In the storied history of Eastern Pennsylvania amateur soccer teams, West Chester United is currently on one of the most substantial streaks ever witnessed.
Sunday afternoon, the Predators obliterated their closest rival, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, 7-0 in the EPSA Werner Fricker Open Cup Final to claim their fifth-straight cup double and seal their place among the best in the local game.
In a much anticipated rematch from two weeks ago in the amateur final, when West Chester won 4-3 on a thrilling stoppage time winner from Funsia Donzo, this game was never as close as the opening whistle. Ridge Robinson scored hat-trick to lead West Chester, while Owen Slack, Carter Gorczyca, Marcus Brenes, and Troy Amspacher also scored. VE goalkeeper Steve Paul had double-digit saves to keep the game somewhat respectable.
Both teams started jumbled lineups due to a combination of injuries, family commitments, and poor personal management, however, West Chester proved from the jump that it wasn’t going to affect their performance. In the eleventh minute, West Chester scored off one of the more awkward combinations seen at Bryn Athyn in a while. Robinson’s lofted lay off through the VE lines to Thomas King resulted in an equally lofted mistouch and a poor defensive header that fell to Robinson in stride. Robinson only needed a settling touch before pushing the ball beyond Paul’s reach.
One-way traffic in the first half of the EPSA Open Cup Final. @WCUSCPredators up 3-0 over rival @VEClub pic.twitter.com/4qiOkR97MW
— Backyard Pitches (@BackyardPitches) March 29, 2026
From then on, West Chester controlled the game with large stretches of possession, and VE had much difficulty breaking out and countering. Wave after wave of attacks, led by King and Carter Burris down the right side, resulted in numerous chances and corners, often denied by a late-ditch tackle or the heroics of Paul and the post.
In the 30th minute, West Chester found their second. Robinson got in behind the VE backline again, and Paul forced him to dribble around and to the side. Robinson’s cutback reached Slack near the penalty spot, and Slack fought off a weak challenge and curled a left-footer into the far corner to extend the lead. Just before the half, West Chester added the dagger when King beat his defender off the dribble down the right of the box and fed Robinson at the top of the six. Robinson had enough time and space to take a touch around a flailing VE defender and calmly find the corner again from close range.
As they’ve done so well in recent weeks, West Chester continued to keep their foot on the accelerator, and six minutes into the second half, they added a fourth. This time attacking down the left through Cater Gorczyca, West Chester found more joy both through and around a VE defense content with just stopping the one-way flow. Gorczyca pushed the lead to 4-0 before the game had a chance to settle then set up a fifth before VE knew what was happening. Gorczyca’s layoff rolled to Brenes at the top of the box, and the West Chester midfielder side-footed a powerful shot that beat Paul to extend the lead.
With VE holding on like a drowning victim in an undertow, West Chester continued to batter their rivals, only to be denied by a few miraculous saves by Paul, who stopped shots with every part of his body, including his face. West Chester added two more goals in the final ten minutes, the first on a free-kick from Amspacher, who beat the wall with a low curler that Paul couldn’t keep out. Robinson secured his hat-trick minutes from the end off an assist from substitute Justin Thomas.
2nd half highlights from the EPSA Open Cup Final.
— Backyard Pitches (@BackyardPitches) March 29, 2026
Goals from Marcus Brenes, Troy Amspacher, and Ridge Robinson with the 🎩 to lead @WCUSCPredators to a 7-0 win over @VEClub pic.twitter.com/KwTtNWj7Pc
Not since the Ukranian Nationals in the early 1960s and the United German Hungarians during the 1970s has a team run through the PA state competitions with such ease, although many historians would point out to the club structure’s volatility in those eras when the game’s top teams existed within miles from each other and players bounced around ASL teams while managing their pro and amateur statuses. Certainly, in the last forty years, no single club has dominated the Greater Philly amateur soccer landscape like West Chester has over the last half decade. With appearances in the last five U.S. Open Cups, West Chester has won four of the last five USLPA titles and won last season’s APSL. They currently lead the Delaware River Conference with a 13-0 record and a +64 goal differential.
“It’s a testament to the hard work we put in at trainings,” West Chester’s Marcus Brenes told Backyard Pitchesafter the game. Brenes, who was a standout performer in the 2-1 loss to Loudoun United in the Open Cup, shared how the team’s momentum has grown since that match. “Playing a team at the pro level is always a great experience, but we felt we deserved to get more from that game. It definitely added more fuel to the fire for games like these.”
The defensive midfielder with over 60 appearances for Villanova controlled the game from start to finish but has his focus on the upcoming spring. “We’re always pushing, every single day. We’ll definitely use this, the Loudoun game, and we’ll have to continue to work the whole year, to keep going, to keep getting the wins, and hopefully that leads to more success in the summertime.”
Standout performer Carter Burris began playing for West Chester in the beginning of the historic run after his college career at Liberty ended. He returned to the squad for the past two seasons after being away from the team. “The club’s just always deep,” he said, “with how consistently we train throughout the year, it’s a result of a lot of hard work, and that’s why I ended up coming back.”
Burris will also be an important contributor in the congested fixture of games ahead and spoke about what West Chester needs to do to remain locked in for another title run across multiple competitions. “It’s important to keep the group together, keep training, try to stay away from injuries,” he said, “and as long as the group is together and training. Not many other clubs have that consistency, so just carrying that forward.
West Chester will look to defend its national amateur championship as well as show the world what U.S. amateur soccer can bring when they meet English amateur champions Friday June 26th at Subaru Park as part of the greater FIFA World Cup festivities.
There’s plenty of work to do for West Chester, who will now compete in both the USASA regional amateur and open cups this spring while juggling APSL and USLPA league play. West Chester earned a forfeit win last weekend in the amateur round of 16. VE defeated Syndicate FC from Northern Virginia 5-1 last weekend. Both teams await their opponents based on Sunday’s results. Despite Eastern PA fielding two top amateur teams, West Chester and VE could meet again the regional semifinals if they both win their matchups in two weeks. In what has become a jumbled mess of a tournament already, with multiple forfeits and uncertainty over the addition of two NPSL teams, of which none have been announced, the amateur bracket has already been a mess, adding to the American soccer chaos that exists within the amateur, youth, and pro levels.
Lineups
West Chester: T. Kneis, A. Axtman, C. Burris, C. Gorczyca, L. Mellor, M. Brenes, O. Slack, R. Robinson, T. King, T. Amspacher
Subs: A. Dennis, J. Thomas
Vereinigung Erzgebirge: S. Paul, C. Gomez, G. Dwyer, J. Yurasits, C. Houlihan, D. Bloyou, C. Budniak, K. Smolyn, S. Krysztofowicz, J. Weatherspoon, M. D’Angelo
Subs: D. Antonini, R. Sturza, V. Leone, M. Abdul
