Late Penalty Sinks FC Motown, Falls 1-0 to Pro Side Westchester SC in U.S. Open Cup Action
By Mark Fishkin/NPSL.com
As tied U.S. Open Cup matches approach full time, the margin of error in these one-off contests shrink to nothing. The pressure ramps up, and mistakes get made, and those mistakes turn the tide of matches.
For 80 minutes on Tuesday night at Montclair Soccer Park, the NPSL’s FC Motown played professional first-year club Westchester SC of USL League One to a stalemate in the First Round of the 110th US Open Cup.
Motown’s defense stood strong against the professional side all night, with goalkeeper Josh Schaffer standing out with saves both routine and challenging to keep the match even. In that 80th minute, however, Westchester SC forward Samory Powder received the ball in the Motown box with his back to goal. Powder felt contact on his back, leapt in the air, and earned his side a penalty kick.
Schaffer had stoned Westchester’s attacker Juan Obregon cold in the 57th minute. From the penalty spot, however, Obregon’s kick eluded the Motown keeper and gave Westchester the only goal of the match, ending the home side’s 2025 Open Cup dream.
Last year, FC Motown’s U.S. Open Cup adventure also lasted just one match, falling 3-0 to a youth-laden NYCFC II squad that had a massive speed advantage over an experienced roster put together by the perennial NPSL contender.
This year, the Morristown, NJ-based side brought in young legs for the Open Cup campaign. First-year Motown Head Coach Toure Weaver led a bespoke lineup filled with local New Jersey talent into a first-round tie with a Westchester side that had played a single competitive match in its short history.
“I’m super proud of them,” Weaver said after the match of his Motown side. “They were dogs out there. That’s a very good team, and we competed the whole entire game.”
Weaver was effusive about the quality in his Motown program, stating: “We can compete with higher-level teams. We have the talent. We have guys with a high-enough soccer IQ to do what needs to be done.”
Weaver had nothing but praise for his goalkeeper as well, calling Schaffer “… amazing. He’s a really good shot-stopper. He came up with some huge saves for us. The guys in front of him really believe in him.”
Schaffer was equally proud of his team’s effort in a losing cause, crediting “… our front office and all the staff for getting a good squad of guys together.”
FC Motown has qualified for the Open Cup for seven straight years, which is a massive source of pride to the entire program.
On the result, Schaffer added: “Look, we came in with a plan, facing a pro side… you’ve got to respect that they’ll come in fit and ready to go hard, but we have a lot of faith in this team. It’s an unlucky call in the 80th minute, and a good finish by [Obregon]. We’re a little devastated by the result, but it’s only up for Motown from here.”
FC Motown will be back to take on the NPSL’s Keystone East Conference starting in May, while Westchester SC moves on to the U.S. Open Cup’s Second Round.
Photo Credit: Mark Fishkin/NPSL.com
