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2026 National Amateur Cup: El Farolito wins first Amateur Cup title in OT, punches ticket to USOC

July 26, 2026 by Matt Schroeder

El Farolito SC pose with the Fritz Marth National Amateur Cup trophy following their 3-1 AET win over Lansdowne Yonkers FC in the final | Michael Miller/NPSL.com

El Farolito is heading to the 2027 US Open Cup after the team beat Lansdowne Yonkers FC, 3-1, in extra time to claim their first-ever USASA National Amateur Cup title. An electric run by substitute Herlbert Soto set up Dembor Benson in the second minute of extra time for the go-ahead and game winner at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Benson scored a brace in the final, which combined with his goal in the semifinal helped him tie teammate Erik Arias for the National Amateur Cup Golden Boot top spot with six goals in the competition.

El Faro, which had previously reached the final in 1991 before losing to St. Louis Scott Gallagher, continues to add to its impressive trophy collection. That also includes the 1993 US Open Cup title (under the name CD Mexico), the 2024 National Premier Soccer League title, and the team is reigning San Francisco Soccer Football League champions.

Earlier in the day, El Farolito also clinched their spot in the 2026 NPSL Final when they beat Ambassadors FC Ohio, 3-2, in the national semifinals. The neutral site match was made in order to allow El Faro to play in the National Amateur Cup, and made it an easier trip for the lower seed Ambassadors.

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A first half thin on threatening attacks ended 0-0. Lansdowne Yonkers FC worked possession through the center of the midfield, while El Farolito relied more on driving down the wings and occasional high pressure. But neither keeper was seriously tested.

Lansdowne Yonkers earned a free kick in the ninth minute from a step outside the 18 just to the keeper’s left, but the shot struck the face of a player in the El Farolito wall.

In the 33rd, Danu Kinsella-Bishop found space out front about 25 yards from El Farolito’s goal and rifled a low shot that briefly handcuffed goalkeeper Julian Escobar. But he quickly gathered the ball after it popped in the air, and any threat dissipated.

The half did feature its share of physicality and posturing, but the only yellow went to Edgard Kreye of El Farolito in the 42nd.

Soto entered in the 62nd minute and immediately began slaloming through the Lansdowne defense, creating trouble. The match was tied, 1-1, after the full 90 but in the 92nd minute of extra time Soto carried the ball about 20 yards past about three defenders before slipping the ball to his left. Benson, who also scored in the 2-0 win over Chicago House AC in the semifinal, made no mistake with a curling right-foot shot.

The same Soto-to-Dembor combination added an insurance goal in the 108th, sparked by another energetic run to the touchline by Soto. Benson tapped in the cross at the back post.

Soto played about 65 minutes earlier in the day in the NPSL Semifinal, scoring himself in a 3-2 victory over Ambassador FC of Ohio. El Farolito coach Santiago Lopez said he began resting players, including Soto, once the “Burrito Boys” took a 3-0 lead in the early game, and it paid off in the USASA final.

“This opponent, I think they were very, very tired,” Lopez said. “They see naturally, when gets the ball, he automatically attracts opponents to try to pressure them and it helps out the other players to have some free space. He came on fresh against a back line that was completely fatigued, and it was easy for him.”

Benson – who also scored in the 2-0 semifinal win over Chicago House AC on Friday – was one of four players who never left the field all weekend, according to Lopez, but otherwise he managed his lineup on a warm summer weekend in Milwaukee.

“We basically started with a B-team for this game, and we ended up subbing the usual starters into the second half because we went all out for the semifinal in the morning, so there were a lot of pieces of movement, a lot of strategy,” Lopez said.

Christhian Valencia’s stinging volley in the 86th minute was the opening goal, the culmination of El Farolito’s sustained pressure and possession throughout the second half. The Burrito Boys served in a number of dangerous balls but only fashioned a couple of opportunities prior to Valencia’s screamer. Lansdowne couldn’t find a release valve playing out of the back and didn’t choose many direct routes.

On the opener, Jonathan Valdivia served a ball from the right wing across the penalty area where Valencia found himself unmarked. His one-timer was beautifully struck, sizzling just under the crossbar and past Lansdowne Yonkers FC keeper Dwayne Browne

That looked like the sure winner, but less than a minute from the end of second half added time, Lansdowne Yonkers found an improbable equalizer. A ball served toward the top of the area from the right wing was met by Seamus Keogh, whose half-volley off the bounce rocketed off the near post and in.

Lansdowne’s Eddie Speed was sent off with a red card in the 102nd minute for picking up his second yellow, further hampering the search for the tying goal. Valdivia was sent off with a red for his second yellow in the 119th minute. Nikolas Pajares of Lansdowne Yonkers FC got his second yellow from the bench in 120+2 as the latter moments of the match devolved into a lot of confrontation. The final whistle seemed to prevent any further escalation.

El Farolito double booked their trip to the 2027 US Open Cup on Saturday. By virtue of reaching the NPSL Final, El Faro also claimed one of that league’s three assigned USOC spots. The San Francisco side will qualify as National Amateur Cup champions, and the three NPSL spots will go to fellow finalist Bristol Rhythm AFC, and semifinalists Ambassadors and New Haven United FC.

Below is a complete recap of the entire National Amateur Cup finals, with scores from each of the semifinals, third place game, and the national final.

Friday, July 24 (Semifinals)

Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY, APSL)
5:1
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
Uihlein Soccer Park Stadium Field – Milwaukee, WI

LYFC:

Danú Bishop Kinsella 5′
Eddie Speed 19′
Seamus Keogh 26′ (PK)
Brandon Bermingham 76′
Cillian Heaney 89′

TDSC:

Abubaker Mayanja 45′

MATCH BROADCAST (United States Adult Soccer Association)

Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
0:2
El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
Uihlein Soccer Park Stadium Field – Milwaukee, WI

CHAC:

Cesar Murillo Jr. – Red Card 85′

El Faro:

Omar Lemus 13′
Dembor Benson 71′

MATCH BROADCAST (United States Adult Soccer Association)

Saturday, July 25

Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
4:2
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
3rd Place Match
Uihlein Soccer Park Pat Jones Field – Milwaukee, WI

CHAC:

Jake Lane (x3)
Aryan Kamdar

TDSC:

Nathan Iandoli
Luc Madrid

Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY, APSL)
1:3
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
After Extra Time
Uihlein Soccer Park Stadium Field – Milwaukee, WI

LYFC:

Seamas Keogh 90+4′

El Faro:

Cristhian Valencia 86′
Dembor Benson 93′, 107′

MATCH BROADCAST (United States Adult Soccer Association)

2026 National Amateur Cup: El Farolito run gauntlet to win Region IV title

June 30, 2026 by Logan Chugg

El Farolito celebrates after winning the 2026 Region IV Amateur Cup Final with a 3-0 win over Sin City FC. Photo: Logan Chugg | TheCup.us

The last regional champion has qualified for the 2026 National Amateur Cup. El Farolito SC of California, the team known for US Open Cup upsets of professional sides, won the USASA Region IV (West) Amateur Cup on Sunday afternoon after playing five games in three days. The final challenge saw El Faro beat defending regional champion Sin City FC, 3-0.

The Burrito Boys will head to Milwaukee, Wisconsin next month, July 24-25. Should they win that, they would qualify for a fifth straight US Open Cup tournament. The team would have also qualified in three different manners; using the National League path through the National Premier Soccer League, as John P. Motto Trophy winners, and then as National Amateur Cup champions.

The team has previously reached the national portion of the Amateur Cup, playing in the 1991 final under the name CD Mexico in a losing effort to St. Louis Scott Gallagher. Two years later in 1993, CD Mexico would win the US Open Cup, meaning a national title later this month could put El Farolito in rare company of teams that have won both national tournaments.

The Region IV men’s regional amateur cup tournament at the Western Sports Park in Farmington, Utah saw twelve, yes twelve, teams compete. These teams were broken up into groups of three and were as follows;

Group A:

El Farolito SC – California North, National Premier Soccer League
Bowaze FC – Idaho, United Premier Soccer League
Vacaville Elite – California North, National Premier Soccer League

Group B:

Sun City FC – Texas, National Premier Soccer League
Olympique Montreux – Utah, Greater Salt Lake Soccer League
Peak XI FC – Colorado, Mountain Premier League

Group C:

Sin City FC – Nevada, Southwest Premier League
Temecula FC – California South, Southwest Premier League
Rebels United FC – Nevada, Southwest Premier League

Group D:

Vikings SC – Utah, Greater Salt Lake Soccer League
Kita FC – Utah, Greater Salt Lake Soccer League
Cal South Saturdays – California South, California State Soccer Association – South

A few things to note here. Firstly, tournament officials claimed Bowaze, which competes in the non-USASA affiliated UPSL, also competes in the Southern Idaho Soccer League. However, no publicly available information supports that. Next, despite being from the state of Texas, which is part of USASA Region III (South), Sun City competes in Region IV (West) due to their home city of El Paso, Texas being closer to the western states versus the rest of Texas. Finally, Cal South Saturdays was a team created by various players from Cal South, meaning they might not have an official league. Their legal status was up for debate to be honest.

The group stage would take place over Friday and Saturday, with the teams from Groups A and B facing each other, and the teams from Group C and D doing the same. The top teams at the conclusion of the group stage would advance to Sunday morning’s semifinals, with a final between the eventual winners taking place later in the morning with only a few hours of rest. The points system in the group stage was also unique, with the following parameters.

WIN = 6 points
TIE = 3 points
LOSS = 0 points
GOALS SCORED (Up to 3) = 1 point each
CLEAN SHEET = 1 point

Meaning a team could end a game with a maximum of 10 points if it ended 3-0, along with other combinations of points for both teams in a game.

El Farolito came into the final match undefeated after beginning the weekend with a scoreless draw. After the slow start, they worked their way into the semifinals, narrowly escaping the group by two points. There they faced Cal South Saturdays and had to scrape back from a 2-1 halftime deficit to win 3-2, despite being down to 10-men. This earned them a date with the defending champions.

Sin City FC had a slightly easier route to the finals. Their second match was abandoned after 25 minutes and they lost their third, but they still made it out of the group. Their semifinals opponent only had eight players to begin the match — despite being a local team — and Sin City took advantage, going up 3-1 early and cruising to a 7-1 victory.

El Farolito dominated almost every aspect of the final match. They were physical and controlled the meaningful possession, not allowing Sin City to play their game the way they are used to. Neither team was able to score a goal, nor were they able to get too close, until the 29th minute when Erik Arias opened the scoring. El Farolito held the shutout through the rest of the half and took a 1-0 lead into halftime. The second half started about the same as most of the first half. Sin City had a few chances spread out in the second half, but all of their best attempts went over the crossbar. El Farolito put the match away within 15 minutes of the second half. Edgard Kreye doubled the lead in the 54th minute and Dembor Benson put it out of reach in the 59th minute.

El Farolito held onto the lead and won the Region IV title, booking their spot in the National Amateur Cup.

After the match, El Farolito SC’s head coach, Santiago Perez, spoke on how much the US Open Cup means to the club.

“Yeah, the US Open Cup is a huge thing for us — and then finding there’s another way of qualifying. It’s the first time that we’ve done this, I believe, it is actually in my generation, or at least it’s the first time, I think in the 90s, the club was runner-up in the US amateur cup. So hopefully, we could advance in the semifinal, and then try to win the cup. That’ll be the first time we ever win this national amateur. So to me, it’s a huge opportunity.”

On his team’s performance, Perez said, “I’m very proud of the boys, they came out in very, very tough conditions with very large pitches, very, very difficult to play, very slow play. And we were very fortunate to get out of the semifinal, with 10 men, down one, losing 2-1 and were able to turn it around, went 3-2 with 10 men. It was an unbelievable effort, and yeah, just closing off right now was an excellent performance — more of a tactical strategy.”

Below is a complete recap of the entire Region IV tournament, with scores from each of the group stage games, the semifinals, and the final.

Friday, June 26 (Group Stage 1)

El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
0:0
Sun City FC (TX, NPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

Vacaville Elite (CA, NPSL)
2:4
Peak XI FC (CO, MPL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

VE:

Bradley Ramos (assisted by Julian Perez)
Larry Agayo (assisted by Bradley Ramos)

XI:

Taylor Smyser 30′, 50′
Elliot McCormick 65′
Abdullah Noman 80′

MATCH BROADCAST (DT Sports TV)

Sin City FC (NV, SWPL)
6:3
Viking SC (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 3 – Farmington, UT

SCFC:

Danny Rangel (x4)
David Villanueva
Caleb Castaño

VSC:

Charles Sanchez
Henry Morales
Zach Moore

Temecula FC (CA, SWPL)
5:0
Kita FC (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

TFC:

Ricardo Acosta
Noah Mabra
Elliot Hill (x2)
Alberto Renteria

Rebels United FC (NV, SWPL)
0:1
Cal South Saturdays (CA, CSSAS)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

CSS:

Gabriel Oropeza

Bowaze FC (ID, UPSL)
0:3
Olympique Montreux (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 3 – Farmington, UT

OM:

Luis Avila
Ryan Carter
Jake Feiner

Saturday, June 27 – Morning (Group Stage 2)

Olympique Montreux (UT, GSLSL)
1:4
El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

OM:

Ryan Carter

Faro:

Aly Arriola (x2)
Jonatan Valdivia
Luiz Da Silva

Peak XI FC (CO, MPL)
2:2
Bowaze FC (ID, UPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

Peak:

Elijah Smith
Brady Draskowski

BFC:

Matthew Siwatwa (x2)

MATCH BROADCAST (DT Sports TV)

Sun City FC (TX, NPSL)
0:3
Vacaville Elite (CA, NPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 3 – Farmington, UT
Forfeit by Sun City FC

Kickoff for the match between Sun City and Vacaville Elite was scheduled for 8 AM local time in Utah. Sun City arrived to the venue at 12 Noon, claiming they had been given the wrong start time by the National Premier Soccer League. As such, Vacaville was awarded a 3-0 win and 10 points via forfeit, and Sun City was kicked out of the tournament.

Kita FC (UT, GSLSL)
0:3
Sin City FC (NV, SWPL)
Western Sports Park Field 4 – Farmington, UT
Game abandoned after Kita was shown between 4-5 red cards during the first half

Following a hard challenge against a Kita player, multiple members of the team began arguing with the referee. The official began showing red cards to both Kita staff and members of the roster for alleged dissent before the game was officially abandoned. Specifics of what was allegedly said or what caused the red cards to be handed out was not disclosed.

Cal South Saturdays (CA, CSSAS)
3:1
Temecula FC (CA, SWPL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

CSS:

Gaby Ochoa
Bryan Ortega
Jose Montez d’ocha

TFC:

Elias Quintero

Viking SC (UT, GSLSL)
3:1
Rebels United FC (NV, SWPL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

VSC:

Marriott Weekes
Zach Moore
Clark Teeples

RUFC:

Christian Valencia

Saturday, June 27 – Afternoon (Group Stage 3)

El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
7:0
Peak XI FC (CO, MPL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

Faro:

Erik Arias (x5)
Omar Lamus
Omar Quiroga

MATCH BROADCAST (DT Sports TV)

Bowaze FC (ID, UPSL)
3:0
Sun City FC (TX, NPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT
Forfeit by Sun City FC

Bowaze was granted a forfeit win, 3-0 and 10 points, after Sun City was removed from the tournament for missing its second match.

Vacaville Elite (CA, NPSL)
8:4
Olympique Montreux (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 3 – Farmington, UT

VE:

Suyesh Niraula
Bradley Ramos (x2)
Griffin Brophy (x3)
Miguel Bustos
Pedro Garcia

OM:

Manny Montenegro (x2)
Ryan Crowther
Innocent Twishime

Temecula FC (CA, SWPL)
5:5
Viking SC (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

TFC:

Beto Renteria (x3)
Diego Valle
Chris Remily

VFC:

Mason Farnsworth (2)
Dillon Hernandez
Abdi (no full name given)
Merritt Weekes

Rebels United FC (NV, SWPL)
3:0
Kita FC (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT
Forfeit by Kita FC

Kita was unable to compete in the match after being unable to field a full team following the multiple red cards in its second match. Rebels was awarded a 3-0 win and 10 points.

Sin City FC (NV, SWPL)
1:2
Cal South Saturdays (CA, CSSAS)
Western Sports Park Field 4 – Farmington, UT

SCFC:

Haiko Hovac

CSS:

Gabriel Oropeza
Robert Odenez

Final Group Standings

Sunday, June 28 (Semifinals)

Cal South Saturdays (CA, CSSAS)
2:3
El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
Western Sports Park Field 1 – Farmington, UT

CSS:

Gabriel Oropeza
Robert Odenez

Faro:

Dembor Benson (x2)
Gabriel Arias

Sin City FC (NV, SWPL)
7:1
Olympique Montreux (UT, GSLSL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

SCFC:

Roberto Soto (x2)
Fede Dias (x2)
Miguel Higareda (x2)
Daniel Rango

OM:

Manny Montenegro

Sunday, June 28 (USASA Region IV Final)

El Farolito SC (CA, NPSL)
3:0
Sin City FC (NV, SWPL)
Western Sports Park Field 2 – Farmington, UT

El Faro:

Erik Arias 29′
Edgard Kreye 54′
Dembor Benson 58′

2026 National Amateur Cup: Lansdowne Yonkers cruise past 8-man Los Toros to win Region I

June 7, 2026 by Greg Oldfield

Lansdowne Yonkers FC celebrate the 2026 USASA Region I Amateur Cup title after a 3-0 win over Club Atletico Los Toros. Photo: Greg Oldfield | BackyardPitches.com

This game recap by Greg Oldfield was used with permission from his site Backyard Pitches. To find coverage of grassroots soccer in the Philadelphia area including Bucks and Montgomery County, visit BackyardPitches.com

A great start and relentless pressure made the difference for Lansdowne Yonkers in a hard- fought 3-0 win over Atlético Los Toros in the USASA Region 1 Amateur Cup final Saturday night. Lansdowne won their third Region 1 title and their first since 2021, when they also won the national amateur championship.

As of now three regional champions have been crowned; Region I – Lansdowne Yonkers FC, Region II – Chicago House AC, and Region III – Tar Devils SC. The fourth and final regional champion will be decided later this month at the USASA Region IV (West) Amateur Cup tournament in Utah.

With only minutes before kickoff, the sky opened up at the Ukranian Nationals Club in Horsham, PA, delaying the start for nearly two hours. With players and fans scrambling for shelter and a restart unknown, the first ten minutes of the game were going to be even more crucial. Lansdowne set the tone early with a number of crunching tackles then found the back of the net for the dream start.

Three minutes in, Lansdowne broke through the Los Toros lines and hit Nikolas Parajas out on the wide left. Parajas cut outside and whipped in a dangerous cross that found Danu Kinsella-Bishop at the back post for the early lead. The goal was Kinsella-Bishop’s tournament-leading fourth of the regional competition.

The goal appeared to stun Los Toros, who scored first in both their quarterfinal win over defending national champions West Chester United (3-0) and EPSA runners-up Vereinigung Erzgebirge (4-2) on their way to the final.

Credit: Greg Oldfield | @backyardpitches

Minutes after the goal, Lansdowne had another great look at a second when Seamas Keogh’s free kick from outside of the box missed his teammates and the far post by no more than a foot. A minute later, Los Toros almost responded after Alejandro Neira got on the end of a cross and pushed his header wide.

The game settled throughout the middle of the first half with both teams creating chances but not enough to force much action from either keeper. Oswualso Cruz had the best look for Los Toros following a recycled free kick, but he sailed his shot over the bar from the top of the penalty area. Lansdowne found a little more joy on the counter, contesting the Los Toros back line and drawing them in to a number of fouls that eventually proved costly.

Lansdowne’s pressure paid off in 33^rd minute, reducing Los Toros to ten men. Liam Salmon broke free on a long pass over the top, splitting two Los Toros defenders for the race to the ball. Aaron Uribe finished second and ran through Salmon with a shoulder, knocking the Lansdowne winger to the turf. In what was eventually ruled a DOGSO situation, the referee sent Uribe off, a harsh decision so early in a final but ultimately arguable given Salmon’s positioning going forward. Keogh’s ensuing free kick beat the wall but not keeper Travis Basso, allowing the Northern Virginia side to take a breather and find some composure. Lansdowne continued to attack, trying to find a second, but Los Toros held on until the break despite playing a man down.

Credit: Greg Oldfield | @backyardpitches

When the second half began, Los Toros put all their efforts into an equalizer and almost caught Lansdowne off guard in the opening minute. Creative midfielder Nelsar Castillo cut inside from the wide left and slipped a pass to Neira, whose tight-angled shot took a deflection before Luis Granados made the save. Los Toros had multiple attempts on the ensuing corner, the best one coming from Jordy Santana, but again Granados had good positioning to make the routine stop.

Six minutes into the half, Lansdowne’s fortunes increased with a second Los Toros red card and a resulting penalty. A combination of Lansdowne pressure and a poor touch from Santana led to Parajas getting on the ball in front of the goal. Santana gave a tug as Parajas spun away, sending him to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and showed Santana his second yellow, reducing Los Toros to nine. Keogh stepped up and buried the penalty to give Lansdowne a comfortable 2-0 lead.

With the two-man advantage, Lansdowne controlled the pace and the action for the duration of the game, yet Los Toros held on until the very end. Basso made a great stop on a sitter from Luis Del Pozo. Kinsella-Bishop had a chance minutes later but sent a difficult volley over the bar. Substitute Joao Delgado ripped a volley from the top of the box that Los Toros defender Kevin Cruz blocked with his body, keeping the Yonkers club from running away with the game.

With time winding down, Aidan Mahoney nearly pulled a goal back from distance after a rare Lansdowne mistake in the back caught Granados way off his line and sprinting toward goal. But the Los Toros striker’s attempt at the open net from almost fifty yards missed by several feet. That was as close as Los Toros came to getting back into the game, and Lansdowne added a third in stoppage time with Parajas once again playing the role of creator. This time on the wide right, he cut inside, beating two defenders, and chopped a pass across the grain to substitute Manuel Espinosa, who had time to settle the ball and pick out the far corner to extend the lead to 3-0.

Credit: Greg Oldfield | @backyardpitches

Lansdowne will now travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin the weekend of July 25-26 for a chance to win their third national amateur championship. The three-time Werner Fricker National Open Cup champions will also have an opportunity to win their second amateur-cup double after earning a forfeit in Sunday’s Fricker Open Cup final against Atlético Boston. Lansdowne also earned a forfeit win in the semifinal against West Chester. Lansdowne won the national cup double in 2021.

Credit: Greg Oldfield | @backyardpitches

2026 National Amateur Cup: Chicago House wins Region II in Windy City PK shootout vs. RWB Adria

June 3, 2026 by Tom Arnison

Players from Chicago House AC celebrate after beating RWB Adria 3-2 in a PK shootout (after a 1-1 draw) in the 2026 USASA Region 2 Amateur Cup Final. Photo: Victoria Sanders | @veesanders

Chicago House AC defeated RWB Adria in PKs to win the Bill Davey Amateur Cup and advance to the USASA National Amateur Cup Finals. The win marks House’s first trip to the Finals in only their 5th season operating as an amateur side. The win is also House’s first over RWB Adria since their 2-1 victory on July 5, 2023 in Midwest Premier League play.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the two Chicago outfits. Former Las Vegas Lights and Inter Miami II forward Tyler Bagley would come close for Adria in the 6th minute with a glancing header straight into the hands of House keeper Ryan Grady. In the 27th minute, House captain AR Smith would attempt a cheeky chip from 30 yards out on the left sideline that would require a leaping parry by GK Jerry Perez to keep the match scoreless.

Adria would break the deadlock two minutes later as Luka Ivancic would deliver an early cross from the right sideline. Grady would come off his line and dive to punch the ball out of his area, only for it to land at the feet of Bagley who would place a calm 1-time shot into the now open goal. For Bagley, it was his fifth goal of the competition which ties him for the tournament lead with Donovan Carey (Tar Devils SC) and Derek Antonini (Vereinigung Erzgebirge).

Adria would take that 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

The second half would open with a slew of yellow cards – House’s AR Smith would be booked for a rough tackle in the 54th minute, followed by a booking to Adria’s Gerardo Sainz on a foul after the ensuing free kick was cleared. House substitute Aryan Kamdar would be booked from the bench in the following seconds for dissent. Adria’s Oscar Flores would cap off the 4th booking in four minutes after launching a shot after being called offside.

House would find the equalizer and final goal on the night in the 63rd minute. AR Smith’s low cross from the right side of the box would be cleared by an Adria defender, only to ricochet off a teammate and roll to the top of the 18 yard box. House midfielder Elias McCloud would deliver an in-step one-timer that would make its way through traffic and find the back of the net for his second goal of the tournament.

Two more bookings and several shots would be the only action prior to full-time.

In the fifth minute of extra time, Adria’s Cesar Correa would pick up a second booking and be sent off, providing House the opportunity to play up a man for the final 25 minutes. Tired legs and desperate football would see neither team able to capitalize, and ultimately the Region II Final would be decided by Kicks from the Spot.

Adria would kick first in the shootout. House goalkeeper Ryan Grady would save the first attempt, diving to his right. After AR Smith capitalized on his attempt, Adria would miss the target with their second kick, with Grady guessing correctly in a dive to his left. After Ismael Gomez converted House’s second, Grady would save Adria’s third attempt with a strong glove and dive to his right. Momentum would swing briefly as House would miss their next two attempts while Adria would convert both. However, Nico Williams would convert House’s 5th kick to secure his side the title.

Chicago House is seeking to win the club’s first Amateur Cup title, and to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2024. House joins Tar Devils SC (North Carolina) in 2026 National Amateur Cup semifinals which will be held in Milwaukee the weekend of July 25-26. The winner of the 2026 National Amateur Cup will qualify for the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Region I (Northeast) final is scheduled for June 6, while the Region IV (West) tournament will take place the weekend of June 26-28.

2026 National Amateur Cup: Tar Devils SC wins Region III with four games in two days

May 31, 2026 by Ronan Briscoe

Tar Devils SC celebrates their USASA Region III Amateur Cup championship on May 31, 2026 at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro, TN. Photo: Ronan Briscoe

We have the first regional champion of the 2026 National Amateur Cup. Tar Devils SC of North Carolina won the USASA Region III (South) Amateur Cup on Sunday afternoon after playing four games in two days. The final challenge saw Tar Devils beat Arkansas Wolves FC, 1-0, in the final.

The trophy marks Tar Devils’ first Region III crown, and their first trip to the USASA Amateur Cup National Finals as well. Milwaukee (July 24-25) awaits as Tar Devils continue their quest to become the first club from North Carolina to win the National Amateur Cup. If they are able to win the tournament, they would qualify for the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup – becoming the 12th club from the Tar Heel State to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

The Region III men’s regional amateur cup tournament at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn. saw four teams compete in a round robin group. These included;

Arkansas Wolves FC – Arkansas, NISA Nation
Strikers – Tennessee, Tennessee State Soccer Association
Tar Devils SC – North Carolina, North Carolina Soccer League
Terminus FC – Georgia, Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League

Of the group, Tar Devils and Terminus qualified as champions of their respective state cups. Arkansas was granted entry the weekend prior through their state soccer association. Strikers, however, were a last minute replacement team comprised mostly of local players from a nearby “international” league.

The group stage would take place over Saturday and finish Sunday morning after every team had played one another. The top two teams at the conclusion of the group stage would advance to Sunday afternoon’s final with only a few hours of rest. The points system in the group stage was also unique, with the following parameters.

WIN = 6 points
TIE = 3 points
LOSS = 0 points
GOALS SCORED (Up to 3) = 1 point each
CLEAN SHEET = 1 point

Meaning a team could end a game with a maximum of 10 points if it ended 3-0, along with other combinations of points for both teams in a game.

After an early-morning end to the group stage which saw Arkansas Wolves beat a rotated Tar Devils SC 1-0 thanks to a 58th minute goal from Jared Nunes, the NCSL side from North Carolina fielded a more rested, full strength lineup for the rematch in the USASA Region III Final. The Tar Devils had qualified for the final on Saturday night after winning their second game. The Wolves needed a draw or better on Sunday morning to overcome Terminus, who earned a perfect 10 points in their final game thanks to a forfeit by Strikers.

The Tar Devils’ fresher legs were clearly evident throughout the match, as they largely dictated the tempo and intensity of the game. The lone goal in the 18th minute saw Michael Pasca round the Arkansas keeper on a transition and tap home what would become the winner.

Pasca finished regionals with two goals, three assists, and enough exaustian that he needed the help of his teammates to join the group during the trophy celebration.

The Devils kept it going in the second half, even nearly finding a second early in the final 45 minutes, only to be foiled by the woodwork.

Arkansas mounted a frantic comeback attempt as the time on the clock ticked closer and closer to the final whistle, but every question asked of the Tar Devil backline was answered emphatically. For all the possession Arkansas was able to muster late, they couldn’t quite offer a serious threat to the Tar Devil goal, leaving the scoresheet unaltered.

Below is a complete recap of the entire Region III tournament, with scores from each of the group stage games and the final.

Saturday, May 30 – 9 AM

Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
10:0
Strikers (TN, TSSA)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 1 – Murfreesboro, TN

TDSC:

Donovan Carey x4
Taylor Vincent x2
Shak Adams
Luc Madrid
Bilal Nachet
Michael Pasca

Terminus FC (GA, ADASL)
1:1
Arkansas Wolves FC (AR, NN)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 2 – Murfreesboro, TN

TFC:

Erik Holmen

AWFC:

Jared Nunes

Saturday, May 30 – 5 PM

Strikers (TN, TSSA)
2:3
Arkansas Wolves FC (AR, NN)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 1 – Murfreesboro, TN

Strikers:

Goal scorers unknown at this time

AWFC:

Jared Nunes
Lesego Maloma
Kananelo Motaung

Terminus FC (GA, ADASL)
1:5
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 2 – Murfreesboro, TN

TFC:

Sebastian Lopez – Goal
Brynn Thompson – Early red card

TDSC:

Shak Adams x2
Bilal Nachet
Donovan Carey
Ahce Lhadj

Sunday, May 31 – 9 AM

Strikers (TN, TSSA)
L:W
Terminus FC (GA, ADASL)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 1 – Murfreesboro, TN

Strikers forfeit the match due to not having enough players for the game. Terminus was awarded a 3-0 win, and 10 points in the table. Needing Wolves to lose their final game and not score three goal in defeat to advance.

Arkansas Wolves FC (AR, NN)
1:0
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 2 – Murfreesboro, TN

AWFC:

Jared Nunes

Sunday, May 31 – 1 PM

USASA Region III Final
Arkansas Wolves FC (AR, NN)
0:1
Tar Devils SC (NC, NCSL)
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex Field 1 – Murfreesboro, TN

TDSC:

Michael Pasca

Final group standings

2026 National Amateur Cup: All-Chicago in Midwest Final; Lansdowne vs. Los Toros set for Region I Final

May 20, 2026 by Josh Hakala

When the dust settled on the 2026 National Amateur Cup action this past weekend, four teams were left standing in the United States Adult Soccer Association’s Region I and II tournaments.

It will be an all-Chicago matchup for the Region II (Midwest) Final as Chicago House AC will take on RWB Adria. Both teams advanced to the championship game with wins over the weekend. Chicago House scored a late game-winner on the road against Drita SC to punch their ticket to the Final. The day before, RWB Adria also won a road game, defeating Green Bay Glory 3-0 with Tyler Bagley leading the way with a goal and an assist.

Two-time Amateur Cup champions Lansdowne Yonkers FC held off Leros SC 2-1 to reach the Region I (Northeast) Final where they will face Club Atlético Los Toros, who beat Vereinigung Erzgebirge 4-2.

The Region I Final will take place on Saturday, June 6 at the Ukrainian American Sports Center in Horsham, Pa., near Philadelphia. The Region II Final is a week earlier on Saturday, May 31 at Ft. Wayne Sport Club in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

You can find a summary of each regional semifinals below:

Sunday, May 10

USASA Region I Semifinals
Leros SC (NY, APSL)
1:2
Lansdowne Yonkers (NY, APSL)
Breezy Field – West Hills, NY

Lansdowne Yonkers are heading to the Region I Final after a 2-1 win over fellow APSL side Leros SC. All of the scoring took place in the second half with Lansdowne striking first. Danú Bishop Kinsella and Eddie Speed scored a goal each in the 63rd and 67th minutes to give Lansdowne a 2-0 lead.

Leros SC cut the lead in half around the 80th minute thanks to Junior Rosero, but they would not get any closer. Lansdowne, the two-time Amateur Cup champions, move on to the championship game where they will face Club Atlético Los Toros.

Lansdowne Yonkers FC players huddle up. Photo: Lansdowne Yonkers FC

Goal scorers

Leros:

Junior Rosero 80′

LYFC:

Danú Bishop Kinsella 63′
Eddie Speed 67′

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS (New Logical)

Saturday, May 16

USASA Region I Semifinals
Club Atlético Los Toros (VA, APL)
4:2
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (PA, USLPA)
South Lakes High School – Reston, VA
Video highlights (s

After eliminating the defending Amateur Cup champions in the Quarterfinals, Club Atletico Los Toros continued their run with a 4-2 win over Vereinigung Erzgebirge, a Philadelphia-area club with decades of history behind it.

VE had two solid scoring chances in the first half hour of the game. After an 8th minute corner kick produced a reflex save from the goalkeeper from Los Toros, he came up big again in the 24th minute. After a throw-in near the corner flag on the left wing, a cross came in and found the head of a VE player at the edge of the six yard box. The header was put on frame and the goalkeeper was able to dive to get a hand on it and deflect it over the bar.

In first half stoppage time it was Los Toros who broke through in controversial fashion. A corner kick was delivered in from the right wing and was headed on goal near the far post. The ball took a deflection in front and headed toward the line where it appeared to be cleared at the last moment by a VE defender, but the referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line. Alejandro Neira appeared to be the player who got credited with the goal as protests from VE players and coaches were brushed aside.

The visitors pulled level in the 64th minute after another corner kick a ball was sent in from the left wing and got knocked around in crowded six yard box and ended up in the back of the net for VE’s first goal. It was later confirmed as an own goal.

Players from Club Atlético Los Toros celebrate after scoring a goal against Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the 2026 National Amateur Cup. Photo: Club Atlético Los Toros

Elliott Berg of Los Toros would regain the lead for the hosts in the 69th minute. Freddy Jovel crossed it in from the right wing and Berg lost his defender and connected on an acrobatic volley right in front of goal and the ball kissed off the far post and into the goal to give Los Toros a 2-1 lead.

About five minutes later (74th min.), Jovel made a run into the penalty area from the right wing and crossed the ball in front of goal. The VE goalkeeper reached out to get a hand to the low cross and left a juicy rebound right on the doorstep of his goal and Oswualdo Cruz banged it home to give them a 3-1 advantage.

In the 81st minute, VE showed that they still had a chance when they sent a low pass into the center of the box where the ball was laid off to Sebastian Krysztofowicz at the top of the box who fired a shot past the diving goalkeeper to make it 3-2.

Los Toros would put the game away in second half stoppage time with a header by Wassim Sassi from a corner kick to give them a two-goal advantage that they would hold onto until the final whistle.

Goal scorers

Toros:

Alejandro Neira 45+’ (Fredy Jovel)
Elliott Berg 69′ (Freddy Jovel)
Oswualdo J. Cruz 74′
Wassim Sassi 90+’ (Kichael Degrandez)

VE:

Own Goal 64′
Sebastian Krysztofowicz 81′

MATCH BROADCAST (DMV Sports Media)

USASA Region II Semifinals
Green Bay Glory (WI, MWPL)
0:3
RWB Adria (IL, MWPL)
Capital Credit Union Park – Ashwaubenon, WI

RWB Adria ended the run of dark horse Green Bay Glory, 3-0, to reach the regional semifinals.

The scoring opened in the 14th minute when Dani Mendoza played a long ball from midfield up to Tyler Bagley. The former Inter Miami II and Las Vegas Lights FC attacker ran on to the ball in behind the defense and beat the goalkeeper to give the visitors an early lead. It was the fourth goal in the last two tournament games for Bagley, who scored a hat trick in last round’s 4-0 road win over Goshen City FC.

RWB Adria celebrates after a 3-0 win over Green Bay Glory in the 2026 National Amateur Cup Region 2 tournament. Photo: RWB Adria

In the 21st minute, Green Bay was given a chance to tie the game when an attacking player beat his defender on the left wing and dribbled into the box. He was taken down and the referee pointed to the spot. The penalty kick taker stepped to the spot and RWB Adria goalkeeper Jerry Perez guessed correctly, diving to his right to make the save. He was unable to control the ball, so the rebound was loose on the other side of the goal. Perez scrambled across his goal with the penalty kick taker converging on the ball near the post, hoping to make amends for his miss, but ultimately Perez knocked the ball out of bounds and out of danger.

RWB added to their lead in the 70th minute when a Green Bay defender committed a foul just outside the penalty area. Alex Sanchez took the free kick and bent the ball around the wall and into the back of the net to give his team a 2-0 lead.

Adria finished the scoring late when they worked the ball through multiple players from the left wing to the right wing. The final pass came from Bagley who sent a through ball to Alex Steinwasher who was making a run into the box from the right side. Steinwasher blasted the ball past the keeper to put the game out of reach.

RWB Adria, winners of the National Amateur Cup in 2011 and 2013, will next play Chicago House AC in the Region II Final at a date and location to be determined.

Goal scorers

RWB:

Tyler Bagley 14′ (Dani Mendoza)
Alex Sanchez 70′
Alex Steinwasher 85′ (Tyler Bagley)

Sunday, May 17

USASA Region II Semifinals
Drita SC (MI, APSL)
2:3
Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
St. Paul’s Albanian Catholic Church – Rochester Hills, MI

Chicago House made the trip to Rochester Hills, Mich., to face APSL side Drita SC. Despite the rain, the team from the Windy City advanced in a back and forth match, 3-2, to reach their first-ever regional amateur cup final.

House took the lead early when a House attacking player was tripped as he dribbled into the penalty area. Veteran AR Smith stepped up to the spot and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to give the visitors the lead in the 11th minute.

House added to their lead in first half stoppage time as Nico Williams intercepted a pass in Drita’s defensive third. Williams immediately dribbled in and struck a low shot toward goal, but it took a deflection which froze the goalkeeper and ended up in the back of the net. The goalkeeper’s reaction to the goal and the fact that the ball went through the back of the net confused some of the fans in attendance and viewers at home, but Chicago would take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.

Dritas would pull one back in the 60th minute off a corner kick. The home team sent the corner into the heart of the box and the ball was headed up in the air three times before falling to a Dritas player who volleyed it toward the goal. The ball struck a Dritas player and it fell to him and he quickly shot the ball in traffic and into (and through) the back of the net.

Dritas would level the match in the 74th minute after one of their attacking players was taken down in the penalty area. Vasel Gjonaj stepped to the spot and struck the ball to the left side and the ball found it’s way into the goal despite the goalkeeper guessing correctly.

The winning goal came in the 88th minute when Chicago House played the ball out of the back with a long pass along the ground to the edge of Dritas SC’s third of the field. House pushed the play out to the left wing and the ball was crossed low to the ground into the box where it found Kamran Tejumola who received it with his back to the goal. The former Loyola University Chicago player quickly turned and fired a shot into the roof of the net from close range to give House what would prove to be the winning goal.

Chicago moves one step closer to qualifying for the US Open Cup, a tournament they qualified for twice (2023, 2024) and upset a pro team for the first time when they knocked off Forward Madison (USL-1) in 2023.

Goal scorers

Drita:

Luis Lera 60′
Vasel Gjonaj 74′

CHAC:

AR Smith 11′ (PK)
Nico Williams 45+’
Kamran Tejumola 88′

MATCH BROADCAST (We Are Soccer)

USASA Regional Final Match-ups

(“home team” seeding not determined at this time)

USASA Region II Final
Saturday, May 31
Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
vs.
RWB Adria (IL, MWPL)
Ft. Wayne Sport Club – Ft. Wayne, IN.

USASA Region I Final
Saturday, June 6
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY, APSL)
vs.
Club Atlético Los Toros (VA, APL)
Ukrainian American Sports Center – Horsham, PA

2026 National Amateur Cup: Extra time drama in Midwest quarterfinals

May 11, 2026 by Michael Battista

The USASA Region II (Midwest) Amateur Cup field is down to four. A rare two-game quarterfinal round, where last season’s champion and finalist entered the competition, took place earlier this month. The defending champs cruised through to the Semifinals while the finalists lost in an extra time thriller.

Now two teams, Chicago House AC and Drita Soccer Club, will re-enter the regional competition to take part in the Semis.

The 2026 edition of the United States Adult Soccer Association’s top tournament will once again grant an automatic bid into the following year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Meaning this is already 2027 US Open Cup qualifying.

Region II, which is made up of teams from the Midwest, is just starting, but the eventual champion will be the representative at the National Finals, alongside the other three USASA Regions.

Here’s a look at each of the seven Region II games played so far. Interested in how the Midwest’s controversial Second Round played out? Check out our recap here.

Sunday, May 3

Goshen City FC (IN, MWPL)
0:4
RWB Adria (IL, MWPL)
Techny Prairie Park and Fields – Northbrook, IL

The defending Region II Amateur Cup champions made a statement in their first game back in the competition. RWB Adria of Chicago beat hopefuls Goshen City FC, 4-0, to reach the regional semifinal later this month.

Former Inter Miami II and Las Vegas Lights FC attacker Tyler Bagley scored a hat-trick for Adria in an impressive display. Its sort of the norm for Bagley with Adria. In last year’s Region II final, the California native netted four goals en route to the title over Michigan Rangers FC. Dani Mendoza scored RWB’s other goal. Goalkeeper Jerry Perez held Goshen City off the scoresheet for the full 90 minutes in a clean sheet performance.

RWB Adria, winners of the National Amateur Cup in 2011 and 2013, will next play Green Bay Glory in the regional semifinals.

Goal scorers

RWB:

Tyler Bagley x3
Dani Mendoza

Green Bay Glory (WI, MWPL)
3:2
FC Milwaukee Torrent (WI, NPSL)
After Extra Time
Warrior Athletic Field – Fort Wayne, IN

Sometimes you find yourself with a banger when you never would have expected one. An all Wisconsin quarterfinal clash saw the underdog Green Bay Glory knock off the much larger FC Milwaukee Torrent, 3-2 AET, to reach the Region II Semifinals for the first time ever.

The Torrent, which don’t open their National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season until Mid-May, took the lead in the 14th minute when a low cross from Brandon Kaup found Gabe Voung in front of net, who finished the shot off. A back and forth first half ensued, but Green Bay found the equalizer just before halftime. The visitors were given a free kick just under 10 years from the top of the box and captain Keven Sosa-Lassila stepped up for it. He curved around the three man wall and past a diving goalkeeper to put it into the net near the right corner.

With the score tied, Dennis Nyame took advantage of chaos early in the second half to give Green Bay its first lead. A shot off the Torrent crossbar saw the ball land in the box and at the feet of a Green Bay player. A Milwaukee player slid to clear, taking down the Green Bay player. The field looked toward the official, but Nyame played the still live ball from the left side of the box and shot into the net past a jumping keeper to make it 2-1. Torrent equalized in the 68th when a shot punched away by the Green Bay keeper fell to Max Ludwig, who curved a shot so well even the keeper didn’t flinch on it as it went into the goal.

The game stayed 2-2 until the end of regulation, meaning at least two more 15 minute halves. Green Bay took advantage of a seriously bad series of defense. A long ball from the Green Bay end saw Seth Schroeder running alongside and passing the backline. A failed sliding tackle, which would have been a DOGSO red, meant Schroeder only had the keeper to beat. He played around him and scored in the empty net to make it 3-2, which would stand as the final score.

Green Bay moves on to face RWB Adria in the next round in a battle of Packers versus Bears in the Amateur Cup.

Goal scorers

GBG:

Keven Sosa-Lassila 45′ – captain, free kick
Dennis Nyame 51′
Seth Schroeder 105′

FCMT:

Gabe Voung 14′ (Brandon Kaup)
Max Ludwig 68′

MATCH BROADCAST (FC Milwaukee Torrent)

USASA Region II, Semifinals Matchups

(Home team listed first)

Saturday, May 16
Green Bay Glory (WI, MWPL)
vs.
RWB Adria (IL, MWPL)
Capital Credit Union Park – Ashwaubenon, WI

Sunday, May 17
Drita SC (MI, APSL)
vs.
Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
St. Paul’s Albanian Catholic Church – Rochester Hills, MI

2026 National Amateur Cup: Northeast Quarterfinals conclude after month off

May 5, 2026 by Michael Battista

The Quarterfinals of the USASA Region I (Northeast) Amateur Cup saw massive upsets. The 102nd edition of the National Amateur Cup will not have a repeat champion after a shocking upset in Virginia.

The 2026 edition of the United States Adult Soccer Association’s top tournament will once again grant an automatic bid into the follow year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Meaning this is already 2027 US Open Cup qualifying.

Region I, which is made up of teams from the Northeast, is down to the Semifinals with two teams from New York, one from Eastern Pennsylvania, and one from Virginia. The region will eventually crown a champion that will be the representative at the National Finals, alongside the other three USASA Regions.

Here’s a look at each of the Region I games went:

Sunday, April 19

West Chester United SC (PA, USLPA)
0:3
Club Atlético Los Toros (VA, APL)
Veritas School – Richmond, VA

A shocking result sees the defending National Amateur Cup champions eliminated in their first game played on the field. Club Atlético Los Toros of Virginia beat West Chester United SC, 3-0, to reach the regional semifinals.

The home side got on the board early when Freddy Jovel stole the ball back from a WCU defender on the left side of the field, before crossing into the box. A shot was saved by the West Chester keeper but the rebound was recovered by Alejandro Neira with a sexy 360 degree turn to one shot the ball into the right side of the net. Toros doubled the lead in the 21st minute when a clean tackle, arguable to WCU, gave Toros a run down the right side. Jovel played the ball to Carter Berg who was making a run. Berg sent a low left-footed shot between the keeper’s sliding legs and into the net.

A final goal early in the second half saw Jovel send a long ball to the right side of the field, where a cross in led to some chaos before Aidan Mahoney sealed it from the top of the box.

West Chester, which won the Region I championship last year over New York Pancyprian-Freedoms, is out in their “first game”. Last time that happened was in 2024 when the Eastern PA side lost to Steel Pulse FC, 1-0, in the First Round. Los Toros are into the regional semifinals, also known as the southern final, after two straight years of losing in the Quarterfinals.

Goal scorers:

Los Toros:

Alejandro Neira 6′
Carter Berg 21′ (Fredy Jovel)
Aidan Mahoney 53′

MATCH BROADCAST (DMV Sports Media)

Saturday, April 25

Loco Gunners (MA, BSSL)
0:3
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY, APSL)
Tibbetts Brook Park Field 1 – Yonkers, NY

For the second straight year, Lansdowne Yonkers FC eliminated Loco Gunners in the Quarterfinals of the Region I tournament. A late first half goal and two late second half scores gave the Bhoys a victory on a rainy night in Yonkers, New York.

No assists in a game where second chances and quick thinking played the biggest part. Lansdowne got on the board when a James Boote free kick into the box was touched by the keeper and finished off by defender Sean Doran. A slate of poor clearances nearly 80 minutes in gave Lansdowne a chance to play around the Loco box, where Oskar Zywiec sent a long shot on goal from the right side. The keeper saved it but Danu Kinsella-Bishop scored off the rebound. The final goal was a stoppage time insurance goal where a long ball down the right side saw Andy Kasza and the Gunners’ keeper both approach. The keeper got the ball to his feet but couldn’t stop Kasza from stealing it away, who walked it into the net for probably the easiest goal of his career.

Lansdowne are into the regional semifinals, the final of the northern portion of the bracket for the second time in as many years. Last year they lost to rivals New York Pancyprian-Freedoms in a fiery match. Gunners, who won the tournament back in 2012 as the Battery Park Gunners, will refocus on league play.

Goal scorers

LYFC:

Sean Doran 44′
Danu Kinsella-Bishop 79′
Andy Kasza 90+3

MATCH BROADCAST (New Logical Sports)

Leros SC (NY, APSL)
4:1
SC Vistula Garfield (NJ, APSL)
Garfield High School – Garfield, NJ

After crossing two rivers to get to their away match, Leros SC beat SC Vistula Garfield. 4-1, in a battle of American Premier Soccer League Metropolitan Division teams.

Former Queens College (NY) forward Harry Cooke scored a brace while Amateur Cup regular Junior Rosero added another goal to his tally this year. Vistula had control of decent part of the game and had opportunities to create good chances, but could not score. Leros’ ability to counterattack was what kept Vistula on the edge. The final 20 minutes saw Garfield pressing higher to try to tie the match, which opened the field up and allowed Leros more space to finish the game off

Leros is making a run of it. The team, which just joined the APSL last fall from the Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL), is now into its first-ever Region I semifinal (that we know of). Vistula exits the tournament at the hands of a fellow APSL Metro team for the second year in a row after losing to Lansdowne Yonkers in 2025. This is arguably the team’s third consecutive one-and-done performance as well considering it advanced to the quarterfinal via forfeit.

Goal scorers

LSC:

Harry Cooke x2
Junior Rosero
Scott Testori

SCVG:

Paul Lee

MATCH BROADCAST (New Logical Sports+)
Subscription required

(Link to broadcast)

Sunday, April 26

Vereinigung Erzgebirge (PA, USLPA)
5:1
Christos FC (MD, APSL)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge Clubhouse – Warminster, PA

A rough go for Christos FC who bowed out of the tournament to Vereinigung Erzgebirge, 5-1. The Maryland side was short staffed for the game with only 11 players able to travel to VE’s clubhouse.

Derek Antonini secured the hat-trick to mark VE’s second straight game with a player scoring three goals. Kevin Smolyn and Aidan Watkins held down the midfield, helping set-up plays at both ends. Each helped in the attack for Connor Budniak and Bob Hennessy to score one goal each. Goalkeeper Steve Paul made a number of good saves but could not earn the clean sheet.

VE is through to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2021, where they lost to rivals West Chester United in a hard fought game.

Goal scorers

VE:

Derek Antonini x3
Connor Budniak
Bob Hennessy

Christos:

Cristian Correa

USASA Region I, Semifinal Matchups

(Home team listed first, games to be played weekend of May 9-10)
Leros SC (NY, APSL) vs. Lansdowne Yonkers (NY, APSL)
Club Atlético Los Toros (VA, APL) vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge (PA, USLPA)

2026 National Amateur Cup: Complicated Round 2 in Region II; Chicago House remains

May 1, 2026 by Michael Battista

A player from 1927 SC (blue) strikes the ball against Goshen City in a 2026 National Amateur Cup match. Photo: Carlos Hernandez - Black Cat Photography - IG: @black_catphoto — A player from 1927 SC (blue) strikes the ball against Goshen City in a 2026 National Amateur Cup match. Photo: Carlos Hernandez – Black Cat Photography – IG: @black_catphoto

The month of April saw (most) of Round 2 of the USASA Region II (Midwest) Amateur Cup take place. Three of the four games were played, including two blowout wins and one game decided by a single goal. The fourth game was embroiled in so much controversy that the game will instead be played in early May.

The 102nd edition of the National Amateur Cup will continue on in the Midwest with a few changes. Two new teams will enter the competition next round; defending regional champion RWB Adria and defending regional finalist FC Milwaukee Torrent. To make the format work, that means two winning teams from this round have been granted byes into the regional semifinals which are meant to be played before Sunday, May 17.

Region II, which is made up of teams from the Midwest, is just starting, but the eventual champion will be the representative at the National Finals, alongside the other three USASA Regions.

Here’s a look at each of the seven Region II games played so far. Interested in how the Midwest’s First Round played out? Check out our recap here.

Friday, April 10

Livonia City FC (MI, APSL)
0:9
Drita Soccer Club (MI, APSL)
Grizz Dome (Oakland University) – Rochester, MI

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "Champions" shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “Champions” shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Home side Drita Soccer Club advanced passed Livonia City FC earlier this month, 9-0, in a game where then referee became the star of the show. Three first half red cards saw Drita up two men in the first half hour before seeing a red card of their own.

Livonia saw Dylan Turner and Reece Still both shown straight red cards within the first 25 minutes of the match. Despite this, Drita only scored one goal in the first half. DSC’s Calvin Kalemaj was also shown a red around the 40th minute, though it is unknown if this was a second yellow offense, to make it 10v9 for the last 45 minutes plus.

Tired legs got the best of Livonia and Drita scored eight more goals unanswered in the second half to move on. Drita will not compete in the Quarterfinals and instead will recieve a bye into the semifinals.

Goal scorers

Drita:

Dom Ivezaj x3
Marco Palushaj x2
Dennis Cali
Vasel Gjonaj
Daniel Kadiu
Kyle Schueneman

Saturday, April 11

Players from 1927 SC (right) and Goshen City battle for the ball in a 2026 National Amateur Cup match. Photo: Carlos Hernandez - Black Cat Photography - IG: @black_catphoto — Players from 1927 SC (right) and Goshen City battle for the ball in a 2026 National Amateur Cup match. Photo: Carlos Hernandez – Black Cat Photography – IG: @black_catphoto

Goshen City FC (IN, MWPL)
1:0
1927 SC (IN, MWPL)
Warrior Athletic Field – Fort Wayne, IN

An early goal gave Goshen City FC a huge win over 1917 SC, 1-0, in the all Indiana battle.

Both teams described the match as hard fought. Goshen took the early lead when Iker Andes found Roberto Sanchez early the first half, signaling this might be an all-offense affair. However, neither team could capitalize on chances and the score remained for the remainder of the match. Home side 1927 SC hit the crossbar twice during the match and forced a handful of great saves by Goshen keeper Rafael Sabas.

Goshen made their Amateur Cup debut last year, falling in penalty kicks to eventual regional finalist Michigan Rangers FC. They’ll now face the defending regional champion, 2-time national champion, and defending national finalist RWB Adria of Chicago in the Quarterfinals.

Goal scorers

GCFC:

Roberto Sanchez 3′ (Iker Fernandez-Andes)

MATCH BROADCAST (1927 Sport Club)

(Follow this link to the team’s YouTube page where the game is split into seven videos)

Sunday, April 19

Green Bay Glory (WI, MWPL)
8:1
United Serbian SC (WI, MPL)
Prichard Park – Racine, WI

Green Bay Glory knocked off United Serbian Soccer Club, 8-1, with four goals in each half. The shocking result seems to be related to a few factors. The Serbs were missing players, struggled to stop set-piece goals, and suffered a red card early in the second half. All of these combined have Green Bay essentially a walk-over win.

The visitors came out flying and Josh Johansen scored about 10 minutes in to give Green Bay the early lead. A few minutes later, USSC’s Aleksandar Prpa scored off a deflection for an equalizer but it was down hill from there for the home team.

Right after, Cooper Re scored for GBG to make it 2-1. Griffin Pecore and Seth Schroeder also found the back of the net to enter the break up 4-1. Tommy Geocaris scored a fifth goal less than a minute into the second half. It’s hard to call this the nail in the coffin, but around the 55th minute, a breakaway chance with the Serbs’ goalkeeper ended in a foul and a DOGSO red card for USSC. Keven Sosa-Lassila stepped up and buried the PK. Abraham Navarro and Javoni Mendoza capped it off to close out an 8-1 statement win.

In total, eight different players found the back of the net for Green Bay.

Goalscorers

GBG:

Josh Johansen
Cooper Re
Griffin Pecore
Seth Schroeder
Tommy Geocaris
Keven Sosa-Lassila (PK)
Abraham Navarro
Javoni Mendoza

USSC:

Aleksandar Prpa

PARTIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Green Bay Glory)

Sunday, May 3

Minnesota Blizzard FC (MN, NPSL)
L:W
Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)
Benedictine University Soccer Field – Lisle, IL

Original story

After beating RKC Third Coast last round, Chicago House AC was originally disqualified from the tournament for allegedly using an ineligible player in their lineup. After a successful appeal, House is back in the tournament but their originally scheduled match vs Minnesota Blizzard FC had to be moved to a new date. Blizzard advanced after beating Vlora FC in Round 1.

The winner of this game will bypass the quarterfinal stage of the Region II tournament and qualify directly for the semifinals. This is because of two reasons, chief among them USASA Region II said RWB Adria and FC Milwaukee Torrent would have byes to the Quarterfinals but didn’t actually account for math and realize that you can’t have a quarterfinal round with six teams. So two teams are getting byes. The second reason is that this game has been delayed so long that it is taking place the day the USASA Region II Quarterfinal match window closes.

Honestly you can count this as a Quarterfinal match and pretend House and Blizzard had byes past Round 2. It’s overly complicated. It’s insane. It’s the Amateur Cup, baby.

UPDATE (May 1, 2026)

Chicago House AC has advanced into the regional semifinals after Minnesota Blizzard FC forfeit the match scheduled for Sunday, May 3. According to reporting by Northland Soccer Journal, the NPSL side was unable to have a team ready to travel and play in Illinois for the make-up date.

“Very disappointing as we did have a strong team ready to play on April 19” (the original scheduled date) they told NSJ in a statement.

The U.S. Adult Soccer Association and House have both confirmed the news to TheCup as well. A semifinal draw is expected to take place net week.

USASA Region II, Quarterfinal Matchups

(Home team listed first, match window closes Sunday, May 3)
RWB Adria (IL, MWPL) vs. Goshen City FC (IN, MWPL)
FC Milwaukee Torrent (WI, NPSL) vs. Green Bay Glory (WI, MWPL)

Byes: Drita Soccer Club (MI, APSL), Chicago House AC (IL, MWPL)

2026 National Amateur Cup: Chicago House appeal upheld, will play Minnesota Blizzard next

April 22, 2026 by Michael Battista

Chicago House players celebrate after scoring a goal in the 2026 National Amateur Cup. Photo: Alex iDiscoverer | IG: @idiscoverer.sport

Well nevermind then.

On Monday, the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) announced that Chicago House AC has successfully appealed its disqualification from the 2026 USASA Region II (Midwest) Amateur Cup tournament. The team had been disqualified last week for fielding an ineligble player.

House will now play Minnestota Blizzard FC in Round 2 of the tournament. Game information has not been announced yet, however sources have told TheCup.us that the game is expected to be played in the next two weeks.

USASA Executive Director Bruce Bode provided TheCup.us with a statement on the association’s committee ruling.

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“The Appeals Committee panel considered all the evidence and concluded the team should not be disqualified. Once we have the full written decision we will determine if modifications to the rules are needed. The Appeals Committee also recommended that the event rules be revised to remove any existing ambiguity in this area….Where needed, the rules will be modified.”

While not explicitly cited in the ruling, House player Nico Williams appears to be the player at the heart of the controversy. Williams was playing professional indoor soccer at the time of the Amateur Cup match. The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is professional, however it is not registered with the United States Soccer Federation. Only the MASL’s lower divisions are associated as amateur under the USASA umbrella.

Chicago House provided the following statement to media after the announcement.

The USASA Appeals Committee has upheld the appeal by Chicago House AC and the team remains eligible in the USASA Amateur Cup Tournament. Last week, USASA’s Region 2 claimed Chicago House used an ineligible player and the team was disqualified from the Amateur Cup.

House appealed the decision insisting that the player in question is in fact eligible, citing US
Soccer policy and the appeals committee agreed.

“We are pleased that the committee took a sincere review of our appeal, asked relevant questions and came to the same conclusion that we had,” said House Managing Partner and CEO Peter Wilt.

“We look forward to hosting the Minnesota Blizzard in the 2nd round match as soon as possible,” Wilt said.

Chicago House is attempting to qualify for the US Open Cup for the third time in club history and the first time since 2024. The 2026 Natioal Amateur Cup champion qualifies for the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.