Super Cup Weekend

AMATEUR & OVER-40 CUPS QUARTERFINALS

It will be a Super Cup weekend as we play the quarterfinals of the Amateur and Over-40 Cups throughout the Region. The Amateur Cup features the 2019 champion Newtown Pride FC of Connecticut hosting 6-time Open Cup champion NY Pancyprian Freedoms of Eastern New York. The victor of that match will face the winner between FC Omens of Massachusetts and Jackson Lions FC of New Jersey. In the southern bracket, last season’s Region cup holder NOVA FC of Metro DC/Virginia entertains Appalachia Steel FC of Pennsylvania West where the other quarterfinal has first time Region participant Sure Sports FC of Maryland traveling to the 2022 Werner Fricker Cup champion West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania.

In the Over-40 Cup, we have a rematch of last year’s semifinal between Renegades of Metro DC/Virginia against Christos FC of Maryland. Den of Lions Legend of New Jersey head out to Phoenix SC of Eastern Pennsylvania in the other southern quarterfinal. A New England derby showcases Kel Kau Masters of Massachusetts hosting Craft Food Hall FC of New Hampshire while Fairfield GAC FC of Connecticut travel to Manhattan Celtic Masters of Eastern New York.

Last Sunday we completed our quarterfinal rounds of the Gerhard Mengel Cup, the Over-30 Championship. Sportfriends Polonia SC of New Jersey earned a date against the NY Greek American of Eastern New York after a 10:2 knockout of Vasco da Gama of Connecticut. Mat Gawronski completed a hat trick, with Markus Lahtinen and Johnny Geleski earning braces plus goals from Sam Harrington, Paul Wojdyla and Thomas Szumilo. The southern bracket featured two 1:0 shutouts with Vereinigung Erzgebirge of Eastern Pennsylvania defeating NOVA FC and the Tartan Devils of Pennsylvania West edging Christos FC. Toby Abdul’s 73rd minute goal from a corner kick was enough to advance VE while Cory Werth put through the goal set up by Rob Vincent and Rami Bensasi.

In some sad news for the Region, our Cup Director, Jack Testani, passed away after battling cancer for many years. Jack was a stalwart in our soccer community serving in the Connecticut Soccer League for over four decades including President of the league at his death. He also served as Vice President of the Connecticut State Soccer Association. Jack was a former player and manager of the Bridgeport Italians SC and inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012. At all of our Region Cup matches this weekend, teams will start with a moment of silence in recognition of Jack.