THE BIG ONE
Westchester SC hits the high time for one night
Westchester Soccer Club (WSC) is a real thing, honest. The team was incorporated in 2024, and is currently in its second season in USL League 1, the third division of professional soccer in the United States. And this past Tuesday, March 14, they played the biggest game in its history, both in prestige and in attendance. If WSC can get 250 people onto their home pitch, Mount Vernon Memorial Field, for a game, it’s an accomplishment. On this night, they drew 5,145, the largest outdoor attendance for any pro sporting event in Westchester county. And there was not a parking spot to be found in the garage next door by game time: traffic had to be routed to the upper levels of the Target parking lot across the street.
The occasion was a third round matchup in the US Open Cup, a soccer tournament that has been contested since 1914. WSC won its first two matches in the tourney, over NY Renegades and Vermont Green, to advance to the third round, where MLS teams join the competition; these matchups are mostly regional, so WSC drew the closest MLS squad, New York City Football Club (NYCFC), former MLS Champion and Campeones Cup winner, who play the majority of their home games at Yankee Stadium, 12 miles from Mount Vernon. Thus, it was an easy trek from the NYCFC fan base to get to Mount Vernon, and help fill the stands to capacity. And while NYCFC world not necessarily field its top lineup, an early round US Open matchup is a good chance for the subs to get valuable experience. Of course, WSC had its A squad for this game; any MLS victory would be treasured.
WSC has its fans of course. Its main fan club is the 914th Infantry, in attendance for games home and away, were at their fullest throats this evening, but so were the thousands of NYCFC fans who helped to pack the stands to capacity. They were treated to local fare if they chose, such as Walker’s Hot Dogs and brews from the Yonkers Brewing Company. There was not too much the club could do to gussy up what is essentially a high school football field, but it mattered little to the fans in attendance. All football careers start in such humble pitches, after all.
The odds for a WSC win was long, even against backup NYCFC players, and soon, the MLS squad opened the scoring in the 14th minute, good dribbling and passing leading to the score from Agustin Ojeda.
But WSC had a breakaway in the 21st minute which led to a corner that was headed in by Daniel Burke in the 22nd minute, deadlocking the score at 1. But hopes were short-lived, as an accidental handball led to a penalty kick by #11 Talles Magno in the 24th, a shot that was more tantalizing dribbler than rifle shot. 2-1 NYCFC.
The Boys in Blue increased their lead in the 35th minute on a 2nd goal by Magno, followed by rocket in the 40th by Arnau Farnos and well, so goeth the dream. 4-1 NYCFC at the half.
Though a few spectators left, mist of the crowd, regardless of affiliation stayed to the end, although the NYCFC faithful remained at full excitement the longest. As for the second half, the 69th minute saw another goal by Magno, giving him a hat trick for the evening a hat trick. followed by a score from WSC’s Kyle Evans in the 73rd. Final score, WSC 2, NYCFC 5. And for the first time in its history, WSC mirrored the larger sports teams in the Tri-State area, at least in one aspect: it took at least a half an hour to get out of the parking lot. For that, the club deserves congratulations. One wonders what they would do if Lionel Messi ever came to town.
