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Amateur notes: Croatian Eagles win state Werner Fricker Open Cup

11/15/2014, 11:15am CST
By ERIC ANDERSON
Croatian Eagles logo

With time running out in the U.S. Adult Soccer Association Wisconsin Werner Fricker Open Cup final and his team still looking to dent the scoreboard, Croatian Eagles manager Alex Toth turned to a somewhat unconventional source to spark his team's attack: Aaron Schroeder (Milwaukee Pius).

After all, it isn't often that coaches rely on center backs to bolster their offense. But Toth had seen Schroeder score a lot of goals, even if they weren't actually in matches.

"When we're training, he just seems to find the goal," Toth said. "So I'm like, 'I don't know what else to do.' "

The move paid immediate dividends as Schroeder scored the 80th-minute equalizer, and midfielder Tony Patterson (Menomonee Falls/UW-Green Bay) poked home the game-winner in the 88th as the Croatians rallied for a 2-1 victory over Milwaukee Sport Club on Nov. 1 at Croatian Park in Franklin.

With the victory, the Eagles earned a berth in the USASA Region II Werner Fricker Open Cup, which is June 12 to 14 in Overland Park, Kan. The regional champion will advance to the National Cup finals from July 16 to 19 in Virginia Beach, Va.

"It's always a battle," Toth said of facing Sport Club, which beat the Croatians by the same 2-1 score in the Wisconsin Soccer Leagues Major Division final in July. "They're always well organized and they work extremely hard and we just really never seem to be able to go in and put three goals on them and then the game's over. It's just a constant battle.

"It took us a while to score, but to me it doesn't matter. As long as we got the job done, that was the big thing."

For most of the day, though, Toth was wondering if he'd be ruing his side's missed chances in the first half: Andy Huftalin (Marquette) hit the crossbar, Aaron Lauber (Franklin/UW) flashed an open header of a corner kick wide of the goal and  Sport Club goalkeeper Matt Eisold (Burlington/Wisconsin Lutheran) denied both Patterson and Andrew Wiedabach (Mequon Homestead/UW-Milwaukee) when they were played in.

"At halftime, my thoughts were, 'Oh boy.' We left goals on the table and we don't convert, that always is a bad formula – especially for us. So I was a little concerned," he said.

"We were playing well, we were able to break them down and get the opportunities, but we weren't finishing them. So that always leaves that chance."

Five minutes after the break, Sport Club forced a turnover near midfield and got the ball to Steve Sperl (Wauwatosa West/UW-Milwaukee), who in turn played in Sam Krenzien (Wauwatosa West/UW-Green Bay).

"Right side, top of the box, he cuts in and just bends a ball with his left foot, far post and all of a sudden we're down 1-0," Toth said of the shot that beat Eagles keeper Juan Antonio Rodriguez (Milwaukee Tech). "There really wasn't much Juan could do with that shot. Krenzien, he's a classy forward. He's going to find a way to finish, and he did."

The Croatians, unbeaten and leading the WSL Major Division this fall, kept pushing for an equalizer until Toth's roll of the dice moving Schroeder up top as a fourth forward with about 13 minutes left.

Three minutes later, Scott Raymonds (Brookfield East/UW-Green Bay) got the ball on the right side of the box and his backheel pass found Schroeder coming around him on the right. The center back tucked the ball in past Eisold to make it 1-1.

"Sometimes you like to think you can make a difference," Toth said of the tactical switch. "Schroeder said as soon as he made the run, he knew Raymonds was going to play him the ball."

After scoring, Schroeder dropped back into his normal center back spot.

"Not that I was content to go into overtime, but momentum was going our way," Toth said. "If we had to play another 30 minutes, I thought we'd be able to score at least one more goal."

The Eagles proved their coach right.

After what Toth called a "controversial" foul about 35 yards out on the right side, Raymonds served in the ensuing free kick. Huftalin got his head on it and Eisold came off his line to try to grab the ball, which hit the ground. But Patterson swooped in and toe-poked it home before Eisold could corral it.

This was the first year USASA Region II split its Werner Fricker Open Cup and the regional Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup into two competitions. Only one state team, the Madison Fire, entered the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is now organized completely by the U.S. Soccer Federation, while seven Wisconsin clubs entered the Werner Fricker competition.

"Hopefully they will change it back," said Toth, who added that the Croatians won't enter the state and regional Amateur Cup next spring.

CROATIAN EAGLES: Juan Antonio Rodriguez; Donnie Crego, Aaron Cranfill, Aaron Schroeder, Mike Narciso; Andrew Wiedabach (Chris Kurth), Scott Raymonds, Tony Patterson; Edison Crespo (Greg Jones), Andy Huftalin, Aaron Lauber (Richard Rowell).

MILWAUKEE SPORT CLUB: Matt Eisold, Andrew Krenzien, Paul Sikinger, Ryan Bailey, Kyle Gottschlich, David Scherer (Hans Borosch), Nick Unger, Michael Scherer, Steve Sperl, Jake Jankowski, Sam Krenzien.

2015 USASA WISCONSIN WERNER FRICKER OPEN CUP

(Home team listed first)
Quarterfinals: Oct. 18

Croatian Eagles received bye
Bavarian SC 3, North Shore United 0
Milwaukee Sport Club 1, Milwaukee Kickers 0
United Serbians 6, Milwaukee Brewers 3 (AET)
Semifinals: Oct. 25
Croatian Eagles 2, Bavarian SC 1
Milwaukee Sport Club 4, United Serbians 3 (AET)
Final: Nov. 1
Croatian Eagles 2, Milwaukee Sport Club 1

  • Milwaukee Brewers FC's Majors and Reserve teams will train and play their home matches at the FC Wisconsin Soccer Complex in Germantown starting next spring as part of a new partnership between the clubs. The Brewers are second in the WSL Major Division with a 5-2-3 record, while their Reserves play in the WSL First Division. The Brewers Majors played home games at Milwaukee's Alverno College during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, but played all of their five home matches this fall at different locations. FC Wisconsin is the only state club with teams in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (boys) and the Elite Clubs National League (girls), in addition to teams playing in the U.S. Club Soccer National Premier League and Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association competitions. The clubs will "work together hosting community events to create a true community club culture between the two organizations," according to a news release.
  • The Madison Soccer Association recently wrapped up the fall portion of its 2014-15 season. Paradigm (4-1-1) leads the six-team Division I with 13 points, one ahead of reigning champion Madison United (4-2-0), while Epic (5-0-1) heads up the eight-team Division II one point ahead of Vilas Rangers (5-2-0). Standings, results and schedules on the MSA website
  • The National Premier Soccer League announced plans for its inaugural player combine, which is set for Jan. 9 to 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Each of the league's four regions will be allowed to send up to 18 players from their 2014 rosters to the event, which will include scouts and coaches from professional leagues. The Madison 56ers and Aris FC were the two Wisconsin teams in the NPSL this year.
  • The NPSL's annual general meeting started Friday and runs through Sunday in New York.

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