Southeast Region Goes 0 for 4 In US Open Cup Qualifying
Four Southeast Region teams participated in the USASA’s Region III US Open Cup qualifying tournament this past weekend in Tuscaloosa, AL, and four teams came up short. After weather delayed the start of the tournament 
until Saturday morning and a team was disqualified for failing to appear, the format of the weekend tournament was set at 2 groups of 4 teams with the group winners advancing to the US Open Cup.
In Group A, Legends FC of Dallas, TX ran away with the group by gathering maximum points. Pumas finished second, and while only giving up three goals, Rocket City United finished bottom of the group with 1 point. Group B saw a closer battle for the qualifying spot, but CASL Elite of North Carolina (2-0-1, 7pts) edged FC Tulsa and Atlanta FC who both finished with 4 points after going 1-1-1.
Chattanooga FC 2:1 Atlas U-23
It was not all bad news in the NPSL Southeast Region this weekend. In front of one of the largest soccer crowds in Chattanooga history, Chattanooga FC upset the FC Atlas of Guadalajara U-23 team 2:1. Defender Russel Courtney energized his team by putting CFC ahead early on a header from a Josh Scott set piece cross in the 15th minute. Courtney got behind his defender to nod the ball over the goalkeeper for the lead. Atlas responded with nice work through the middle of the park, but time and again they were frustrated by the disciplined CFC defense and goalkeeper, Richard Masters, who had several acrobatic saves to keep the score 1:0 going into the halftime interval.
Chattanooga forward Irvin Espinal turns the corner on FC Atlas (photo courtesy of Ben Keys, CFC Facebook)
The frustration continued for the youthful Atlas team in the second half. This time Russel Courtney came up big on the defensive end with the help of Lady Luck. Atlas midfielder Edson Rivera found himself free in front of goal and lifted a shot over the charging Masters only to be cleared off the line when it hit Courtney squarely between the shoulder blades after tussling with another Atlas forward.
With about ten minutes left, substitute Irvin Espinal added an insurance goal with a very well taken free kick that squeaked underneath the Atlas wall who had jumped in anticipation of a curled ball over the top. To they’re credit, Atlas did not fold and two minutes later responded with a goal from free kick. However, it was too little, too late, as the crowd of 6,317 was able to celebrate a victory for the home side.
CFC coach Brian Crossman was happy with his club’s performance, as he told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, “We played well defensively and we did a lot of the intangibles… We thought it would be hard to keep them off of the scoreboard, because [Atlas] are such a fine team”
