2024 NPSL National Championship Preview: El Farolito Hopes to Claim First NPSL National Championship
By Michael Lewis/NPSL.com
In many ways, Santiago Lopez has come full circle with El Farolito.
When he was seven years old, Lopez watched his father, Salvador, coach El Farolito, then called Club Deportivo Mexico, as they captured the 1993 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Indianapolis, IN.
As it turned out, it was the last national title the San Francisco-based team secured.
“I do remember the energy and the commitment that the whole team had,” Santiago said. “My father was head coach, founded the team, and he got the group together. He had a very good core of players, and they ended up making an amazing Open Cup run. It was one of the first national tournaments that they ever competed in, and they ended up winning it.”
On Saturday, August 3 at 7:00 pm, El Farolito, under the guidance of Santiago Lopez, will try to win its second national title when it meets FC Motown for the 2024 NPSL National Championship. The confrontation of undefeated teams will be held at Ranger Stadium on the campus of Drew University in Madison, N.J.
“Santiago has talked about this moment,” goalkeeper Johan Lizarralde said. “We have history.”
It was some very special history as the club was one of the last amateur sides to win the Open Cup.
When C.D. Mexico won the crown, amateur teams dominated the competition, as Major League Soccer was three years away from kicking its first soccer ball.
“It kind of feels like, what’s going on right now, imagining that this is all amateur,” Santiago said. Just like at that time, there were no professional clubs, national stage, playing against different regions. This season, we got to play Arizona, then Minnesota, and then now we’re going to the east coast. It’s pretty similar to that Open Cup run that they had.”
On paper, it could be one memorable matchup as the game will be the confrontation of two undefeated sides. So, Lopez said that he expects a battle and a half.
“I know Motown from previous years,” he said. “They did an amazing Open Cup run. They beat the national champions against the team that had beat us in the West Region. They lost the final as well. I know that they’re high performance. If it wasn’t for all the big money in USL League One or USL Championship, I’m pretty sure they have the level to compete and compete in those leagues. So, we know what we’re up against.”
El Farolito is a pretty darn good team itself, winning the Golden Gate Conference and having outscored its opposition through the playoffs, 56-13.
The team has liked to spread the wealth.
The midfield is quite strong. Erik Arias leads the way with seven goals, while Carlos Rodriguez has tallied four times. Daniel Buitrago, a former member of the Colombia Under-20 Youth National Team, played for America de Cali and Santa Fe in his native country.
In the 4-1 triumph over FC Arizona in the West Region Final on July 20, Aly Arriola came off the bench to bag a brace. Jhohann Yabur and Kipre Sacre added one goal apiece.
In the 3-0 win over Duluth FC in the national semifinals on July 27, Gabriel Arias, Jonatan Valdivia, and Rodriguez found the net.
“We worked for this moment,” Lizarralde said. “We’ve done more this year with preparation. It is great for us.”
While his teammates have gone on the attack, trying to fill the opposition’s net, Lizarralde has a goal for himself – not to let any get past him.
“My challenge is always to stay at zero,” he said.
Lopez said that his team hasn’t gotten hyped up about Saturday’s match being a championship game.
“I honestly don’t feel like this is a championship game,” he said. “To us, this is just another game, another test against a very, very difficult team. I say this because since the beginning of January, we started with this group to prepare for the year. We were just focused on the Open Cup, getting our game plan, our game model as proper as possible, and try to work on every individual and get to know every player as we can. We have a mixture of personalities, ages, backgrounds. We’ve been working very hard to make everybody happy, get some minutes, give everybody an opportunity and find that core of a group that can perform every game without slipping or lowering the intensity of our game plan.”
The team has its roots firmly ensconced in the Mission District in San Francisco – the El Farolito Restaurant specializes in Mexican food. Santiago is one of three general managers at the establishment.
“No-frills Mexican Taqueria & late-night haunt serving comfort food like tacos & burritos,” its website stated.
On the soccer pitch, El Farolito is hardly a no-frills side.
It has been a soccer power in the Bay area. Santiago’s father, Salvador, who passed away in 2021, was the driving force of the club as the coach, general manager, and founder, making sure the soccer team had quality players.
When Santiago took over the reins in 2010, the team started to recapture some past glory and became a Bay area power. The team is a perennial top team in the area or region, whether it was competing in the San Francisco Soccer Football League or the NPSL, since 2018.
With so many professional teams in the Open Cup nowadays, El Farolito has tried to go as deep as it could in the competition, pulling off some giant-killing cupsets. Earlier this year, the team defeated Portland Timbers 2 (MLS NEXT Pro) 2-1 in the first round, edging host Central Valley Fuego (USL League One) 2-1 in the second round before falling to the Oakland Roots (USL Championship) 2-1 in extra time in the third round.
“Regarding the local leagues,” Lopez said. “I say this in the most humble way. If we don’t win the championship, it’s a failure. So, in the San Francisco league, we’re very much consistent throughout every year to be one of the top, one of the favorites, if not the favorite to win. Since 2010, in about four and five years. We won three championships.”
He noted that the team has won four Golden Gate Conference championships in the NPSL over the last six years, has been runner-up of the region twice, and won the West Region Championship for the first time this season.
“And now we’re a national finalist,” he said. “That’s what my father left us with that type of legacy and that type of responsibility.”
Salvador Lopez also left his son with a passion for the beautiful game.
“I can’t really speak for the other team or other teams in the country or other players, but I know that every player in this squad, or the ones that have been here with us previously, the ones that are not participating with us, you can sense, and you can tell that soccer is more than passion,” Santiago said. “It’s more of a lifestyle. It’s waking up and wanting to know more about the game, wanting to know about your favorite team or player. It’s a necessity, and to us, even to me.”
Even though his squad has traveled almost 3,000 miles across the country for the final, Lopez said that his team has embraced playing on the road.
“To us, this is just another trip, another opportunity for us to be together,” he said. “The group loves each other, they respect each other, they all work very hard. We’re a big family outside of our family. We’ve been doing this since January. Unfortunately, this is going to be the last match of the season because some of them are going to go to a D1 school, or some of them are going to go back to another tournament playing. Hopefully, some will go pro. It’s been a very lovely ride, and we’re very fortunate to be at the stage.”
And oh yes, about the 1993 Open Cup that Santiago Lopez witnessed in person as a seven-year-old. Now 38, he said that he doesn’t remember the particulars of that encounter, except that C.D. Mexico played with energy and flair. C.D. Mexico recorded a 5-0 victory over the German Hungarians (Philadelphia) in Indianapolis, IN that July 17, in rather unusual circumstances.
The starting kickoff was held up for 20 minutes because of a communications mix-up. Both teams walked onto the field wearing white tops.
“You don’t play with shirts, you play as a team,” said forward Elias Fonseca, who earned MVP honors, on the strength of his two first-half goals.
Because it was considered the home team, C.D. Mexico was ordered to change its top. However, there was one problem. The team did not bring any back-up uniforms.
“This is the uniform we have worn all season,” team president and coach Salvador Lopez told this reporter then.
C.D. Mexico conjured up substitute red shirts. But even make-shift shirts with numbers hastily made from black magic markers did not faze them.
After a slow start, Mexico made quick work of the eastern Pennsylvania team. As ragged as the squad might have looked on the fashion end – red shirt, green shorts and white socks – C.D. Mexico was as brilliant on the field. The California side took 15 minutes to find its rhythm before rolling past its foes.
“We were just waiting in the first 10-15 minutes to see what they had,” Fonseca said at the time. “They got tired, and we pushed the ball around.”
The shirt controversy truly never was put to rest that night.
As the game neared its conclusion, C.D. Mexico officials took out the “contraband” shirts. After the final whistle, the C.D. Mexico players walked to the sidelines and put on the green and white jerseys.
So, C.D. Mexico had the last word, as its players were able to wear their original shirts during the post-match ceremonies and celebration.
The shirt fiasco aside, Santiago would love to repeat what transpired on the field in Indianapolis, in Madison, NJ three decades later.
“Hopefully, we come back with the trophy,” he said. “That’s what we’re pushing for.”
Which would complete one unique circle some three decades later.
Photo Credit: Nap Badillo/NPSL.com
