'Relaxed' Greater Lowell looks to bag valuable three points against Cosmos B

First place versus third place, best offense versus best defense showdown in the National Premier Soccer League this Saturday as a "relaxed" Greater Lowell United FC takes on a driven New York Cosmos B in quest of a well needed three points. 

Greater Lowell United FC visits New York Cosmos B for one of the most thrilling match-up of the Atlantic Conference this season on Saturday at 4 p.m. at James M. Stuart Stadium. 

Cosmos B is the number one seed team in their conference at the moment and the reigning NPSL champions. However Greater Lowell is not intimidated by the New York's team.

Greater Lowell United FC midfielder Quincy Appah. Greater Lowell
United FC Images

"I am relaxed," GLUFC midfielder Quincy Appah said about the upcoming fixture, "and very excited as well.

"It is obvious they are one of the best teams in the league and it is going to be a tough game but that is all soccer is about, challenge. I have spoken to my teammates and I believe they are all relaxed and looking forward to having a good game."

Hayden Barbosa's men face Brooklyn Italians the day before they play Cosmos' second team, which makes their goal of defeating the champ even more challenging. But if you look at what those three points can do for them, playing a full 90 on sore legs is totally worth it.

Greater Lowell is seven points shy off second place, the last playoff position, with a game in hand. Coach Barbosa spread the idea that because his team is fighting for the last playoff spot, his side is the hungriest team in the league.

"We want those points more than anyone else," the GLUFC coach said.

Greater Lowell couldn't ask for a bumpier road to the playoffs than what they have now, after playing the league toppers they have two straight games against second placed Boston City FC-- the team they want to steal the last playoff spot from.

Greater Lowell United FC during their game against Kingston Stockdale
on May 8th. Greater Lowell United FC Images

Appah shared that his team's plan to approach this bumpy road is to stay tranquil and take it bump by bump. "We are excited to be in the position we are in now with a playoff spot up for grabs," the 26-year-old said.

"The team is calm and we will want to take it game after game. Beating the number one seed in the conference as well as last year's champions will be great and will definitely be a huge boost for us in our quest for a playoff spot."

Hard to stay "calm" when Cosmos B is the highest scoring team in all of the 13 conferences of the NPSL. Barbosa admits Cosmos B's tremendous scoring capability, but he's assured that they will not get pass his defense at ease.

"They're [Cosmos B] certainly a consistent team in the goal scoring department," the coach said. 

"However, given our record of conceding only 17 goals so far this season [the best in the league], also considering the fact that the last time we faced them they only scored one goal on us in the run of play, the other was a bogus hand ball call in the box. That said, I'm confident they will not score on us easily."

  New York Cosmos forward Ivan Berterame [in the middle]. Ivan Berterame
Twitter Images 

One of the men behind Cosmos B's goal machine is number nine Ivan Berterame. The forward tallied seven goals in nine games, including a goal against Greater Lowell the last time they met. He's well aware of GLUFC having the best defense in the conference hence he's arduously preparing for the match. 

"They play hard, also have a good defense, it's going to be a close match. I'm working hard to be 100% for the game, we'll see how it goes [if I will score or not] this Saturday."


Keep an Eye on Stats

• New York Cosmos B has conceded at least one goal in their last eight games but are still the best defensive team in the Atlantic Conference alongside Greater Lowell United FC, conceding 17 goals.
• Cosmos B outscored Greater Lowell 10-2 in their last three meetings. 
• Cosmos B scored at least three goals in their last three games.

New York Cosmos B vs Greater Lowell United FC Stats

New York Cosmos B

Record: 10-2-1

Goals scored: 39

Goals conceded: 17

Form: W W W L W

Greater Lowell United FC

Record: 5-3-4

Goals scored: 22

Goals conceded: 17

Form: W W T W L

Players to watch

Cosmos B

Ivan Berterama scored seven goals in nine games for his club.

Greater Lowell

Defender Patrick Hamilton played every single games for GLUFC so far this season.

Last Meeting

5-4-16: Greater Lowell United FC 1-2 New York Cosmos B

Additional Note: New York Cosmos B Coach Fernando Barboto quote.

"We will work as usual. We have scored a lot of goals this season and I think our work is paying off. We are confident in our hard work every training session. We are confident that it will pay dividends in the end." 

Brooklyn snaps a four-game winless streak with a 3-0 victory over NY Athletic

Brooklyn Italians got the best of NY Athletic Club with the help of Eddie Speed's header and Simen Hestnes and Rasmus Hansen's strikes to go back to winning ways. 

The last team Brooklyn Italians defeated in the National Premier Soccer League was NY Athletic Club on May 29th. The Italians ended their four-match winless run with the last team they conquered via a 3-0 win at LIU Brooklyn Athletic Complex Wednesday night.

Simen Hestnes kicked the scoring off for Brooklyn with a blazing low-drive shot from outside the 18. Eddie Speed doubled the scoring with a free header at the hour mark before Rasmus Hansen called it a night with a goal of his own in the 74th minute.

NY Athletic outshot their opponents 14-8 but hit fewer shots on target than them.

Mirsad Huseinovic's side jumps to fifth place in the Atlantic Conference after this win. Meanwhile NYAC remains in eighth position. 

NY Athletic dominated the Italians early in the game as they took three shots in the first five minutes, when Brooklyn hit none.

18 minutes into the game Joe Ruesgen's side took yet another shot when Robert Cabrera's cross found Kevin Davis' head. Davis' glancing header whistled inches away past the Italians' goalpost.

Shots after shots, NYAC looked as if they were going to be the first one to hit the net. Although, it was Brooklyn who opened the scoring, with only their second shot of the night.

Speed dispossessed Yannick Diese in the middle of the field before hitting a pinpoint pass to Hestnes in NY Athletic's open defense. Hestnes took advantage of the opportunity as he hit a low-shot past keeper Marco Luna to the bottom left corner of the net in the 27th minute.

Salvatore Barone came close to adding to Brooklyn's tally shortly after the restart. The Brooklyn native ended a Robben-like diagonal run with a screamer from midfield, but opposing keeper Marco Luna was well positioned to perform an easy save.

Briefly after that, Brooklyn scored what is arguably their best team goal so far this season.

Barone released Hansen with a one time pass down the right flank. Hansen whipped a cross to an unmarked Speed, who ducked to head the ball in the back of the net an hour into the game.

The Italians also showed individual brilliance in their last goal. Hansen sped diagonally past a couple of NYAC defenders on top of the eighteen before tucking an exquisite strike in the left corner of the net.

Brooklyn Italians will look to keep this momentum going Sunday as they travel to Kingston, NY, to take on Kingston Stockade FC, who's right behind them in the standings, at 4:00 p.m.

And for NY Athletic they're staying home at Travers Island this Saturday to host last placed Seacost United Phantoms at 4 p.m. 

Man of the match: Rasmus Hansen (Mid/Fwd)-- 1 goal, 1 assist.

Statistics

Brooklyn Italians

Shots (on target %): 8 (75 %)

Corners: 4

Saves: 2

Fouls: 9

Yellow: 1-- Ivane Kandelaki

Red: 0

Offsides: 10

NY Athletic Club

Shots (on target %): 14 (14%)

Corners: 5

Saves: 6

Fouls: 7

Yellow: 1-- Christopher Sutherland

Red: 0

Offsides: 0

First USASA Region I Amateur Cup title on the line

Two of the best amateur sides in the country meet in the USASA Region I Amateur Cup final, in search of their first ever Region I Amateur Cup silverware.

Hopefully Lansdowne Bhoys F.C. saved some champagne after winning their league, the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, last Sunday in case they triumph over Christos F.C. in the USASA Region I Amateur Cup this Sunday at the Ukrainian American Sports Center in Horsham, Philadelphia.

The Bhoys defeated Southie F.C. 4-1 in the semifinal at home on April 30th. To add to their Amateur Cup prowess, Austin Friel's went undefeated in the CSL this season and made it to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. The Irish-based club's midfielder Ovan Oakley expresses that Lansdowne is reminiscing on their recent success to build confidence against Christos. 

Lansdowne Bhoys during the CSL final last Sunday. Lansdowne Bhoys Images

"We're definitely looking for the win [against Christos F.C.],"  Oakley said after the CSL championship game last Sunday, "the guys are buzzing right now, we had an extremely positive season so we're just going to build of that confidence going into that game." 

Although the CSL side is one of the most prolific amateur club in the country, they never won the Region I Amateur Cup. The furthest they've made it is the semifinal in 2013-14.

Christos F.C. might want to go double when they purchase the champagne, as they're scheduled for two finals on Sunday: the Werner Fricker Open Cup against FC Motown at 11 a.m. and the US Amateur Cup five hours later.

It's not the first time Christos manager Bryan Bugarin has two finals in one day. "Yes, two games is definitely tough," coach Bugarin admitted, "but I actually have a little experience with it from two years ago when I coached my Maryland Bays team in both finals as well. 

"We actually won the Werner Fricker Open Cup National title that year in Salt Lake City."

Some of the Maryland Bays players from then are current Christos players. Together with coach Bugarin, they competed in three national titles, winning one, the Werner Fricker Open Cup in 2014.

With such an experienced and familiar lineup, coach Bugarin is poised that his team will overcome the Irish giants, unless something goes wrong in the earlier final.

Christos F.C. after winning the Mayland Major Soccer League in the Fall.
Christos F.C. Images

"I think the key to success is just to get through our Open Cup final in the morning with as little fatigue factor as possible and hopefully with no injuries as well," the manager said.

As well as their opponents, this is Christos' first appearance in the final. 

Christos F.C. vs Lansdowne Bhoys stats:

• Christos FC hasn't played a game in 49 days, Lansdowne played seven games since then.

• Christos has a 24-0-1 overall record this season. Lansdowne has a 28-3-3 overall record this season.
•   The Bohys haven't conceded a goal in their last three games against amateur teams. Christos conceded five.
• Both teams won and went undefeated in their leagues.

Region I Amateur Cup stats:       

Christos F.C. (6 games)

Goals scored: 24        

Goals conceded: 10

Lansdowne Bhoys (5 games)

Goals scored: 13 

Goals conceded: 2      

Last five matches:

Christos FC (W,W,W,W,W)
3-23-16: Christos FC 2-0 ASA Charm City
4-3-16: Christos FC 2-1 Jersey Shore Boca
4-10-16: FC Yemen 0-3 Christos FC
4-17-16: Dulles Cannons 2-7 Christos FC
5-1-16: Phoenix Sport Club 2-3 Christos FC

Lansdowne Bhoys (W,W,L,W,W)
5-22-16: Everton FC Westchester Eagles 1-5 Lansdowne Bhoys
5-26-16: NY Pancyprian Freedoms 0-2 Lansdowne Bhoys
6-1-16: Rochester Rhinos 2-0 Lansdowne Bhoys
6-5-16: Lansdowne Bhoys 4-0 NY Athletic Club
6-12-16: Lansdowne Bhoys 3-0 Everton FC Westchester Eagles

Players to watch:

Lansdowne Bhoys
Ovan Oakley scored two goals in the CSL final last Sunday. Goalkeeper Danso Abdoukarim haven't conceded a goal in three games.

Christos FC
Forward Pete Caringi III played in the United Soccer League with the Oklahoma City Energy in 2014. Zach Bowman is a former Major Arena Soccer League player with the Detroit Waza Flow.



Sources: Maryland Major League Soccer Archive. 

Three titles in a row for Lansdowne, where will they be in three years?

Lansdowne Bhoys are in the midst of an unimaginable career in the amateur level, which makes us question what the club's future hold ahead.

New York Athletic Club won the Cosmopolitan Soccer League (5th division) not one, not two, but three years in a row from 1998-99 to 2000-01. They joined the higher division, the National Premier Soccer League (4th division), in 2008-- but still have a second team in the CSL.

Lansdowne Bhoys F.C. won the CSL not one, not two, but three years in row from 2013-14 to 2015-16. They will join the NPSL in...

Lansdowne Bhoys coach Austin Friel [on the right]  holding the CSL cup and showing three 
fingers to represent his team's three titles in a row.  Lansdowne Bhoys Images

The American soccer tier doesn't follow a promotion-relegation system. Some of the requirements to join the NPSL are a $12,500 one time membership fee, $5,000 annual league fee, a stadium with at least 500 seats.

That's the paper requirements, if you want the on-the-field requirements, take a look at these Bhoys.

Lansdowne only lost two league games in the past three seasons, outscoring their opponents 156 to 34. Furthermore, they didn't concede a single goal in the last three finals, but scored nine-- talking about unimaginable.

It's not like they're taking candies from babies, the CSL have a variety of players who played for some of the top college teams in the country or played professionally.

Players such as Chris Megaloudis (NY Pancyprian Freedoms), who's a retired Puerto Rican international; Micheal Palacio (NY Pancyprian Freedoms), who the New York Red Bulls signed in the 2008 MLS Draft, Lucas Befi (Everton Westchester Eagles), a former Belhaven University player and so on.

The Bhoys manager Austin Friel reflected on how challenging the CSL can be to overpower. "Three in a row is never easy," the manager said, "[if] you've watched some of the games, they're not easy. It's against some good teams, some good players. It's a tough league to win."

If a club wins a tough division for three straight years that's more than a sign that they should take it a notch higher. Well, guess what? Lansdowne went over and beyond that.

The Irish-based club made it to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, defeating the Long Island Rough Riders (4th division) 2-1 in extra time and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (United Soccer League: 3rd division) 2-0.

Such achievement is not even the caliber of a team that's in the next step ahead of Lansdowne: the NPSL. In fact, coach Friel himself noted that a lot of his players' skill sets are higher than the NPSL but rather on a professional level.

"We have talent on this squad and many of my guys can play in the USL on any team," the Irishman told Beyond F.C. You can't go against it, he has the results to prove it.

Friel was talking about players such as: captain Stephen Roche, who previously played professionally in Ireland with University College Dublin A.F.C., Sean Kelly, a former Arsenal U-18 captain and Irish U-19 national team player; Daryl Kavanagh, who played in Ireland's top division for ten years, winning the league once. The list goes on.

Daryl Kavanagh in his days with St Patrick's Athletic in 2013.
David Maher/ Sportsfile

Kavanagh playing for his current club, Lansdowne Bhoys.
Lisfl Images

Talent is definitely not what separates the CSL champions from any other USL team, but the time on the training pitch. As opposed to professional players, the Bhoys work full-time, limiting them to practice only three times a week, when a USL side practice about everyday.

"If we train everyday, we could manage the USL," forward Sikele Sylvester said, "[but] people got to work, I work, everybody on the team is a worker. We could play [in the USL] but we got to put a lot of work in training, these guys are not that fit, like me, I'm not that fit."

One of the first time, the club openly shared that they aim to reach the USL was in a Beyond F.C. article on May 24. "The aim of the club is eventually in the next three years going to the USL," Friel said.

No amateur team has ever made it to the USL. Well, no amateur team has ever reached Lansdowne's level of success, which makes their goal quite believable. If the Bhoys keep snatching titles and upsetting teams from the higher division in the U.S. Open Cup, it's not a question of if they will go pro but when will they go pro.

They aim to do it in three years, so you might want to check the USL's team list in 2019.

All in for the Written Hero

May 26, 2016 (original date)

City College soccer player Mostafa Haridi. Twitter Images

If you walked around the City College of New York before the CUNY soccer season started last fall it is a guarantee that none of the 13,299 students would’ve expected City to win the CUNYAC soccer championship.

In fact, when Mostafa Haridi scored the game-winning goal for CCNY he didn’t even know he scored. “After the ball touched the goal, I didn’t believe it went in,” Haridi said. “I couldn’t believe my eyes until my teammates started yelling goal.”

The Beavers played College of Staten Island in the CUNYAC championship. The game was tied one apiece after the regular 90, sending the two finalists to overtime. Two minutes into a second period of overtime, Haridi headed Aaron Schoenfelder’s corner kick in the back of the net. And City won CUNY.

Now if you have no idea what you would do if you led your school to the promise land, you probably would do something like this: The 23-year-old goalscorer grabbed his chest and started galloping to the fans with his arms wide opened, screaming so loud that the people in the parking lot could hear him.

Haridi tried to put a few words together to express what it feels like to be City College’s hero. “After scoring the game-winning goal, I was ecstatic. It was an unbelievable feeling,” the senior said.

City College had the most parties they ever had that night. That goal will for sure remain the best thing that will happen to CCNY this schoolyear—yes, it’s even better than Michelle Obama coming to the graduation.

And it’s all because of one man. Who? Mostafa Haridi.

If you look at Haridi, he was the perfect candidate to score the header that gave City the trophy. The midfielder is 6’3” and weighs about 190 pounds—you wouldn’t want to mark him. Furthermore, he had already scored similar goals throughout the season. End of conversation, Haridi was the chosen one.

Indeed, the Egyptian admits being CCNY’s Neo. “It was like the ball had my name written on it,” the hero said.

Although, he acknowledges that the goal was a team effort, in other words the whole team—or school—worked together to feed the ball to the only student at City College who was able to crown the school CUNYAC soccer champions.

“[On] being the person who scored the goal, I have to admit it was a team effort. Aaron [Schoenfelder] crossed a great ball and the ball hovered over my head.”

It wasn’t just Schoenfelder who worked in feeding Haridi the ball, it was all City College—all in for the written hero.

Lansdowne sweeps past Everton 3-0 for yet another CSL title

 

0   VS   3

   
         
Everton F.C. Westchester                                     Lansdowne Bhoys

Lansdowne Bhoys celebrate after defeating Everton F.C. Westchester in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League final Sunday night. Lansdowne Bhoys Images

Lansdowne takes the trophy home again as they cruise past Everton F.C. Westchester with a double from Ovan Oakley and a stunning long range strike by Pat McCann.

Yet again this season, the Cosmopolitan Soccer League first division trophy was bombarded by Irishmen fingerprints and kisses. 

Lansdowne Bhoys downed Everton F.C. Westchester 3-0 for a third straight CSL title Sunday night at Icahn Stadium. 

The two Irish Reggae Boyz, Sikele Sylvester and Ovan Oakley, connected brilliantly up top to score the Bhoys' first two goals, with Oakley being the finishing man on both occasions in the 15th and 62nd minute. 

Pat McCann put the icing on the cake with a beauty from outside the 18 about half an hour into the second half.  

"I'm extremely happy right now," Oakley said of his two championship goals. 

"[But] it's not even about me scoring the goals, it's just that we won, that's the most important thing. I'm extremely happy, I feel like everybody came out and did the job, you know, that's the most important thing, we got the win. Three in row, so that's good."

Lansdowne goalscorer Ovan Oakley.  David Harris/Facebook Imagaes 

Lansdowne opened the game with one of their most recognizable features, physicality, as right back Conor Hunter slid for a clashing tackle on Martin Dadaj to pick up the first yellow card in the fourth minute.

Jimmy Nealis picked up another foul for Austin Friel's side six minutes later as he brought the Eagles' number 10 down, Lucas Befi.

Although the Bhoys started the match like Men as always, they had a slow start as they allowed Everton to take four shots in the first 10 minutes.

The champions picked it up in the quarter hour mark when Oakley hit a clever through ball to Daryl Kavanagh. Kavanagh hesitated before shooting and found his shot blocked by an Everton defender.

Three minutes later, Sylvester found Oakley in the Eagles' open defense. Oakley's shot was parried away by Everton's keeper, but straight at Sylvester, who passed the ball back to Oakley. The Jamaican striker kept his shot away from the keeper this time to put Lansdowne ahead in the final.

The Eagles came close to equalizing early in the second half as Josue Ortiz tasted Danso Abdoukarim's glove with a glancing header.

But it was Lansdowne who scored the second goal of the game as Oakley curled Sylvester's pass on top of the net two minutes after the hour mark.

The two Jamaicans connected for the Bhoys first two goals. Sylvester told a reporter about how him and Oakley built such chemistry on the field after the game.

"When we practice, we always ask coach to put us together, so in the games we get better," Sylvester said.

He later added: "He's a good friend, we're both Jamaicans. Any Jamaicans who link up on the team, we're all going to get close."

McCann closed the scoring in grand fashion for Lansdowne. The 25-year-old whipped a low-drive shot to the bottom right corner of the net in the 78th minute of play.

Next up for the Bhoys is the USASA Regional Amateur Cup final against Christos F.C.

Statistics

Everton F.C. Westchester Eagles

Shots (on target): 13 (7)

Corners: 5

Offsides: 2

Fouls: 2

Yellow: 1-- Martin Dadaj

Red: 0

Saves: 7

Lansdowne Bhoys F.C.

Shots: 15 (10)

Corners: 3

Offsides: 7

Fouls: 12

Yellow: 3-- C. Hunter, S. Sylvester, S. Foster

Red: 0

Saves: 7

The Eagles overcome powerhouse NY Pancyprian to reach the final

Everton FC Westchester Eagles before the semifinal against NY Pancyprian Freedoms Tuesday night at St. John's Beslon Stadium. Everton FC Westchester Eagles Images

You thought it was going to be NY Pancyprian Freedoms and Lansdowne Bhoys in the CSL final again, didn't you? Well...

Everton FC Westchester Eagles reached the CSL final for the first time after muscling their way past six-times champions NY Pancyprian 2-1 in the semifinal on Tuesday.

Paul Nittoli scored both goals for the Eagles in the 60th and 75th minute, meanwhile the Freedoms scored of an own goal.

President and head coach, Oliver Papraniku, shared how excited the club is to be in the final yesterday.

"We are thrilled with the win," Papraniku said, "and can't wait for all of our players to experience the prestige and pressure that comes along with making the finals."

Everton were by no doubts the underdogs going into this fixture. The Freedoms are one of the most prolific teams the league has ever seen. They topped the league 10 times, going on to win the championship six times.

And more recently, they made it to the finals the last two seasons, losing to Lansdowne Bhoys. NY Pancyprian finished the season six points higher than Papraniku's side in second place.

On the other hand, the semifinal winners finished in third place. They only ended the regular season over the Freedoms once in the past 10 years in 2012-13.

Everton also defeated the Freedoms earlier in the season 1-0 at home. A win that is incomparable to a 2-1 victory in the semi away at St. John's Stadium. It's not always by chance when an underdog beats a powerhouse, Panpraniku told a reporter the secret behind this famous win.

"We were very proud of the boys," the manager said, "and that our high pressure 3-5-2 formation worked for us against a very strong and experienced team like the Pancyprians.

"We have been working on bringing up young players all season and feel that our investment in the future has had immediate payback."

Besides buying a trip to the final, Everton is showing another quality of a top amateur club as they launched the career of MLS players, RJ Allen, Brandon Allen, Ignacio Maganto and NASL player Bljedi Bardic, according to their president.

The Eagles will face either Lansdowne or NY Athletic Club in the final.

"We look forward to the finals and our team giving it our all," Papraniku said.