OPEN CUP OUSTER Greek-American Atlas falls to Cape Cod, 4-1
By Dylan Butler
BigAppleSoccer.com Assistant Editor
Jamaica, N.Y. — For 60 minutes, they were right there. For 60 minutes Greek-American Atlas, a glorified pickup team of close friends, played even with the Cape Cod Crusaders in a first-round U.S. Open Cup match at St. John’s University Wednesday night.
But then the two-time defending Premier Development League champions scored three times in the final 30 minutes to end any hopes of an upset at St. John’s University Wednesday night as Cape Cod left with a 4-1 win.
Cape Cod advances to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup to face the Western Mass Pioneers of the Pro Soccer League June 15 at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass.
What certainly appeared to be a mismatch at first glance — Cape Cod arrived in Queens in the early afternoon, ate and practiced on the field while some players on Greek-American Atlas strolled into Belson Stadium 15 minutes before kickoff — was anything but at the start of the second half.
It was Greek-American Atlas (12-3-3), the United States Adult Soccer Association Region I representative, that took the game to Cape Cod following a first half that saw the Crusaders dominate possession only to head into halftime tied at 1.
Two minutes into the second half Junior Motino played a great ball to the feet of Giovanni Savarese and the MetroStars all-time leading scorer broke in free towards goal. But the former Venezuelan international’s low, hard shot was tipped away by Cape Cod keeper David Mahoney for a corner kick.
Five minutes later Motino sent what at first looked like a harmless cross from the near corner flag but the ball curled towards the back post and Mahoney pushed it off the crossbar before falling into the netting.
“I think they actually scored their goals in our best moment. In the second half we had two opportunities but we couldn’t score,” Savarese said. “The first one the goalkeeper came out good and saved the ball and the second one we were unlucky.”
Cape Cod coach Paul Baber, who played against the Greek-Americans in the Cosmopolitan League when he lived on Long Island several years ago, brought U-19 standout Eden Cherry on for some much needed pace off the bench in the 58th minute and it was his speed down the flank that set up the Crusaders’ winning goal two minutes later.
Dayton O’Brian sent a corner kick towards the far post where an unmarked Scott Palgutta tapped the ball in to give Cape Cod (5-1) a 2-1 lead in the 60th minute.
Ten minutes later the Crusaders made it 3-1 when O’Brian switched the ball to David Roman, who was wide open on the right side. Roman slotted the ball over the right shoulder of Greek-American Atlas keeper Mike Mellis from 16 yards out to essentially put the game away.
Keith Caldwell added an insurance goal in the 88th minute when he capitalized on a Greek-American Atlas defensive blunder.
“We knew that we had a lot of energy off the bench and we have a good solid 20 players,” said Cape Cod coach Paul Baber. “Our hope was moving the ball quickly would tire (Greek-American Atlas) out.”
Cape Cod dominated for much of the first half and took a well-deserved 1-0 lead in the 14th minute when John Krause knocked in David Bulow’s low cross in front of the goal.
But Greek-American Atlas tied the game in the 26th minute on a series of quick passes around the 18-yard box. Savarese touched the ball to Paul Grafas, who rifled the ball into the upper right corner of the net from 14 yards out.
“They are like a professional team and they’re fit. We get together once or twice a week, we’re not fit and it showed in the second half,” Husenovic said. “Player-wise we’re right there with them but the fitness level is what hurt us.”
Cape Cod Crusaders
David Mahoney; Aaron Bonser, Kurt Morsink (John O’Reilly-90), Thulani Ncube, Scott Palgutta; Eoin Lynch (Eden Cherry-58), David Roman, Anthony Petraca, Dayton O’Brian; John Krause, David Bulow (Keith Caldwell-77).
Greek-American Atlas
Mike Mellis; Ranford Champagne, Mirsad Husenovic, George Kaliontzakis (Chris Vorigio-58), Christos Zisimatos; Hemir Niebles, Ilya Zlater (Jamie Arias-81), Fabian Brizuela, Junior Motino (Manolis Koundourakis-83); Giovanni Savarese, Paul Grafas (Ernest Murduhkhayev-45).
Scoring
Cape Cod — John Krause (David Bulow) 14
GA Atlas — Paul Grafas (Giovanni Savarese) 26
Cape Cod — Scott Palgutta (Dayton O’Brian) 60
Cape Cod — David Roman (Dayton O’Brian) 70
Cape Cod — Keith Caldwell 77
Discipline
GA Atlas — Mirsad Husenovic (yellow card) 21
Cape Cod — Scott Palgutta (yellow card) 61
Cape Cod — Kurt Morsink (yellow card) 63
