The New York Pancyprian Freedoms won the 2024 USASA Amateur Cup on Saturday night as they defeated the Milwaukee Torrent 6-0 at Northern Illinois University’s soccer complex in DeKalb, Illinois.

New York were the much better side on the day, and they made sure to show it early and often, putting things to bed before the midway point of the first half. They were absolutely deserving winners.

Story of the Match

The action started early, with New York opening the scoring in the 7th minute. A low pass from Jordan Bailon squeaked past the defense, and it was enough to get to Junior Rosero, who rounded the keeper and passed the ball into the back of the net.

It was two moments later. Joseph Holland got the ball to Sebastian Restrepo, and he did the rest, cutting inside and drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.

The Freedoms could’ve been up three in 10 minutes. Restrepo tried to find Rosero in the box on the counter, but he just missed him.

They did make it 3-0 before the quarter-hour mark. Restrepo flew down the pitch like a superhero, and the finish was a composed one as he slotted home past an onrushing goalkeeper.

New York added a fourth goal midway through the first half. Restrepo found Holland in the area, he took a turn to set up a teammate, and then realized he should go for goal himself. It was the right call, as his toe-pick finish rolled right into the bottom corner.

The Torrent had their first chance in the 30th minute. A cross-shot combo allowed the ball to fly across the six-yard box, but no one was able to redirect it into the back of the net.

Both teams had an opponent before the break. Rosero couldn’t get a shot on target from a tight angle for New York, and then Milwaukee’s Max Ludwig smashed the ball wide from the edge of the area.

There was one more goal in the first half, and it was scored by the Freedoms. A great defensive effort stopped the ball from going in at first, but the rebound fell right to Rosero, and he slammed it home at the second time of asking.

The goals kept coming in the second half, at least early on. A free-kick was whipped into the box by Rafael Bustamante, and it ended up flying past everyone, including the goalkeeper.

In a surprising turn of events, that was the end of the scoring. Each side had some opportunities, but there wasn’t really anything to write home about.

Notes and Takeaways

There are some good things about hosting these games at Northern Illinois University, like the quality of the field and the sheer amount of space for facilities. It’s not perfect, though, and the press box wasn’t large enough to fit both broadcasters and written media. I ended up sitting outside of it, and another writer ended up on the roof. That’s the magic of the Amateur Cup, I guess.

This game was over before it even began. Milwaukee wasn’t ready defensively for the New York attack, and they were made to pay dearly for it. The attackers were ready to go, to their credit, finishing their early chances.

The Torrent were also a bit naive at the start. They came out and tried to play their game offensively, which you can respect, but it left them practically naked at the back. They got carved apart on the counter, and there was too much space for the opposition to run into and play in.

Then again maybe it wouldn’t have even mattered how they set up tactically because the Freedoms might simply be too good. Restrepo and Rosero are unreal talents to have at this level, and they really should be playing at a higher level. They’ve got a lovely supporting cast too. Who knows what the future holds for most of those players, but this lineup in the Amateur Cup was like the 2008 USA Redeem Dream at the Olympics.

Fair play to Torrent goalkeeper Sam Ortner, who made a number of big saves to try and limit the scoreline. He was quick off his line when he needed to be, and his positioning helped bail on his teammates on occasion.

What it means

This was New York’s first Amateur Cup title win, and they’ve also secured automatic qualification for the 2025 US Open Cup as a result of this victory.

Man of the match - Sebastian Restrepo and/or Junior Rosero

Honestly you could pick either Sebastian Restrepo or Junior Rosero to be the man of the match and you’d be absolutely correct.

New York has a very good team, but those two are a step above everyone out on the field.

Restrepo is an absolute menace on the left wing, using his pace and dribbling ability to devastating effect. He takes off every time he’s on the ball, dancing past defender after defender. The winger also gets it done in the final third, able to find a teammate or rifle home himself.

Rosero is much more of a raw goalscorer, but he’s just as dangerous. He’s got a knack of knowing where to be, and with his speed and power, he’s able to get there before anyone else. Once the ball is at his feet it’s practically game over since he knows how to blast a shot past the keeper or place it into the corner.

Hopefully some professional teams give them a look soon. They deserve it.

Key quotes

New York Pancyprian Freedoms head coach Panayiotis Onisforou:

“It feels great. This is something we’ve been striving for many years, we hold this competition dear to our hearts. It’s special because it’s the 50th year anniversary of Turkey invading Cyprus, and for Pancyprian to be national champion for that year is special. There’s a lot of feelings.”

“I don’t mean it to be arrogant, but we know in the amateur world that we have the best players. Our president wanted it. We had many motivations. This is where we belong, we belong on the national stage. We believe that we’re the best, the players and the club. I told the players that we’re not the best unless we show it, and they did.”

New York Pancyprian Freedoms forward Junior Rosero:

“It’s the result of our determination and effort. I joined them in the spring, and they’ve been together since the fall. It’s great to get this win. We came here for the championship and that’s what we got. God blessed us.”

“We knew we were getting our chances, and it was all about finishing them. We had a gameplan, we executed it, and got the job done. We’re gonna try to chase this championship. I’m grateful for the club inviting me and being a part of their great history. I’m excited to celebrate tonight.”

- Adnan Bašić