Meet the Underdogs

2011 Meet the USASA: Iowa Menace, the PDL team “in disguise”

June 14, 2011 by Eric Anderson

Welcome to our continuing series of Meet the USASA features where we annually profile the clubs representing the United States Adult Soccer Association in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Advancing from the four regional tournaments, these often unknown clubs have great stories to tell and each year, our goal is to allow fans to get to know them as they attempt to become this year’s Cinderella story. Click here for more Meet the USASA stories.

Perhaps this would be better called “Meet the PDL.”

Technically, the Iowa Menace will play the Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) on Tuesday night in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

But make no mistake, this is the Des Moines Menace of the PDL.

“We’re in disguise for this game,” Menace coach Laurie Calloway joked.

The Menace have entered the Iowa Menace in the US Adult Soccer Association Region II tournament the past five years. Typically, the team consists of local junior college players, as most of the Menace’s PDL players usually are still in college when the Region II tournament starts in early May.

This year, though, the team had seven PDL-caliber players and routed KC Athletics 7-1 in its regional opener.

“It’s the strongest USASA side we’ve put out,” Calloway said.

In the unique format used for the Region II tournament, that one lopsided win was enough for the Menace to earn an Open Cup berth. The team with the best goal differential out of the three first-round matches earned one of the region’s two bids, while the other two winners played off for the other spot.

Calloway said the Menace weren’t aware of the format until reserve team coach Brandon Ermels read about it online during the trip to Kansas City.

“The bizarre thing was when we found out they showed up with 10 players, we were rubbing our hands and going ‘Wow, this is great,’ ” said Calloway, who added that he changed up his tactics when he learned about the goal-differential format.

“We had a plan, they played a very much bunker-down type of game and we couldn’t score. And then in the 35th minute, they got a goal to make it 1-0.”

Menace midfielder John Sosa helped set up all the goals as the Menace scored three times in the final three minutes of the first half, and Iowa went on to the convincing win. During their trip back to Des Moines, they learned their plus-6 goal differential was just enough to earn the Open Cup berth, thanks to an 83rd-minute goal scored by FC Indiana in its 7-2 loss to Chicago’s AAC Eagles.

With the USASA spot secured, Calloway and the Menace turned their attention to earning another Open Cup berth through PDL qualifying. The club would have had a second entry had Des Moines beaten the Kansas City Brass on May 23, but the Brass’ 2-1 win meant the Menace had to settle for one berth.

Iowa Menace (vs. KC Athletics) - 2011 Region II quarterfinals — With a 7-1 win over Kansas City (+6 goal difference), the Iowa Menace qualified for the 2011 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Photo: Sodagraphics.blogspot.com

“The owners have always wanted to try to do well in the Open Cup,” said Calloway, an Englishman who has coached at every level of US soccer in a career that started in the late 1970s. “Even though at the end of the day if we got to the Semifinals (Aug. 30), we probably wouldn’t even be able to field a team because all the kids will have gone back to school.”

This is the Menace’s sixth appearance in the Open Cup and second in a row — they dropped a 1-0 decision in the first round to AC St. Louis of the USSF Division-2 Pro League, a team and league that no longer exist.

Their best runs came in 2005 and ’06, when they advanced to the Fourth Round before bowing out to Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards.

“Obviously, if you can go and meet an MLS club in the last 16, it brings a tremendous amount of excitement, especially if you can draw them at home,” Calloway said.

The Menace will be at home for Tuesday’s match, and also would play host to a second-round game against the AAC Eagles or Madison 56ers in the second round should they advance.

After the challenging road trip they’ve just come back from, the Menace will be thrilled to be back at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Des Moines played four PDL matches in five days last week, the first two on consecutive nights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and then two more back-to-back games 438 miles away in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

That was followed by a 14-hour drive home.

“If you could think of a worse preparation (for the Open Cup match) … it’s probably hard to find something worse,” said Calloway, whose team will play at least seven consecutive home matches starting Tuesday.

The Menace won both games in Winnipeg and lost both in Thunder Bay to fall to 6-3-0 on the season. But five Des Moines players didn’t make the trip north of the border because of visa concerns, and four of them will be back in the mix Tuesday.

That includes three of the Menace’s top players: forward Deshorn Brown, midfielder Lebogang Moloto and right back Jubril Lawal.

Brown, a Jamaican who plays at NAIA powerhouse Mobile (Ala.), is Des Moines’ leading scorer with six goals in five games. Moloto, an 18-year-old South African who plays for Lindsey Wilson (Kent.), another NAIA powerhouse, has “lightning feet and lightning speed. He’s a winger, a tremendous creator of opportunities, a scorer and creator,” according to Calloway. Lawal is a 17-year-old from Nigeria who showcases his speed with overlapping runs into the attack.

“They’ve got tremendous futures if they stay on the right path,” said Calloway, whose team is second place in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.

“We’ll be hopefully a totally different looking team on Tuesday night.”

Sosa has continued the good form he started in the Region II tournament, leading the team with seven assists in PDL play. The former Missouri-Kansas City player teams with his longtime teammate Bryan Perez in the midfield to make things go for the Menace.

“Probably our most influential player so far this season has been John Sosa. He’s our playmaker, No. 10, extremely creative,” Calloway said.

“(He and Perez) played together at UMKC. It’s almost like they’re Siamese twins, they’re joined at the hip, they know each other’s moves. They sort of orchestrate things together. It’s a nice combination.”

While there aren’t two Menace teams playing in the Open Cup on Tuesday night, there will be two sides playing on June 18.

The PDL team is playing host to the Kansas City Brass, while the USASA team plays AAC Eagles in the Region II final in Overland Park, Kan. The winner of the regional tournament advances to nationals July 15 to 17 in Bowling Green, Kent. — the Menace don’t have any PDL matches that weekend.

“We’re going to be like Barcelona: We’re going to try to win five trophies,” Calloway said with a laugh.

2011 Meet the USASA: Doxa Italia of Orange County, CA

June 14, 2011 by Robert Jonas

As the adage goes, the third time is the charm. After being eliminated in the USASA Region IV tournament the previous two years, Doxa Italia finally captured the elusive berth to the US Open Cup. But just four years ago the successful Southern California side was dissolving itself, starting a journey that would result in a rebirth of the team recently.

Doxa Italia is a club with a rich history dating back to their formation in 1997. The original group of players that banded together at that time came from an assortment of Southland and Orange County A-League (American second division) teams.

Current goalkeeper Brian Burdue joined Doxa Italia in 2001, and remains one of the oldest tenured players on the current squad.

“Our team pretty much dominated the Southern California amateur soccer scene for a few years,” said Burdue describing the team’s first decade of play. From 1997 to 2005 the team won five Pacific League titles, four Coast Soccer League championships, and claimed the California Soccer Association South’s State Cup crown four times in seven appearances in the tournament final. “If we didn’t win the tournament, you had to go through us to win it — but we usually won it.”

In 2007, Doxa Italia had their worst league performance since their formation and many players were reaching the end of their eligibility to play with the team. When the ownership and management of the club suggested that the team be broken up, Burdue leaned on his contacts with Hollywood United FC, Doxa’s potential upcoming Second Round opponent, and helped bring the remaining players over to join forces with that club late that summer.

The following year, Hollywood United’s Open team made an impressive run in the US Open Cup — including a stunning 3-2 road win over the Portland Timbers — with a team that included many of the holdovers from Doxa Italia as well as former Major League Soccer players Brian Dunseth and Matt Taylor. After falling behind, Taylor converted a penalty in first half stoppage time and then netted another equalizer from the spot in the 58th. Then with overtime looming Earl Alexander stunned the home side in stoppage time with the game-winner for Hollywood.

Less than a year later, as the union between Hollywood United management and the former Doxa Italia players slowly soured, the Open team was disbanded in the middle of their season, as United moved on to launch a PDL franchise. With the help of forward Derk Droze and some of the Doxa Italia holdovers from prior to their merger with Hollywood, the former side reunited in the spring of 2009.

Web-DoxareceiveCup — Doxa Italia receives Region IV championship cup in Sacramento

And without missing a beat, the team went on to nearly qualify for the Open Cup. By that summer, Doxa Italia were back on track with a mix of new players and seasoned veterans, and back to their winning ways.

“Derk Droze took a leadership role and has been instrumental in re-building the team,” remembers Burdue about the tumultuous transition back to being an independent club. “There have been growing pains as we have made it to the finals of every tournament we’ve entered but we seem to just fall short of lifting the cup.”

That is why after watching his side narrowly missing out on qualifying for the Open Cup the past two years, the player/manager Droze left nothing to chance in preparing for the USASA Region IV tournament held last May in Sacramento, CA.

After earning a draw and a win in their first two group stage matches, the Southern California side faced a familiar scenario with one match left to play and the looming prospect of again being denied their desired prize.

Web-Doxa-teammedals — 2011 Region IV Champion Doxa Italia

“We had to go for it,” stated Droze. “As I explained to the other team, we did not want to go out of the tournament for the third straight year on goal differential.”

In 2009 and 2010 Doxa Italia were eliminated from contention by the Sonoma County Sol and the Arizona Sahuaros respectively, so this year when they went into their last group match knowing that the goal differential tiebreaker would likely be invoked again, they made sure to score early and score often. And at the expense of a greatly overmatched CV Eagles FC team, Doxa Italia posted an 18-0 win and finished at the top of their group, thus earning one of the two Region IV bids to the Open Cup tournament.

“We have felt that we were the best team during these qualifiers,” shared Doxa Italia goalkeeper Brian Burdue. “This year we were not going to let the goal differential tiebreaker lead us to be eliminated again, hence the 18-0 drubbing. We felt bad about it but it needed to happen.”

With both Arizona and Sonoma County now competing at the NPSL, the path to the Region IV championship appeared to be much easier, but Droze took no chances over the duration of the weekend tournament. Courtesy of their 18-0 win, the Southern Californian USASA powerhouse finished with seven points in the group and posted a whopping +24 goal differential to take Group B honors.

Doxa-Angels — A few Doxa Italia players have a bit of fun at an LA-Anaheim Angels promotion, 'Costume Mask Night'

“It was good to get such a great result and advance to the tournament final,” shared Droze on the team’s dominating performance, “especially after the disappointment of the last two years.”

The club finished the Region IV tournament with a showdown with Cal-North side DV8 Defenders in the final with the two sides playing to a 1-1 stalemate before Doxa Italia prevailed, 4-1, in penalty kicks to claim the regional championship.

Doxa Italia recently completed their club season in the Coast Soccer League with a second place finish, but all the attention around the team is on the upcoming First Round match in the US Open Cup against the Ventura County Fusion of the PDL. For Droze, Alex Bengard, Nate Reeves and Nas Koubourous who played a part in that upset victory in Portland, they begin a quest to make more history – this time under their own name and banner.

“I can’t begin to tell you how excited we are to be in this tournament,” said Droze not long after his side had qualified. “Falling short in the last two years and now getting to represent our region is a great achievement.”

Robert Jonas is a writer for CenterLineSoccer.com. You can send him feedback on Twitter: @RobertJonas

2011 Meet the USASA: ASC New Stars of Houston

June 13, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

Web-ASC1975 — Founded in 1974, Aria Soccer Club was already winning titles in 1975

Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Houston soccer began to rise to more prominence nationally shortly after the arrival in 2006 of the Houston Dynamo, who won MLS Cups their first two seasons. Two years later the Aria Soccer Club became the first to send a team from the amateur ranks to the US Open Cup during the Professional Era in 2008. This year, they join Regals FC in making it a Houston sweep of the two USASA Region III berths to the tournament.

Founded in 1974 by Reza and Taher ‘Tom’ Khalili, the club quickly enjoyed success in local cup and league competitions. With former professional players from Iran in the fold, ASC dominated the Houston Soccer League first division, winning the title seven years running. Although the club had an Iranian flavor in its early years, it has remained open to players around the globe throughout the years. However, it continued to be a home to Iranian players who had come to the US throughout the years such as former LA Galaxy defender/midfielder Arash Noamouz, a former Iran national team player that suffered injuries in 1998 that ended his professional career.

Web-O30-champs — 'Original' players still winning championships in Over-30 division

As all of those players aged, the club added new teams and currently manages six sides. The New Stars are one of three in HFA premier divisions with a fourth in the 1B division. The club also features the United Stars in the Over-30 first division (2010-11 state champions) as well as the HFA fourth division’s Original Stars (mainly over 50), which features some of the club’s original players.

Quite a few of those ‘originals’ are still involved with the club in a hands-on capacity. “They are helping the club in different capacities such as General Manager Tom Khalili, and myself coaching New Stars along with others who are the coaches for the five other teams in the club,” said New Stars head coach Majid Savadkoohi. ”The rest of them are the sponsors of this club and we survive and grow with their generous donations.”

Web-NewStars-0607-trophies — Since the New Stars were forged in 2004, the team has a multitude of honors: 7 consecutive HFA Premier Division titles... 3 State Cup titles, 3-time runner-up... 4 HFA Cup titles, 2-time runner-up

It is essentially the third generation, fittingly dubbed New Stars, who are taking ASC to new heights.

“In 2003 after the previous coach retired I became the head coach of the only premier team ASC had in the Houston Football Association. I kept three players from his team and brought in young players ages 17-21 to build basically a new team, and changed the name to New Stars to fit the team’s character, which was made up of young and new players.”

Savadkoohi ‘s New Stars have won the title all seven years, as well as numerous cups, since the change. And since 2006, the New Stars have completely dominated the top flight in the HFA, which plays a September to May schedule. From the 2006-07 season to 2009-10, the club lost only three times while winning four championships with a total 54-3-15 record, going unbeaten (12-0-6) during the 2007-08 campaign. Each time, the side allowed an average of less than one goal per game.

After the unbeaten season, the team went on to earn its first trip to the US Open Cup, where they would unfortunately draw the then USL First Division (professional second division) Charleston Battery, who played host to and defeated the Houston Dynamo, 1-0 in overtime, in the previous year’s Open Cup. ASC would be completely overwhelmed on three first half Darren Spicer goals as Charleston advanced 3-0 and eventually also eliminated the Dynamo two rounds later a second straight year, this time in penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Web-NewStars-R3-08 — The ASC New Stars that finished runners-up at the 2008 USASA Region III tournament

“Before going to Charleston I knew it would be a big challenge for an amateur team with their limited resources – for example, we could only afford to rent a practice field once a week for only two hours, sharing that time between our three premier teams throughout the season – to face a pro team. But the players gained a good experience and realized the speed of play and level of fitness against a pro team are to be overwhelming.”

Perhaps motivated by the loss or improved from the learning experience acquired at Blackbaud Stadium, the New Stars found a new level of domination in HFA play, surpassing 50 goals scored for the first of what is now three consecutive seasons of a rise in scoring. They also allowed the fewest goals in the past five years with just 13 in 18 games as they went 16-1-1, also a best in victories for the past five years. The lone defeat came in the season opener.

The club did not play in the 2009 regional tournament. Then, perhaps a sign of what could have been a decline, ASC went winless in the USASA Region III tournament a year ago and although the team scored a five-year high of 58 goals this season, it suffered four losses on the HFA campaign. The New Stars, though, still won yet another championship at 13-4-1 and set their sights on the USASA’s Open Cup championship.

“After last year’s extreme disappointment we came into this year with redemption on our mind,” said Savadkoohi during the Region III tournament. “We just keep building positive momentum after each win along with improved chemistry and purpose.

“After last year’s dismal performance we set our goal for the 2011 regional championship early in September of 2010. So we focused to work on team fitness and bring a few younger players as some of my original players were past the age of 30 now. We’ve found an effective balance this year with scheduling friendly games and tournaments alongside our intense physical training sessions. The amount of rest we give our players is unique because of our amateur status,” said Savadkoohi in advance of the First Round Open Cup match.

“About 95 percent of our players are full time working professionals so each player must be individually motivated to maintain diet and fitness as well. As a coach I encourage our players to give feedback on their physical conditions throughout the year because the season is so long.”

With nine players still with the squad that lost in Charleston three years prior, the club swept their group in Tuscaloosa, Alabama the final weekend of May on an aggregate scoreline of 7-2. In addition to securing the US Open Cup spot, it created a Region III championship showdown with city rivals Regals FC, who needed a special penalty kick tiebreaker to settle a deadlock in its group table.

Having allowed just two goals in three group games, a defensive error left the club trailing for the second time in the Region III tournament as Regals took the advantage in the 44th minute. The 1-0 Regals lead was also partially to the credit of keeper Marcos Sanchez, who made three spectacular saves to keep the veteran club off the board despite its domination of play.

In a more evenly played second stanza ASC would finally break through in the 65th minute courtesy of Lukas ‘Miko’ Simon to level the match. At the close of regulation the New Stars had a perfect opportunity to seal the title when Alex Bolan was fouled in the penalty area, but the attempt would fail to be converted, sending the final to overtime.

The stalemate continued, and as penalties neared for a second straight day for Regals, their city rivals found the back of the net. Four minutes from time Marco Carrizales sent a nice cross into the box that Chuks Ndame headed home for the championship-winning goal.

“Now this is our second qualification for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup which is an honor. I thank all the players for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. Especially, I would like to thank the ASC Club President and co-founder Mr. Tom Khalili for all his efforts and hard work all year long.”

Now ASC faces a familiar challenge, travelling a lengthy distance to face a quality professional club in the US Open Cup First Round. Although the USL Pro side (American third division) Orlando City is new to central Florida, 11 players lived and played in Texas a year ago for the Austin Aztex side that relocated to the Sunshine State with former Everton star and English club manager Adrian Heath, who led Austin to the second-best record in the USSF Second Division last year. This year he has Orlando City on a similar track, sitting atop the league at 8-2-3.

Three years wiser, Ali and Reza Daneshmand, Salvador Lopez, Alex Bolan, Peter Kozlowski, Destiny Ohiri, Arzgang Salahshoor, Anthony Ashiufu and Aramik Allahverdian make their return to the US Open Cup Tuesday hoping for a different result. Bolan was one of the team’s leading scorers on the HFA season and was involved in five of the team’s nine goals at the Region III tournament with four goals and an assist.

“Seven players from 2008 team will feature this Tuesday night,” said Savadkoohi. “Unfortunately, three of my 11 starters are injured and we are trying to get, maybe, one of them ready for this game. In 2008 the Battery were leading their division and so it is only appropriate that this year’s opponent, Orlando City, also resides on top of their table.”

Joining the nine Open Cup veterans and assisting Bolan in the attack are Lukas Simon and George Sangira, a duo that also were among the team leaders in scoring during the HFA season. Simon, whom Savadkoohi said is having an outstanding season playing efficient German soccer, notched a pair of goals in Tuscaloosa, including the championship game equalizer, and Sangira scored once.

LukasSimon-UStThomas-bioinformatics — Lukas Miko Simon at the University of St. Thomas (Houston)

Simon, who will begin working this fall on a PhD in Molecular Biophysics at Baylor College, is a rare double threat for ASC, where he plays primarily at midfield. The German 24-year old has been part of the club’s attack of late, but he has a history of playing goalkeeper in college at the University of St. Thomas and last year with the Houston Leones in the PDL. He helped guide the Leones to a surprising second-place spot in the division a year ago, finishing as one of only four players in the 67-team league to play every minute of a 16-game regular season as he led the team to a 7-5-4 record.

In the playoffs Simon helped lead the club to one of the most stunning upsets of the PDL season, ousting the unbeaten 11-0-3 Mississippi Brilla on their home turf. Tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, Brilla took the lead for a second time courtesy of Phillip Buffington, but Houston found the equalizer from an unlikely source in the 112th minute. Simon put a free kick into the box that was mishandled, finding its way into the back of the net for the draw and sending the match to penalties where he made a save in the fourth round and converted his own attempt in the fifth before making the winning save in the seventh round. History accomplished, the Leones run ended, 2-1, in the conference final the next day at the hands of Baton Rouge.

But the brief success of Simon with the Leones was part of the bigger picture of Houston soccer’s rise, which is no small feat considering the USASA history of the state in US Open Cup tournament play and qualifying.

The Lone Star State has become one of the dominant factions in the USASA. Since 2002, the state has had at least one representative qualify for the US Open Cup eight of the 10 tournaments for a total of 13 occurances. One more than any other state, including California’s dozen, over the same time frame.

A handful of clubs have played a repeated roll as representatives from Texas, several of which have made a name for themselves with upsets versus professional clubs. One of those being Dallas Roma, which upset USL First Division (professional second division) Miami FC, 1-0, and edged MLS side Chivas USA in penalties after a scoreless draw in 2006.

Web-FirstNewStars — The original New Stars squad from 2004-05

2011 Meet the USASA: 3-time Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms

June 12, 2011 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

While the New York Pancyprian Freedoms may not have won a match in their two previous Open Cup appearances (2008 & 2010), the proper way to judge the credentials of the club is to look at their accomplishments outside of those two matches. The team from Jamaica, Queens, New York has been one of the top amateur clubs in the nation over the past four years. Since 2008, the Freedoms have two Cosmopolitan Soccer League championships (2010 & 2011), four Dr. Manning Cup victories (Eastern NY state cup, 2006-2008, 2010), and two USASA National Cup trophies (2008 & 2010). It is no coincidence then that they have won, or could win, all of those championships again in 2011 as they prepare for another U.S. Open Cup First Round match.

A short but rich history

The Pancyprian Freedoms got their start in 1975 when the Pancyprian Association of America was founded in the aftermath of the Turkish invasion and annexation of northern Cyprus in 1974. The soccer team was started as a way to better enlighten the general public about what was happening in Cyprus. Freedoms General Manager George Halkidis says that all of the players on the current roster are aware of the meaning of the club’s name, and that their players of Greek ethnicity have traveled to Cyprus either as part of the club’s youth program or on vacation to visit their parents’ homeland.

The club spent their first two years in the Long Island Soccer League, and in 1977 paid $5,000 to join the Cosmopolitan Soccer League in 1979. By 1982 they had won the CSL title three times. While the current Freedoms have a more diverse roster, during their run of three Open Cup championships in four years from 1980-1983 the core of the team was made up of a mix of former Greek professional players and Cypriot players attending college in the U.S. through scholarships set up by the Pancyprian Association. Many of those college players returned to Cyprus and Greece after graduating, and maintained long careers with some of the top teams in those countries.

The former Greek pros that wore the Freedoms’ blue shirts were not your ordinary run of the mill imports. Two such players were considered to be two of the greatest players in Greek soccer history. Papaioannou spent 19 seasons with AEK Athens, scoring 234 goals, a mark that stood as a Greek record until 1989. Domazos played with Panathinaikos for 20 seasons and is widely considered the greatest player ever from Greece.

Rivalry with the Italians

Their first round opponents, the NPSL’s Brooklyn Italians, were recent CSL rivals of the Freedoms before the Italians decided to concentrate on NPSL play over fielding a team in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. However, in the late 1970s and early 80s, the two clubs were constantly battling for the top spot in the CSL standings. Between 1977 and 1982 the Freedoms and Italians (then known as the Brooklyn Dodgers) were the only clubs to win the Cosmopolitan Soccer League championship. Each club took home three titles in that period, often at the expense of the other.

From 1977 to 1981 the teams would take turns knocking each other out of the Open Cup. The first meeting of the clubs in Open Cup play came in the a Southern New York second round qualifying match on November 28, 1976, when the Italians won 2-1. The next year the Freedoms got revenge with a 4-1 win in the SNY First Round.

In 1979, the teams met in the Southern New York semifinals, and the Italians prevailed 5-3 on their way to winning the Open Cup championship. In 1980 and 1981, the Freedoms and Italians met in the Southern New York Final. The Freedoms won 4-1 in the first meeting, while the Italians came away with a 1-0 win in 1981. The 1981 victory by the Italians not only pushed them closer to an appearance in the Open Cup Final, but it also prevented the Freedoms from capturing what would have been a record four straight Open Cup titles. From 1979-1983 either the Italians or Freedoms represented the Eastern side of the bracket in the Open Cup Finals.

While the rivalry may have been heated in the early 80s, Halkidis insists the teams are friendly rivals today, and he speaks to Italians GM Joe Barone on a weekly basis while also being close friends with Italians manager Tony Noto.

When reminded that it was the Italians who interrupted his teams Open cup title run in the early 80s, Halkidis joked that “maybe it’s a good time for payback,” but acknowledged their real goal is to win the USASA Open Cup. The Freedoms have won the USASA title two out of the last three years, and will have a chance this year if they can defeat Phoenix SC in the USASA Region I Final on June 19. A win will pit the Freedoms against fellow Open Cup qualifiers ASC New Stars, Doxa Italia, and the winner of the Region II Final between AAC Eagles and Iowa Menace (Bowling Green, Kentucky on July 15-17) for the right to wear the USASA crown.

The June 19 game will mark the end of a 16-day period of important games for the club. On June 5 the Freedoms defeated the New York Athletic Club via penalties for the Cosmopolitan League championship. The Freedoms came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to end regulation 2-2 on goals from Stefan Dimitrov (55’) and the ageless Julio Cesar Dos Santos (71’). Just two days before their Open Cup game against the Italians, the Freedoms will face Mineola Portuguese of the Long Island Soccer Football League in the Dr. Manning Cup Final, which is the top tournament for the Eastern New York State Soccer Association.

Brooklyn Italians vs. New York Pancyprian Freedoms
In the US Open Cup 1977-1981

1977 Southern New York Second Round
Nov. 27, 1976 – Brooklyn Italians 2:1 Pancyprian Freedoms
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1978 Southern New York First Round
Nov. 20, 1977 – Pancyprian Freedoms 4:1 Brooklyn Italians
Downing Stadium – Randalls Island, NY
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1979 Southern New York Semifinals
Apr. 1, 1979 – Brooklyn Dodgers 5:3 Pancyprian Freedoms
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1980 Southern New York Final
Mar. 29, 1980 – Brooklyn Dodgers 1:4 Pancyprian Freedoms
Metropolitan Oval – Queens, New York
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1981 Southern New York Final
Mar. 28, 1981 – Pancyprian Freedoms 0:1 Brooklyn Dodgers
Metropolitan Oval – Queens, New York

2011 Meet the USASA: DV8 Defenders from Redwood City, CA

June 11, 2011 by Robert Jonas

Dreams really do come true. Just ask Tono Aspinall, the manager of the DV8 Defenders from Redwood City, CA, as he works on the final details of his team’s first-ever appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

“We did not really know what to expect when we entered the qualification tournament in Sacramento (last May),” said Aspinall speaking pitchside as he watched his team battle MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes reserve squad. “But when we won our group, I couldn’t believe it had become a reality. For us, being able to qualify and move on to the Open Cup for the first time ever is great.”

Grosey-Aspinall-R4-Trophy — Manager Tono Aspinall and goalkeeper Matt Grosey with the Region IV finalists trophy

Earning the right to represent Region IV of the USASA has already opened doors for the club that didn’t exist as the year began. Being invited to play the Quakes reserves as a tune-up for the DV8 Defenders first round match against Real Colorado Foxes (June 14th, Shea Stadium, Highland Ranch, CO) was just one example of how much the profile of the club has grown in the last few weeks.

“I don’t know if it is nerves, but hopefully our guys will settle into the match,” said Aspinall as his dark-blue clad side played cautiously to start the match. “Just having this opportunity to recognize our squad and to continue our growth into an elite team in the Bay Area, more kids will see that we play a good brand of soccer.

While the Defenders were able to turn their nervousness into positive play, an Earthquakes side that featured a mix of starters, trialists and academy players eventually triumphed 2-0 over the amateur team. However, they rarely backed down against the professionals, and even saw their star in the making put in another great performance. Goalkeeper Matt Grosey, a student at West Valley Community College in nearby Cupertino, saved not one, but two penalty kicks against Quakes forwards Scott Sealy and Matt Luzunaris.

“Our goalkeeper is the youngest player on the field and he is also our team captain,” shared Aspinall. “He’s probably our best player and I hope one day that he goes pro. The kid just turned 19 years old, but he’s already a phenomenal player.”

The age and circumstances of Grosey highlight what the DV8 club philosophy is all about. The team on the field against the Earthquakes reserves, and the team that will travel to Colorado for their first round Open Cup match on June 14, has an average age of just over 22-years old. Most of the players have some college experience, but for some just the chance to play soccer regularly must be balanced with real life situations that can often put playing the sport on the back burner.

“Some of these kids do not come from privileged backgrounds and the ability to go to Division I schools,” explained Aspinall when asked where he finds his players. “They are really talented from a soccer perspective, so what we are trying to do, especially in Redwood City is to get them more exposure. If we can give them the environment to play and develop further, then maybe the right opportunity comes along and they get the chance to play professionally.”

Founded in 1999, DV8 Soccer fields teams in the local amateur Peninsula Soccer League made up of primarily college-aged players and a few in their early 20’s. The mission of the club from the beginning has been to give local players with aspirations to play soccer on the biggest stage the chance to build their reputations and skills. The program has found some recent success in that regard with two players moving on to opportunities to play abroad. Team manager Eduar Mafla has successfully transferred one player to a Bulgarian team and another to a Mexican team in the last 12 months. Both he and Aspinall expect that others on the squad are very close to having some of the same chances to step up to the next level in their careers.

“It’s great to win games and progress, but what we are really trying to do is give these kids a great environment to play soccer and develop their skills,” said Aspinall. “They might not have been noticed before, but we want to help get them into professional soccer.”

While still an amateur side playing locally in the Peninsula Soccer League, Aspinall has aspirations to expose his players to more talented opponents, starting in the NorCal Senior Premier League and eventually in the PDL. The move to play in the NorCal league comes as DV8 has joined in a partnership with Juventus Sport Club of Redwood City to help them make the transition away from just being a Bay Area club. Many of the current players on the DV8 roster played in the Juventus system and so a natural connection between the two organizations helped the partnership develop.

But first is the grand opportunity to compete in the nation’s oldest soccer tournament, the U.S. Open Cup, and Aspinall is busily finishing preparations for the DV8 Defenders most meaningful match in their history.

“Anything is possible in soccer and we have been training very hard to get ready for the match and the altitude,” said Aspinall. “We are taking our full 18 man club and we’ll arrive the same day as the game so that we hopefully will be fresh, but it will definitely be a challenge, and I expect we’ll have some tired legs before the match is over.”

Emerge from the match with Real Colorado Foxes as the victor and the Defenders will again head out on the road for a second round match in either Washington or Texas. Given that the club has only in May played outside of the Bay Area, DV8 will enjoy every moment of their U.S. Open Cup experience and continue living their dream.

Robert Jonas is a writer for CenterLineSoccer.com. You can send him feedback on Twitter: @RobertJonas

DV8-R4-Team — The DV8 Defenders squad at the Region IV Tournament

2011 Meet the USASA: 1990 US Open Cup champions, AAC Eagles from Chicago

June 10, 2011 by David Gubala

AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles

The predominantly Polish side from Chicago has much to say about the US Open Cup. Contestants AAC Eagles have won the entire tournament in 1990 and had a number of strong showings in years following.

2011 will mark the Eagles’ fifth Modern Era (1995-present) appearance (1995, 2002, 2005, 2008), and they will travel to Madison, Wis. for their First Round match-up with the NPSL’s Madison 56ers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST. The winner of that match will play the winner of the Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) and Iowa Menace (USASA ) in Round 2.

The club returned to prominence a year ago when they ended state rival RWB Adria’s three-year reign as Illinois state champions. The Eagles defeated RWB Adria 2-0 in the Illinois state qualifier the previous November before knocking out Minnesota entrant Fire SC in the Region II Quarterfinals, 8-3. The side was then eliminated in the Final Four via penalties 4-2 by KC Athletics after a 3-3 draw. The two matches took place at MLS venues, playing at Toyota Park’s training field and in a doubleheader with the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

This year, AAC Eagles were seeded as host of the Illinois Final as defending champion, and defeated Viking AA 2-1 to retain the state crown. They earned a date with FC Indiana in the opening round of the Region II tournament and dispatched them 7-2 thanks to four goals by Jakub Piotrowski. It then came down to a “Win & You’re In” match between the Eagles and RWB Adria (who replaced Viking AA after they withdrew from the tournament), which the Eagles won 4-1 with Piotrowski leading the way with three goals. `

CLUB HISTORY

AAC Eagles were formed in the year 1940 by a number of Polish immigrants. The club underwent a number of rebrandings over the years from then on. Until the 1950s, Eagles were originally known as the Polish American Athletic Club (PAAC Eagles).

The team also played its inaugural season in the National Soccer League of Chicago.

After the 1950s, the team rebranded to the Chicago Eagles. Since then, the club has interchanged between a couple of other names. Having won the cup in 1990, the club had finally settled on the AAC Eagles moniker for years to come.

The Eagles currently play in the Metropolitan Soccer League, where it has won 11 Major Division championships.

HISTORY IN THE CUP

The club has a number of successes worth mentioning. It reached the final in 1945 and 1948 before winning the Open Cup in 1990. The Eagles defeated the Brooklyn Italians, who have also qualified for the 2011 competition, 2-1 in the championship game with goals from Jan Kiaca and Peter Modrzejewski at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. , six years before MLS would be launched.

As is the case for the current tournament, back in 1990, the Eagles’ famous US Open Cup victory gave them a berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (now called the Champions League). The club lost on aggregate 4-1 to Bermudian side PHC Zebras in early stages of the tournament, but had already accomplished the impossible getting there.

The team first entered the Cup in 1948 and won their first-ever tournament match, 6-4, over Hansa SC on Nov. 16, 1947. In the ’48 Cup they reached the Illinois Final, where they lost to Sparta A & BA 3-2 after extra time.

In 1949, they made it all the way to the Western Final (National Semifinals), losing to Pittsburgh’s Morgan Strasser 4-3 on aggregate over two legs. Strasser went on to win the title that year.

Oldest teams to qualify in US Open Cup
Modern Era (1995-present)*

1910 – United German Hungarians (Oakford, PA)
1922 – Croatian Eagles (Milwaukee, WI)
1926 – Phoenix SC (Feasterville, PA)
1927 – SAC Wisla (Chicago, IL)
1929 – Bavarian SC (Milwaukee, WI)
1931 – Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Warminster, PA)
1940 – AAC Eagles (Chicago, IL)
1941 – Greek American Atlas (Queens, NY)
1959 – RWB Adria (Chicago, IL)*Year club was founded, not their first USOC appearance

In 1950 they reached the Western Semifinals where they lost to another eventual champion, St. Louis’ Simpkins Ford 5-0. Along the way they thrashed Hakoah Center 11-0 in the Illinois quarterfinals.

In 1953 a group of players who felt they were not being given a fair shot for playing time left the club and founded the Falcons SC, and that newly-formed club went on to win the Open Cup in their first attempt.

In their four previous Modern Era appearances, the club has failed to win a game in the competition. In fact, in their last three appearances, the Eagles have been eliminated by a team that has also qualified for the 2011 Open Cup. In 2002, they lost 1-0 on a golden goal by the New York Freedoms (now the NY Pancyprian Freedoms), who were a member of the PDL that year. They fell to the Chicago Fire Premier in 2005 by a score of 4-1, and in their last appearance they hosted the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, losing 4-0.

Adding to their list of achievements, AAC Eagles won the USASA Open Cup in 1989 and 2002.

MEET THE PLAYER: PETER BIELECKI

Peter Bielecki is a 6’1” left back playing a pivotal role for the Eagles, especially this season. Bielecki earned his spot through the youth ranks of Eagles as well as playing for Lane Tech High School in his earlier days.

Can you talk about the current atmosphere in the team and how you personally prepare for this tournament?

AACEagles-Clincher-ToyotaPark — The AAC Eagles celebrate qualifying for the 2011 US Open Cup at the practice field outside the Chicago Fire’s Toyota Park

PB: Overall, we have strong team chemistry. Everyone backs each other up, where everyone seems to get along in both a professional and casual way. Our outlook is very serious, where everyone believes we can make it very far in the tournament. There is very little room for slacking, because a 27+man roster leaves a lot of room for competition on our team.

What does the US Open Cup mean for yourself and the Eagles?

PB: The US Open Cup is one of the biggest tests for an amateur men’s team. Within our league, we are always looking for a challenge. The US Open Cup offers everyone on our team a chance to give it their all and compete on higher levels. Many of our players are college level quality, but very few have broken into the professional levels, in which this tournament provides many opportunities to seize.

Who are some of the key players on the Eagles roster? Who are the veterans or someone you look up to?

PB: We have a lot of underrated talent. “Kuba” Piotrowski, for example, is an incredible “amateur” talent that has plenty of ability to score goals with speed comparable to many of the fastest strikers. Piotr Kolasinski is a central defender that has an incredible touch and makes plays in all areas of the field. He also has the ability to strike the ball from set pieces, leaving us with a serious weapon, no matter what team we play. Jacek Lechowicz and Sebastian Skital provide our team with years of experience from higher levels, while Miroslaw Modzelewski brings in experience from some of the highest levels of football, playing teams such as Manchester United in his Polish football career .

Can you tell fans a little about yourself and your relationship with the Eagles?

PB: As a youngster, I was constantly looking for chances to break into this “veteran” squad. I am a left back, standing at 6’1″ and 185 lbs, but I am still finding it difficult to capture my spot on this team. We have plenty of players to choose from, which is surprising for the level we play at. We are going to leave higher level teams with quite a challenge during these next few US open Cup games. It will be important for other teams not to underestimate us, because we train with the mindset of a professional squad.

The AAC Eagles are always trying to improve their reputation as an amateur soccer team. The US Open Cup is just another opportunity for us to make a statement and advance as far as possible. No matter what, our team will leave the tournament with no regrets, knowing that we have given our best performance and have showcased the best football that we can provide.

2011 Meet the USASA: Regals FC from Houston

June 8, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

Texas is also the only state to claim both berths from its respective region on five occasions since the tournament expanded to eight entries from the USASA. California accomplished the feat three times. With Regals FC and the ASC New Stars snaring the two Region III berths, the state grabbed both berths for the first time since its run of regional dominance from 2004-07 in which it captured all eight spots.
A handful of clubs have played a repeated roll as representatives from Texas, several of which have made a name for themselves with upsets versus professional clubs. One of those being Dallas Roma, which upset USL First Division (professional second division) Miami FC, 1-0, and edged MLS side Chivas USA in penalties after a scoreless draw in 2006.

That history has proven to be an inspiration, and Regals FC is a club born with the goal of being the next side to make a name for itself while representing Houston.

“Houston has one of the deepest talent pools in the country, so it does not surprise me to be facing the New Stars in the Final,” said Regals head coach Miguel Landaverde prior to the Region III championship versus fellow Houston side ASC New Stars.

“This team represents Houston. We are a team of the people, for the people,” said General Manager Stephen Heisler. “Texas in general, and Houston in particular, has a rich local talent pool. Aside from USASA’s Houston Football Association, there are 12 independently owned adult leagues in the metro area. Combine the level of play with a year-round competitive schedule, it’s no wonder why the area has been successful. The ASC New Stars are a fantastic team, the club has been around since 1973, so we are honored that we were able to play them four times in the last two years. We are not only the best teams in Houston, we are also the best two teams in Region III. That says a lot.”

It says even more about Regals FC, a club formed less than two years ago.

“We are a very young club, formed only 17 months ago, but we built this team for the US Open Cup,” said Landaverde. “We are very excited for the opportunity to showcase our players to professional teams.”

How the club came to be in its current form is kind of unique. The team was originally formed as an independent club team for players from the Kingwood and New Caney area in the northern part of the Houston metropolis. After a few games, one of the club’s players, Pedro Rodriguez, suggested the team get together with a group that played in one of the area’s Hispanic leagues.

That team turned out to be Agua Nacida. It was a club formed five years prior by Landaverde, who grew up playing in Mexico. In its first five years, Agua Nacida were incredibly successful, winning numerous events, including the 2009 Dynamo Alliance Cup.

In the early days of the club’s launch, it was slated to participate in the National Premier Soccer League, but as things failed to come together, the club took its future in its own hands. The club became part of a group that launched the Southern Premier Soccer League in 2010. The SPSL, featuring teams from Texas and Oklahoma, is kicking off its first full season of play this fall.

Regals is currently in the midst of the league’s precursor Summer Cup, which runs from the end of April to August. The side lost its opener prior to the Region III tournament, 3-0, to RGV Ocelots, a team that is now 4-0 on the season. Since finishing as runners-up in Tuscaloosa, Regals has rebounded in the SPSL Summer Cup with a 6-1 win versus Houston Hurricane FC June 4.

The team also recently played in the 2011 Verizon Copa Alianza, defeating ASC New Stars via penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Final, and the 2011 Houston Soccer Association Tournament, falling 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinals to La Escondida.

The Texas climate makes it one of the few places where outdoor soccer is a year-round sport, something Regals FC feels is a positive for the club.

“Man, we just don’t stop,” said Heisler. “The Southern Premier Soccer League is set to play its first full season in 2011-2012 with a schedule that stretches from late September to July 4th. We feel that our advantage is the fact that we are together all year long. While PDL and NPSL teams are constantly reloading for the short season, we keep chugging along.”

The proximity to Mexico is another positive for Regals and other clubs in the state, particularly for its roster.

Among the standout players on the side are Diego Ayala, who has spent time with the reserves for Monterrey – the reigning Mexico and CONCACAF club champions – and Jose Chavez, who has been with a number of Mexican clubs.

But Mexico is not the sole source of the talent. Robert Hernandez joined the team after spending time in the Chivas USA program and Jhoiner Quintana played in Spain.

“The player that I expect to see in an MLS uniform is goalkeeper Marcus Sanchez. He is fantastic and has no business playing on our team,” said Heisler. “Striker Roy Hernandez has been nursing a nagging injury, but he won the Southern Premier Soccer League’s golden boot and was on the Red Bulls radar earlier this year.”

Hernandez tallied twice in the club’s 4-2 group play victory against CASL, the defending Region III champions, in Alabama last month. The result created a three-way tie in the three-team group, leaving the two sides in a deadlock on tiebreakers as well and forcing a penalty kick shootout to determine the group winner. That is where Sanchez showed off his skills, stopping three of the four CASL attempts to send Regals through.

The penalty shootout victory moved Regals onto the Region III Final, where they fell 2-1 in overtime to their local rival. But more importantly, it propelled them to the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup where they have since learned they are facing the defending USL Pro champion Charleston Battery, who were tournament finalists just three years ago.

“This is our opportunity to show America what Houston soccer is all about, and this is my opportunity to show the Battery staff that I have what it takes to play professional soccer,” said Sanchez.

Hernandez added, “I feel very confident that we will do well. We are not traveling 18 hours to come back home without a win.”

The Battery’s league and tournament credentials of repeated success do not seem to intimidate Regals.

“We are not any more afraid of the Battery than we were of Puebla FC, FC Dallas or the New Orleans Jesters,” Landaverde said, referring to previous friendlies. “We feel that we can play with anybody. I have a lot of faith in this group and most importantly, they have a lot of faith in each other. Playing upper division teams is how we gauge our progress. This match is entirely different. This match has meaning.”

2010 Meet the USASA: Sonoma County Sol

June 15, 2010 by Josh Hakala

The Sonoma County Sol broke their duck last season by claiming their first NPSL Championship in club history. Now this season they have their sights set on advancing deep into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

2010 has not been a particularly kind year to the Sol as they sit in fourth place in the NPSL Northeast Conference with nine points and a 2-3-2 record. However, the Sol have been strong in the US Open Cup prior, advancing to the second round in 2006 and 2009.

The Sol’s road to the US Open Cup this season was a bit different than years past, as they were placed in a one-off match against PSA Los Gatos Storm of US Club Soccer. Undaunted by the ‘Win and You’re In’ match, the Sol rolled to a 3-0 victory.

Sonoma open the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against the USSF-2nd Division’s Portland Timbers at PGE Park. The Timbers dismissed the Sol 3-0 last year in the second round of the tournament.

The Sol are no strangers to the US Open Cup, having qualified four times in the last six years (2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010). Last season the Sol defeated the Orange County Blue Star 5-2 in the opening round and were one of only two amateur teams to advance to the second round.

The team is truly a family affair, in many ways. First is the way the club is funded. Each player pays $500 each for the season, and they also raise money through hosting a golf tournament, and having friends and family volunteer on game days. Also helping fund the team is the Sol “100” Club, in which individuals who donate $100 towards the team receive a season pass, having their name mentioned on the team website and being honored at the final home game of the year.

In addition to running the club as a team, almost all of the players on the roster are locals. Many players have played, or still play, at Sonoma State, where Sol head coach Benjamin Ziemer is an assistant coach, under his brother Marcus, who has been head the head coach at SSU for 18 seasons. The other players on the team either attend Santa Rosa Junior College, or are local players who have played college soccer elsewhere.

Ziemer recalls when he applied to coach the Sol two years ago. “I told the board we could compete using primarily local players.” The success of the Sol has proven he was correct. “Although not all believed it (was) possible, we have 16 players from Sonoma County, another 5 who have been here 5-6 years to attend Sonoma State University and a few others who have moved from out of town for work.” Ziemer says.

On top of all that, Benjamin Ziemer and his three brothers grew up playing the game, and then some. As kids, they played the game on a small field their father built for them, which included lights, playing 1-v-1 and 2-v-2 for hours until they all moved away from home. When the boys were in their teens, a man named Peter Reynaud moved into their area, and the way they viewed and played soccer changed. Reynaud was the head coach at Sonoma State, and exposed the boys to a different way of training and playing.

Three of the brothers, Benjamin, Andrew, and Christopher, went on to play for Reynaud at Sonoma State for the 1989-90 season, and then for their brother Marcus for the 1990-91 season, when Reynauld stepped down to concentrate on the women’s team. During that first year, Sonoma State went undefeated, and the following year both the men’s and women’s teams reached the NCSAA Division II championship game.

While Marcus stayed on as head coach at Sonoma State, the other three Ziemer boys eventually made their way to Germany. The first to go was Christopher. After their father decided the cost of another regional camp was not worth the money. Right around this time a German team came to the area and played against Christopher’s ODP team, after which their father asked the German coach if he could set Christopher up with a youth team. Christopher then went to Germany and soon after called Andrew and Benjamin to come join him. Soon the three were playing in the 3rd and 4th division in Germany, the country where their father was born.

Andrew then went to Holland to study soccer and attend coaching courses, but he ended up playing with Quick Den Haag – a top level amateur club. While there he went to Ajax a few days a week to watch professional and youth trainings. During this time he met Frans Hoek, who working at Ajax. Frans has assisted the Ziemer brothers in studying at 50+ clubs in Holland, Spain, Belgium, Germany, England and Italy. Together, the brothers run Ziemer Brothers Soccer, where Benjamin has directed over 150 camps in Northern and Southern California, Oregon and Nevada.

In addition to all of that, Benjamin has also coached for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) State Teams, been a Hoek Method Camp coach for over eight years, currently holds a USSF ‘A’ coaching license and German ‘B’ license, currently manages the NorCal Premier Soccer League, and was recently named the boys soccer coach at Sonoma Academy.

However, when asked who his standout players are, Ziemer has just one answer, “Our standout is the team.” Those words sum up what the NPSL club is all about, on and off the field.

2010 Meet the USASA: New York Pancyprian Freedoms

June 15, 2010 by Josh Hakala

The New York Pancyprian Freedoms, one of the all-time great US Open Cup clubs, are back in the tournament again in 2010. The USASA Region I club are a storied club with origins dating back to the mid 1970s and have qualified, or have attempted to qualify for the Open Cup every year of their existence, according to general manager George Halkidis.

: The New York Pancyprian Freedoms pose for a team photo before their USASA Region I semifinal match with the United German Hungarians. Photo: NY Pancyprian Freedoms

The Freedoms hold the distinction as the last team to win back-to-back Open Cup titles when they won it all in 1982 and ’83. They have lifted the Dewar Trophy three times in all, capturing their first championship in 1980.

The Queens-based club has been a part of New York City’s famed Cosmopolitan League since their inaugural season in 1974. They have captured five Cosmopolitan championships (1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 2002-03, 2003-04) and over the years, have been one of the more consistent teams in the league. In fact, the last two years they have lost in the championship game of the league playoffs.

“The CSL, in my opinion, is the premier amateur league in the country,” said Halkidis. “The quality and history of some of the teams is second to none. As a whole, the first division teams could hold their own against any amateur side in the country. We have traveled enough and seen most of the top teams in the country to make such a bold statement. But again if you look at the history, personnel and results of these teams from top to bottom you’ll agree.

: 3-time US Open Cup champions: New York Pancyprian Freedoms

They will open the 2010 edition of the tournament against fellow amateur club Long Island Rough Riders of the USL’s Premier Development League on June 15. Long Island will host the match at Cy Donnelly Stadium in South Huntington, NY at 7:30 p.m.

The Freedoms had a difficult path through Open Cup qualifying, beginning with state qualifying in the Eastern New York Soccer Association. Tasso Polydefkis and Puerto Rican international Chris Megaloudis scored to lead the club to a 2-0 win over Barstonworth Rovers in the opening round. In the semifinals, it was another 2-0 victory, this time over New York Athletic club. Megaloudis and veteran Jeff Matteo were responsible for the scoring.

The championship game was a controversial one as the Freedoms found themselves matched up with Fenerbahce USA, a team who had lost their semifinal match 4-1 to the New York Greek American Atlas. Fenerbahce reached the final because they filed a protest because the Greeks had mistakenly written down the name of a player on their roster who had left the club weeks earlier to play professionally overseas.

Freedoms general manager George Halkidis was not pleased with the controversial decision to disqualify the Greek Americans by the Eastern New York cup commissioner, Gus Xikis, the father of Fenerbahce goalkeeper EJ Xikis.

“It’s a shame what happened to . Games are decided on the field and not on paper,” said Halkidis. “It’s OK though because I promise that this team, , will not advance. Not on the field nor on paper. Pancyprians will take care of business.”

And they did just that, dispatching Fenerbahce 4-1 on goals by Matteo, Megaloudis, Polydefkis and Julio Cesar Dos Santos.

Dos Santos, one of the best players in USL history according to USLSoccer.com, continued to play well into the USASA Region I tournament. After falling behind 2-0 to Phoenix SC of Eastern Pennsylvania in the first half, Dos Santos scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Freedoms to a 3-2 victory.

Dos Santos rescued New York again in the quarterfinals, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to eliminate the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks from Washington D.C., 2-1. In the semifinals, a win would send the Freedoms to the US Open Cup, and they needed penalty kicks to get past the United German Hungarians of Eastern Pennsylvania. After a scoreless draw through regulation and extra time, and playing a man short from the 43rd minute on, New York would qualify for the US Open Cup for the fourth time in the Professional Era (1995-present) with a 3-0 shootout victory over UGH.

“We feel that the teams we have to play in order to qualify are of high quality,” said Halkidis. “Having to play six games to get in has prepared us for what’s ahead.”

What’s ahead is the Long Island Rough Riders of the PDL who have yet to lose a game in their first six league contests (4-0-2). If the Freedoms are able to advance, they will play the winner of fellow New York club Brooklyn Italians and the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division. Potentially, all the Freedoms would have to do is defeat a PDL team on Tuesday, then turn around and beat either a fellow amateur club or a last place USL-2 club to earn a date with a Major League Soccer team.

After years of competing in the Cosmopolitan League and the US Open Cup, the Freedoms branched out and created a second team in 1999 (called simply, the “New York Freedoms”) that joined the USL Premier Development League. They wasted no time in carrying over their success to the new league, winning the Northeast Division title and advancing to the PDL national semifinals in their inaugural season. They also qualified for the US Open Cup, where they upset the Cape Cod Crusaders of the USL D3 Pro League in the first round and nearly eliminated the A-League’s Rochester Raging Rhinos falling 2-1 in extra time to the eventual champions.

They spent two more years in the PDL before taking the club to the next level to play in the D3 Pro League. Their best year in the third division was in 2002 when current New England Revolution star Shalrie Joseph helped them advance to the league quarterfinals and qualify for the Open Cup. They defeated Chicago’s AAC Eagles from USASA Region II in the first round before losing to the A-League’s Milwaukee Rampage.

After the 2003 season, the club left the USL to focus on the Cosmopolitan League team.

The last time New York qualified for the Open Cup was in 2008 and they nearly pulled off an upset on the road against the Real Maryland Monarchs of the USL Second Division.

“The game was originally scheduled for a Tuesday night but because of lightning, the match was re-scheduled for Friday,” said Halkidis. “So within four days we traveled back and forth to Maryland. The match was very competitive, but we lost in overtime after going down a man during regulation . We felt that if we did not lose a man we could of left with the win.”

Dos Santos and Matia Damiani both scored for New York that night, while George Halkidis’ son Panagoitis was the man sent off.

The core of the team from that 2008 season are still with the club this year, led by veterans who have been with the club for a number of seasons like Dos Santos, Matteo, Megaloudis, Damiani, Chris Zisimatos, Panagiotis Halkidis and goalkeeper Chad Calderone.

After earned All-American honors at St. John’s University, where he played home games at Belson Stadium (where the Freedoms call home), Matteo graduated and signed with Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew in 2002. After that, his path through the pros saw him play for the New York Red Bulls, Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) and the Charleston Battery (USL-1). Now he is an assistant coach for his alma mater and is entering his ninth season with the Freedoms.

Another player that the Freedoms will be counting on will be one of the club’s all-time greats, Dos Santos. The Brazilian, who grew up playing with World Cup winner Bebeto, has scored 248 goals in 211 matches over the last nine seasons for New York.

His first club was the legendary Rio de Janeiro club Vasco da Gama, and his first professional team was American, where he was tasked with helping create chances for a young striker named Ronaldo.

Dos Santos moved to the U.S. and joined the New Jersey Stallions where he scored 115 goals in 111 games for the professional side. He then hooked on with the Freedoms in 2003 when they were a professional team. He finished third in the league in scoring with 11 goals, two assists and 24 points.

The club takes a lot of pride in the young talent that they develop and help them move on to professional careers.

Another youth team product is Chris Megaloudis, who has four caps for the Puerto Rican national team and spent time with the New York Red Bulls. Megaloudis graduated from Stony Brook and also spent time with the same club they Freedoms will face on Tuesday, the Long Island Rough Riders and the Westchester Flames.

A couple of new additions with significant play are Joel Gustafsson (former St John’s Univ.), John Koutsounadis (Adelphi University), Andreas Paphitis (Fordham Univ.) and Gabe Ortega (Loyolla Maryland).

The team is lead by head coach Luka Lukovic, who knows a thing or two about the U.S. Open Cup, too. He was the starting goalkeeper for New York-based A.O. Krete when it won the 1984 US Open Cup title. His professional career during the 1970s and ’80s included stops in his home country of Yugoslavia and Greece before he moved to the United States.

“We are looking forward to our first round game against the Long Island Rough Riders,” said Halkidis. “We feel confident that we can get by our opponent. I think we match up well against them.

New York Pancyprian Freedoms
1999 (as New York Freedoms in the PDL)
1r – v. Cape Cod Crusaders (D3), 3-1
2r – v. Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-Lg), 1-2 (aet)
2002 (as New York Freedoms in the USL D3 Pro League)
1r – v. AAC Eagles (USASA), 1-0 (aet)
2r – v. Milwaukee Rampage (A-Lg), 0-4
2008
1r – v. Real Maryland Monarchs (USL2), 2-3 (aet)

2010 Meet the USASA: Brooklyn Italians

June 15, 2010 by Ryan Knapp

Sorentino, Mazzeo, the Campagna Brothers, Lombardo, Narduzzi, Pusateri, Carestia, Camposeo, the Fugallo and Piscopo brothers. Sounds like a list of names that came right out of the Godfather movie doesn’t it? Well these men are not from the movie, but do have one thing in common with the head honchos in the Godfather. These men are actually the founding fathers of what is to be considered one of the greatest and the oldest Italian-American soccer club in the United States, the Brooklyn Italians.

Local social clubs were a popular gathering ground for men to play cards and talk amongst themselves. However in 1949, a group of Italian immigrants inhabiting the Brooklyn area decided that playing cards at the local social club was just not enough. They decided to mesh their old way of life with their new country. The result was the Brooklyn Italians Football Club.

The Brooklyn Italians found success in its early years, winning the first two championships in the Metropolitan League. However, after changing the club name to Palermo Football Club in 1950, they went on to having an unlucky streak of seasons and underwent numerous club presidency changes. Then, in 1974, Corrado “Joe” Manfredi became club president and the club soon found success. The Palermo Football Club once again became known as the Brooklyn Italians Football Club and went on to be the first Italian-American soccer club to win the National Challenge Cup (which is now known as the Lamar U.S. Open Cup) in 1979 against Croatia S.C. After winning the championship, the Brooklyn Italians did not win again for many years.

Not only were the Brooklyn Italians looking for success on the field, but they were also looking for success off the field in the form of club presidents. They were searching for a leader who could take the Brooklyn Italians Football Club to the next level. After ten club presidents, they finally found a leader, in 1987, when Jerry Valerio took the seat as president. For 13 years, Valerio served as club president, winning local, state, and international trophies. In 1991, the Brooklyn Italians won its second U.S. Open Cup against the Richardson Rockets out of Texas. A few years later, in 1994, the U-14 Brooklyn Italians won the “Enzo Ferrari” International Youth Tournament in Italy, beating Club Napoli of Palomonte in penalties.

Today, the Brooklyn Italians compete in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League in Eastern New York. Valerio has concentrated on youth soccer with teams ranging from the ages of U-8 to U-18 and an over 30’s men team. Not only do they play at a competitive local level, but you can also find them in national tournaments; the Dallas Cup, Presidents Day Tournament in Phoenix, and other college showcases, as well as international tournaments.

Because players are exposed to the highest levels of training and competition, the Brooklyn Italians have been providing a haven for undiscovered and discovered talent since its creation in 1949. They have developed players who are, or have been, part of the U.S. National Team, European Teams, USL, and the MLS. Such players include New England Revolution standout Shalrie Joseph, Juan Carlos Osorio, former New York Red Bulls coach, and Chivas USA assistant coach Carlos Llamosa.

In 2010 the Brooklyn Italians first team took a next step in their growth and left the Cosmopolitan Soccer League to join the National Premier Soccer League. Under the leadership of first year head coach Joe Barone, the Italians maintain a 5-1-0 record and are tied for first place in the Atlantic Conference in the Northeast Region.

This year the Brooklyn Italians took an unconventional route into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Italians lost their first match against Imigrantes Das Ilhas but were given the win when Imigrantes were discovered to have fielded an ineligible player. They then won their next match against Go Soccer FC and defeated Fenerbachce USA 4-0 in their Region I final.

With over 100 trophies in 50 years, you can truly say the Brooklyn Italians are building a soccer empire and are here to stay. So next time you visit Coney Island, grab a hot dog from Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and head over to John Dewey High School to catch a glimpse of the oldest Italian American soccer club, the Brooklyn Italians. Who knows, you may just be watching the next Pelé.