NY Empire FC Crowned UPSL American Regional Cup Champions

3 days ago
3 min read

Empire defeats Philadelphia Lone Star 2-0 in front of a packed home crowd to capture the American Regional Cup

NY Empire FC capped off a memorable summer on Saturday night, defeating Philadelphia Lone Star 2-0 in the UPSL American Regional Cup Final to lift the trophy in front of a massive home crowd at SUSA Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex.

Two goals inside the opening 13 minutes gave Empire the perfect start before an outstanding defensive performance secured the clean sheet and the championship.

The final whistle sparked unforgettable scenes as supporters celebrated with the team and young fans poured onto the field to join the players around the trophy.

For NY Empire FC, it was a night that represented far more than just the final result.

Empire Strikes Early

Empire needed just three minutes to open the scoring. Alan Martinez created the opportunity with a dangerous effort on goal, and Gustavo Fernandes reacted quickest to the rebound, putting it away to give NY Empire FC a 1-0 lead and send the home crowd into an early celebration.

Ten minutes later came the moment of the match.

Fernandes quickly played a free kick to Leo Guarino, who immediately recognized that the Philadelphia goalkeeper had come well off his line. From approximately 35 yards, Guarino sent a spectacular strike over the goalkeeper and into the net to double the Empire advantage.

Just 13 minutes into the championship match, NY Empire FC led 2-0.

Defense Delivers on the Biggest Stage

With the early advantage established, Empire’s defensive unit took over.

The starting back line of Matt Sloan, Gustavo Fernandes, Jose Silva and Vaclav Borivicka delivered an outstanding collective performance in front of 17-year-old goalkeeper Hunter Bernhard.

Empire was forced to make an early adjustment when Sloan went down with an injury approximately 20 minutes into the match. George Yuseff stepped into the back line and played a pivotal role for the remainder of the contest.

Philadelphia continued searching for a way back into the game, but Empire remained organized and disciplined.

Behind the back line, Bernhard showed tremendous composure for a goalkeeper of his age. The 17-year-old handled the occasion brilliantly, preserving the shutout and recording a clean sheet in a championship final.

Complete Team Performance

Empire’s midfield trio of Mario Salguero, Alan Martinez and Leo Guarino played a major role in controlling the match.

Martinez was directly involved in creating the opening goal, while Guarino’s spectacular long-range finish provided the second. Salguero’s work in the middle helped give Empire balance throughout the night as the group managed the game and competed for every second ball.

The front three of Johan Velez, Johanny Moreno and Tim de Meij also put together strong performances, providing an outlet going forward while continuing to work and press without the ball.

The championship was also a reflection of Empire’s depth. Joe Bamfo provided important minutes at outside back, Wilber Gomez entered the midfield and helped maintain the team’s energy, while Adiel Barrera also stepped into the back line.

Alijah Gardener made his NY Empire FC debut at just 18 years old, entering the midfield and helping the team close out a championship victory.

Naeem Charles was introduced at striker and nearly made it 3-0, coming close to adding a third goal late in the match.

Every player called upon played a part.

A Celebration to Remember

When the final whistle sounded, the emotion of the night took over. NY Empire FC were UPSL American Regional Cup Champions.

Players and staff celebrated on the field before being joined by young supporters who ran onto the pitch to celebrate alongside the team. The trophy was lifted in front of the home crowd as players, families, supporters and kids from throughout the Empire community shared the moment together.

The scenes provided a fitting conclusion to a championship run and a glimpse of what NY Empire FC continues to build on Long Island.

The connection between the men’s team and the next generation was on full display — young players weren’t simply watching the celebration from the stands. They were on the field celebrating with the players they had just watched become champions.