Nashville’s Beaman United, who count their history in months not years, are taking aim at a first-ever berth in the Open Cup Proper. They’ve ridden a swashbuckling, possession-based approach, and some goal-littered wins, to this Final Round.
“We like to play the game the way it’s meant to be played,” said Nigerian-born coach, player and club founder Gift Ndam, who’s wrangled together a hugely talented team that includes ex-MLS pro Kwadwo Poku. “We’re not afraid to concede goals and as long as we can keep the ball, we like our chances.”
Beaman, who survived a topsy-turvy 4-4 draw and shootout against Kalonji Pro-Profile in Georgia in the last Round, now host 2022 Open Cup veterans D’Feeters Kicks SC of Dallas, Texas.
“This is win or go home,” said Ndam, who founded the Nashville side earlier this year and shares the coaching duties with former San Antonio FC midfielder Michael Reed. “So we’ll be ready to play.”
Northeast Powers Eager to Repeat
A pair of familiar Open Cup Proper competitors will be eager to stamp return tickets to the tournament up in the Northeast. Lansdowne Yonkers FC, led by striker Shamir Mullings and head coach Sean Kelly, face off with SC Vistula Garfield of New Jersey while Massachusetts’ Brockton FC United open their doors to hard-traveling Chicago House AC – a club founded two years ago as a pro side by American soccer legend, and Open Cup evangelist, Peter Wilt.
“Qualifying for the Open Cup Proper would be a tremendous boost for the players and the fanbase of the team,” said Wilt, who won multiple Open Cups during his days as GM and President of MLS’ Chicago Fire. “It has importance beyond two teams just playing a game.”
The Bhoys from Yonkers, keen to reach a second Open Cup Proper on the trot, also know the value of reaching the big show. “We need to use this [Open Cup] as a platform,” said the English-born Mullings, a former pro who’s also Lansdowne Yonkers’ youth director and part of the side that exited last year’s Open Cup after a Second Round loss to Rochester NY FC.
“There’s a lot of exposure that comes with it [the Cup] and we think we have a deeper squad than we did last year,” added Mullings.
But Lansdowne Yonkers’ opponents on the day, Vistula Garfield – the polish club from New Jersey celebrating their 70th anniversary this year – have their own ideas. “Reaching the tournament [Proper] in this special year in our history would be the cherry on top,” said Chris Karcz, the 39-year-old player-coach who guided the club, long-time veterans of the North Jersey ethnic leagues, past former Open Cup champions NY Pancyprian Freedoms and Jackson Lions in this Qualifying phase.
