My Best Ten and Me: The All Time Greatest From El Farolito

Founded 35 years ago in the San Francisco Soccer Football League (SFSFL), El Farolito have since won that league five times, won the prestigious US Open Cup and have moved up to the NPSL, only to win their Golden Gate Conference at the first opportunity in 2018. “El Faro” is perhaps one of the most underappreciated, and understated grassroots soccer clubs in the country - you won’t find them bragging and boasting about their accomplishments. When I reached out to see if somebody would like to play the My Best Ten & Me, there was only one anonymous taker and he threw out our rules…

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

Instead, we got a list of the most accomplished players from the history of El Farolito - whether they played in that remarkable 1993 US Open Cup season as a member of San Francisco CD Mexico (originally El Farolito and eventually changed back to El Farolito) or a member of the side during its run in the California Premier Soccer Association (a sort of, California super-league). Our mysterious club contact set up the All Time Greatest El Farolito squad in an attacking 4-3-3 that their aptly named Burrito Brava would die for.

(Manager) Salvador “Chavita” Lopez
Founder of the club that lead the team to promotions to the top division in the San Francisco Football League and other regional Championships.

(GK) Guillermo “Grillo” Valadez
Played for Atlas FC in Mexico before being a fundamental piece in the US open cup championship.

RB) Arturo “Cuate” Ramirez
Strong defensive player with great tactical intelligence.

(CB) Jose Gutierrez [Captain]
Our leader, was one of the top players to ever wear the Farolito shirt. 

(CB) Guadalupe Fonseca
Very technical, strong player and great reader of the game. 

(LB) Jesús “Chuy” Cardenas
One of the youngest players in the Open Cup Championship team, Know for his stamina and long box to box runs for 90+ minutes. Eventually went on to play in Liga Ascenso Mx for Gallos de Aguascalientes and Zacatepec. 

(RCM) Elias Fonseca
Extremely smart central player who knew how to contribute defensively and offensively. 

(LCM) Samuel “Abuelo” Cid del Prado
Great distributor of the game with amazing technical talent. 

(CAM) Luciano Guiñazu
Played for many years in El Farolito San Francisco Football League squad, over 35 and over 40 teams. Played 2nd div in his home country Argentina and was champion in Liga Ascenso Mx with Gallos de Aguascalientes.

(RW) Jose Ángulo
Played international friendlies with the Colombian National team in the early 90's, a leader and always a threat offensively in a any moment of the game. 

(LW) Jose “Cachas” Segura
Smart in short spaces and fast in large spaces,  played for many years being the top goal scorer in San Francisco Football League. 

(CF) Mariano Laurean
A complete player in the 9 position with speed, technique, character, intelligence and lethal in the air.

The Man with The Cup: Josh Hakala

Since 1914, the US Open Cup has been a fan favorite for soccer fans at every level in the United States. One site has been a major source of coverage for many fans since 2003. That site is the one and only thecup.us. With the tournament just around the corner, I had the chance to talk to thecup.us Senior Editor Josh Hakala about the tournament, the awesome work they do, and their newest merchandise available.

How did thecup.us get started?

This article tells about the background of the site.

What all does the site do?

The goal of the site is to give the tournament the full coverage that it deserves from the first round of qualifying to the US Open Cup Final. One of the biggest goals of the site has always been to educate people on the rich history of the tournament, so we've spent countless hours digging through newspaper and magazine archives, interviewing former players and coaches in an effort to put together a complete history of this tournament so that future generations can look back at how this country's soccer culture began and how it has evolved. The goal has always been, and we've been pushing for this more in the last year or so, to provide more ways for people to learn about the tournament and its history. I'm hoping to re-launch the radio show that got this site started and do more with social media and I'm hoping I can find some people to help create some special features with our website and possibly create a mobile app down the road. We have so many great ideas of how to grow our coverage, so we launched a Patreon account to fund it.  

What do you do in the offseason?

In recent years, we've seen the qualifying tournament for next year's tournament begin before the current tournament is over. In our early days, state qualifying for the following year would often begin within a month or so of them crowning a champion. So we don't really have an offseason, and our amount of downtime in the fall and early spring keeps getting reduced as the tournament, and its qualifying tournament, expands.

But during the, we'll call it the "less busy" time, I use it to catch up, and to work on features, historical research and recruiting help with the site. I do so much of my statistics and historical research manually, so much of the offseason is spent catching up on the previous tournament's results and updating my numerous spreadsheets. The hope is to some day create a database for all of the info in these spreadsheets. Under normal circumstances, my plan is usually to spend the "offseason" catching up on historical research and feature stories. I've got dozens of stories on the back-burner, but I just don't have the bandwidth. In a perfect world, I would find someone, or ideally, a team of people, to handle the site and its coverage of the current tournament, so that I can focus on historical research, feature stories and getting the radio show back up and running again. I've worked in broadcasting for 20 years and would love to create more US Open Cup multimedia for fans to enjoy and to learn from.

Tell me about those super cool shirts.

As I mentioned before, between part-time jobs, freelance broadcasting work, and being a husband and a father of three, I don't have a lot of free time. One of the projects that kept getting pushed to the back-burner was to create some revenue streams for the site. We don't aim to get rich doing this, but if we can at least get paid for our time, and have the ability to pay freelancers to help us to improve our coverage of the tournament, then it can make a big impact. So I had always wanted to create some shirts that we can sell to raise some money. In recent years, I noticed that during the NCAA college basketball tournaments, teams have these themed shirts. I thought, what "theme" could we come up with that exists across all the teams and fans in the competition? We've been using the "We Want The Cup"  hashtag for a while now and I thought since we've adopted that as our site's tag line, and thought it would be a perfect way to do it. Since we don't have the rights to put team logos on a shirt, we thought, why not take the approach of the college basketball teams and have a similar themed shirt and we would make them available in every team's color scheme. Because every team "wants the cup". It seemed like a perfect rallying cry for every team in the competition. We've had a lot of really great feedback from them so far and I have to give a shout out to Zac Freeland (Twitter/IG: @ZacFreeland) for designing the shirt. 

One of those cool shirts.

And my personal favorite is the "national champions" shirt in the style of the "John, Paul, George and Ringo" Beatles shirts, only with ours, we are featuring the five pre-MLS teams that won four or more US Open Cup titles: Steelmen (Bethlehem Steel), Marksmen (Fall River Marksmen), Ukrainians (Ukrainian Nationals), Greeks (New York Greek Americans), and Maccabees (Maccabee AC). Much like the Beatles shirt, if you see someone with that shirt, and know your soccer history, you'll get the reference. It's also a good opportunity to give someone a brief history lesson about how soccer has been around for more than a century in this country. A little soccer evangelism opportunity.

What are you looking forward to most in the USOC this year?

Every year, since I don't have a rooting interest, I just root for the tournament to be dramatic and compelling. Another thing I'm looking forward to is seeing the tournament grow using their digital streaming partner, ESPN+. I think putting every game on ESPN+ last year was a huge boost to the US Open Cup and I'm looking forward to watching games from Round 1 to the Final on my TV and on a variety of devices. 

What lower league (USL L2/NISA or below) do you think will make the biggest splash?

With the new schedule change, I have a feeling we're not going to see as many upsets from USL League Two and NPSL teams. I would love to be proven wrong. Although, it's impossible to know because we've never seen teams from those leagues try to operate in the US Open Cup without the use of college players. So I'm curious to see, most of all, what those rosters even look like.  

What first round matchup intrigues you the most?

I know they're probably not happy about playing each other again, because they've played a lot recently in league and cup play, but VE and West Chester United will be an interesting Philly-area matchup. They know each other really well, so that should be a fun rivalry game. The Pancyprian Freedoms against FC Motown will be interesting as well. Out west, the matchup that looks the most interesting is Ventura County Fusion, who has been one of the top USL League Two teams over the years, against Cal FC, who always brings a lot of young talent to the US Open Cup.  

What can people do to support what you guys do at thecup.us?

The best way to support the site is to join our Patreon team (www.patreon.com/usopencup). If we can continue to add to our Patreon team, we'll be able to meet so many of the goals we have to expand our coverage of the tournament. That includes a site redesign, create a mobile app, a March Madness-style bracket contest, create a studio show to recap the tournament or other video features, and to re-launch a US Open Cup podcast. Anyone who is familiar with the National Public Radio funding model knows that if enough supporters each contribute a small amount, then you can make a big difference. Patreon is an ideal way to provide long-term support for the site, but fans can also purchase one of our "We Want The Cup" shirts. If a financial contribution is not in the cards, then sharing our fundraising efforts with your circle of soccer friends is always helpful. We're also always looking for people to help out with the site if you are a writer, editor, have skills in audio and video editing, graphic design, or website design, then I encourage people to reach out to the site.

- Aarik Long

NISA Clubs may be Ineligible for USOC 2020

This fall, NISA launched as the newest sanctioned US men’s pro soccer league and qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Open proper began. But, because NISA is so new, do its teams qualify for the upcoming USOC?

Let’s first start with what teams automatically qualify for the USOC proper. All US-based teams in sanctioned pro leagues must participate in the USOC in the year in which they compete in that league. Team are ineligible if they are owned and/or run by a club that is a member of a higher level league. Basically, most reserve sides in pro leagues are ineligible.

Set aside NISA for now. We can definitely expect all 23 US-based MLS teams (with the additions of Miami and Nashville) in 2020. And, estimate 25 USL Championship plus 8 USL League One teams. That totals an estimated 56 teams that will get automatic entry into USOC. For reference, 52 pro teams automatically qualified for the USOC proper. The deadline for pro teams playing in 2020 leagues to get USOC paperwork and entry fees is December 31. The number of slots for non-professional teams, designated as Open Division teams, that get entry into the USOC proper gets determined by the USSF a week after the pro deadline.

Open Division teams can enter USOC qualification through two tracks: National League and Local Qualifying. A league qualifies as a National League if it has, basically, 50 active US-based teams, in at least 10 states among at least three time zones. A league that meets those requirements can choose the National League track. If it does so, it commits all its teams to that path. In 2019, the NPSL and USL League Two chose the National League track for its teams. The league determines how its teams qualify for entry into the USOC’s First Round proper. Deadline for National Leagues for teams who may qualify for the USOC is December 11.

Local Qualifying is available for all teams outside the National League track. And consists of a single-game, knockout basis. The entry deadline for teams that want to qualify via Local Qualifying was August 12. Finally, one Open Division team, Newtown Pride FC, has qualified for the First Round by winning the 2019 National Amateur Cup.

The number of Open Division slots is determined by a fairly complicated process based on the number of Open Division teams entered into Local Qualifying, the number of teams entered via the National League track and the anticipated number of pro division teams based on when that league’s teams will enter the tournament bracket. The simple answer is that we won’t know anything until early January.

Now, back to NISA. It’s not just curiosity that makes the question of its teams eligibility for USOC important. More important, the number of pro teams that are eligible directly affects the number of Open Division slots available in the First Round proper. In 2019, the six Division III USL League One teams entered the First Round with the 32 Open Division teams that qualified (14 from NPSL, 10 from USL League Two, seven through Local Qualifying, and the 2018 National Amateur Cup champion).

CFC Qualified for the 2019 US Open Cup but chose to not participate.

We contacted the USSF’s U.S. Open Cup staff to ask if NISA teams will be eligible for the 2020 cup. We also requested clarification if current NISA teams are not eligible, if teams who might be eligible through the National League track, specifically, Atlanta SC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, and Miami FC. They responded that the U.S. Open Cup Committee will make a decision closer to the December 31 pro team deadline. In addition, they pointed us to the Federation’s U.S. Open Cup Policy for official language of team eligibility

The rules for a team’s USOC eligibility is set forth in Policy 102(4)-1 of the U.S. Soccer Federation Policy Manual. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll refer to that as the USOC Policy.

Section 202 of the USOC Policy covers team eligibility. Subsection 202(a) requires a team be a member of good standing playing in an ongoing competition of USSF. Fairly basic stuff, but the final sentence is important for our question about eligibility of NISA teams.

“The league competition must consist of at least four (4) teams, with each playing at least (10) league matches (excluding any pre-season and/or post-season playoff or cup matches) each calendar year.”

Here’s where things start to get confusing about NISA and USOC qualification. As far as we know, NISA will run on a traditional fall-winter-spring schedule that spans calendar years. Most modern US pro soccer leagues run on a spring-summer-fall schedule that does not span calendar years. USOC Policy language assumes the latter so it makes determining eligibility of teams in a league that follows a traditional schedule a bit tricky.

Pro teams qualify for that year’s USOC if they play in that same year’s league. And, subsection 202(a) requires that all teams play at least 10 league games “each calendar year”. For NISA, the current fall half is happening in 2019 which is definitely not in the 2020 calendar year. I would assume that NISA’ would need to schedule at least 10 league games in 2020 for its teams to meet that requirement. But, since, again, as far as we know, it runs a traditional schedule will those 10 games need to be in the league’s spring half? Because, it would be practically impossible for any league to offer a 2020-2021 schedule by the end of December 2019.

USOC Policy 202(b) specifically relates to teams in pro leagues. Subsections 202(b)(1)(i) and (ii) state that a team must be a member in good standing from December 31 of the competition year through the USOC final and the team’s league must be in operation for that same time. NISA meets that requirement. NISA clubs taking part in the fall season meet that requirement (as long as they don’t fold before December 31). I would assume future NISA clubs must officially join the league before December 31 to meet that requirement.

USOC Policy 202(b)(2) relates to NISA because it covers teams whose league is starting its first season. Subsections 202(b)(2)(i) and (ii) state that the league must set and announce its schedule to the public by January 31 of the competition year and the first league game is scheduled at least a week before the first scheduled USOC round of competition involving that team’s sanctioned Division.

The latter wouldn’t seem to be an issue but the former, again, causes confusion based on NISA’s competition. NISA can set and announce its spring schedule by January 31, but any schedule for the fall couldn’t practically be considered as “set” because the league runs on that traditional schedule. Does NISA need to have a spring schedule of at least 10 games for its teams to be eligible?

USOC Policy 202(d) states:

“For the purpose of this Policy, any team having not played in its league’s regular competition for the full season ending immediately prior to the entry deadline for its respective competition division (e.g. Open Division, Outdoor Professional League) shall be considered a team starting its first season, whether in an existing or new league.”

This entire subsection is new language for the 2020 USOC Policy. And, it may have been added knowing NISA would begin play in time for the 2020 USOC. I would assume this language means that the teams joining NISA for the spring 2020 half will have the same eligibility as the teams that played in NISA’s fall half. In addition, I would also assume that voids eligibility that may have been gained through NPSL For example, Miami FC would normally have qualified for the First Round but because they moved to NISA that qualification is gone. But, 202(d) still doesn’t clarify the questions above about how NISA’s traditional schedule conforms with the other requirements such as games per calendar year and having a set schedule by January 31.

The NASL days, still the best kit EVER.

The last similar situation was in 2011 when the now-defunct Division II NASL launched. In that case, the Federation did not allow NASL teams to enter the USOC because the league’s provisional sanctioning was not settled in time for the teams to be included.

As far as NISA, we’ll know about those teams when the USOC Committee announces the cup schedule and structure in January. NASL and USSF had an antagonistic relationship from the jump which, no doubt, entered into the USOC Committee’s decision-making back in 2011. Whatever conclusion is reached on the NISA teams, it will at least give an indication about the tenor of the relationship between that league and the Federation.

- Dan Creel

The Improbable (but not surprising) Run of Florida Soccer Soldiers

One of the best stories of this year’s US Open Cup has been the run of second year UPSL side, Florida Soccer Soldiers. After two improbable wins against larger, better-funded sides, including one pro club, it’s time to recognize the amazing success of this group of plucky upstarts.

Florida Soccer Soldiers kicked off their existence in the Spring UPSL season of 2018 and immediately made a splash. They finished the regular season undefeated 9-0 with a goal differential of +39. That statistic is mind boggling. FSS defeated their conference opponents by an average of 4.5 goals per match. They were a juggernaut in south Florida and moved into the divisional playoffs, beating their three opponents by a combined score of 13-2 on their way to the division championship.

Image courtesy of Florida Soccer Soldiers.

In the Southeast Conference playoffs, they would again cruise through the two matches in absolute control, winning by a combined score of 7-1 (though there was some controversy as their final opponent had been forced to play back to back matches that day due to rescheduling). Their run of impressive wins would end the National Playoff Semifinal against Milwaukee Bavarians, a storied club who won the National Championship that season. But what a debut for the Soccer Soldiers!

The Fall season would see a return to dominance in divisional play, with FSS going 11-0-1. Somehow they managed to top their GD number with a +50! Their divisional playoff run this year began as the previous season, with the first two matches won by a combined score of 8-0. In the divisional championship, however, they were beaten by Miami Sun FC in PKs. With their run over, they took a well-deserved break and prepared to dominate South Florida Soccer in 2019. And it has been more of the same ever since. 7-0 in league play so far, it seems that another run in the playoffs should be expected.

But for all their success in the UPSL, their play in the US Open Cup has been the tipping point for national attention. The qualifying rounds were a grueling run of clubs all familiar to FSS. Their first match was against Miami Sun FC, the club that had knocked them out of the UPSL playoffs last year, so winning 2-1 was a nice payback for the club. From there, they dispatched Red Force FC (currently second in their UPSL conference) and Hurricane FC. Their final match was canceled when their opponent, America SC, was forced to withdraw. The qualifying rounds have been complained about by many lower league fans, as they are difficult and costly for the clubs who can least afford it. Florida Soccer Soldiers’ Head Coach Dany Godoy felt the same, “There are too many rounds before the tournament. But it’s ok. If you want to fight against the best, you have to face these kind of situations.”

Florida Soccer Soldiers in action in November. Photo courtesy of Lee Ifans/Magic City Soccer.

Once in the tournament proper, FSS would face a tough opponent in round 1. Defending NPSL Champion and former NASL club, Miami FC would be their opening matchup. Miami FC is also slated to join the upcoming Founders Cup and, by most, were seen as superior to the smaller UPSL side. The match began with a quick score by Miami FC in the sixth minute, but as Coach Godoy pointed out, his club always takes a purposeful approach against bigger clubs. “We can’t keep the same intensity as they do during the game, we have to play smart, bring the intensity at the right moment, and try to keep the ball more time than them. They practice more than us and are more prepared than us physically, so we have to use other tools, keep the ball longer, don’t give the ball away, don’t clear the ball all the time, because then they’ll have a chance to increase the intensity of the game and we have to stay away from that situation.” That approach to “the right moment” paid off, when FSS equalized early in the second half. The game winner would come just minutes before the match ended. 2-1 and through to the second round.

In the second round, with so many amateur sides eliminated, FSS drew Charlotte Independence, of the USL Championship. It should not be lost in the excitement of FSS’s success that Charlotte has not had a good season so far. Currently the club is in the 16th spot in the conference with just a single win and 7 points total. If the USL was a single-table league, Independence would be tied for 33rd out of 36 clubs - not having a solid season. However, they are a club of paid professionals, playing a league that is supposedly 3-4 steps up the pyramid, only once removed from first tier MLS. Everyone expected Florida to be dispatched with ease.

But no.

This match would be a test for the smaller, visiting club, one unlike any they had faced in the tournament. But Coach Godoy points out that his players are used to playing tired, sometimes exhausted. “We are an amateur team, we try to work every day in practice, but it’s hard. These boys work during the day and sometimes they are tired before practice. But they come to the practices every single night to get better.” Those tired legs would be put to the test in round 2.

The host side would score in the 31st minute. But rather than giving up, the plucky side from Miami would fight back, scoring the equalizer in the second half. The officials were heavily involved in this match, handing out enough yellows for two flushes, with six of those going to FSS players. In the final gasp of stoppage time, the cards caught up with the UPSL side. Antonioni Gonázlez drew his second yellow and was sent off. So Florida went into extra time down a man against a professional opponent. As many expected, Charlotte scored early on, just two minutes into the first period of extra time. It would take the next 18 minutes for the impossible to take place.

With just 90 seconds left in the match, with Charlotte avoiding defenders and playing out the clock, a defender’s errant touch would be all Valentín Sabella would need. A back pass gone wrong, well short of the target, left Sabella with just the keeper to beat. He slid past the keeper, avoided a pursuing defender, and buried the ball in the net. PKs would be needed to finish this match.

You know how this ends, 9 of 10 penalties converted, the final one missed, Florida advanced to the third round of the Open Cup.

FSS celebrate after the win in Charlotte. Photo courtesy of Florida Soccer Soldiers.

Interestingly, when I asked Coach Godoy about his club’s run, he highlighted the struggle his team had had to stay on their feet during the last match. “\When you are a pro player, you have 4, 5, 6 pairs of cleats, our players have just two, sometimes just one, but they aren’t used to playing on these kinds of fields. They will be more prepared for the next match, the club is working to provide them with new cleats.” To get that done, the club put together a crowd-sourced fundraiser, raising over $1,600 for travel costs and cleats. Much like taking on a pro opponent, Godoy approached it as another problem to fix. “In just one year, we are growing and facing this tournament against pro teams, of course, you’re going to find some issues that you’ll have to deal with in the tournament. You can’t just be sad, you just have to go fix it.”

Their next match will be against North Carolina FC, another USL Championship side who, after watching Charlotte lose, will not be taken off guard. Florida is one of only two amateur sides to have made it to the third round (the other is NPSL side, Orange County FC). Their run is an example of why people love amateur soccer. The odds are forever against you, the hands have been stacked for the other side, you shouldn’t have a chance, but you persist, you push on, you defy the odds.

So march on Soldiers, we’re with you on this one.

- Dan Vaughn

Transforming Clumsy Allies to Soccer Fans

Last week, when the interest in the US Open Cup couldn’t have been higher, several of our writers fired off articles tangentially related to competition. I wrote a piece on the need for ESPN+ to begin including the qualifying rounds of the tournament in their broadcast coverage. Dan Creel wrote a piece on the lack of women’s clubs playing in the Open Cup. After establishing that is wasn’t banned in the rules, his piece moved to it’s primary goal - “where is this USWOC?” His passion for WOSO getting an equal opportunity for an Open Cup was clear throughout his piece. When we ran the story, I looked it over and posted it as I always do with Dan’s work - he’s an accomplished writer with interesting takes, and I felt this was within the guidelines of our site and coverage.

Several hours later I received a text message from RJ Allen. If you don’t know who that is, I highly suggest checking out the site she edits and writes for, Backline Soccer. One of the best WOSO sites in the country, RJ is a leading voice in WOSO journalism and has been at it much longer than I have. We met when she was a guest on a podcast I hosted about 3 years ago and is one of those people in the soccer community who gets my attention - when she speaks, I listen. She knows what she’s talking about. The text encouraged me to remove the article from the site. I was stunned.

When I read the piece, as I’m sure Dan felt when he wrote the piece, I saw a piece that backed WOSO and encouraged equality and respect for the women’s game. A piece that was critical of the promotion of the men’s game over the women’s. A piece that encouraged change and reevaluation. So when I saw that message, my first response was to bristle and be defensive. RJ, who has always been patient with me, explained “the problem with pieces like that are [that] they tap into a lot of the things that we fight against from the trolls and from people who don’t take women soccer seriously.” She explained for several more messages and I began to think things over. I didn’t remove the piece, in fact, if you want to read it, it’s right here. But I did decide that night that I would talk to RJ about the article more and also reach out to other WOSO journalists who could offer their perspective on the issue. And that article is this one.

So for the purpose of this article, I spoke with RJ Allen (Backline Soccer) and another former podcasting buddy, Chelsey Bush. Chelsey has written for multiple sites but currently writes for another great WOSO site, The Equalizer. Both of these great writers were happy to share their perspectives on the USOC, the idea of women’s clubs in the tournament, a women’s only USOC, and finally what issues are facing women’s soccer currently.

“Why not play in the USOC?”

Both writers were quick to shoot down the idea of playing in the tournament currently. “It’s a flat out nonsensical suggestion,” RJ said. “The full USWNT loses to U17 boys clubs. Semi-pro women’s teams would be demolished and it would become a line in the sand for people who don’t understand why to believe that all the things they think are correct. It’s a lose/lose for the women’s teams that would enter.” Chelsey doubled down on the idea. “As much as I’d like to support it, I can’t. The fact remains that men and women are physically different. Yes, there are some players who could hang but a team by and large would not be able to compete for long…Now if a team wanted to enter simply to make a point about equality, then sure, I’d support it.”

While I, like so many passive fans of WOSO (or more specifically the USWNT), are amazed at the level of play by Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, it is a mistake to imagine these players could compete physically with the majority of professional male soccer players. I’ll admit, it pains my woke hands to even type that sentence, but this is science, not opinion. There are physiological differences that advantage men in the game. That doesn’t mean watching or supporting WOSO is fandom of some sort of lesser form of the sport, it’s just a different form. As the fan of a lower league side (UPSL) club, I do not mind that the players for FC Grande couldn’t compete with the average or even poorest MLS side. It doesn’t shake my support for my club.

“What about a USWOC?”

“It’s frustrating that we aren’t there yet, but we just aren’t. ”

— Chelsey Bush

What’s amazing was how aligned the answers were from both writers, regardless of them living in different cities, writing for different websites, rooting for different clubs. Chelsey pointed out the issues in the current WOSO pyramid. “I don’t think the women’s pyramid is set up for an open cup competition yet. There is such an enormous gap in quality between the NWSL and either the WPSL or UWS.” She also highlighted some other issues. “NWSL rosters aren’t large enough to support multiple competitions. They have to play midweek games and struggle enough as it is. The WPSL in particular is such a sprawling organization I’m not sure what it would take to organize it into a cup competition with other leagues.” RJ hit on the same issue, but with a slight twist. “There should be work done on the second divisions first to get them in a more solid position. But one day, yes, I believe so. Personally, I’d like it without the pro teams but that is a personal belief - that pro teams shouldn’t play semi-pro teams for any meaningful matches.”

“So if not USOC, what should WOSO be focusing on?”

“I’m not the best person to answer this, I want to preface that,” RJ began with her response. “Support in general would help. More connections to the NWSL clubs, more money, more people giving a damn.” Chelsey was more verbose in her response. “Year-round livable wages. Longer seasons. Larger rosters. A true pyramid in WOSO, which means figuring out where WPSL and UWS stand. Homegrown contracts. Making [sure] each pro club can stand on its own and exceeds minimum standards. For the NWSL specifically, removing itself from USSF control.”

“How can WOSO allies be more effective in their support?”

“There is no magic pill, just cold, hard cash.”

— RJ Allen

I asked this question because when we ran that USOC story, I assumed we were being effective allies to WOSO - promoting the sport and equal opportunity. When the pushback came from those in the game, I realized that re-analysis was needed. Chelsey kicked off with a rallying cry I’ve heard in lower league soccer for years. “Go to games, buy merch, talk about it like a sport and not a cause. Find your team and go in.” RJ hit the same notes in her response - “Give them money. Go to NWSL games, buy a kit, donate to the NWSLPA. If you want to support a second division team, the same would apply there too. These teams need butts in seats, money and people caring about them.”

---

We cover a level of the game that is often ignored by the vast majority of the soccer fans in the United States. No matter how much we love our local soccer club, we will always be outnumbered by the big-money operations that dominate this industry. So we should always be able to understand the plight of WOSO in this country, because they have it even worse than our local men’s sides. So be an ally and support a WOSO club. The UPSL has been rapidly expanding it’s women’s teams and many NPSL clubs are expanding into the field as well. It’s about soccer, no matter the gender of the players on the field. So let’s listen, grow, and root for a club, as fans.

- Dan Vaughn

If you want to know more about WOSO or find a club to support, I suggest hitting up any of these great WOSO sites:

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The Equalizer

Can't Miss Matches of USOC Round 1

With the announcement of Round 1 matchups in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, we asked some of our writers to pick the two matches they have to see and explain their logic. This is the list they came up with! Several other writers are planning to preview matches, so you may see a couple added as we move forward!

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Dominic Bisogno

Des Moines Menace (USL League Two) vs. Duluth FC (NPSL)

May 8th - 7:30 CT

Cownie Soccer Park, Des Moines, Iowa

The USL League Two Heartland Division champions of 2018, Des Moines Menace, will be facing the NPSL Midwest Regional champions, Duluth FC, in one of the Open Cup’s most exciting first round matches. The Menace ended 2018 with a striking 13-1-0 record, making it to the conference finals before losing to Chicago FC United in a tight 1-0 match. The Menace will be facing Duluth, who recovered from a rough first half of their 2018 season and went on to win the Midwest Regional title, their second trophy in two years of NPSL play.

The two cities are roughly 400 miles apart and neither club has played the other previously, but both will hope to move on to the second round where they may be able to represent the Midwest in a match against a professional club, as Duluth did in 2018 against Saint Louis FC.

Both teams will have a match on the 11th, three days after their meeting, but only Duluth will have played a league match prior to the game. This one being on the 5th against the Sioux Falls Thunder. Des Moines’ match following the USOC will be against the Green Bay Voyageurs and will be an away match, while Duluth’s will be a home match. Whether this will hurt or help Duluth, only time will tell.

Milwaukee Bavarian SC (UPSL) vs. Forward Madison FC (USL League One)

May 7th - 7:30 CT

Uihlein Soccer park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Bavarians, who ended 2018 as champions of their division, the UPSL as a whole, and with their fifth USASA National Amateur Cup title, will be facing one of the most popular new clubs in North America, Forward Madison FC. Madison are members of the new USL League One, one of two clubs in the league based in, the other being Lansing Ignite. Milwaukee ended their dominant UPSL 2018 season with a 10-0-0 record, undefeated and with a goal differential of +40.

The matchup isn’t just a showdown between two Midwest clubs, it’s a chance to spark the historic Milwaukee-Madison rivalry in the world of soccer. Both cities, two of the main cores of Wisconsin, have a long history of rivalries in every department, from sports to beer and even music. The matchup will be a big chance for soccer to rejoin the ranks of that rivalry. The match, held in Milwaukee, will be one to watch for all Wisconsin sports fans.

While Forward Madison will certainly have the advantages of being a professional side, they will need to be careful with Milwaukee, who have a history of running a strong operation that can compete with the best throughout the amateur scene. While the first round is often, and still is, a competition amongst amateur sides to see who’s the best, the match in Wisconsin will instead show us whether one of the most historied clubs in amateur history can beat a brand new professional brand.

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Steven Ramirez

Orange County FC (NPSL) vs. FC Golden State Force (USL League Two)

May 7th - 7:30 PT

Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.

In round one of the US Open Cup you get to see two of the power houses in SoCal soccer. Orange County FC, led by head coach Paul Caligiuri, is one of the stronger teams in the NPSL. Not only can this team do it during the season, they are also a dominant playoff side. In the 2018 NPSL regional semifinals, OCFC dispatched of FC Golden State, the NPSL version of the Force, with a scoreline of 4-2.

While these clubs do have this history, FCGS Force have proven to be a strong amatuer side when it comes to the Open Cup. Led by Allisson Faramilio, the 2018 non-MLS player of the tournament, FCGS Force stomped all the way to the fourth round of the cup and disposing of multiple teams in the USL. Eventually the Force would lose to Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1.

Expect the winner of this match to make its way through multiple rounds of the tournament. Both teams have recorded wins in previous tournaments, both teams have a great coaching staff and loads of talent. This match is going to one for the history books.

Miami FC (NPSL) vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers (UPSL)

May 8th - 7 ET

Buccaneer Field (Barry Univ.); Miami Shores, Fla.

Another must watch match in the first round of the Open Cup. Miami FC are 2018 NPSL champions and have been strengthening its roster in anticipation for the NPSL Founders Cup, including ex-New York Red Bull winger Lloyd Sam. Miami FC are poised to replicate its historical run in 2017, where the club beat Orlando City SC and Atlanta United before losing in the quarter-finals to FC Cincinnati.

Standing in the way of Miami FC is first time participant the Florida Soccer Soldiers. The Soccer Soldiers took the grassroot audience by storm when it made it all the way to the 2018 Spring UPSL semi-finals, where they lost to the eventual champions Milwaukee Bavarians SC. During the 2018 seasons FSS had an overall record of 20-0-1, scoring 102 goals and only allowing 13. Currently, in 2019, the Florida Soccer Soldiers are undefeated.

Many fans of grassroot soccer will be watching this with an eye on NPSL vs. UPSL, but this match should really be labeled as a battle between two massive Florida clubs. Both clubs have shown success in their respective leagues and hopefully this match can establish a rivalry down in the Southeast that make fans clamor for a unified pyramid.

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Dan Vaughn

Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (NPSL) vs. FC Denver (Colo.)

May 8th - 7:30 CT

Grande Communications Stadium; Midland, Texas

It’s hard to not cheer for a club you’ve seen play live, even if they eliminated your hometown squad.

FC Denver plays in the Colorado Premier League, an extremely competitive regional league, but isn’t typically listed when regional leagues are discussed (certainly not in the BSSL or MMSL conversation). What FC Denver brings to the field, however, is certainly class. FC Denver qualified for last year’s competition and won their first match 4-2 against Azteca FC. The club lost in the second round, but only after an impressive match against a USL side, losing 3-2. That sort of grit, to put up 2 against a pro side, is why its hard not to count out this plucky club from Denver.

The match against Southwest FC (El Paso) in the final qualifier was a shocking instant classic type of match. After falling behind 3-0, the club battled back - scoring a penalty just before half and then coming out and dominating the second half, grabbing two more. In extra time, FCD completed the comeback, winning 4-3 in an improbable win. This is a club that can take a punch and not give up, instead putting one back in your jaw. Cesar Castillo, the player who scored the winner against Southwest FC, leads the attack for FC Denver and scored two goals in last year’s first round match. He steps up in big moments.

Midland-Odessa Sockers FC is in the same predicament that the rest of the NPSL sides are in. With the regular season not even started yet, the club is still without a lineup for this match. Last year the Sockers won their first round match, before being beat in the second by San Antonio FC 4-0. In their NPSL play, they were knocked out in their only playoff match. So their track record doesn’t bode well for this first round matchup with FC Denver.

Midland-Odessa is football country - the other kind - it’s the home of Friday Night Lights’ Permian Panthers. With the boom in oil and natural gas, it’s a tough place to keep a club together with the amount of transient families moving in and out for jobs. But the Sockers continue to thrive in the West Texas town and, while its hard to know what kind of team they will field at this point, its expected that its team will be as tough and ready to roll as the rest of their community.

Lansing Ignite FC (USL League One) vs. AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL)

May 8th - 7 ET

Cooley Law School Stadium; Lansing, Mich.

Much like the other match in this preview, there’s a gap of who has their team together already, playing matches and getting into match shape before their match. AFC Ann Arbor is still figuring out who is returning, who is joining, and how those players will deploy. There’s also the issue of fitness, which will of course play a role in any match that’s played. Coach Eric Rudland isn’t blind to this fact. “We’re a long ways away from being prepared for our open cup match, as were still waiting most of our players to arrive into preseason. At the moment we’re just trying to see what players will be available & how many sessions we will have with the group to implement our match strategies.“

AFC Ann Arbor has had a solid run in the NPSL playoffs last year, the club won their conference and had a solid post season run, making it to the Regional Finals before falling to Duluth on penalties. However, in the Open Cup, that winning tradition hasn’t been replicated. In the last two years, AFC Ann Arbor has qualified for the competition and then lost in the first round both times. In 2017, that was against the PDL’s Michigan Bucks 1-0 (the Bucks would go on to win their second round match before losing in round 3). In 2018, it was against the Ocean City Nor’easters 3-0 (Ocean City would also exit in the third round). The issue for AFC Ann Arbor (and most other NPSL sides) is the schedule is a massive disadvantage. It’s comparable to why MLS clubs struggle in Champions League. Unlike their Liga MX counterparts, MLS sides are at the tail end of their offseason and completely unfit for competitive play. Imagine that issue compounded by not being 100% sure what players you’ll have returning. Not an easy situation to cope with.

For Lansing Ignite FC, the story is the opposite. The club is already in the middle of their USL League 1 schedule, already two matches in to the regular season. In fact, by the time the two clubs meet in the Open Cup, Lansing will have already played 11 matches (either friendlies or regular season matches). That’s plenty of time to have the team clicking on all cylinders.

So far this season, it’s been mixed results for Ignite. The club went 3-1 in preseason matches, their only loss coming against Pittsburgh River Hounds. Ignite won their first regular season match, 3-2 against Richmond, but dropped their second match against Greenville Triumph 2-1. The loss was not without consolation with goal keeper Mike Kirk had 8 saves on the evening and one of those was nominated for the USL League One Save of the Week. Kirk’s presence in the net for the club has been exemplary in this young season. On the attack side, midfielder Xavier Gomez has been central to their scoring success so far. The former MLS Superdraft product was the club’s first signing and has shone in the first two matches, notching an assist and a goal in Lansing’s only win of the regular season.

We can’t ignore the history of soccer in Lansing and the leagues involved. For many clubs in the NPSL, USL League One is seen as a poacher, sweeping into towns with established NPSL clubs and team culture (see Chattanooga) and trying to gobble up the talent and fan base. In Lansing, it was Lansing United’s own owner, Jeremy Sampson, who brought the USL into town. After competing in the NPSL for several years, Sampson closed up shop and hopped ship, becoming the GM of the new USL League One Ignite. In an interview with Lansing State Journal, Sampson was asked about Lansing United, “the Lansing United brand is obviously very important to me, it’s what I created. But it’s legacy, even though it’s not named, will live on because of my involvement.” Doesn’t seem too broke up about it.

There has to some diehards in the NPSL who would love nothing more than see AFC Ann Arbor beat Lansing Ignite as payback for the Sampson triggered collapse of Lansing United. The classiness of AFC Ann Arbor will no doubt limit their admittance of the feeling. With their history of first round exits in tow, maybe this motivation will be enough to drive them to success.

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Dan Creel

FC Baltimore (NPSL) vs. West Chester Predators (Pa.)

May 7th - 7 ET

As the U.S. Open Cup proper gets underway, I’m keeping my eye on a couple of mid-Atlantic matches. First off, West Chester United SC travels to meet FC Baltimore Christos. West Chester’s NPSL squad failed to qualify for this year’s cup by the league’s and USSF’s complicated process, but the organization’s United Soccer League of Pennsylvania club entered local qualifying after missing out on their own automatic bid when they lost to Bavarian SC in the National Amateur Cup final. West Chester qualified out of the Northeast Region by winning four away matches with a relatively easy 3-0 win against Safira FC in the Fourth Round qualifier. This is their second time in the Cup after qualifying in 2016.

FC Baltimore Christos is a second-year club that received an automatic First Round bid by virtue of being the highest ranked club from last season’s NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference. Originally called FC Baltimore 1729, the club rebranded itself after launching a formal partnership with Christos FC in the off-season. The partnership is expected to expand FC Baltimore’s player base and provide access to Christos FC’s coaching and training resources. Soon after the announcement, Christos FC’s head coach, Larry Sancomb, was named head coach of FC Baltimore Christos.

FC Baltimore’s first league match of the season will be less than a handful of days before the Cup match at Homewood Field. At the point, West Chester will have almost finished with their USLP season in addition to the USOC qualifiers they have already played. I’m interested to see how much competitive distance, if any, there is between an experienced regional amateur club and, on paper, a higher-level NPSL club which is importing that same experience via a partnership.

Richmond Kickers (USL League One) vs. Virginia United (Va.)

May 7th - 7 ET

The other match I’m itching to see is Richmond Kickers hosting VA United at City Stadium. The latter plays in the Woodbridge Soccer League and is the first club to have ever qualified for the U.S. Open Cup from the Asociacion Nacional Fútbol en USA (ANFEEU), a new USSF member organization. VA United qualified out of the Mid-Atlantic Region by defeating Christos FC and a red-hot World Class Premier Elite FC in succession. In the final qualifier, VA United equalized 2-2 in the waning moments of the second half of extra time on a penalty kick rebound goal by former U-20 El Salvador World Cup member, Bernardo Majano. The game went to penalties and VA United punched their ticket to the First Round by winning 5-4 in the shootout.

Their opponents, the Richmond Kickers, are in a period of transition. The last amateur club to win the U.S. Cup Open in 1995, the Kickers are now members of the United Soccer League League One, the new Division III pro league. The club struggled in their prior two seasons after the old USL Pro (now the USL Championship) moved from Division III to Division II and decided to drop back down when League One was formed. In addition, following the 2018 season, Richmond was replaced as D.C. United’s affiliate by the expansion USLC club, Loudoun United FC, which is fully owned-and-operated by D.C. United. Finally, in December, the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club sold a majority stake in the 26-year-old organization to a new ownership group.

On the pitch, Richmond Kickers’ veterans, Braeden Troyer and Conor Shanosky, continue to anchor the defense but the club has had a near-complete player turnover since last season. The roster is now made up of younger players with only a couple of years of pro experience but a number, including striker, Joe Gallardo, do have youth USMNT experience. VA United itself isn’t without talent. Included among its roster are a handful of former D.C. United Academy players, including Denis and Andy Najar, a MLS SuperDraftee in Juan Pablo Saavedra and a former U-17 and U-20 USMNT player, Eber Martinez.

If I had to pick one, VA United would be my choice for this year’s bracket buster. But, I’m also hoping that the Kickers return to glory. Their new ownership group is led by Chairman Rob Ukrop. Not only was he an original Kicker, he was a member of the team that won the “double” in 1995 including being named MVP of the final. This isn’t a matter of head versus heart. In this case, it’s heart versus heart!

Prediction: 2-2 with Richmond winning on penalties 6-5.

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Shawn Laird

Villages SC (USL League Two) vs Lakeland Tropics (USL League Two)

May 7th - 7 ET

With the US Open Cup first round matchups announced, I am looking forward to the Villages SC vs Lakeland Tropics match. Both clubs play in the USL League 2 (formerly the Premier Development League) and are each other’s biggest rivals. However, this will be the first time they face each other in the Open Cup. Last season, both clubs finished 9W-2L-3D, with the Villages SC advancing to the Southern Conference Championship on goal difference (+23 to +16). This year, Lakeland will look to bounce The Buffalos from the competition before their regular season even starts. I admit that while I’m excited for this matchup, I also don’t know much about either club but I’m hoping I can change that this year. Even though I reached out to both clubs for comment on their first round matchup, neither has replied.

I will make a strong prediction for this and pick Lakeland Tropics to advance to the next round. I am also hoping to be at the game to provide a more in depth review, so if you plan on being there, let’s chat.

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Joshua Duder

CAL FC (UPSL) vs. FC Mulhouse Portland (NPSL)

May 7th - 7:30 PT

With their win over Santa Ana Winds FC, CAL FC have officially qualified for the US Open Cup. They will square off against NPSL side, FC Mulhouse Portland on May 7th, 7:30 pm at Calabasas High School. For them, this year’s campaign through the qualifiers was dramatic, marked by hurdling significant lower league opponents like San Nicolas, Outbreak FC, and an exciting two-legged affair against Cal United FC II. I asked CAL FC’s head coach Keith Costigan if CAL FC was ready for an NPSL side—if it even mattered who they were playing next. “It’s difficult, at this level, to know the opposition well. Anybody at this level is going to be tough—Cal United was pro-level and were tough. We’ve been though a lot and we know what our goals are; to play an attractive style, to work hard, and focus on us.”

Coach Costigan has been with the club for about a year and last fall guided CAL FC to the top of the table in their 2018 Fall UPSL Pro-Premier SoCal North Division at the first time of asking. The club may be new to the UPSL, but have been around the block a few times; founded in 2006, CAL FC began play in Southern California’s La Gran Liga and dominated the local competition. By 2012, they had earned themselves their first berth into the US Open Cup. A feat they’ve followed up with entries into the Cup in 2014, 15, 16, and 2019’s field. It was that 2012 Cup run, however, which made an indelible mark in the organization’s history. CAL FC made a deep run in the cup, including an upset over, then MLS new kids, Portland Timbers.

“Eric (Wynalda) had asked me to help with the club back then. I didn’t have time to help coach but remember recruiting some of those players,” Current boss Costigan recalls. I asked him if that run has stuck with the organization? “Yes. History moves on and players move on but the club carries that badge with them. Especially when we talk to new players and we say we want to get into the cup and do damage—we’ve shown we can.” Which led me to wonder, what if history repeats itself; if you do get into another deep Cup run, what becomes your priority—the league or the Cup? “Actually, I just discussed that with Michael (Friedman, owner) and we know how financially difficult it can be for a club at this level. But you get into it, and maybe the focus becomes the Cup. We have a deep squad and know that all of the players can contribute, so we focus on the next match, league or cup—but in the back of the head, is the dream.”

Keith Costigan, former USL-era Portland Timber is the current Seattle Sounders television play-by-play voice for regional broadcasts and made it clear he is a part of the Seattle Sounders family. FC Mulhouse Portland may be bringing players who had been associated with the Portland Timbers, whether with the Timbers Academy, U23s, or even current USL side T2. I asked if a part of him was a little excited to match up against a team from the Rose City, even if they are wearing blue and white instead? “Of course, as a member of the Sounders family, and as the coach of this club, I’d love to knock-out a team from Portland. Who knows, I may even know a couple of their players, but I’m representing my club here.

CAL FC, again, are sitting pretty at the top of their Spring table, with 15 points from their first 5 matches and an impressive +18 goal differential. They’re blasting competition away, at will, and have four league fixtures listed before they even get to taking on the NPSL club from Portland, Oregon. Meanwhile, FC Mulhouse Portland, of the NPSL Northwest Division, have not even begun their 2019 season yet. The boys from the Rose City, finished second in their table last year, but went on a fantastic playoff run, which ended in heartbreaking fashion in the league semi-finals. I mentioned to FCMP head coach Sergio Medel, that CAL FC looks like a well-oiled machine and asked what they’ve been up to and if they had any matches lined-up to prepare the Portland team for their trip to Southern California. “FCMP took a nice break, we wanted to enjoy the successful end of our 2018 season. Losing the national semifinal could be a failure to some but for us, we see it as we were the top 4 of the 2108 NPSL season of 97 teams, not bad, I think.” He said, “We just started getting together; the good thing about our local players is that they are constantly active and playing the highest level possible in the NW. We had arranged some friendlies with high level local teams as IPS, who had a run-out for the Cup as well, two other teams are confirming dates and places.”

FCMP are simultaneously preparing for their season as well as for the first round in the Open Cup. They’ve managed to hold onto some of their very tidy players from last year, like former Bournemouth and Southampton academy player Ryan Middleton and former Portland Timber and University of Portland Pilot Steven Evans. Though, every year is an opportunity to add firepower and I asked if we could expect any new faces. “Fortunately, we have some very disciplined players, they are all coachable and trust the FCMP staff… We have some new players that we are about to sign, very talented, such as Alcides “Paco” Thomas, Jesus “Chuy” Patino, and Jose “Chato” Perez.” Coach Medel continued, “we also added Jordan Baeza on defense and a couple more, pending an agreement.”

They open their NPSL season on May 18th; the first round of the Cup is on May 7th and the second round is set for the 14th of May. Potentially, FCMP will get two rounds of cup fixtures out of the way before even having to worry about the league. I wondered if they had the roster to compete in both competitions if FCMP were to win those opening salvos… and of course, which competition they prioritize. “We will have a big enough roster to compete in both. Our intentions are to go as far as we can in both, as they are both very important. US Open Cup has a bit of a sweet taste; we believe it is the dessert from last year’s success. But we need to take it very seriously and why not try our best to play an MLS team at some point?” To that point, I asked if by the third or fourth rounds, and they drew the Timbers or Sounders, would he prefer to host that match or take his squad away for that once-in-a-lifetime experience? I wondered if he knew if they get a cut from the gates? Coach Medel left me with this, “we aren’t sure how it would play out. I hope we get a cut, somehow, we do need it. But most of all we do this because we love to compete; we love to work together; we love this game. The experiences and friendships that you build through futbol are priceless.

Academica SC (NPSL) vs. El Farolito (NPSL)

May 7th - 7:30 PT

Last year’s NPSL Western Conference Best XI Coach, Sergio Sousa, has successfully led his team through the US Open Cup qualifiers with a breath-taking home win over amateur side IPS FC. The visitors from Portland twice had the lead as the clock looked to wind-down on Academica, and twice Academica came from the death to snatch a goal. Culminating in a wild pair of extra time periods, where both sides were reduced to 9 men each. In the first qualifier, they defeated Davis Legacy 4-1 at home, then beat Contra Costa FC 3-2 on their home pitch. Academica was away to Oakland Stompers in the third qualifying round, and served a 1-0 shutout. They haven’t lost a qualifier, but 3 of the four have been at home, and the luck of the draw was once again on their side, as they will host NPSL Golden Gate Division foe, El Farolito at the Academica Field in Turlock, California on May 7th at 7:30 pm.

Founded in 1972, Academic SC are no spring chicken to soccer competitions in Northern California but have played El Farolito just a couple times since the two joined the same league. Academica finished fifth in the division last year, having lost to El Faro in the opener and then fighting to a scoreless draw later in the season. Currently 4th in the table, Academica sit two places ahead of El Farolito just four weeks into this season. Last season for El Faro, however, was a totally different story—it was their first in the league and they won their division outright with a +20 goal difference and despite not getting past the regional semifinals, they earned their way into the 2019 US Open Cup’s first round without having to go through qualifiers. El Farolito, no newcomer to Northern California’s soccer scene themselves, were founded in 1985 and have a trophy case chock full of glory. They’ll be looking forward to this one.

As a preview of the US Open Cup fixture, the two NPSL Golden Gate competitors will square off in a league match this Saturday, April 13th, at historic Boxer Stadium in San Francisco. Academica will have just one more league match after that, to warm up for their USOC round one battle; El Farolito will get two more league games in before their showdown away to Academica. The two seem evenly matched and the round one game seems like one to look forward to.

Livonia City FC Add International Experience to Coaching Staff

Very rarely does the announcement of an assistant coach make news, but Livonia City FC (who play in the Michigan Premier Soccer League) has done just that today. The club announced former Japanese International player, Mami Yamaguchi, would be joining the staff of the third year Livonia Women’s side. She will be the lead assistant coach under Trevor King.

Few assistant coaches have the resume that Yamaguchi brings to the table. From 2005-2007, she played soccer for Florida State and won multiple honors, including the Mac Herman (the award given to the top player in the country). Florida State qualified for the final four every year she played with them and made the finals in 2007. Since her graduation, Florida State has honored her career by retiring her number and then inducting her into the FSU Sports Hall of Fame.

Her track record of success only began with FSU. She went on to play with the Japanese National Team for four years, helping them qualify for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also played professionally in multiple leagues, winning several league titles. Upon retiring from playing, Mami has coached for several academies and schools. Her coaching career brought her to Michigan to coach with Michigan Wolves/Hawks, one of the top youth programs in the country and based in Livonia, MI.

Craig Beebe, club president of Livonia City FC, sees the move as a big addition to the staff. “Her resume speaks for herself. The women in our club will be learning from someone who has truly done it on the highest level. Her talent and knowledge of the game is unbelievably valuable to our organization moving forward. She will surely help us on the field but possibly even in the boardroom as well, as we make tough decisions. The club will learn a lot from her.”  Her addition to the club will certainly enhance a reputation for excellence that has been building over the last couple of years. In fact, Beebe credits Livonia’s men’s side’s success in the US Open Cup with making Livonia City FC an attractive option for someone of Yamaguchi’s status.

What impact this former Japanese International will have on the Livonia women’s side remains to be seen, but the arrival of her ability, experience, and depth of knowledge should be seen as a massive asset to the women’s game for Livonia City FC.

The club’s announcement of her joining their organization can be found here.