KICKERS PLAY FOR KEEPS

USASA Regional Midwest Cup at Gaelic Park

June 21, 2010

BY DAN CUSACK, Correspondent

Two men down.   No problem.

The Carpathia Kickers, of Michigan, had just nine players nearly 35 minutes in their Midwest Cup championship game Sunday against the Chicago Inferno at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest.

Two players were given red cards, but the kickers still went on to a 2-1 victory in penalty kicks to clinch the United States Adult Soccer Association Men's Amateur title.

"This is the best feeling in the world," the Kickers' Ando Jakupovic said. "Playing with nine guys with that amount of time left and to come back and win. That shows heart. This team has skill, but we have even more heart."

Carpathia went a man down right before halftime with the match still scoreless. Shortly into the second half, Justin Meram gave the Kickers the lead, scoring a goal on a cross pass.

"I knew we needed a lift, and I gave it to us," Meram said.

The Inferno responded with a goal by Dusan Radovanovic from about 35 yards out.

But Carpathia did not allow a goal for the rest of the match despite the two-man deficit. That included five minutes in the second half and two 15-minute overtime periods.

In penalty kicks, Jakupovic nailed the clinching goal.

"I knew walking up there we were going to win the match," he said.