The NY Pancyprian Freedoms Start Season with Victorious Home Openers
Watch the NY Pancyprian Freedoms beat Seft FC 5-1 in the EPSL on Sunday, September 11th at Belson Stadium at St. John’s University.
On a wet night at Belson Stadium on Sunday, September 11th, the NY Pancyprian Freedoms dismantled Seft FC 5-1 in the opening game of the Eastern Premier Soccer League Metropolitan Conference. The game continues the NYPF unbeaten run of games in the regular season. As part of the game preparation, the NYPF took a moment to reflect and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.
New NYPF striker Ovan Oakley, formerly of Doxa SC, broke the deadlock and opened his scoring account with a goal in the 44th minute of the game. In the second half NYPF quickly scored a second and third goal but Seft FC was not dismayed as they pushed hard to make the score 3-1 in the 71st minute of the game. The Seft FC goal would prove not to be enough to change the inevitable outcome as the NYPF comfortably finished the game 5-1 with different 5 players scoring. Watch the game on Game in Frame.
“Congratulations to the team on their home opener victory,” said Philip Christopher, President of the Pancyprian Association of America. “There were positive contributions from all the players in the victory. This is a very good sign for the season.”
The NYPF play next in their opening game of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against SC Vistula Garfield from New Jersey on Saturday, September 17th at the Athenia Steel Recreation Complex; Clifton, NJ at 7:30pm. The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a national cup competition open to all amateur and professional teams in the United States. Dating back to 1913, it is the oldest current national cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Up until its pause in 2020, it was one of the oldest continuously operating cup competitions in the entire world. The NYPF won Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in 1980, 1982 and 1983.
On Saturday, September 10th, the first “Battle for Astoria” derby played out in front of a packed Astoria Park as the NY Pancyprian Freedoms II took on Vera FC in the opening game of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League Third Division East. The NYPF came away with a last minute victory with a goal in the 90th minute to win 2-1. Passions ran hot as both teams saw red cards and played with 10 men .
“We got the result in this game with contributions from our new and returning players ,” said Paul Kontonis, Head Coach of the NYPF II. “We are building a team identity that starts in our hearts and expresses itself on the field in our soccer.”
The NYPF II next play on Saturday, September 17th away against Panatha USA at Randall’s Island Field 75 in New York City.
