Men's First Team Advances in U.S. Open Cup Qualifying With 2-1 Win

The Men's First Team defeated Black Cat FC 2–1 in their first U.S. Open Cup qualifying match of the fall thanks to a precise free kick from Milos Vucic.

GOALS

• Edgewater Castle FC: 22' Mounir Alami (A Joshua Torres), 70' Milos Vucic

• Black Cat FC: 33' Jethro Yumange (A Oladeinbo Toluwalase)

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First Half

Qudus Lawal moves the ball forward past a Black Cat defender. Credit: Ruben Urquiza

The first half began as a tight back-and-forth between the two sides, both making early shots on goal but failing to convert. Excellent defensive play from Lucas Sampson and Quentin "Q" Benedetto kept Black Cat off the scoreboard, while Qudus Lawal, Andres Rocha, and the rest of the midfield kept the ball contested.

Through their wing play, ECFC soon found a prime goal-scoring opportunity. After his team won a corner on the right side, Joshua Torres delivered a pinpoint cross in the 22nd minute that found Mounir Alami, who knocked it into goal for the 1–0 lead.

Despite going down, Black Cat’s resolve did not falter. Just eleven minutes later, they won a corner of their own. At the 33rd minute, Jethro Yumange sent in a cross that found Oladeinbo Toluwalase, whose header tied the game at 1–1.

With the score level, both sides continued to press but neither could break the stalemate before halftime.

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Second Half

Andres Rocha keeps the pressure on Black Cat in the midfield. Credit: Ruben Urquiza

After the break, both teams picked up where they left off, trading possession across each third. ECFC’s halftime substitutes, Kevin Tagbe and Tobias Wimmer, immediately contributed; Tagbe’s speed kept pressure on Black Cat’s defense, while Wimmer’s tackling helped protect ECFC’s goal.

With the game still tied, the match grew more physical. Lawal nearly put ECFC ahead after bursting through defenders, but a well-timed tackle prevented him from taking a shot. Black Cat pushed hard as well, but thanks to Wimmer and goalkeeper Greg Stellatos’s physical presence in the box, they couldn’t find the lead.

The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when a late tackle on ECFC’s game-changing sub, Milos Vucic, earned a free kick on the left side of the pitch. From the spot, Vucic curled the ball into the top-left corner of the net—out of reach for the keeper—to give ECFC the 2–1 advantage.

“[Vucic’s] goal was truly fantastic, a brilliant strike,” ECFC Men’s First Team head coach Duygu Erdogan said. “Milos’s goal had a positive impact on the entire team and gave us great morale in the remaining minutes. That goal was also the turning point of the match; it was really impressive.”

Black Cat pressed hard in the final stages, forcing their way several times into ECFC’s third, but Stellatos remained calm and collected between the posts, making six saves to keep the Rooks ahead. Thanks to his efforts and those of his back line, ECFC held on to secure the victory and move one step closer in their U.S. Open Cup campaign.

Head coach Duygu Erdogan talks tactics with Mounir Alami. Credit: Ruben Urquiza

Following the match, Erdogan emphasized her squad’s focus on continued improvement as the tournament progresses.

“We need to work harder to improve our game plan. We are a team capable of achieving this. Technically, we are a skilled squad, and within tactical discipline, we will elevate our team play to the highest level,” Erdogan said.

The Men's First Team’s next match will be a friendly against Wings SC at Foster Turf Field on October 2 at 8:30 PM.