USASA Region I qualifiers for Amateur Cup kick off this weekend; US Open Cup qualifiers near a close

The qualifiers for the US Open Cup is coming near a close while that for the US Amateur Cup kicks off this weekend for USASA Region I. Nearly 50 teams from eight state associations throughout the region competed to make the interstate rounds. The winner will advance to the USASA National Cup Finals for the amateur title.

This past Sunday, the two Region I US Open Cup matches ended in similar fashion with both games going to extra time and decided by kicks from the penalty mark. In both contests, the final tally was 7:6 in penalties made.  The semifinal between Icon FC and Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks ended 1:1. Icon struck first with a 64th minute goal by Kevin Garcia. Sam Scales of the Hawks evened it with less than 10 minutes left in regulation.  The two sides traded chances in extra time but had to settle for the PK rounds with Custidiano Michael sending Icon to the regional final and a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup first round with the final kick.

The other Open match was a quarterfinal replay of Newtown Mens Soccer against NY Pancyprian Freedom.  This tightly contested game ended scoreless and went to eight rounds of penalty kicks with Newtown keeper Bradley Jeeves placing the winning shot.  Newtown travels to Framinghan State College on Sunday to meet Mass Premier Soccer for the North Division final.  The winner advances to Lamar Hunt and Region I final.

The US Amateur Cup will feature four matches with the North Division encounters having the Battery Park Gunners of Massachusetts traveling to Olympia Stamford SC of Connecticut and the NY Greek-American Atlas hosting Vistula Garfield SC of New Jersey.  The South Division pits the Maryland Bays against the Aegean Hawks, while the other quarterfinal has Vereinigung Erzgebirge from Eastern Pennsylvania visiting the Italian American Sports Club of Western New York.