Hopeful Open Division Qualifiers Aim to Escape Third Qualifying Round

November 17, 2017 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) News Release

CHICAGO - It's down-to-the-wire time for amateur teams in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The 14 winners of this weekend's Third Qualifying Round games will move through to the 105-year-old competition, U.S. Soccer's National Championship.

NYC-based Lansdowne Bhoys, Baltimore's beloved Christos FC and a host of strong sides from Florida, Colorado and California are all in action this Saturday and Sunday. Join ussoccer.com for a closer look at this thrilling clutch of do-or-die clashes in the grassroots of the American game.

READ: Full #USOC2018 Open Cup Second Qualifying Round Recap

The marquee match-up of the round comes from the Northeast Region where outstanding Amateur Cup holders Lansdowne Bhoys host Philly scrappers Junior Lone Star U23s in Yonkers. The Bhoys, stars of NYC's historic and ultra-competitive Cosmopolitan League, are comprised of a stable of veteran players, many with professional experience on their CVs. "Most of our guys are on the other side of the professional window, where they're coming out of that part of their careers after having had a taste of the professional ranks," assistant coach and Bhoys' president Willie McGrory told U.S. Soccer. The Bhoys boast former Arsenal standout Sean Kelly in the side as well as Gambian Abdoukarim Kabo Dansomakes, one of the top goalkeepers in the amateur ranks.

READ: N.Y. Ukrainians Rule America (1965 Champs) READ: Brooklyn's International Italians (1991 Champs) READ: NYC's Proud History in the Open Cup

While the Bhoys are aged like fine wine, the young Lone Stars are on the other side of the divide. This is the youth team of a club founded in Southwest Philadelphia by West African refugees. Many in the side are still hoping for that elusive chance at a pro contract. "Lansdowne Bhoys are a really, really good team," said their Liberia-born captain Siafa Dempster, a recent college graduate. Barely 24, he's the oldest player in the side. "We may be young, but we're super excited," said the left-back, a team leader beside co-captain Mohamed Tall. "It's going to be a challenge. They'll be more mature than us as players and probably won't make the kinds of mistakes young guys like us do. But we're built to not give up. No matter what, we'll keep pushing until the final whistle."

VIDEO: Philadelphia's Refugee Lone Stars

Christos FC, darlings of last year's Open Cup, are hoping to reach a second straight finals. Pennsylvania's Phoenix Soccer Club visits the Baltimore-based side host with ace striker Pete Caringi III and a plethora of returning veterans from the 2017 team that reached the Open Cup Fourth Round. "We just want to keep doing what we've been doing and keep getting results," said Caringi, a former scoring standout with local college power University of Maryland Baltimore County, where he now serves as assistant coach.

Kendall Wanderers are missing three starters after red cards hit hard in the last round - an epic shootout win (2-2 a.e.t) in a classic contest against fellow Bay State Soccer League (BSSL) giants GPS Omens. Mass United, out of Lynn, will be hoping to exploit the holes in the Kendall eleven when the two meet at Somerville's Dilboy Stadium under the lights. "Defensively we're always strong and we keep our shape well," said Kendall's 35-year-old player-coach Phil Keane, a carpenter by trade who scored in a First Round rout of Boston Siege. "We're disciplined and tough to break down. You can always count on that."

The third contest in the Region sees long-traveling Stegman's Soccer Club of Minnesota take on the Rochester River Dogz all the way in Upstate New York. The Minneapolis men are eager to keep up the form they've shown so far and make sure the long trip back home is a happy one.

Florida & Colorado Dominate the Middle

Three sides from Florida are in action in the Southeast Region. Miami's Red Force FC aim to reach their second straight Open Cup with a win against South Florida FC in a local derby. "We focus on playing a short-passing game," said Gabriel Vega, Red Force's founder and coach who speaks of his club with an affinity usually reserved for family. "We like to keep the ball on the grass. A lot of these guys have played together since they were little kids and that's a really important thing for a team's chemistry."

The third member of the Florida trio to play this weekend is Kendall FC, who travel to Tennessee to take on Nashville United. NTX Rayados are the lone remaining side from Texas and they host Motagua New Orleans, who happen to be the last remaining team from Louisiana.

Four of the six clubs in action in the Mountain Region hail from the high country of Colorado. "The level of competition and the number of teams in the Colorado area have picked up considerably in the last few years," said Johnny Freeston, former player and current manager of Harpos FC, who meet familiar foes Azteca FC in their Third Round clash after requiring extra-time in their two previous qualifiers. "It used to be like ten teams in the area, and now all of a sudden you have something like 50."

Two more of those Colorado clubs, FC Denver and Indios Denver, meet in an all-capital derby in Aurora. "We are hungry to make this our time - our time to make the national stage," FC Denver said in a club statement on their website, signaling their intentions with a pre-game battle cry. "Our time to show fans and soccer supporters in our city and across the nation the pride we have in our club and our city."

The region's third game sets a pair of Arizona hopefuls in direct competition with bragging rights on the line when Sporting AZ FC plays host to Galati FC at John Riggs Stadium in Mesa.

All California Out West

All eight surviving teams in the Pacific Region call California home. There will be four amateur representatives from the Golden State in next year's finals. The only question is who?

L.A. Wolves had their feet up in the Second Round of 2018 Open Cup Qualifying, a late forfeit by Vanquish FC putting them through. But neither that gap in competitive play, nor a heavy turnover from last year's squad, has coach Yan Skwara overly worried ahead of a Third Round clash with Buena Park FC. "We're confident, not cocky," said the man who took over the reins from former coach Eric Wynalda, currently occupied with his run for the U.S. Soccer presidency.

Skwara has a core of standouts in defense, including Guatemala U-20 international Julio Ortiz, Carlos Figueroa, Danny Hulbert and Henry Escobar. Up front, the pair of Dmitriy Zhurazloev and Caeser Rivera (a veteran of Wynalda's Cal FC team that upset Portland Timbers in the 2012 Open Cup) can unlock any rearguard. "We know what we need to do and we know how to go about it," said Skwara, oozing confidence in SoCal. "Any team can be dangerous if you let them, but we'll be ready to go and try to stamp ourselves on the game."

El Farolito, winners of the 1993 Open Cup under the name CD Mexico, takes on Cal Victory in San Francisco while the high-flying Santa Ana Winds host the San Pedro Monsters. In the southern-most portion of Southern California, Chula Vista FC, veterans of the 2017 Open Cup finals, round out the action at home against La Máquina, who also reached the 2017 Open Cup proper and are always a tough nut to crack.

The winners of those Third Round games then move onto the big show, the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is scheduled to begin in May. Follow all the action and keep your finger on the pulse of the #USOC2018 on Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and ussoccer.com.

National Women's Soccer League Stories from November 17, 2017

• Sam Kerr, Raquel Rodriguez Called into National Team Duty - Sky Blue FC
• Hopeful Open Division Qualifiers Aim to Escape Third Qualifying Round - NWSL
• Seattle Reign FC Duo Called in for Australia Friendlies - Seattle Reign FC

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.