Downtown United White 95 bring Boys Under-18 State Open Cup championship back to Manhattan

(Via Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association) – When Massapequa Arsenal of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) scored an early goal in the Boys-Under-18 State Open Cup final on June 1 at Stringham Park in LaGrange, it looked to be a similar story as last year when they shut out Downtown United of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), 1-0, in the final.

But a lucky bounce changed that midway through the first half as a Massapequa defensive clear wound up hitting Downtown United’s Jonathan Jaramillo and rebounded into the Massapequa net.

Camilo Hernandez scored on a 25-yard golazo to give Downtown United a 2-1 lead just before halftime.

“The game went back and forth, both teams had their chances in an even game and our goalie, Ziggy Fermia, came up big for us,” commented Downtown United coach Alex Cuba.

The 2-1 victory gives Downtown United their second Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) championship in the past three years.

Downtown United received a $2,000 check from Eastern New York to defer the costs of playing in the Regionals from June 26 to July 1 in Kingston, Rhode Island.

Massapequa received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as selected by the match officials. Now retired, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in every facet of New York soccer for decades and is a member of the Halls of Fame of Eastern New York, the US Amateur Soccer Association and the LIJSL.