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2013 US Open Cup qualifying: United German Hungarians edge 10-man Predators to reach another Eastern PA final

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The much anticipated Eastern Pennsylvania US Open Cup semifinal match between United German Hungarians and the Predators took place on Sunday at the soccer cathedral known as the YSC sports complex in Wayne, Pa. The United German Hungarians, making their fifth straight semifinal appearance, advanced to the championship game with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Predators, who were making their first appearance in the competition.

With the win, UGH will advance to Saturday’s title game against defending champion West Chester United. The match will be hosted by United with the kickoff scheduled or 2 p.m. (Map to the game) The winner will take the next step toward qualifying for the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by qualifying for next spring’s USASA Region I Finals.

The match was originally to be played at UGH’s home field in Oakford, Pa. last Sunday, Dec. 9, but had to be rescheduled due to poor field conditions caused by heavy rain. The game was then moved to the YSC sports complex, which is the facility the Philadelphia Union use for preseason training, and the home to the YSC Union Juniors.

Elsion Pajolarri of UGH, who scored the game's only goal from the penalty spot, sends in a free kick against the Predators' defense. Photo: Jeff Livezey

Sunday’s semifinal was a true battle for the entire 90 minutes with both teams playing with rosters full of skill and experience. Everyone from former Union academy players, to current and former college players, to veterans of the professional ranks.

The Preds were dealt a blow early in the game when Tom Greenawalt, a former pro with the Reading Rage (now Reading United), took down a UGH player inside the box and referee John Barr called for a UGH penalty kick. Before the kick was taken, Greenawalt, continued to argue the call until the official had enough and sent him off. The Predators, a talented over-30 team, were down a man and shortly after, down a goal as Elsion Pajolarri converted the spot kick. Despite playing with 10 men, the Pred’s defense held UGH to 1-0 at the half.

In the second half the shorthanded Predators moved the ball well and managed to create a number of chances, but none of them went their way. Peter Pittaoulis had a shot on goal that just went right of the goal post, and Tomasz Fryzel had a free kick opportunity that went just above the crossbar. The best opportunity came from Joe Ferrero, who dribbled inside the box and had a shot on frame that hit the post. UGH had a strong defense that kept their lead and kept a clean sheet for goalkeeper Jimmy Clark.

The Hungarians, an Open Cup runner-up in 1977 and 1993, move on to the Eastern Pennsylvania Open Cup championship game as they attempt to win their sixth title since 1995.

2013 Eastern PA Open Cup Tournament
(home team listed second)

First Round (Nov. 11) [+] Recap
Cavalla FC 1:0 Ukrainian Nationals (Oct. 28)
Quakertown 3:2 Colonial Ultras
Junior Lone Star 6:0 Mayfair Celtic
Nether United 1:1 Phoenix SC (Nether United advances, 7-6 in PKs)
Predators 1:0 Vereinigung Erzgebirge

Quarterfinals (Dec. 2) [+] Recap
Quakertown 0:4 West Chester United
Cavalla FC 4:0 Salone
Junior Lone Star 0:3 United German Hungarians
Predators 0:0 Nether United (Predators advance 5-4 in PKs)

Semifinals
Cavalla FC 1:2 West Chester United (Dec. 9) [+] Recap
Predators 0:1 United German Hungarians (Dec. 16)

Final (Dec. 22 – 2 p.m.)
United German Hungarians at West Chester United
(Map to the game)

Past Eastern PA Open Cup champions:
1997: United German Hungarians
1998: United German Hungarians
1999: United German Hungarians*
2000: United German Hungarians
2001: DiPasquale’s
2002: Vereinigung Erzgebirge*
2003: Ukrainian Nationals
2004: Lighthouse SC
2005: Ukrainian Nationals
2006: Ukrainian Nationals
2007: Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Runner-up Ukrainian Nationals also qualified for Region I Finals)
2008: United German Hungarians
2009: Vereinigung Erzgebirge
2010: Phoenix SC
2011: Phoenix SC*
2012: West Chester United Predators

* Qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Charm City, Maryland Bays advance to USASA Maryland final rematch

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An experienced Charm City squad was a 3-1 winner over a strong but young Baltimore Juniors team on Sunday paving the way for their entrance into the US Open Cup Maryland state final March 4. On the other side of the bracket the defending champion Maryland Bays blanked Christos FC, 2-0, in the second match of the semifinal doubleheader at Western Regional Park in Woodbine despite using a field player in goal for the overtime affair.

The championship pairing in two weeks’ time will be a rematch of the 2011 final between Charm City and the Maryland Bays, a pair of clubs that have been to the past two Region I tournaments, respectively, as representatives for the state.

Charm City capped a hard fought first 45 against Baltimore Juniors when Scott Zakroski delivered a picturesque volley into the upper corner off a Lou Brunetti cross in first half stoppage time to give Charm City the momentum going into the half.

The game, however, got chippy after the break, including Ben Pardew being taken down in the penalty area.  Baltimore Juniors’ Dan Martinnsen was ejected for the foul as it was a denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity, but Charm Cmarity missed the kick from the spot when Baltimore Juniors keeper Tom Durkin tipped the shot wide.

Not to be deterred, Charm City kept their foot on the gas and came right back down the field. Wiji Jones delivered a perfect cross, his third assist in two games, and Tommy Appel-Schumacher headed it in for the 2-0 advantage on 62 minutes.

Baltimore got one back in the 80th minute when Andrew Stoenfeld hammered in a free kick from distance.

A chance at equalizing was dashed though for Baltimore when Wiji Jones, showing a penchant for game sealers, tapped home his second late goal in as many weeks. It was the result of a strong individual effort from Luke Pardew beating his defender down the end line and going hard in the box before finding Jones for the tap in for a 3-1 win, giving Charm City an aggregate score of 12-2 over the opposition through two rounds of play having won 9-1 the week before.

While the first match was clinched for certainty in the late stages, the second contest went the distance as the Bays and Christos played to a scoreless stalemate for 90 minutes. The Bays would advance through to the final with a pair of strikes in the final three minutes of overtime.

The deadlock ended in the 117th minute via an Andrew Gillis goal, deep in the second overtime assisted by Will Beckman.

The scoring was capped off by a Jon Ports empty netter as the Christos goal was open after the whole team had pushed up in search of an equalizer in the waning seconds.

Christos had their chances in the second half, but failed to capitalize while the Bays displayed the form that delivered them the 2011 State Open Cup title.  Making the victory all the more impressive for the Bays was that they did it without an established goalkeeper.  Matt Beale played in goal for the Bays, a change from his usual role as a defensive outside midfielder.  According to coach Bryan Bugarin, regular keeper Phil Latham is expected to be back in goal for the final.

Bugarin used to play for Christos himself before the Bays were formed in 2009 as a result of a reunion of a group of talented post-collegiate players who rose together through the youth ranks.

“The players’ comfort with each other shows on the field.” said Bugarin. It is certainly reflected in the clubs all-time record of 69-7-6.

The final is a rematch of last year’s championship clash, a game that went 5-1 in favor of the Bays courtesy of four Marco Mangione goals.  The Bays will be without Mangione this time around as he signed with GD Tourizense of the Segunda Divisao (Portuguese third division) in January.

It is the third consecutive year in which Charm City has reached the final, though in 2010 the state skipped the contest and sent both finalists directly onto the Region I tournament without crowning a singular champion.

Charm City player/coach Pat Crawford is looking forward to the challenge. “The Bays won the league last fall with a 14-0-2 record, they are well coached, are always technically sound, and I’m sure they will be looking to get back at us after we beat them 3-0 in the fall,” he said of the opposition.

The championship game will be held on March 4 at the same field where the rest of the games have been held: Western Regional Park (Field #5) in Woodbine.

Maryland USASA Open Cup Semifinals
Western Regional Park, – Woodbine, MD
Sunday, Feb.  19, 2012

Charm City 3:1 Baltimore Juniors
CC: Scott Zakroski (Lou Brunetti) 45
CC: Tommy Appel-Schumacher (Wiji Jones) 62
BJ: Andrew Stoenfeld 80
CC: Wiji Jones (Luke Pardew) 89

Maryland Bays 2:0 (AET) Christos FC
MB: Andrew Gillis (Will Beckman) 117
MB: Jon Ports 120

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks defeat Atletico VA to regain DC/VA title

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The Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks are once again Open Cup champions of the Metropolitan DC-VA Soccer Association, taking another step to returning to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2009. By a 3-1 scoreline, the Hawks defeated Club Atletico Virginia, the two-time defending DC/VA Open Cup champion in the championship game at Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Va on Sunday, Feb. 19.

First half substitute Ernesto Marquez scored twice and Sam Scales added another to return the trophy to the Hawks, who won four straight DC/VA titles between 2006-09 before CAV dethroned them in 2010 and won it again last year. The win clinches the Hawks a spot in the 2012 USASA Region I Finals, which will begin at a date yet to be announced.

The Hawks opened up the scoring in the 40th minute on a play that began out of the backline and pushed out to the attacking third, down the left wing. The ball was played to the top of the box which began a clever display of one touch soccer, with Michael Goldman touching it to Guilherme Fonseca, who laid it off to Marquez for the goal.

They continued the offensive pressure after halftime, adding a second on the counter attack in the 53rd minute. Scales, who was selected last year by Sporting Kansas City in the MLS Supplemental Draft, received the ball in the middle of the field and sent a looping ball out in front of Fonseca into the far corner. Fonseca tracked down the ball, crossed it into middle of the box where he found Scales who was had made a run. The former Ohio State Buckeye kept his eye on the cross and volleyed it out of the air and into the back of the net to make it 2-0 in the 47th minute.

Metro DC / Virginia Soccer Association

Marquez, who played his college ball at George Mason University, would add a third just six minutes later. Fonseca sent a through ball to the left midfielder who broke in behind the defense and calmly fired a shot past the CAV goalkeeper.

Atletico would pull one back in the 68th minute when John Carson fed Andrew Richardson for a shot on goal that was saved by Chris Fenner, but Richardson followed up on the rebound and put it in to make it 3-1.

The win on Sunday was a welcomed one for Hawks manager Jonathan Knight, helping the club get a monkey off their back, as he put it. Prior to the championship game, the Hawks had claimed victory just once in their last seven meetings with CAV.

“ have had our number,” said Knight. “It was definitely a satisfying win in what has become a fierce rivalry.”

After two years without advancing in Open Cup qualifying, Knight says his team is “hungry again.”

“We added a bunch of new players, and also sent the message to our whole team that they have to be more committed, and they’ve responded,” said Knight. “There’s a lot of potential with this group and I think we could make a run at qualifying for the Open Cup, as well as winning a national championship. But we still have a lot of work to do.”

2012 DC/VA Open Cup Final
February 19 – Long Bridge Park – Arlington, Va.
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks 3:1 Club Atletico Virginia

Scoring Summary
AH: Ernesto Marquez (Guilherme Fonseca) – 40th minute
AH: Sam Scales (Guilherme Fonseca) – 47th minute
AH: Ernesto Marquez (Guilherme Fonseca) – 53rd minute
CAV: Andrew Richardson (Unassisted) – 68th minute

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks lineup: Chris Fenner (GK), Alan Golden (Mateus dos Anjos – 60th), Pat Selwood, James Kpainay, Lonnie Carter (Michael Montross – 70th), Erwin Diaz (Ernesto Marquez – 30th), Michael Goldman, Sam Scales, Devlin Barnes, Guilherme Fonseca (Ricky Schramm – 75th), Scott Larrabee

Club Atletico Virginia lineup: Derek Biss (GK), John Bello (RB), Phil Purdy (CB), Tremaine Chinapoo (CB), Dave Leon (LB), Josh Dodds (RM), Javier Castro (CM), John Carson (CM), Andrew Richardson (LM), Yoni Berhanu (FWD), Billy Whittington (FWD)
Subs: Bryant Meckley (Josh Dodds), Stephen Macurdy (John Bello), Nolan Rodman (Andrew Richardson)

Recent DC/VA Open Cup champions:
2012: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2011: Club Atletico Virginia
2010: Club Atletico Virginia
2009: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2008: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2007: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2006: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2005: Lex United
2004: LCC International
2003: Dynamos FC
2002: LCC International
2001: Virginia Beach International
2000: LCC International
1999: Zorba FC
1998: LCC International

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Maryland Qualifying down to four with Christos FC, Charm City wins

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Christos FC and Charm City emerged victorious in the first round of the Maryland state tournament in 2012 US Open Cup qualifying action.  Christos moves on to play Maryland Bays in the semifinals while Charm City will take on Baltimore Juniors FC.  The semis will take place at Western Regional Park, Field #5 on Sunday February 19.

Christos and the Bays will be kicking things off at 11 a.m. with the Charm City contest against Baltimore Juniors following immediately after at approximately 1 p.m. The state championship match will be held two weeks later, March 4, at the same location at 1 p.m.

Christos FC defeated Baltimore Kickers 3-1 in the opening round this past Sunday amid tough conditions and a frozen pitch with temperatures below freezing.  With winds gusting at 25 miles per hour, it was a rough going in the first half. Christos, however, carried the run of play throughout and were rewarded for their efforts via a goal from Benny Kujawa.

Ryan Sears knotted the game at 1-1 when he connected for Baltimore.

In the second half Christos made their superior quality felt and cashed in on chances from Glenn Leitch and Daniel Ankrah to take the 3-1 win.  Christos moves on to face 2011 Maryland US Open Cup champion Maryland Bays.

On the other side of the bracket, Charm City manhandled a thoroughly outclassed and inexperienced Juniors United FC side, making their USASA Open Cup debut. The match finished 9-1, even with Charm City making six substitutions at the half.

Open Cup competition proved to be too big a step up in quality from the Cosmopolitan League for Junior United, and credit to Charm City for handling themselves with class throughout.

Charm City opened the scoring on the eight-minute mark with Noah Merl slotting home a goal from Scott Zakroski.  The tone was set. After Pat Crawford connected in the 14th and Lou Burnetti in the 32nd, Tarik Walker slammed a penalty kick home from the spot to head to the break up 4-0.

Josh Robinson and Ben Delisle each tallied twice for Charm City in the second half and Wiji Jones got in on the action in the 81st minute as well.

Juniors United’s lone tally was a penalty.  Charm City will take on Baltimore Juniors FC in the second game of the semifinals this Sunday.

Maryland USASA Open Cup First Round

Western Regional Park, – Woodbine, MD

Christos FC 3:1 Baltimore Kickers

Christos: Benny Kujawa
Baltimore: Ryan Sears
Christos: Glenn Leitch
Christos: Daniel Ankrah

Charm City 9:1 Juniors United FC

Charm City: Noah Merl (Scott Zakroski) 8
Charm City: Pat Crawford (Mike Svhela) 14
Charm City: Lou Burnetti (Noah Merl) 32
Charm City: Tarik Walker penalty 45
Charm City: Ben Delisle (Wiji Jones) 66
Charm City: Josh Robinson (Wiji Jones) 67
Charm City: Ben Delisle (Josh Robinson) 73
Charm City: Wiji Jones (Todd Clingan) 81
Juniors United: Josh Robinson penalty 89

Maryland USASA Open Cup Semifinals
Sunday, February 19
Western Regional Park, – Woodbine, MD

Christos FC vs. Maryland Bays – 11 a.m.
Baltimore Juniors FC vs. Charm City FC – 1 p.m.

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Greek American Atlas thrash Pancyprian Freedoms to regain Eastern NY crown

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New York Greek American Atlas: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

On a cold November evening , the New York Greek American Atlas, four-time US Open Cup winners, reclaimed their Eastern New York title with a 4-0 win over 3-time Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms. It was their second meeting in nine days, and it took place at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University. The Greeks won the last meeting in league play 2-0 and with the win in the championship game, they have booked a place in next spring’s USASA Region I tournament, with a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line.

Keith Detelj scored a pair of goals for the Greeks who, with the win, earn their first Eastern NY Open Cup title since 2007, breaking a string of four straight by the Freedoms.

Play became chippy right from the kick off, as it was obvious that these two shared a fierce rivalry. Throughout the first 20 minutes of the contest, the teams had an equal share of possession, with both teams fighting through the midfield, hoping to take a much-wanted lead.

The Pancyprian Freedoms had the first real scoring opportunity when Stefan Dimitrov hit a low cross sent in by Anastasios Polydefkis wide off the mark.

It was the Greek AA who made the first breakthrough about nearly midway through the half. A cross from the left flank found it’s way to Keith Detelj who put it past Freedoms keeper Chad Calderone and gave put the Greek Americans up 1-0 after 22 minutes.

Neither keeper saw much action after Detelj’s goal, but the midfield battle that had begun at the start of the game continued until the ref blew the whistle for halftime, no yellow cards given, though there were plenty of opportunities.

The second half of the contest picked up right where it left off for Greek AA. They held a majority of the possession and created more goal scoring opportunities by consistently winning the ball in the midfield. The game’s first yellow card finally came in the 56th minute, as midfielder John Koutsoundis came in hard on one of the Greek AA players. The Greeks continued to press forward, trying to increase their one-goal lead and they were rewarded. A handball in the box led to a penalty kick and Ben Arikian stepped up to the spot and beat Calderone to the right, as the keeper dove the opposite way to make it 2-0 in the 62nd minute.

Greek AA didn’t have to wait long for their next goal, as Detelj fought off two Freedoms defenders to slot home his second of the night and the third for the Greeks in the 64th minute. Shortly afterward, the Greeks received their first yellow card of the night, as Josh Trott came in with a hard tackle a few yards from the penalty area, but the Greek AA were unable to capitalize.

Down three with a little more than twenty minutes to play, the Freedoms attempted to fight back. In the span of five minutes,  Freedoms attacker Julio Cesar Dos Santos struck from about 3 yards from goal, but it was handled by Greek AA keeper Steven Diaz. Dos Santos’ second attempt, a volley from about the same distance as his previous attempt, was also kept out by Diaz with some ease.  The Freedoms fought hard in the game’s last minutes, with a header by Dimitrov sent just wide of Diaz’s goal.

The Greeks made the Freedoms pay with a counter attack, with Paul Shaw chipping the ball from a few yards out past  Calderone to seal the victory and make it 4-0 Greek AA in the 72nd minute. With that goal came the final whistle, and with it advancement to the USASA Region I tournament. The Greek Americans will continue their quest to return to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2005 as Region I tournament begins in the spring of next year.

“I thought it was a great win tonight, and thought we thoroughly deserved it,” said Michael Todd of the Greek Americans. “We worked incredibly hard, the guys, everyone on the team, especially the guys coming off the bench. I thought we thoroughly deserved the win and I’m glad we’re in the next round of the cup.”

Martinos Kyprianou, coach of the New York Pancyprian Freedoms was disappointed with the result.

“To beat a team like this, you need to be on top of your game. Clearly tonight we were not,” said Kyprianou. “The effort was there, but we had no concentration. We missed scoring opportunities, they scored on 95% of theirs. And that was the difference of the game.”

The new champions took the toughest road to get to the final, having begun play in the opening round, while the Freedoms earned a bye into the championship game as the winners of the Eastern NY Super Cup tournament in September. After defeating the Manhattan Kickers in the first round 4-2, they narrowly escaped the NY Athletic Club in the next round 1-0, and needed an 89th minute goal from Jamal Neptune in the semifinals to knock off the Barnstonworth Rovers by the same score.

2011 Eastern NY Open Cup championship results
(Winner qualifies for the 2012 USASA Region I tournament)

Round 1
NY Athletic Club 3:1 NY Olympiacos
NY Greek American Atlas 4:2 Manhattan Kickers

Round 2
Barnstonworth Rovers 2:1 NYC Albania
NY Athletic Club 0:1 NY Greek American Atlas

Semifinal (winner plays NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the championship game)
Barnstonworth Rovers 0:1 NY Greek American Atlas

Final
NY Greek American Atlas 4:0 NY Pancyprian Freedoms

Past Eastern NY Open Cup champions (US Open Cup finish)
2003: Greek American Atlas (Did not qualify)
2004: Greek American Atlas (US Open Cup Round 1)
2005: Greek American Atlas (US Open Cup Round 1)
2006: Pancyprian Freedoms (Did not qualify)
2007: Greek American Atlas (Did not qualify)
2008: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 1)
2009: Pancyprian Freedoms (Did not qualify)
2010: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 1)
2011: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 2)
2012: Greek American Atlas (?)

Fenerbahce USA in Eastern NY Final after Greek American Atlas forfeit

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Eastern New York SA logoFollowing their 4-1 win over Fenerbahce USA in the Semifinals of the Eastern New York Open Cup tournament, New York Greek American Atlas has been disqualified. Following the match, Fenerbahce filed a protest with the Eastern New York Amateur Soccer Association (ENYASA) accusing the Greek Americans of fielding an ineligible player. After the review was complete, the ENYASA ruled that the Greeks had broken the rules.

According to Gus Xikis of the ENYASA, there were two rules violations.

First, former New York Red Bulls forward Abbe Ibrahim was listed on the Greek Americans’ lineup sheet submitted to the referee. This was an odd mistake considering that Ibrahim is currently playing for Romanian club FC Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt. Even though Ibrahim did not participate in the match, listing a professional player on the lineup card of an amateur team, according to Xikis, is against the rules and is worthy of a match being forfeited.

Ibrahim made his MLS debut for the Metrostars (now the New York Red Bulls) of Major League Soccer back in 2005, scoring two goals in 15 matches and most recently played for Toronto FC in 2007. He played two games for the Greek Americans in late September, but George Mellis, the long-time general manager for the Greek Americans, claims that he was unaware that Ibrahim was a professional player, and wasn’t even aware that Ibrahim was playing in Romania.
Abbe Ibrahim scored the opening goal of the game in a losing effort for his
Romanian club a few days after the Eastern NY Semifinal took place.

“The reason our coach Lucio Russo put on the lineup form was because on the date of the game, our players were running late, and the game had already started,” said Mellis. “We put him in there, in case we had to start the game with less than 10 players.”

The players running late arrived at the match in time, but Ibrahim’s name remained on the lineup sheet.

The second violation that was discovered by the ENYASA was that Michael Todd, who spent time with the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division in 2007 and also played for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League, was listed as a professional player and did not submit the proper paperwork to be re-instated as an amateur athlete.

Todd, who has played for the Greek Americans for the last three seasons, spent this past summer playing for the Long Island Rough Riders of the Premier Development League (PDL). The Rough Riders are an amateur club, but it is possible to be signed to a PDL club on a $0 professional contract. According to the ENYASA, Todd had signed a pay-free professional contract with the Rough Riders, however, a source with the United Soccer Leagues says that according to their records, he was registered as an amateur player.

Regardless of Todd’s status, the violation involving Ibrahim was enough to disqualify the three-time US Open Cup champions.

Mellis, who has worked for the Greek Americans for the last 40 years, takes full responsibility for the errors. He says that not only did he not know that Ibrahim was a professional, but he wasn’t aware that he had left the country to play in Romania. As for Todd, he says that he did not re-instate him as an amateur because he didn’t think it was necessary since he had just finished playing for an amateur PDL club.

This isn’t the first time that the club has been involved in a situation like this. In 1998, after upsetting the Western Mass Pioneers of the USL D3 Pro League (now USL Second Division) in the opening round of the US Open Cup, it was determined that they used as many as six ineligible players and were disqualified and denied a Second Round match with the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League.

Fenerbahce USA will now replace the Greek Americans in the Eastern New York Open Cup Final and will face the New York Pancyprian Freedoms on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:30 at Central Island Beach Field in Bayville, NY.

Sources: NPSL makes proposal for four berths

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The National Premier Soccer League has made a proposal to the US Soccer Federation for the league to receive four berths in the US Open Cup, sources confirmed to TheCup.us.

Over the first five seasons of the NPSL, league teams have had to qualify through their respective US Adult Soccer Association regional tournaments to get into the US Open Cup.

It’s not clear if the plan proposes taking the four berths from the eight currently assigned to the USASA. If that happens, only the four regional champions would qualify, rather than each region having two entries. Adding four berths to the NPSL and keeping eight for the USASA would require another revamp of the US Open Cup setup and possibly taking spots away from the Premier Development League (PDL).

The NPSL berths would be awarded using an in-season qualification process similar to the Premier Development League (PDL).

Six current NPSL teams have qualified for the US Open Cup, compiling a 1-7-4 record — the Sonoma County Sol posted the first victory with a 5-2 victory over the Orange County Blue Star in the first round this year.

The Salinas Valley Samba (2005) and the Sol (2006) also advanced to the second round on penalty kicks following ties in first-round matches; the Samba also drew their qualifying-round match in 2005 and advanced on penalties.

Two of the NPSL’s founding members who did not field teams in the league this season, the Chico Rooks and the Sacramento Knights, also have qualified for the US Open Cup in the past.

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