Local Soccer Notebook: Liberia wins Philly Unity Cup; locals chase U.S. Open Cup qualification

Liberia scored three goals in the second half to overcome a one-goal deficit and win the second Philadelphia International Unity Cup at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday evening.

The Liberian team lost in the final in 2016 to Cotre d’Ivoire.

Junior Lone Star FC was well represented on the squad with nine players while clubs like Cavalia FC, Rising Stars, Trenton FC and Maryland-based Essex FC had players on the team.

Junior Lone Star FC has a big game this weekend as their U23 team travels to New York on Saturday to take on Lansdowne Bhoys FC in the third and final round of qualification for the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Tibbetts Brooke Park in Yonkers, New York.

A total of 28 teams are participating in the final round in games across the country. Phoenix Sport Club is the only other local team still in the amateur qualification portion of the competition. They travel to Arnold, Maryland to take on Christos FC at Anne Arundel Community College at 1 p.m. Sunday.

State finals in high school boys soccer are set in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Of local interest, Glassboro is back in the Group 1 state final (Sunday at Kean University at 5:30 p.m.) for the first time since 1969 while Mainland is the only other South Jersey team in the finals. The Mustangs play Mendham at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

In Delaware, Salesianum blew past Cape Henlopen 8-1 to advance to the Division 1 final, where they’ll face Appoquinimink, 5-2 winners over Caesar Rodney, in the final at Smyrna High at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Caravel Academy advanced to the D2 final on PKs after a scoreless draw with St. Andrew’s and will face Indian River at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Conestoga will have the chance to defend its Class 4A title at Hersheypark Stadium on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. against Hempfield. Conestoga beat Central Bucks West 2-0 to advance while Hempfield got by Peters Township on penalties. Lower Dauphin will also be defending a title after beating Montour 4-0. They’ll face NW Lehigh, 3-1 winners over Archbishop Wood, in the Class 3A final on 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Lancaster Mennonite will have a chance to win the school’s first state title since 2011 against Quaker Valley at Hersheypark Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 2A final. The Class A final will feature Camp Hill against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

In other local high school action, Springside-Chestnut Hill denied Hill School a fourth title in five years with a 2-0 win behind a Philip Burkhardt brace in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship game at Immaculata University on Wednesday.

Rutgers-Camden will be hosting the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association senior all-star game on Tuesday, November 21. The girls will play at 6 p.m. followed by the goys at 8 p.m.

West Chester looks to continue its run in the NCAA DII tournament down in West Virginia with a 4 p.m. game, which will be streamed live. Philadelphia Union Academy grad Brett Glasco (West Chester, Pa.) had an assist on the tying goal and scored the golden goal in overtime to lead the Golden Rams to a 2-1 win over East Stroudsburg on Saturday. Fellow Union Academy grad Brandon Levano (Allentown, Pa.) scored the lone goal for East Stroudsburg from the penalty spot.

The lone DIII men’s team from the area left standing will host the sectional rounds of the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The Falcons will play Stevens at 11 a.m. Saturday while Amherst and Rochester will play in the other match at 1:30 p.m. The winners will face at 1 p.m. Sunday with a trip to the final four on the line.

Defending Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Division III champions Lebanon Valley College will look to defend its title at home this weekend. The Flying Dutchmen will host Grove City at 11 a.m. Saturday, followed by Rutgers-Camden taking on NYU at 2 p.m. The winners will play in the final at noon on Sunday.

The Philadelphia Union U15s scored this pretty team goal against Players Development Academy last weekend.

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