Boston Olympiakos have been one of the best amateur clubs in the country for the past few years, but 2008 marks their debut in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Olympiakos was founded in 1990 by Nick Pseudoikonomou, when a friend asked if he wanted to acquire the franchise rights for Boston for a professional team. When he realized the costs of running a professional team were more then he could afford, Pseudoikonomou instead founded the club as an amateur side.

The team stated off as Boston United, not only as a tribute to one of Pseudoikonomou’s favorite clubs, Manchester United, but also as a name that people would be familiar with, as opposed to an ethnic name.

But around 1996, Pseudoikonomou decided to rename the team after another of his favorite clubs, Olympiakos, the most successful club in Greece, having won the Greek League 36 times, the Greek Cup 23 times, the Greek Super Cup three times and the Balkans Cup once, more titles than any other Greek team. The team wears the same uniform and uses the same crest as their Greek namesakes.

Boston Olympiakos also has been successful, winning the Massachusetts State Soccer League championship five times and the USASA Region I Amateur Cup three times. The team made its USASA National Cup finals debut in 2001, losing in the semifinals. Olympiakos returned in 2006, only to fall yet again in the semifinals in Frisco, Texas.

Finally in 2007, Olympiakos broke through. After defeating Hot Spurs from San Diego in the semifinals 5-1, they met fellow 2008 Open Cup qualifier AAC Eagles of Chicago. Midfielder Jamie Alfaro scored a goal in each half to lead the club to the championship. In 2008, while the club fell in state qualifying for this year’s Amateur Cup, they were well on course to finally break through to the U.S. Open Cup. Olympiakos got close in 2004, when it fell to fellow Hellenic club New York Greek American/Atlas 3-1 in a match to determine one of the Region I qualifiers.

Boston Olympiakos after winning the 2007 USASA National Amateur Cup

Boston made its way through the Massachusetts qualifying tournament which stretched from Fall 2007 into this spring due to weather delays. Once they reached the Region I tournament, they found themselves up against Connecticut’s Danbury United, a club that last year nearly upset the Western Mass Pioneers, who are the opponents for Boston in the first round. After only 17 minutes, Will Mohamed Elsa scored when would prove to be the game-winning goal, and Boston survived an offensive onslaught from Danbury to qualify for the Cup. Unfortunately, business obligations in Canada will keep Elsa off the field for Tuesday's first-round match against the Pioneers.

As for the possibility of defeating a professional club in the Open Cup, Pseudoikonomou says it wouldn't replace the 2007 USASA Amateur Cup championship as the club's greatest achievement. "If you beat a professional team once, afterwards people will forget. When you win a national championship, your name is in the record books forever," he said.

The Olympiakos roster features midfielder Geoff Walker, who has been on the New England Revolution's reserve team for the past three seasons. Another player that Pseudoikonomou is high on is Brazilian Dasilva Vaidomiguel, whom he calls a "new Rivaldo". Boston’s team also features eight players who are on the Massachusetts state amateur team.

One surprising feature about the team is that they don’t hold practices.

"We meet on the field every Sunday", Pseudoikonomou says, "and our players have played so much together, it’s like we practice every day."

He says some players have been with the team for more than 10 years, while most have played together for at least five. Mutual respect is the key to keeping the team together for so long.

"We treat our players good, and they remain loyal to the club," Pseudoikonomou said.