By Jay Mwamba

New York Greek-American Atlas demolished Pancyprian Freedoms 4-0 at St. John’s University last week to reclaim the US Open Cup Eastern New York title and remain on course for a grand slam of titles.

 

The four-time US Open Cup winners ended Pancyprian’s four-year reign as regional champions with goals by Keith Detelj [22nd, 64th], Ben Arikian [pen. 62nd] and Englishman Paul Shaw [72nd], a former Arsenal and Millwall pro.

 

It was the Greeks’ first Eastern New York Open Cup title since 2007 and it earned the Cosmopolitan Soccer League [CSL] powerhouse a berth in next spring’s USASA Region I tournament, with a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line.

 

“I thought it was a great win and thought we thoroughly deserved it,” said Atlas coach Michael Todd.

 

His Pancyprian opposite, Martinos Kyprianou, was crestfallen, even though the defeat came nine days after their Hellenic rivals had blanked them 2-0 on the same ground in a CSL First Division fixture.

 

“To beat a team like this, you need to be on top of your game. Clearly we were not,” said Kyprianou.

 

GREEK ODYSSEY

In their run to the final, Atlas saw off Manhattan Kickers 4-2 and edged both New York Athletic Club and Barnstonworth Rovers 1-0.

 

HELLENIC REMATCH

Four days after humbling Pancyprian, Atlas secured a Manning Cup semi-final date in the New Year with the Greek-Cypriots after destroying New York Albanians 6-1 at Tibbets Brook Park last Sunday. On the same day, Pancyprian dispatched Istria, the lone Long Island Soccer Football League [LISFL] quarterfinalists, 3-0.

 

BORICUA ACE

Puerto Rican international Chris Megaloudis struck three penalties in regulation time while the deadly Detelj, who won two of the spot kicks converted by Megaloudis, added another hat trick.

Mario Kapxhiu got Albania’s face-saver from a 25 yard-old free kick. Atlas GM George Mellis had props for Detelj, calling him the Greeks’ hottest player at the moment. “He was all over the place,” he said.

 

Mellis also declared his side the team to beat in the CSL, saying they remain on track for a grand slam of victories in the Manning Cup, US Open Cup, U.S. Amateur Cup and the CSL title.

 

CUP HOLDERS

Pancyprian, the Manning Cup holders, had goals from Matia Damiani and Loukas Tasigianis in their 3-0 romp over Istria.

 

FINAL FOUR

Also through to the Manning Cup final four were United FC and Polonia who collide in the other semi-final next spring.

Paul Nitolli was the United hero in a 2-1 home decision over Barnstonworth Rovers at the Aviators Sports Complex. He notched a brace against Andy Abramovits’ lone strike for the visitors.

 

“Good luck to United,” offered Rovers coach Stavros Zomopoulos who fielded a depleted squad.

 

Polonia, meanwhile, edged Lansdowne Bhoys 1-0 at Tibbets Brook Park.

 

DAISY CUTTER

Alex Dawson’s 30-yard daisy cutter [35th] was EMC’s sole consolation as their hobbled side was dumped out of the Flamhaft Cup 6-1 by fellow CSL Second Division campaigners Stal Mielec at McCarren Park.

 

Kestutis Mykolaitis netted his second consecutive hat trick for Stal, while Marcin Fijalkiewicz, Adam Maliniak and Jacek Lawniczak added one goal apiece.

 

“Back to the league!” proclaimed EMC’s Eddie Yee Woo Guo.

 

LANDSLIDE

Lansdowne Bhoys’ reserves knocked off Pancyprian ‘B’ 6-2 in a delayed D’Arpino Cup Round of 32 tie on Randalls Island.

 

Tom Brady, Johnny McGeeney, Micheal Fernandez [two], John Chapman and Richie Morgan fired the Bronx Irishmen into the Round of 16 where they meet New York Athletic Club’s second unit.

 

MISSILE EDGE

Later at upstate Sloatsburg field, Darren McDermott had the only goal as Lansdowne’s Metro Div. II side missed out on a D’Arpino Cup quarterfinal spot with a 2-1 loss to Missile FC.  Jo Valentine and Ernest Brueus booked Missile a last eight encounter with New York Polet.

 

ACOSTA SPECIAL

Sporting Astoria joined fellow Metro Div. One campaigners Missile in the D’Arpino Cup quarters after a Patricio Acosta inspired 4-2 win over First Division Clarkstown SC’s reserves on Randalls Island. The Sporting legend created two goals and netted twice as Astoria held off their top flight opponents.

 

It was from an Acosta corner that Kevin Arancibia volleyed home the ice-breaker. And after Robert Kcira had leveled for Clarkstown, Rocco Leone restored the lead from an another Acosta assist. The turning point of the match came when Clarkstown had a chance to go ahead from the penalty spot after equalizing again through Claude Darling. However, Dennis Kcira fluffed the spot kick and in a hard fought second half an Acosta brace – one from the spot — saw Clarkstown out.

 

“Great game, great win but an even better celebration at my backyard that has been nicknamed the Sporting Astoria beer garden!” gushed GM Ed Romero.

 

CPR FIGHT-BACK

Mike Nelson and Chris Norelli produced a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Metro Div. One Gotham Argo that put First Division Central Park Rangers’ second unit in the D’Arpino Cup Round of 16. Anatoliy Taranenko had nodded Gotham ahead off a Suneel Grover cross in the first minute.

 

“Gotham put up strong resistance and made it very difficult for us. But after falling behind to an early goal, we were able to control possession for large periods and get the goals that counted,” said CPR boss Yuval Lion.

 

CPR tackle another Metro Div. One team, CD Iberia, next.

JERSEY EXPRESS

Make that three wins in a row for the CSL’s Hoboken FC in the New Jersey State Cup after a 2-1 nod over Spring Street Strikers in the Round of 16 at Overpeck Park.

 

Hugo Lourenco [65th] bagged the winner after Spring Street had canceled out Javier Vegas’s third minute opener for Hoboken.

 

KICKER MARTH QUEST

Both Manhattan Kicker Over-30 teams are through to the quarterfinals of the Marth Cup after last weekend’s Round of 16 ties. Kickers Over-30 cruised past FC Partizani 4-2 on Randalls Island, courtesy of Paul Cowler, Colin Brown, Nick Smith and Dylan Dodd. Their sister team, Manhattan Kickers Premier, however, needed penalties to fork out Barnstonworth Premier 4-1 after a 2-2 tie.

 

Guiliano Soderini [16th, 75th] was credited for both Kicker goals in regulation, while Allen Tardeau [6th] and Duane Pena [55th] replied for Barnstonworth.

 

In the shoot-out, Richie Webb, Matt Smith, Ari Dolegowski and Joe Whiteman converted, while goalie Mike Fitzgerald pulled off two saves to secure qualification.

 

KICKER STUNNER

In a midweek clash between CSL First Division East leaders Barnstonworth Rovers and Western conference basement dwellers Manhattan Kickers, the latter pulled of a 1-0 upset at Pier 40.

 

Damian Lopez [63rd], assisted by Pietro Sgueglia, handed Kickers their second win of the season.

 

“Great game played by us, could have gone either way — I think we wanted it and needed it a little more,” summed up Kicker manager Mike Fitzgerald.

 

“Midweek fixtures can be unpredictable and we just did not show up,” said Rovers coach Stavros Zomopoulos, whose side [5-2-2, 17] still leads the East by two points over joint second New York Athletic Club and Lansdowne.

 

CLARKSTOWN CLIPPED

Alan Heavy [35th] and Brent Gaylord [72nd] were on target for Clarkstown SC, who shore up the standings in the East, in a 4-2 late collapse to New York Croatia.

 

“With no subs and many missing players, especially defenders and our starting goalie, we hung in but gave up two late goals in the last 10 minutes,” lamented Colin Hodge.

 

SIZZLING CELTS

Red-hot Manhattan Celtic hammered FC Japan 6-1 in both fixtures at Pier 40 to maintain their strangle hold on the Second Division.

 

Austin McCann [two], Herve Diese, David Duffy, Julien Greco and Freddie Etsiakoh made it eight wins in as many games for the flawless Celts this campaign.

 

“Herve Diese, a.k.a “H” was Man of the Match,” said Etsiakoh. “He did excellent work down the right wing, got forward to support the striker and also helped out his defenders.”

 

The Celtic firsts [24] are five points clear of second place Hoboken.

 

TURKISH TROT

Cem B. Dumankaya, Ayhan Bekdemir and Keita connected in the Galatasaray USA reserves’ 3-1 defeat of the Central Park Rangers Reds at Ichan Stadium.

 

COPS PIPPED

At Flushing Meadow Park, New York Ukrainians’ Aaron Stewart had the only goal in a reserve win over NYPD FC.

 

METRO ONE

Nazar Zarichny scored for FC Partizani in their 2-1 loss to Central Park Rangers.

 

GRAND ROUT

High scoring Grenadier Zenith thrashed New York Galicia 5-0 in Metro Two fixture at McCarren Park.

 

Peterson Barreau, Edson Toussaint [two], Williams Dorelien and Rollin Andre tallied for the division’s second highest scorers.

 

ROBERTO BRACE

Also in Metro Div. II, Roberto Martinez had a brace at East River Park, where New Amsterdam edged AO Brooklyn 3-2. Tegnane Ly got the other goal for the mid-table side.

 

OVER-30 ACTION

A 3-0 romp over New York Greek-American/Atlas last week moved Manhattan Kickers Premier to within a point of Over-30 Div. One [East] leaders Barnstonworth Premier.

 

Gilad Bloom [16th], Matt Watkins [65th] and veteran Joe Whiteman [75th] moved Kickers into joint second place with sister club Manhattan Kickers Over-30 on 17 points.

 

SHAMROCK MELTDOWN

Up 2-0 inside ten minutes after a whirlwind start, Shamrock’s Over-30s suffered a meltdown on Randalls Island that led to a 3-2 loss to SC Eintracht.

 

Mike Bishop scored off a Stephen Doyle assist [5th] and then turned provider for Karl Hughes [10th]. But the Rocks’ failure to clear the ball from free kicks in the 20th and 27th minutes soon had Eintracht level through Gene Milovanov and Bundy Doczy, respectively.

 

Eintracht stalwart Tom Strumpf then decided the match when he buried a Peter Maris rebound [65th] with Shamrock reduced to ten men after Doyle’s ejection [75th].

 

Shamrock [4-4-1, 13] remain second in the West, three points behind leaders New York Dinamo.  Eintracht, also 4-4-13, are in mid-table in the East.

 

ALDO DOUBLE

Elsewhere in Over-30 Div. One, Barnstonworth Rovers blanked fellow stragglers Guyana Veterans 2-0 on Aldo Morales’ brace at Bushwick Inlet.

 

“Bottom-of-the-table battle and we come up with three big points to secure some breathing room for the spring,” noted Rovers’ Michael J. Alexander.

 

LUCKY SEVEN

In an Over-30 Div. II goalfest, Manhattan Celtic smashed BWG Cosmos 7-2 on Randalls Island, with four of the game’s tally coming during a remarkable five-minute spell at the end.

 

Barrie Taylor [16th, 25th] connected twice and had the assist on David Priego’s effort [43rd].  Raafet Olian [74th, 82nd] also notched a double, the second courtesy of Brian Lewis.

 

The other marksmen were Phil James [22nd, pen.] and Mickey Mason [87th] off Greg Macek’s second assist of the game.   Cosmos replied in the 84th and 86th minutes.

 

TROJAN HORSE

The highest scoring match of the weekend was in Over-30 Div. III where unbeaten leaders Troy FC trounced Banatul 11-0 to up their record to 8-0.

 

Alex got the requisite hat trick with Almar [two], Mitat [two], Muhsin [two] and Baris the other scorers.

 

GRAY THREAT

Also on Randalls Island, second place Central Park Rangers knocked off Argo Silver 5-2 to remain eight points behind Troy with a game in hand.

 

“UK” Matt Shapiro, Rich Enticott, Steve Roberts, Mark Edmunds and an own goal assured the CPR Grays full points.  Mohamed Tabrani and Derek McKenna, the latter assisted by Pat Berran, were on target for Silver.