minute and 15 seconds elapsed. Former El Salvador international Dustin Correa took the ball near midfield, then played a through-ball to Luis Banegas inside the penalty area, who dribbled past CKU goalkeeper Santiago Pagnutti and shot past midfielder Emilio Rodriguez, who attempted to stop the shot at the goal line.

Pagnutti would keep the score 1-0 in the 28th minute when Correa sent a free kick towards goal that was headed for just under the crossbar, but Pagnutti was able to swat the ball up and over for a corner kick.

Five minutes later Central Kansas would get the equalizer. CKU’s Jose Escobedo was fouled just inside the top corner of the penalty area by Rose City’s Richard Stewart, and Juan Lozada put his shot just inside the post, beating goalkeeper Joshua Meza who dove in the right direction.

DRC Game winning goal (Instagram)

In the second half Deportivo controlled play, and twice midway through the half were denied a 2-1 lead by both Pagnutti and the upright. In the 57th minute, Pagnutti stopped a point-blank shot from Rose City’s Rogelio Uribe. Four minutes later Dustin Correa’s one-timer volley struck the far post.

With the score 1-1 and extra time looming, Kevyn Montano’s one-timer shot in the second minute of stoppage time flew just outside the post. Two minutes later Rose City hit the jackpot. Off a free kick taken from far outside the penalty area, center back Richard Stewart headed the ball down and past Pagnutti for a dramatic 2-1 lead.

No more than a minute of stoppage time elapsed before the final whistle was blown, giving Deportivo Rose City a spot in Sunday’s UPSL Spring Championship versus Miami United as well as their first ever US Open Cup appearance.

MATCH BROADCAST

2027 US Open Cup Qualifying: Four UPSL teams win regional titles with 2 USOC spots on the line

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Deportivo Rose City celebrate after winning the 2026 UPSL West Region championship. Photo: Deportivo Rose City
Deportivo Rose City celebrate after winning the 2026 UPSL West Region championship. Photo: Deportivo Rose City

Not only will the 2026 UPSL Spring Champions be crowned on August 9, but national runner-up will also earn automatic berths in the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. 

The National Finals already has a stacked set of semifinals. The first features a matchup of previous Open Cup qualifiers with New York Renegades facing off against Miami United, and a pair of clubs who have never reached the final tournament with Deportivo Rose City taking on Central Kansas United.

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Previous UPSL Spring Champions AS Frenzi (2023), Soda City FC (2024), and Tennessee Tempo FC (2025) have earned an automatic berth in the following year’s Open Cup, and this year, two spots have been allocated to the 2026 UPSL Spring Champions and the runners-up.

Below is a brief recap of each of the regional finals:

EAST REGION FINAL
July 25, 2026
Detroit City II 1:3 New York Renegades
Krenzler Field – Cleveland, OH

Meeting on “middle” ground at Cleveland State University’s Krenzler Field, 2025 Fall UPSL champions New York Renegades moved oner step closer to a third straight U.S. Open Cup appearance with a 3-1 win over Detroit City FC II.

Making the seven-hour trip from Hicksville, New York, a bit longer than the 2 ½ hour trek from DCFC’s home in Hamtramck, Mich., the Renegades wasted no time scoring the opening goal. Mathews Carriel collected a chest pass from Junior Rosero around the penalty spot and scored the first goal after just four minutes in.

Le Rouge II pulled level after 23 minutes when Maxwell Keenan headed in a free kick from outside the penalty area. Just two minutes after DCFCII’s goal, the Renegades struck back. Carriel intercepted a pass from DCFCII’s goalkeeper Zackary Kacic, resulting in Angelo Quintanilla sending a shot across the goalmouth to beat Kacic and give the Renegades a lead they would never surrender.

The Renegades added on to their advantage into the middle of the second half and put the game away. In the 74th minute, Erick Turcios received a pass at the top of the penalty area where he dribbled past a pair of Detroit City defenders and beat Kacic for a 3-1 lead.

The Renegades will now face Miami United in the UPSL National Finals on Aug. 7 at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg and Drake Stadium with a spot in the USPL championship game and a 2027 US Open Cup berth on the line. This will be a rematch of the 2025 USPL Fall National Finals, where the Renegades defeated Miami United 3-0 on their way to winning the 2025 Fall Championship.

BROADCAST (In Spanish)

SOUTH REGION FINAL
July 25, 2026
SCU Heat 1:1 Miami United
Miami United advance via penalty shootout, 6-5 (No extra time played)
MOBA Soccer Complex – Peachtree City, GA

After enduring two hour weather delays and a last-gasp equalizer from SCU, Miami United advanced to the UPSL National Finals via penalties on the strength of goalkeeper Franco Acerbi.

Miami United, who have qualified for the Open Cup seven times and four of the last five editions, struck first in the 9th minute. After Miami’s Peterson Revange weaved his way through the SCU defenders, his shot from the penalty spot hit the post, and Sony Norde, perhaps the most travelled player in the UPSL, was right there to put the rebound away for a 1-0 lead. Besides earning 27 caps for Haiti, Norde has played professionally in Argentina, Mexico, Bangladesh, India, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The first weather delay arrived at halftime, causing the 15-minute break to last an hour. Once on the field again, only five minutes were played before another wave of storms entered the area, stopping the game for another hour. With resumption of play once again another dilemma arose as there was a 10:15 p.m. curfew at the field. As luck would have it SCU would put the curfew to the test by scoring the equalizer in the 90th minute, as Kazuma Ishizuka would head home a pass from outside the penalty area. 

With the 10:15 p.m. curfew looming a decision was made to skip the 30-minute extra time and go straight to the penalty tiebreaker. Both teams made their first five penalty attempts, then it was time for Miami goalkeeper Franco Acerbi to take over. Acerbi stopped shots from SCU’s Benjamin Martinez and Adam Habas, then stepped to the spot himself and beat SCU goalkeeper Felipe Mattos.

Miami United will now face the New York Renegades in the UPSL National Finals on Aug. 7 at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg and Drake Stadium with a spot in the USPL Championship and 2027 US Open Cup on the line.

BROADCAST

CENTRAL REGION FINAL
July 25, 2026
West Texas Rush 1:2 Central Kansas United 
Abilene Youth Sports Authority – Abilene, TX

Salina, Kansas’s Central Kansas United left Abilene, Texas one win away from clinching their US Open Cup debut with a dramatic 2-1 win over West Texas Rush.

Just when the opening half looked to end scoreless, West Texas broke the deadlock when regular season goal scoring leader Myles Taylor took advantage of a mistake by the goalkeeper and easily tucked in his shot in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Fifteen minutes into the second half it was Central Kansas’ goal scoring leader who pulled his team level. After a failed corner kick the ball was sent back into the box were Zimbabwean Noel Zimbeva got a hold of it and put his shot away.

As extra time loomed Zimbeva struck again to put Central Kansas through. With five minutes remaining Maximiliano Schenfeld took a free kick from about 30-yards out dead center from the goal and put the ball inside the post where the West Texas goalkeeper has no chance to save.

Central Kansas United moves on to face West Champion Deportivo Rose City in the UPSL National Finals on Aug. 7 at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg and Drake Stadium with a spot in the USPL Championship and 2027 US Open Cup on the line.

BROADCAST

WEST REGION FINAL
July 25, 2026
Next Level Soccer 1:2 Deportivo Rose City
Cardinale Stadium – Seaside, CA

A year removed from falling at the 2025 USPL Quarterfinals, Deportivo Rose City crossed the threshold into the 2026 UPSL National Finals with a 2-1 win over Arizona’s Next Level Soccer at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, Calif.

Rose City got on the board first after eight minutes when former El Salvador international Dustin Corea received a long pass along the right side of the penalty area and cut into the box where he blasted home the opening goal.

Rose City held onto the 1-0 lead into halftime, but 15 minutes after the restart Next Level pulled even. Following a Next Level corner kick one of their players was fouled in front of the goal. After discussing it with the linesmen, the referee awarded Next Level a penalty kick, which Next Level Captain Ricardo Oliveira easily converted.

Eight minutes later Rose City would take the lead for good. After stealing the ball at midfield, Victor Guajardo saw the Next Level goalkeeper out of his goal and launched a shot from the center circle to make the score 2-1.

The win sends Deportivo Rose City to its first ever UPSL National Finals where they will face Central Champions Central Kansas United on Aug. 7 at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg and Drake Stadium with a spot in the USPL Championship and 2027 US Open Cup on the line.

Full Match Video (VEO)

2027 US Open Cup Qualifying: With two USOC spots on the line, UPSL playoffs down to Quarterfinals

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Next Level Soccer celebrates after being Antelope Valley in the UPSL Playoffs | Credit: @javiersfilms on Instagram

With two berths in next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line, the UPSL Spring playoffs are down to the final eight, with six teams advancing on July 1 and July 12 and the final two determined this past weekend. 

The National Quarterfinals will be on July 25 and 26, and the Semifinals and the Final will take place on Aug. 7 and 8 at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg and Drake Stadium. The winners from the East and South regions face each other in the final four, while the Central and West survivors battle in the other semifinal. Aside from gaining a berth in the 2027 US Open Cup, the UPSL Spring Champions will also go home with $50,000.

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Keep in mind, the Open Cup dream does not end for the teams that fall in defeat, as there is still time to enter Open Division qualifying that runs from September to November 2026.

EAST REGION

July 11, 2026
Detroit City II 3:2 FCY New York
Keyworth Stadium – Hamtramck, MI

The reserve club of Detroit City FC of the USL Championship is making a habit of thrilling playoff finishes this year. In the Round of 32, DCFC II scored in second half stoppage time to knock off KS Wisloka Chicago 3-2. Against FCY New York they had a few more minutes to spare, scoring the game-winner in the 82nd minute to go up 3-2. FCY New York took part in 2025 Open Division qualifying and reached the final round before falling to CD Faialense 3-1.

Detroit City II jumped in front in the 32nd minute, then extended that lead seven minutes into the second half on a free kick. In the 58th minute the visitors from Buffalo, NY stormed back, scoring two goals in three minutes to tie the game 2-2. With eight minutes remaining DCFC II struck the final blow. 

July 12, 2026
NY Renegades 1:0 Bridge Sports Club
Volunteer Park – Valatie, NY

2025 UPSL Fall Champions New York Renegades were able to end the upset run of Bridge Sports Club of Laurel, MD. Bridge finished 4-3-3 in the DMV North division but were able to pull off upsets in the DMV North playoffs over Bowleys Athletic and MSI, then eliminated 7-1-3 New Jersey Alliance 2-1 in the Round of 32. The Renegades entered the game finishing 9-1-0 in the American North division and shut out 2022 and 2024 Open Cup qualifiers Brockton United 3-0 in the Round of 32.

The upstarts from Maryland held the Renegades scoreless for 60 minutes until Oscar Rivas tapped in a pass from Sebastian Ruiz, who led the team in scoring in the Spring 2026 season with 14 goals.

EAST REGION FINAL
July 26, 2026
Detroit City II vs. NY Renegades
Kilbourne Run Sports Complex – Columbus, OH

SOUTH REGION

July 11, 2026
SCU Heat 4:0 Tennessee Tempo
MOBA Soccer Complex – Peachtree City, GA

Tennessee’s quest for two straight UPSL Spring Championship was stopped cold by SCU Heat 4-0. SCU Heat had previously qualified for the 2024 Open Cup at the expense of the Tennessee Tempo by a score of 4-2 in the final round of Open Division qualifying. Both teams finished the season at the top of their respective divisions, SCU at 9-2-0 in the Mid-Atlantic South and Tennessee finishing 11-1-0 in the KY-TN division.

SCU got the scoring started in the 33rd minute when Tottenham, England native Tom Marriott scored the first of his three goals. The score stood at 1-0 until the 67th minute when Marriott scored his second. Two minutes later Tennessee went down to ten men when Daniel Sassano fouled Heat forward Emmanuel Arkoh as he charged into the penalty area. In the 71st minute SCU scored #3 when Arkoh tapped in a free kick from Marriott after it struck the Tempo wall. Marriott completed his hat-trick ten minutes later on a three-on-one breakaway. Marriott finished second in the UPSL Spring season with 24 goals scored.

July 12, 2026
PSC Pelicans 0:5 Miami United
UPSL Stadium – Miami, FL

Seven-time Open Cup qualifiers Miami United moved one step closer to avoiding this Fall’s Open Division qualifying tournament with a 3-0 win over PSC Pelicans. The Pelicans, who made their qualifying debut last year, finished 9-1-2 and defeated OFC Barca 3-0 in the Round of 32. Miami United finished with a stellar 11-1-1 mark, winning 1-0 over Florida South division rivals and 2025 Open Cup qualifiers Florida Badgers, who also finished 11-1-1.

Miami United got started early with a goal in the 9th minute, then doubled their lead nine minutes before the break. It would be until the 78th minute that Miami would get their third goal and nearly ten minutes later numbers four and five would cross the goal line. Former Argentine pro Robertino Insua scored two of the goals and Nicolas Prada, Santiago Frea and Nael Elysee rounded out the score sheet.

SOUTH REGION FINAL

July 25, 2026
SCU Heat vs. Miami United
MOBA Soccer Complex – Peachtree City, GA

CENTRAL REGION

July 11, 2026
Central Kansas United 1:0 Worthington Community FC 
CHI Health MultiSport Complex – La Vista, NE

Central Kansas United from Salina, Kansas emerged from the Midwest South division with a 6-3-1 record, winning three Midwest South playoff games to reach the National Playoffs. They then defeated Arkansas Wolves 2 3-2 in the Round of 32.

Central Kansas played the second half down a man after one of their players was sent off near the end of the first half. In the 39th minute Jose Escobedo was shown a red card after getting involved in a scuffle in front of the Worthington goal while CKU was preparing for a corner kick. CKY held on top the scoreless draw into second half stoppage time, and in the fourth minute of added time Mateo Hoyos, formerly of Kansas Wesleyan University, scored the game winner to move Central Kansas into the final eight.

July 12, 2026
West Texas Rush 4:2 Balboa FC
Beal Park Stadium – Midland, TX

In a game delayed for 30 minutes at the start of the second half due to lightning, Julian Maud netted a hat-trick to power West Texas Rush past Balboa FC 4-2 in the UPSL Spring Round of 16. The 6-2-0 Rush jumped out to a 1-0 in the opening minutes on a goal from Julian Maud and by halftime held a 2-1 advantage. Just four minutes into the second half thunderstorms on the outskirts of Midland produced lightning that forced the game to pause for about a half hour. Once play resumed Balboa wasted no time scoring the equalizer in the 54th minute on Felipe Medina’s goal, but Rush goal scoring leader Myles Taylor struck in the 62nd minute and Maur completed his hat-trick with five minutes remaining to put the game away.

CENTRAL REGION FINAL

July 25, 2026
West Texas Rush vs. Central Kansas United 
Abilene Youth Sports Authority – Abilene, TX

WEST REGION

July 18, 2026
ASC Antelope Valley 1:2 Next Level Soccer 
Lancaster Municipal Stadium – Lancaster, CA

7-1-2 Next Level reached this stage with a win via penalty kicks over Nomads SC after a 2-2 draw, while 7-2-1 Antelope Valley overcame LA Sol Athletics 3-1. Antelope Valley is part of the Albion Soccer Club system. Next Level reached the final round of Open Division qualifying for the 2026 Open Cup, falling to Azteca FC on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Next Level took a 1-0 lead into halftime on a Marco Afonso goal in the 22nd minute. Afonso had previously recorded an assist in FC Arizona’s 7-1 loss to LAFC 2 in the First Round of the 2025 Open Cup. Danny Baca put the visitors up 2-0 in the 76th minute. Christian Gomez scored in the final minute to give Antelope Valley a glimmer of hope, but Next Level held on to advance.

July 18, 2026
Deportivo Rose City 4:2 Valley 559 FC 
Gary Wheeler Stadium – Medford, OR

Deportivo Rose City held off a comeback from 2025 Open Cup qualifiers Valley 559 FC to advance to the UPSL West Final 4-2 after extra time.

Deportivo Rose City had previously entered the Open Division qualifying tournament for the 2025 Open Cup, falling to eventual qualifiers Washington AC in the Third Round. Valley 559 FC upset USL League One club AV Alta FC 1-0 in its Open Cup debut last year

Valley, 7-1-2 in NorCal South, reached this point with a 4-3 win over Provo Utah FC in the Round of 32 while 8-1-1 Rose City defeated Bellevue Athletic 2-0.

Valley went up 1-0 in the 13th minute when a long free kick wound up being tapped in. In the 38th Rose City pulled level when Kevyn Montano converted a penalty kick.The score stood at 1-1 at the half, but two minutes upon resumption Rose City found themselves down to 10 men when Irving Zurita was sent off for pushing a Valley 559 player to the ground. Undeterred by the man disadvantage, Rose City took a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute when Jesus Patino scored following a free kick.

With the clock passing the 90th minute mark Valley were awarded a lifeline via a penalty kick, which Michael Gonzalez converted to force extra time. Six minutes into the extra session Valley were reduced to 10 men when Alexander Cruz picked up his second yellow card. It took just four minutes for Rose City to take advantage, with Dustin Corea scoring in the 100th minute to go up 3-2. The Oregon club put the game away in the 111th minute through Edgar Salazar for a 4-2 win.

WEST REGION FINAL

July 25, 2026
Next Level Soccer vs. Deportivo Rose City
Site TBD

Dominic Oduro’s late goal gives Tennessee Tempo UPSL spring title, spot in 2026 US Open Cup

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Tennessee Tempo FC celebrate after defeating LA10 FC 1-0 to win the 2025 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL
Tennessee Tempo FC celebrate after defeating LA10 FC 1-0 to win the 2025 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL

Tennessee Tempo FC finished undefeated in the 2025 United Premier Soccer League spring season with a 1-0 win over LA10 FC in Sunday’s championship game in Irvine, Calif. The game-winning goal was scored by former pro Dominic Oduro in the 86th minute.

“Great game, incredible team we just played, undefeated all season long; we knew we were going to get our chances, we just had to capitalize,” said Tennessee Tempo head coach Gift Ndam.

With the win, Tempo FC not only earned the club’s first UPSL title, but they also qualified for the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. It will be their second appearance in the US Open Cup, after playing in the 2023 tournament under the name Beaman United. 

It was another dramatic win for Tempo FC as they rallied from a goal down in extra time to beat Chicago Nation FC 2-1 in Friday’s Semifinal. Oduro tied the game in the 114th minute and Souleymane Balde scored the game-winner in the 116th minute. LA10 FC, a club owned by Italian football legend Alessandro Del Piero, cruised to a 5-0 win over Balboa FC to reach the title game.

As the first half got underway, LA10 FC were swift in establishing the momentum for the match. However, that ended with a yellow card awarded in the 2nd minute. 

Graphic: Frank Lanham

The aggressiveness would not phase Tennessee Tempo as they returned with the same level of intensity, but would face the same outcome shortly after. In the 6th minute of the match, Tempo’s Nathaniel Biedel would be given a yellow card for a foul outside of the goalie’s box. 

Both teams would break through each other’s defensive line but fall short of raising the score. The match would remain scoreless as the end of the first half was called. 

“They suffer a lot behind the ball, and there were moments when it also seemed like we didn’t have space to even breathe with the ball at their feet,” Ndam said.

The second half continued to play out much like the first. Both teams would find any moment to capitalize on an offensive attack, but the tight formation from the defensive line would stop them in their tracks. The goalkeepers also played a huge role in this scoreless match and provided huge saves from goal attempts. 

“When you play a team that is that good, that organized, that possession oriented, you have to be very disciplined defensively,” Ndam said. 

Tennessee Tempo FC celebrate after defeating LA10 FC 1-0 to win the 2025 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL
Tennessee Tempo FC celebrate after defeating LA10 FC 1-0 to win the 2025 UPSL Spring championship. Photo: UPSL

It wasn’t until the 86th minute that Tennessee Tempo’s Souleymane Balde, the hero from Friday’s Semifinal, broke free on a run towards the goal. Balde crossed the ball to the center of the 18-yard box where it would rebound off of players and fall to the feet of Oduro. He took the opportunity to score, and his shot would narrowly miss the fingertips of LA10’s goalie and hit the back of the net.

Oduro, who spent a number of years playing professionally with teams like the Charleston Battery, Memphis 901 FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, has the most Open Cup experience out of anyone on the roster. Oduro has played in seven Open Cup games with FC Golden State Force (USL League Two), the Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL Championship) and with Beaman United in 2023.

In the final minutes of the match, LA10 FC didn’t let this affect their play and used it as motivation to find a chance to even the score. 

However, as the final minutes of extra time came to an end, Tennessee Tempo would remain victorious. 

“These guys have been working hard together. They are impressive. It’s a big family,” Ndam said, “ We don’t have like big superstars, but at the end of the day, you have a bunch of guys that would die for each other.” 

 

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Lynchburg FC wants to put Virginia town on the map with USOC run

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Lynchburg FC
Photo: Lynchburg FC

Lynchburg FC will make their Lamar Hunt US Open Cup debut on Wednesday. The team is a relative newcomer to the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), one of the elite amateur leagues in the United States. Current members of the Premier Division of the UPSL, Lynchburg officially joined the league in the fall of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The new club found immediate success in its inaugural season of spring 2021, finishing first in what was then called the Beltway Division with a 10-1-1 record and a plus-34 goal differential, by far the best in the division. They compounded their success by winning the playoffs for their conference and advancing to the UPSL national tournament. While Lynchburg FC exited in the first round to New York Contour FC, they will take comfort in the fact that the same team that ousted them went on to win the championship.

The 2021 fall season saw Lynchburg repeat their past achievements. They finished first in their division, which was re-named and re-aligned as DMV South, with a record of 6-3-1 overall. This included a perfect road record going 5-0 away from home. Once again, Lynchburg FC had the largest positive margin of goal difference with plus-19 and they won the conference tournament, but once again suffered a first round exit in the national tournament.

However, this defeat was to be expected as it came just 24 hours after a US Open Cup qualifying match. Lynchburg FC’s 1-0 victory against FC Maritsa in the fourth and final qualifying round of the Open Division Local qualifyfing tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup. Matthew Zaczyk slipped a pass forward to Tudor Barna in the box who beat the goalkeeper for the game’s only goal, punching the club’s ticket to the US Open Cup.

As for the previous three rounds of qualifying, Lynchburg received a bye in the first round, their second round opponent (Aegean Hawks FC) forfeited and Lynchburg easily dispatched Rockville SC of the Maryland Major Soccer League, 3-0. Zaczyk, Tudor Barna, and Tyler Bullock all scored for LFC.

Coached by Englishman Simon French, Lynchburg usually implements a variation of the classic 4-3-3. The midfield consists of a defensive midfielder operating from the ‘6’ and two central midfielders running the ‘8’. The defensive mid role is often filled by Chris Phillips. Phillips is a vocal leader and sets the pace of Lynchburg’s play. His defensive abilities are admirable, and he effectively shields the backline while putting out fires all over the field.

While one of the ‘8’s is an all-around midfielder, the other will be tasked with more offensive responsibilities. Greg White, who is also the club’s general manager, is usually the go-to-guy for this role. He possesses great technical skill and is capable of both creating and scoring goals. Lynchburg likes to build attacks through each third by retaining possession and trying to find complex passing patterns to unlock opposing defenses. They can rely on their wingers to stretch the field wide with pace and to create numerical overloads.

Tudor Barna is the prime example of this principle in action. A strong, pacey winger, Barna is able to get in behind and score lots of goals. This can be especially advantageous when Lynchburg counterpresses in the opponent’s defensive third. In close games, Lynchburg will press into the other team’s half and look to force a turnover before playing a long ball in behind up to the front three. However, in games against tougher opposition, Lynchburg will be content to stay compact and retain the ball. In such games, their defensive unit has performed admirably. Credit must be given to center back Josh Hinkle, Lynchburg’s rock at the back. Hinkle is a composed, hard-nosed defensive half who leads the back line.

Lynchburg would not have achieved the same success without stalwart goalkeeper Alonso Gutierrez. Gutierrez began the spring 2021 season as the backup but through hard work and determination he earned the starting spot and has performed exceptionally since then. He is incredibly quick, has good reflexes and is a reliable shot stopper. Gutierrez represents the identity of what Lynchburg FC is all about: relying on hard work, determination, and self-belief in order to achieve success.

When Lynchburg FC joined the UPSL in 2020, they joined with the commitment of tapping into the existing soccer culture present in the Lynchburg area. Although this is the first adult soccer team to represent the city, at any level, there is an underlying soccer culture present in the area.

Lynchburg’s ownership are locals to the area and strived to make the team community driven. Admission to regular season games at Lynchburg City Stadium are free of charge. The team’s players volunteer with after school programs as part of outreach with the city government. They partnered with the local youth soccer club, Central Virginia United, to enhance CVU’s summer camp experience.

“First and foremost we are extremely grateful for the partnerships with Lynchburg businesses and support from the community that inspire our passion to grow the game,” said Lynchburg president and co-founder Carlos Munoz. “Due to our success in our first season we’ve been able to create a competitive culture, and I think that’s why we saw a large turnout at tryouts with some high-level players. We’re thankful people want to be a part of it.”

Lynchburg FC’s bottom line is to provide quality soccer entertainment for local residents while enhancing the existing soccer culture. Although they have goals to evolve as a club long term, the team is focusing on perfecting their grassroots model in the present. They will have a chance to make some noise and garner attention in the first round of the 2022 US Open Cup.

Lynchburg FC will make its US Open Cup debut on Wednesday, March 23 against Northern Virginia FC, a club known for its USL League Two team, but qualified out of the Eastern Premier Soccer League, through the Open Division Local qualifying tournament. The game will be played at Lynchburg City Stadium in Lynchburg, Va. with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

“We’re thrilled for the opportunity to compete in our first ever Open Cup,” said Munoz. “We’re looking forward to the competition ahead of us.”

The winner of Wednesday’s game will play against USL League One’s Richmond Kickers in the Second Round. If Northern Virginia wins, they will host the Kickers, but if Lynchburg wins, they will travel to Richmond, Va.

 

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Escondido FC removing barriers leads to US Open Cup debut

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Escondido FC Meet the Underdogs 2022 US Open Cup
Angel DeLeon (No. 14) walks out for pre-game introductions with his Escondido FC teammates before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Sporting ID11. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

For Escondido FC, the biggest match in team history couldn’t start in a more familiar setting. The first-time US Open Cup entrant will host another United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) side, San Fernando Valley FC, on Wednesday night in Encino, Calif. Just to get to this point, the team had to knock off two other UPSL sides in qualifying.

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The team, based out of Escondido, Calif., was founded in 2020 by Alejandro (Alex) Garcia, a small business owner in the northern San Diego County city. Garcia founded the team with the goal of greater access in the community, with players able to play at little or no cost.

“A lot of talented players get stuck in Sunday leagues without developing their full potential,” said Garcia. “We created an environment where young players can develop their skills and possibly take the next step into a pro career.”

Garcia says this is his motivation to continue doing what he has been doing since 2020.

Since the club’s founding two years ago, Escondido have continued establishing themselves as a perennial force to be reckoned with.

The Fall 2021 UPSL season saw them finish on top of the SoCal South-Premier Division for the second year in a row; dropping only five points during the campaign. The team’s playoff run only came to an end in the SoCal Division Championship against second place Rebels SC, 2-1.

Escondido had previously beaten Rebels 3-2 in the Second Round of the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup. In November, they edged Chula Vista FC 3-2 in extra time to reach a “Win & You’re In” round of the qualifying tourney. Then, two days after falling in the UPSL conference final, with a roster of only 13 players, the team punched it’s ticket to the tournament proper with a 3-1 win over Sporting ID11 (UPSL).

Garcia says the team’s goal for the Spring 2022 season is to finish top of the division again and return to the national playoff stage. That includes a strong performance in the Open Cup to start the year, with a regrouped roster and new players.

“We hope to keep the momentum we had through the qualifying rounds and do the best we can.”

Escondido FC celebrates a goal against Chula Vista FC in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas

Unlike other open division outfits, there are currently no ex-pro players on the Escondido roster. In fact, while many amateur teams worried about missing players due to the tournament’s March start, that is something Escondido does not need to worry about.

“We do have some ex-college players that have played in community college in the past. But for the most part our team does not rely on college players”, Garcia explained.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t absences.

Escondido FC poses for a team photo after the club’s 3-1 win over Sporting ID11 in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

The team will be without two key players due to injury; forward Arturo Soltero and winger Angel De León. Soltero tore his ACL and MCL in week 3 of the fall season. He was the team’s top goalscorer in the spring campaign and there is currently no time table for his return. De León played at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for four seasons before joining the side, one of the few ex-collegiate player. He unfortunately picked up a hairline fracture on his right knee and a sprained ACL in Escondido’s final fall regular season game. He is expected to be out through at least the First Round of the Open Cup.

Team captain Gerardo Medina (“Gera”) and Omar Rodriguez are, however, ready to lead on the pitch.

“Gera is one of the veteran players, along with Juan Velazquez and Armando Morales. They all show great leadership and push the younger players to their limits,” adds Garcia.

While the UPSL does run a long schedule, Garcia is confident in the team’s readiness

“We manage to keep everyone healthy for the most part in the qualifying rounds. Fortunately for us our season starts after the first round of the Cup.”

Escondido FC hosts San Fernando Valley FC on Wednesday, March 23 at 5:45 p.m. (PT) at Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex in Encino, CA. The winner will play on the road in the Second Round against the California United Strikers FC (NISA) on April 7.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Oyster Bay United downs 3-time champ Pancyprian Freedoms in OT

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Oyster Bay United FC players pose in front of their fans following the team’s win over the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in the 2022 US Open Cup Third Qualifying Round. Photo: Karla Esqueche E&M Photography

2022 Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule / Results

On a chilly night in Queens, three month old club Oyster Bay United FC defeated the New York Pancyprian Freedoms, a team with almost five decades of history behind it. Oyster Bay United won 2-0 after extra time and are now one win away from the tournament proper. Goals from Davidson Marseille and Jeison Solano at the end of each of the extra time halves put an end to a chippy 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match at Belson Stadium.

United’s defeat of the three-time US Open Cup champions followed their victory against four-time champion New York Greek Americans in the previous round. The Freedoms advanced after their Second Qualifying Round opponent, New Amsterdam FC II, forfeited the match.

Oyster Bay head coach Josue Esqueche knows these past two wins are huge on their own. But heading into a “Win And You’re In” game next month, his team is already going to play a less experienced side in Westchester United FC.

“They are both great teams with great history,” Esqueche said after the game. “That’s a plus for the team. That’s a plus for the guys. When you have those two matches on your backpack, you’re going to face other teams with lesser history. You are proud because you know that you already handled a big deal. You’re going to be able to face anything.”

With the Freedoms loss, only two 2020 US Open Cup qualifiers are still in-line to requalify for the tournament (Chula Vista FC & Harpos FC).

Ten minutes into the game and it was clear both teams were evenly matched. In the 8th minute, the Freedoms’ James Mulligan was carded for a foul just on the edge of the box, which Oyster’s Joey Sanchez slammed into the defensive wall. On the immediate counter attack, Dillon Woods was carded for a handball when challenging Charlie Ledula on the right side. The subsequent free kick by former pro and current Seton Hall assistant coach Jeff Matteo was also quietly handled by the defense before being skied out.

Yellow cards were a common sight during the game with Oyster Bay accumulating nine and the Freedoms picking up three. It was enough that the Pancyprian staff in the media box questioned how none of the visitors picked up a second card when not many substitutions were being made.

Esqueche put that down to his team’s training. He knows his players want to play professionally or at least advance to a higher level so adapting after getting carded is part of that.

“Part of being professional responsibilities on the field,” he explained. “If you get a card because of a foul, even if it’s not your fault, you have that card, you have to be professional enough to handle it.

“I’m not going to change every player on the field because of a yellow card. They have to be responsible enough knowing that when they have a card, they have to be more cautious when they go into a player.”

That didn’t really matter to the 46 people in attendance though who were mostly in favor of the visitors from Long Island. New York had more chances offensively but Oyster Bay looked more organized for the most part. That did lead to some moments where the visitors over-pressed leaving open space for Pancyprian to try and attack 2-on-1, with the saving grace being Ledula struggling to make plays up top. The half ended with the former New York Cosmos player getting a near breakaway but shooting high over the net.

In the second half, the home side came out in a completely different shape. United had playback as the historic side shot on goal multiple times with keeper Jean Perez making multiple clutch saves. The best way the visitors had to try and counter this was physicality and the cards continued to add up in this half especially. The game slowly reverted into a back and forth again.

Oyster Bay United FC’s Sebastian Ruiz played all 120 minutes for his team, switching between both wings and causing issues for the New York Pancyprian Freedoms. Photo: Karla Esqueche E&M Photography

Oyster Bay’s Sebastian Ruiz stood out as one of his team’s MVPs in the half. The midfielder fluently switched from the left to right side and his speed helped move the ball down field away from the feet of Freedom players. On the other side James Nealis, older brother of New York Red Bulls player Sean Nealis, was one of the best players on the field. The former New York Cosmos player was key in moving the ball and developing plays for his team. He nearly scored a game winner in the latter half of the second period but a great save kept it out.

Late on in the 80th minute, Ledula attempted to challenge Sanchez for the ball in the United end. Whether he tripped over the ball, the OBUFC player’s leg or himself he went down and grabbed his right ankle. It took a few moments before his teammates and team staff could help him off the field.

Esqueche realized that despite Ledula’s slow game on the scoreboard most of the Pancyprian attack was flowing through him. With him off and knowing the game was most likely heading to extra time he could adjust his players around.

“That was a big change for the game,” said Esqueche. “It gave us the space to put some fresh players on that side because (Ledula) was practically their best player. So that way, when he got injured, we were able to put our subs (in), which were fresh.

“(Pancyprian) were all playing in the back and we knew that it was going to be hard to break those lines.”

Just before the final whistle New York’s James Thristino had a chance to end it when he was fed a cross from the right side just outside the goalkeeper box. The pass came fast, he missed, and was cleanly challenged to the ground. The game entered extra time not long after.

In the first 15-minute half, Oyster Bay came out quick and did not allow the home side to get any shots on goal. Ruiz switched sides back to the left and while his acceleration may have slowed after 90-plus minutes, his legs still played a major part. He helped set up two back-to-back attempts on the Freedoms net in the 100th minute, one stopped by a jumping Bernardi in net and the next shot high and wide.

The breaking point came just before the third intermission. A long kick found Marseille charging down the center and for a moment play slowed down as players expected the referee to call offside. The Oyster Bay player kept going and recovered the still bouncing ball with a finish that slid past Bernardi’s right side.

Marseille, a Haitian immigrant who had two surgeries last summer before joining United, knows his team believes in him. While the team is young he knows there’s talent here and showing he deserves to be here means a lot to him. But even with their support he credited the goal to something that’s been with him since he played the game on a dirt field just outside his house.

“This was God’s doing, it has nothing to do with me,” he said after the match. “It’s a lot of work that came into this, but I give this to God because that’s what I believe in. And that’s all I can say.”

In the second extra time half, United shot wide of the net twice in the first two minutes but the game settled into a back and forth again. The middle of the field saw the most action and Oyster Bay attempted to slow the game down. Emotions boiled over in the 120th minute when Luis Altuve took down Andreas Iosifidis and players from both teams began shoving and exchanging words. Eventually New York players crowded around the match official after they felt he wasn’t punishing United enough for their rough play. Both Iosifidis and Altuve were carded.

By the time Solano slipped in the game sealer in the third minute of stoppage time, as Bernardi played up leaving the net empty, the home side was completely demoralized and the final result felt more like a formality.

Heading into the next match against a fellow United Premier Soccer League side Marseille and Esqueche both know their team has a big advantage thanks to all the support the young group has. With people coming from across Oyster Bay and beyond to support it’s something both know they can’t replace and both are truly grateful for it.

“From somebody that didn’t really have support going up this is very ideal for us,” Marseille said. “Without fans, without support in life, you can’t really go forward. God can only do so much, but he’s gonna do his part and people that are around you as friends and family, those are what pull you through sometimes.”

Full Match Broadcast

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Jackson Lions defeat EFA Metro in controversy-filled rescheduled game

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Jackson Lions pose for a team photo before their 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against EFA Metro. Photo: Jackson Lions FC

2022 Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule / Results
(Match broadcast)

Like most things in lower league US soccer, the match between EFA Metro and Jackson Lions FC was anything but normal. The game went from being reportedly forfeited, to back on, to nearly forfeited again, before finally being played at a new venue … with a live DJ on the sidelines.

In the end, the Lions advanced, 3-0, over the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) side on Friday night.

Goals from Daniel Pizzimenti, David Nigro, and an EFA own-goal were the difference. Jackson moves on to play Westchester United FC in the next round. The road match against the UPSL side will be the Lions first qualifying match outside of New Jersey since their first one during 2017 Qualifying (against Pennsylvania side Vereinigung Erzgebirge).

The Lions came into the game with only 13 players available and it was nearly less. Team co-owner Mike Durazzo explained many of his guys had a wedding to attend and neither of his goalkeepers were available.

Natural forward Jacob Rubinstein had to play his first game between the sticks since his days at Ocean Township High School. Despite not having played goalkeeper in a little more than a decade, he earned a clean sheet, making at least seven saves and earning praise from his team.

“He really stepped up for us,” Nigro said after the match. “He’s usually one of our number nines or up top. To get a clean sheet in that first time in there it’s a testament to him. He played awesome.”

The tone of the match was set early when EFA keeper Michael Mejia came out of the box to play a ball and challenge a Jackson midfielder. The collision earned him a yellow card and the physicality escalated from there. The referee’s whistle was a constant as both teams battled for the ball and played the length of the field. 

The EFA offense took the edge in the first half but both defenses were tested and bent.

Around 25 minutes in, the Lions struggled to clear an EFA attack. Rubinstein and the back line had to handle multiple corner kicks and five minutes later a near break away needed to be saved. Every time the offense challenged Jackson it felt like a goal was coming. The 67 fans in attendance, mostly there for the home side, were on the edge of their seats.

Durazzo noted that this sort of action actually benefitted his group more. When the scoreline says 0-0 and a team like EFA is so close to scoring it can mess with that group. Despite not being fully rostered he knew the XI on the field just needed to be patient.

“Our guys are all veterans, they’ve been in these games before,” Durazzo said. “The longest score stays the more comfortable they get. The other team, I think, you know, I think they were a little bit younger and they were a little bit more antsy. We took advantage of our chances.”

The Lions best early chance came in the 11th minute when Walter Calderon struck a curling shot toward the top right corner. A quick jump and extension by Meijia preserved the scoreline.

However, the mood shifted in the 39th minute. Calderon ran down the left side and crossed into the box. None of his teammates would have gotten this ball but did find EFA defender Thomas Miazga who redirected the ball into his own net.

“You could see though as soon as they put in that own goal, they’re morale kind of dipped,” Lions defender Andrew Gee said after the game. “So we took advantage of that and then pushed our advantage.”

Durazzo echoed that point, noting that Metro has done well in the UPSL since joining last year. However a team with a median age in the lower twenties, and a 16 year-old defender, is still lacking in experience unlike the Lions.

“I like everything that they’re starting to do and they’re going to be something to be reckoned with in a couple of years,” Durazzo said. “But I think when they play a team like us, they come out with more energy. So when we get that own goal and the momentum swings our way, I think with the veteran guys that we have, we just take advantage of that momentum.”

The young EFA team and their coach became far more vocal after this and emotions ran high. By the end of it, Jakub Golabek, EFA’s director of coaching on the sideline, was shown a yellow himself and warned to keep quiet. As the second half kicked off the back and forth slowly slid in favor of the visitors. The major turning point came in the 57th minute when Miazga pulled down a Jackson player by his collar during a counter attack. Originally he was only shown a yellow but after discussing it with the linesman the ref altered it to a straight red.

Miazga, the brother of United States men’s national soccer team player Matt Miazga, didn’t hold back against referees as he increased the number of fans in the stands to 68. As one person between the benches eloquently put it; “We have a DJ, but no VAR.”

Pizzimenti converted from the spot to make it 2-0 in the 61st minute.

Despite being down a man, EFA challenged the Lions like they were at full strength. Ball possession slid more in favor of Jackson but Metro punched up. Winger Almir Kariqi was finding space where there shouldn’t have been any and made quick, clean passes into the Lions’ end. But that came to an end when Nigro sealed the match in the 73rd minute.

“It’s always nice to get a (goal) in the run of play,” Nigro said, with his goal being the only “standard” one during the match. “We were knocking around, we were looking dangerous needed that third one, just to kind of ice the game out. They were looking threatening. (I) just got the ball at the top of the box and knew that the keeper wasn’t expecting the shot and just tucked it in the corner.”

Metro seemingly got one back in the 89th minute but was called back for offside.

The game itself almost took a backdrop to the drama surrounding it. The two teams were originally scheduled to play on Saturday Sept. 18 at Athenia Steel Park in Clifton, N.J. However the day of the match, EFA posted on Instagram that the game was cancelled due to “registration issues” and the Lions would advance. It wasn’t out of place, unfortunately, as five other games were forfeited for similar reasons during the weekend. However, over the next few days things EFA deleted that Instagram post.

When U.S. Soccer emailed the advancing teams the match-ups for the next round; it listed EFA vs Jackson for a new date and venue. According to team sources, EFA appealed and the Lions agreed to play the match instead of taking the forfeit win.

On the day of the reschedule, the Lions, who had been told to re-submit all their players for registration, only had ten players accepted. At 3 p.m., Durazzo was emailed by USSF and told two of his players, Derek Luke and Jacques Francois, were ineligible because they were considered “professional”. Luke last played for Rio Grande Valley FC in 2018 and Francois hadn’t played professionally since 2016 with San Antonio FC. Both men were previously cleared to play for the team during 2020 qualifying as well. In the email, the federation asked Durazzo to have both Texas-based USL Championship sides sign a form to secure both players’ eligibility, with less than six hours to go before kickoff.

“This is the last year we are doing this,” Durazzo said during the ordeal. Eventually after contacting the federation and USASA President John Motto both players were allowed to play around 5 p.m. After the win, and with emotions less-heated, his thoughts were less on the issues this year and more hoping to get his group two more wins.

“A lot of the veteran guys on this team know that this might be, some of them might be their last chance to play,” Durazzo said. “So we hope that these three years we’re learning, you know, learning lessons and we could get in finally this year.”

Around 10 a.m. on the originally scheduled match day, Saturday, September 18, EFA Metro posted the above to Instagram stating they had forfeited the match due to “registration issues”. This post was later deleted.

2018 Meet the Underdogs: Arizona Sahuaros are reborn as Sporting AZ FC

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Sporting AZ FC poses for a team photo before a recent UPSL game. Photo: Sporting AZ FC
Sporting AZ FC poses for a team photo before a recent UPSL game. Photo: Sporting AZ FC

Gilbert, Arizona is getting noticed for much more than the heat and scenery. The town is home to Sporting Arizona Football Club, or better known to the local fans as Sporting AZ FC.

The team that traces its roots back to 1989 when they were founded as the Phoenix Hearts in the Southwest Independent Soccer League. The team played under a few different names in the 1990s (Arizona Cotton, Arizona Phoenix) before joining the USL’s D3 Pro League in 1997 as the Arizona Sahuaros. The Sahuaros made six US Open Cup appearances (1998, 1999, 2006, 2008-10), advancing four times in 10 games. After six years in the D3 Pro League, the Sahuaros transitioned into an amateur team where they were a founding member of the NPSL in 2003 (originally called the Men’s Premier Soccer League). The team was an on-again, off-again member of the NPSL until the club when on hiatus in 2011.

The Sahuaros were revived in 2014 when Barry Rybicki and former Sahuaros assistant coach Tim Marchisotto bought the team and the club played an exhibition game schedule from 2014-16 before re-brandeding as Sporting AZ FC and joining the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) at the end of 2016.

Sporting_Arizona_FCSporting began play in the UPSL in the spring of 2017 and have built some momentum both on and off the field. The team splits their home games between Highland High School and Campo Verde High School, both of them located in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert.

The caliber of this team is not to be taken lightly, with head coach Aidan Davison, who has a strong resume from his playing days. Davison was a goalkeeper who represented Northern Ireland at the international level and played for a number of English clubs such as Bolton Wanderers, Millwall, and Bradford City. With his professional experience, he makes sure that his men are at their best to perform on the field.

On this particular day, practice at Chandler-Gilbert Community College starts promptly at 6:45 a.m. and goes on till 9 a.m. With the scorching Arizona heat, these men are playing at full effort. Sweat dripping from their faces, dives and kicks, not one beat is skipped.

When it comes to Sporting AZ FC and their mission, Davison is clear when he says, “Simply to improve soccer in this area, offer a quality product for the community, spring ball players at the professional level, and provide a really solid professional club so everyone can be proud of it.”

The team has returning players under coach Davison, but they’re new to the Sporting AZ family. With his dynamic coaching style, the team fuses well as if they’ve been a solid unit for years.

Arizona Sahuaros logoPlayers come from all around the globe to be apart of this team. 27 year-old Costa Rican native, Alejandro Aguilar has been in the United States since 2010 and playing for Sporting AZ for the last two years.

“This team has a good organization and a great mission, that’s what called my attention to them,” said Aguilar, who like other Spanish-speaking players, hasn’t let a language barrier hold him back in blending in with the team.

One player they will be missing from last season is goalkeeper Jake Rybicki, the son of Sporting AZ majority owner Barry Rybicki. Rybicki recently signed with Malta First Division club Hibernians FC, who just advanced to the second round of the UEFA Champions League qualifying.

The opening round match between Sporting and FC Arizona has an extra layer of drama, aside from the fact that the two teams are separated by less than 20 miles. Coach Davison used to coach the team and many of the players on the Sporting roster were on the FC Arizona team that finished the regular season with an undefeated record (12-0-4) in their inaugural season in the NPSL. Mo Salama, Jon Guse, Alejandro Aguilar, David Paul, Kenny McAvoy, Paul LaMarca, and Andrew Weber, who was part of the 2015 MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers.

This team has the potential to be a well-oiled machine by the time they make their US Open Cup debut against FC Arizona (NPSL) in the First Round on May 9. With all the right pieces working in unison, coach Davison expects to make a run in the tournament to put Arizona soccer on the map.

2018 Meet the Underdogs: LA Wolves are “young and hungry” ahead of 3rd US Open Cup

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Players from the LA Wolves FC and Buena Park FC go up for a header in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Tmesis FC
Players from the LA Wolves FC and Buena Park FC go up for a header in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Tmesis FC

The Los Angeles Wolves, last year’s USASA Region IV Champion under coach Eric Wynalda, are back to their usual winning ways, just in time for their return to the US Open Cup, this being their third consecutive qualification to the tournament.

The Wolves lost their footing soon after Eric Wynalda’s departure, finishing in an unusual sixth place in the fall season of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) Western Conference.

However, this season, they’ve bounced back. They have yet to lose a game in this new UPSL season, after six games at the time of this writing, and racking up 16 out of 18 points.

The club has built another strong squad, after the departures of Bryan De la Fuente, Duncan Capriotti, Paolo Cardozo who joined California United.

The new Wolves head coach, Felipe Bernal, is eager and grateful for the opportunity to coach the Wolves in the Open Cup.

“We’re very grateful that the UPSL is out there, for the homegrown players that really don’t get that prime opportunity in Major League Soccer,” said Bernal. “And leagues like this give the opportunity for local clubs, and for those players to shine and grow into the next level. That’s very important. It’s definitely exciting for the league and clubs like the Wolves to create these opportunities.”

Coach Bernal sees having to travel in the first, and would-be, second Open Cup round as opportunities to make his team stronger, due to the expected hostile environments.

LA Wolves Los Angeles Wolves“I was brought in to change some dynamics … a lot of our players are new, but they’ve played Division 1, Division 2, Junior College and are well-experienced,” said Bernal. “They’re young and hungry.”

The Wolves have enjoyed quite a bit of success in the tournament in their first two years. In 2016, they advanced to Round 2 by way of forfeit and then upset a pro team in their first Open Cup game, eliminating the USL’s Orange County Blues by penalty kicks. They would fall to fellow amateur side La Maquina in Round 3.

Last year, the draw was favorable and the Wolves won back-to-back home games against amateur sides (San Diego Zest, Chula Vista FC) before Orange County SC got their revenge with a 1-0 win.

The Wolves qualified to the Open Cup, through the Open Division qualifying process, where they defeated Real Sociedad Royals (SoCal Premier League) by a score of 6-1 in the opening round. They got a free pass into the final round after Vanquish FC (UPSL) withdrew from the tournament, and they clinched their third straight Open Cup berth with a 4-0 win over Buena Park FC (SoCal Premier).

The club opens the first round versus FC Golden State, no stranger to the Open Cup, having qualified out of the Premier Development League for the second year in a row.

LA Wolves vs FC Golden State in the first round of the Open Cup kicks off on May 9 at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, Calif at 7 p.m. local time.

Paul Blackman also contributed to this story

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