Antoine Hoppenot scored the opening goal and assisted on two second-half goals to lead Vereinigung Erzgebirge to a 3-2 win over OS Amigos from Massachusetts in the USASA Region 1 Over-30 final. The win capped off a historical day for the Warminster club in the regional competition, which was held at the Ukranian Nationals in Horsham. Hours earlier, VE came from behind to beat CSL Cosmos of Eastern New York 2-1 in the Over-50 final. VE came close to a regional treble, but the Under-23s fell to rival West Chester 4-1.
The Over-30 final became the marquee matchup of the day after the Werner Fricker Open Cup final had been decided without a single kick of the ball. Lansdowne Yonkers, who won the amateur final Saturday night, claimed the title following a forfeit from Atlético Boston, putting them in a position to win their second national cup double in Milwaukee next month.
The Over-30 final began with both teams adjusting to the mid-day heat on the turf, trading lengthy periods of possession with quick counter-attacks. Five minutes into the game, VE’s Sean Sheridan sent in a curling corner with his left foot that Amigos keeper Dory Vincente misjudged, but center back Alex De John couldn’t convert the volley off Vincente’s fingertip clearance. Shortly after, Amigos striker Nelson Gomes broke through the VE backline but was denied by VE’s Tim Washam, who came out from goal with a sprawling save.
VE scored the opener just inside the fifteen minute mark. Following a build up through the midfield, Sean Peckham sent a long ball to Hoppenot over the top that defender Manuel Andrade had covered, but Andrade’s failed header back to Vincente gave Hoppenot the break away. Hoppenot only needed one touch to beat the keeper for the 1-0 lead.
For the next several minutes, VE controlled the game and created numerous chances to double their lead. Sheridan picked out Christian Williams at the back post on a dangerous in-swinging free kick from the right side, but Williams couldn’t get over top of the bouncing ball and his header went high. Minutes later, Sheridan took a crack from an identical spot, but his shot took a deflection off the wall and Vincente smothered the ball to prevent a rebound.
A minute later, Amigos winger Antonio Correira got around the VE defense and tested Washam from a wide angle, but the VE keeper kept the near post covered. Even as VE continued to maintain a hold of the game, Amigos pulled level just before halftime when Rubem Gomes received the remnants of a tackled ball at the top of the box, took a set up touch toward goal, and beat Washam to the corner to send the teams into the break tied at 1-1.
The traveling side from Massachusetts carried their momentum from the first half into the early minutes of the second. Correira sent a towering header from a corner kick that Washam pushed aside for the save of the game. Amigos had another chance off a corner minutes later, but the free header went wide. The barrage of Amigos set pieces continued, and Matini Silva had good look from a recycled free kick that fell to him at the top of the box, but he pulled his half-volley wide.
VE began to regain the pace of the game, and with just under twenty minutes to play, Hoppenot took over, much like he did in the semifinal win over Ukranian Sitch. Attacking down the left flank, he beat the Amigos right back and sent a left-footed cross that hit Williams streaking toward goal. The defender beat his man to the ball and met the cross at the six to put VE up 2-1. Shortly after, Hoppenot found himself wide on the left again, and this time his cross hit Mark Garrity, whose diving header into the corner gave VE a 3-1 lead. Garrity emerged from the ground with a finger injury that required immediate medical assistance, and after he exited the field, VE had to deal with a final Amigos push without their starting right back.
With the game winding down, it turned into a series of Amigos attacks and VE counters, and the tension increased when Amigos scored another goal with minutes to play. Correira found space again down the left side and slipped a ball across the goalmouth to Gomes, who scored his second to make it a 3-2 game. With Amigos continuing to press, VE eventually withstood the final attempts to see out the game and claim their first O-30 title since 2000, the year the club captured its only O-30 national championship.
VE will now wait for some clarity on the national championship picture. Since some of the regions don’t compete at the O-30 level, they will either play a final or enter into the Veteran’s Cup, which is held July 15-19 in Burlington, Vermont.
Over-50 Final
VE 2, CSL Cosmos 1
VE fell behind on a late first-half penalty but rallied in the second half to pull out a 2-1 win over CSL Cosmos of Eastern New York.
VE opened the game as the livelier side with multiple attacks down the right from Brian Anton, who also sent a cross off a cleared corner that Michel Lynch headed just wide. Minutes later, Jeremy Philo took a crack at goal on a wide free kick from the left of the box that Cosmos keeper Ilya Shamovsky tipped off the bar. After a shift change, Kristian Hammermuller kept the pressure on with a cross that skipped across the box and fell to Ed Rafalowski, whose shot sailed high. Soon after, Slava Korotitsky spun through three defenders, cutting into the box with a turn toward goal until he Danny Azzo stopped him with a sliding challenge.
The game changed late in the half when Cosmos striker Wale Bakare broke free to goal before being wiped out by a late challenge to earn a penalty. Zohair Ghenania stepped up and struck a well-placed penalty beyond keeper Ben Landers’ outstretched arms.
VE controlled the start of the second half and eventually earned the end result for their attacking play. Rob Oldfield chased down a loose ball in the box, heading away from goal, and Cosmos defender Kirk Parks ran through his thigh on his way to the ball. The referee determined Parks made enough contact for a penalty, and Philo buried the spot kick to draw VE level at 1-1.
As tired legs settled in, VE’s experience proved the difference with strong play through the middle from James Harvey and Tom DiGuilio in the back to Paul Zgalich in defensive central midfield, and the game began to open up in VE’s favor. Oldfield had a good chance from the wide right that Shamovsky saved, and Philo had a turn and volley off a long throw also saved by the Cosmos keeper. At the other end, Landers cleaned up several Cosmos free kicks and corners, which posed the greatest Cosmos threats in the latter stages of the game.
VE eventually found a winner late when Oldfield ran through a high challenge from Azzo, and with the referee motioning to play on, he picked out Ricky John at the back post to put his team up 2-1. In the final minutes, the VE held strong defensively while providing enough relief going forward to see out the game and claim the club’s first Over-50 title.
Under-23 Final
West Chester 4, VE 1
West Chester continued their dominance at the Under-23 level with their third Region 1 title in four years and their eighth in the last eleven years. Both teams played each other in the group stage the day before with West Chester winning to advance as the top team in the group.
Match recap unavailable due to simultaneous games.
