F.C. City's Virginia Dream FC Garners More Nat'l Attention, Prepares for Final U.S. Open Cup Qualifier
"The Dream is alive in Falls Church, Virginia," gushes USSoccer.com – the world's premier American soccer media outlet with over half-a-million subscribes. They're, of course, referring to the City of Falls Church's burgeoning semi-pro* soccer team, Virginia Dream FC.
The Dream play their home matches at "The Cloud," the squad's name for Meridian High School's soccer pitch where "dreams are made."
"Virginia Dream FC – the young amateur club out of Northern Virginia – is creating a synergy of fashion, vibes and top-quality soccer as they hunt a place in the U.S. Open Cup," Michael Battista of USSoccer.com reported Nov. 13 in "Virginia’s Dream Team Dressing for the Big Occasion." "This small city, just ten miles away from the nation’s capital, is back in the spotlight thanks to the recent success of Virginia Dream FC. Founded by former professional and national high school player of the year Lucas Mendes, they’re making waves in only a second year of existence."
"With former national team players on the roster, and having played in national million-dollar competitions, the Dream is now a win away from a spot in its first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup," USSoccer.com continued. One "national team player" they're referring to is former U.S. Men's National Team Goalkeeper and D.C. United standout, Bill Hamid.
The final qualifier for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament is this Saturday, Nov. 16 at home in "The Cloud" at Meridian High School in Falls Church.
In a 7-match playoff, Virginia Dream FC will be pitted against the Aegean Hawks FC, also from Virginia. USSoccer.com explains this final qualifying match : "The seven games with Tournament Proper spots up for grabs include a Pennsylvania classic between the historic Vereinigung Erzgebirge and West Chester United SC and an all-Virginia affair between ambitious new side Virginia Dream FC and the Aegean Hawks FC, founded in 1996."
Quoting Virginia Dream's new head coach, USSoccer.com captures the Dream's rise and aspirations as one of the top semi-pro teams in the nation. “We’ve had to build an identity on the field, grow and solidify a large player pool to conquer local and national leagues,” said head coach CJ Taylor, who is entering his seventh month with the team. “The next step is to cement ourselves as a top semi-pro side and climb the next rung on the ladder. That’s The U.S. Open Cup.”
For the rest of Michael Battista's article, "Virginia's Dream Team Dressing for the Big Occason," go here.
In a separate article about the final qualifying matches for the next U.S. Open Cup, USSoccer.com gives a primer on what makes this tournament the premier club contest in American soccer:
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer's Club Championship – has crowned a champion since 1914 in every year except 2020 and 2021. The 109th edition of the tournament concluded on September 25, 2024 with LAFC beating four-time Champions and fellow MLS side Sporting Kansas City 3-1 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles to become Open Cup Champions for the first time.
Our historic tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
The U.S. Open Cup winner earns $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup and has its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally-contested trophies in American team sports now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The Runner-up takes home $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division earns a $25,000 cash prize.
usopencup.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can also follow the competition on X/Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.
Virginia Dream FC's Angel Chavez Wins Both 2024 NPSL Golden Boot and 2024 Mid-Atlantic Conf. MVP Awards!
"Forward Angel Chavez scored 14 goals in the regular season to take home co-Golden Boot honors along with the league’s Mid-Atlantic Conference MVP award," USSoccer.com reported. See an awesome slo-mo of one of Chavez's best header goals this season here!
*While Virginia Dream FC players receive no salaries, they are reimbursed for all soccer-related expenses, so they are referred to as both "amateur" and "semi-professional."
For more in-depth reporting on Virginia Dream FC, see our articles below:
Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones
By Christopher Jones
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