The right to represent
Eastern Pennsylvania will be contested between United German Hungarians and Pennsylvania Rush (formerly Montco Azzuri), and both teams reached the final in contrasting ways.
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Pennsylvania Rush and United German Hungarians will meet for the Eastern Pennsylvania Open Cup title on December 9.
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On a day that was more fitting for gridiron football, PA Rush got by fellow USL club Danubia 3-0. After playing the first half to a scoreless draw, Rush took control. About midway through the second half, David Keller converted a free kick from just outside the penalty area to give Rush a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, Rush were awarded a penalty when Joe McDevitt was pulled down in the box, and Mark Stone stepped up to the spot and doubled their lead. Matt Stevens added the third goal near the end of the match, as Rush’s defense held firm the entire way.
On the same day, UGH were taken to the limit in their semifinal match, needing extra time to dispatch Vereinigung Erzgebirge, 3-1. VE took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but UGH countered midway through the second, when substitute Jeremy Ortiz combined with Tim O’Neil to draw UGH level. The score remained that way for the duration of regular time, so an extra thirty minutes was ordered to settle matters.
UGH took command in the first extra period, when Blair Carson’s long range attempt was initially stopped by the VE goalkeeper, but the rebound fell to Ryan Mosley, who easily scored. Tim O’Neil put the game away with a goal near the end of the second extra period, giving UGH a ticket to the final, where they will face Pa. Rush on December 9.
New Jersey’s Region I spot was claimed by Garfield Vistula, with a 4-1 win over Champions League Soccer compatriots Kappa Real Wyckoff. Marcin Janeczko netted two goals for the winners, and Lukasz Hausner and Konrad Kruczek added a goal each.
Vistula are currently in first place in the Champions League, with
Wyckoff trailing them in third place by four points.
Two other Champions League Soccer clubs battled it out to for a chance to represent the league itself in the Region I finals. New York Salamina came away with a 2-0 victory over Piast Polonia Centrum at
Dawson
Park in
Montville, New Jersey . Polonia Centrum controlled play in the first half, and would have had an early lead if not for the superb play of Salamina goalkeeper Dario Cabanas. Cabanas faced a pair of one on one scoring opportunities from Polonia attackers, and denied both chances. On the other end, Rony Goncalves saw a pair of good scoring attempts thwarted by the Polonia goalkeeper, leaving the score 0-0 at halftime.
In the second half, Polonia once again went on the attack, but the Salamina defense held firm. In the 72nd minute, Salamina nearly scored through Nikola Dokic, whose shot missed the post by a few inches. Dokic would not be denied eight minutes later, as he received a long pass from Orhan Sokoli and preceded to dribble past the goalkeeper and put Salamina up 1-0.
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New York Salamina pose for a team photo just after defeating Polonia Centrum in the Champions League Open Cup semifinal.
(Photo: New York Salamina)
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The few Salamina supporters that were there watching the game from their cars honked their horns in celebration. With Polonia pushing to draw the game level, Salamina took advantage of a counter attack, which saw Harry Triana finish off by beating the Polinia goalkeeper for the game-clinching goal. The win avenged a 3-2 loss to Polinia in Champions League play at the end of September. Salamina move on to play four-time defending Champions League winners Sport Clube Portuguese, which will take place in Match of 2008.
In
Massachusetts , two teams have moved on the semifinals, in a tournament that has been beset by weather delays. The first round opened with victories by two NELASA clubs, Strela Negra and Emigrantes das Ilhas. Strela Negra got by Coper Uruguay 1-0 in extra time, and Emigrantes were 3-1 winners over Medford Soccer. Emigrantes took a 1-0 lead through U.S. National Amateur team member Zico Vega, and doubled the advantage 25 minutes later on a goal from Ivan Tavares.
Medford pulled one back in the 75th minute, but Eriqueson Almeida sealed the win for Emigrantes with a 85th minute tally. Emigrantes will face defending NELASA champions Club Tabanka in the quarterfinals.
In two quarterfinal matches that have been played, perennial
Massachusetts cup entrant Boston Olympiakos defeated fellow MSSL club Lowell Lusitanos 4-1, and Strela Negra won a battle of NELASA clubs with a 3-1 win over Fidjos Terra. The remaining quarterfinal will see two more MSSL teams face off, as Greek American Sportsmen battle Boston Nigeria United. The winner of that match moves on to face Olympiakos.
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Pancyprian Freedoms and Greek American Atlas will meet for the third year in a row for the Eastern New York final.
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In
Eastern New York, the field has been paired down to a familiar couple of teams, New York Pancyprian Freedoms, and New York Greek American Atlas. Pancyprian Freedoms made their way to the final in convincing fashion. In the first round they were powered by a hat trick from former New Jersey Stallion Julio Cesar Santos to defeat SV Olympic 78 of the NESSL 5-2. Next, they gained a 4-0 victory over fellow Cosmopolitan League club Barnstonworth Rovers, with goals from Chris Megaloudis, Jeff Matteo, Julio Cesar Santos, and Tasso Polydefkis.
Greek American Atlas reached the final with a 5-0 win over league rivals Brooklyn Italians. Tarik Smith paced the winners with a hat trick, and Hamier Niebles, Felix Fuglo added the other goals. Italians manager Issam Daoud was hampered by the fact that he was forced to start five players from their U-18 youth team, due to the fact that several of his starting regulars were unavailable due to work commitments. This will mark the third year in a row Pancyprian Freedoms and Greek American Atlas have met for the
Eastern New York final, having won a game each previously. Both clubs are currently in first place in their divisions of the CSL First Division.
