Amateur
Oaklyn United beats VE 3-1, moves one step closer to qualifying for U.S. Open Cup
Oaklyn United scored three goals in the first half, including golazos from Jake Mulinge and Austin Johnson to defeat Vereinigung Erzgebirge 3-1 at Rowan University and advance to the Fourth Round of Qualifying in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Oaklyn (2-4), currently mid-table in the Delaware River Conference of the American Premier Soccer League, pulled off an upset over VE (3-0-0), leaders of the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania, using a high tempo that led to several turnovers in the VE half, highlighted by an even higher level of finishing.
The visitors, however, had the better start to the game, creating numerous opportunities minutes from the opening whistle. In the second minute, former Philadelphia Union midfielder and Princeton star Antoine Hoppenot picked out Justin Ruth with a cross at the opposite six, but Ruth’s header skipped past the goalmouth, inches from the far post. Two minutes later, Hoppenot found Bob Hennessey through the channel, but Oaklyn’s player-coach Matt Perrella made a strong save to cut down the angle. In the seventh minute, a Ruth free kick from just outside the box beat the wall but not Perrella, and the hosts withstood the remaining early VE pressure.
The game saw its first moment of brilliance in the 17th minute. Pinning VE deep in their own corner on a throw-in, Oaklyn forced a poor clearance up the middle that fell to Mulinge at the top of the box. Unchallenged, Mulinge took one dribble and unleashed a bomb that beat VE keeper Steve Paul to the top corner to give the hosts the 1-0 lead.
Oaklyn’s 1st goal
Courtesy of Game in Frame#USOC2026 pic.twitter.com/uyr3pzI6lk
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 3, 2025
“One of the things I always joke with the guys is just give me the ball at the top of the box,” Mulinge said after the game about his goal. “Just give me the ball, and it just happened to come, and my feeling was I’m hitting this. There’s no way I’m not hitting this.”
Mulinge, the former Saint Joseph’s Hawk from West Orange, NJ, credits the team’s mindset to start the game as big influence on their performance. “Tonight was one of those nights where everything just clicked. The team was moving, the defense, goalie, everything was just moving. You could tell from our energy on the field. We were having fun.”
The Oaklyn lead didn’t last long. Four minutes later, VE found the equalizer from Hoppenot. Kevin Smolyn threaded a through-ball from midfield that sprang Hoppenot past the Oaklyn back line. Hoppenot, with a tight angle and limited options, managed to beat Perrella and tie the game at 1-1.
VE’s goal from Hoppenot.
🎥 Game in Frame#USOC2026 pic.twitter.com/gQX2GJWfOq
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 3, 2025
The game’s pivotal moment came in the 26th minute when Hoppenot broke through the Oaklyn back line again, this time from a touch by Jalen Weatherspoon, and was taken down in the box by Nico Tramontana. With a great chance to take the lead on the road, Weatherspoon stepped up to deliver the crucial blow, but Perrella guessed correct to Weatherspoon’s strong side, saving the penalty and the rebound to keep the score even.
26’
VE’s Jalen Weatherspoon PK saved by Oaklyn’s Matt Parrellla. pic.twitter.com/EoXd79kVyj
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 2, 2025
Ten minutes later, Oaklyn went on top again on another brilliant strike from Johnson. Following a restart, Oaklyn overloaded their right side, and with VE slow to react, John received the ball at his feet at the corner of the box. The striker cut inside with his left and unleashed a curling shot that found the same top corner to regain the Oaklyn lead.
Austin Johnson puts Oaklyn up 2-1.
🎥 Game in Frame#USOC2026 pic.twitter.com/lrMAEmY32o
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 3, 2025
Perrella, former Rider Bronc and player-coach for the Ocean City Nor’easters, said he had the best seat in the house to see his team’s lethal finishing. “We’ve put a big emphasis on taking more chances,” he said after the game. “We try and be a little too perfect around the top of the box. For a team that doesn’t train and can never get the full group, it’s hard to be that clean around the top.”
Perrella, a current academy coach for the Nor’easters and former assistant with Drexel and Saint Joseph’s, spent some time with Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Bethlehem Steel following his career at Rider. The vocal leader on the field took great joy in seeing his side overcome a difficult stretch. “It was fun to watch. The momentum changed after the pen, and then we were able to put that second one in, because we could have been down two-one, but they were awesome. They were great shots.”
Two minutes from the break, Oaklyn grabbed ahold of the game with a third from Jason Mancuso. After a lengthy spell of possession, Adam Sternberger slipped a pass to Osman Barrie down the right side of the box. With Paul out of position, Barrie chopped the ball back in front of goal for Mancuso’s easy tap in and the cushion.
Oaklyn’s 3rd from Jason Mancuso.
🎥 from Game in Frame#USOC2026 pic.twitter.com/vvFNvas2fP
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 3, 2025
Determined to get back into the game, VE attacked the early second half, forcing Oaklyn to defend with more organization, but the visitors were unable to close the gap. Chris Gomez curled a free kick in the 60 th minute that sent Perrella scrambling to make a save. VE’s best chance to get back in the game came in the 80 th minute when Ruth sent a curling ball to the back post that Hoppenot took out of the air, but his volley hit the outside netting. Late in the game, with VE’s steam all but gone, Perrella denied Hoppenot twice from close range to seal the victory.
89’ Late double save from Perella on Hoppenot.
Still 3-1 Oaklyn#USOC2026 pic.twitter.com/UpuZxYqMeK
— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) November 3, 2025
Perrella will now steer his side into the Fourth Round of qualifying, the farthest Oaklyn has been in their young program’s history. “You play a West Chester, a VE, a Motown, these high-level amateur teams that are together year round, that are the top of men’s soccer, but we’ve had trouble getting everyone, and it’s great when we can rally our group then play as well as we did. It was fun.”
Perrella’s last appearance in the Open Cup proper came in 2023 when he coached the Nor’easters against West Chester in the First Round. “That game against West Chester was the first game I coached for the Nor’easters,” Perrella said, “so there was a lot of nervous, excited energy.” The Nor’easters won that game 3-1 but fell to the Maryland Bobcats 2-1 in the next round. Perrella’s team won the USL-2 Mid-Atlantic Division and reached the conference final that season.
“We’re trying to level up this club,” he added. “And obviously there’s a partnership with the Nor’easters and getting some guys in here, but when you can get a good collective of men’s talent together, you don’t skip a beat in terms of what you love about being part of a team. And that’s what this is about, playing good opponents, drawing better talent, building your club.”
After falling in their first-ever qualifier last year, Oaklyn opened their campaign this year in the Second Round with a 2-0 win over Scots-American. Mancuso and Johnson scored in that game as well.
VE had defeated Vidas (APSL) 2-1 in the First Round before taking out fellow USLPA-side Colonial SC 2-1 in the Second Round. VE reached the final round of qualifying last year, falling 2-1 to West Chester, who already qualified as 2024 USASA National Champions.
Oaklyn will await their opponent, which will likely take them up north to play SC Vistula Garfield (1-5, Metropolitan Conference, APSL), who beat Bulldogs SC (UPSL) 1-0. Oaklyn could also travel south to play MSI Pro (UPSL), who thumped Christos FC (2-2, Mid-Atlantic Conference, APSL) 5-0. Earlier in the day, Steel City FC (USL-2) beat Capital City islanders (UPSL) 1-0, the only all-Pennsylvania matchup.
The Fourth Round Qualifying will be held the weekend of November 22-23.
