TONIGHT: Bay Area Ambassadors (NPSL) at Kitsap Pumas (PDL), 7:00 PM, Bremerton Memorial Stadium (covered seating available), tickets $10 for Adults/Seniors/Teens and only $5 for children 4-12. Kids under four are admitted free. (season ticket holders admitted for free), internet broadcast at www.KITZ1400.com.
Much is unknown on both sides of the ball as the Kitsap Pumas host the Bay Area Ambassadors tonight at Memorial Stadium at 7:00 PM in Bremerton. What are each club's tendancies? Strengths? Weaknesses? Neither the Pumas or the Ambassadors really know the answer to these questions about each other, but they are going to find out together in the oldest national tournament in our nation's history. To up the anty even more, the loser is out and the winner lives on to play the winner of tonight's Sonoma County Sol - Portland Timbers match taking place in Portland, in the second round.
The Pumas appear to be the host club if they can advance. TheCup.US lists Bremerton's Memorial Stadium as a likely venue for the second round (again, if Kitsap can advance).
The Ambassadors are currently in 5th place in the six-club Northwest Division of the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League.) The Pumas are currently in 3rd place in the Northwest Division of the PDL.
I spoke with Ambassadors General Manager Arif Kahn about how his club club began. "It was started in 2008 by former Nigerian Captain Tony Igwe and by myself (local businessman/real-estate broker Arif Khan) to bring the highest level of amateur/semi-pro soccer to the Bay Area."
The Ambassadors are an amateur club, meaning that their players receive no salaries. "We have a mix of local college and non-college players," said Kahn. "There is always strong interest from the players who would like to play. Coach Mohammed has trained most of the players from youth soccer, such as Samy Yusuf, Stefan Clemens, Pedro Osorio."
The Ambassadors will be flying up from the Bay Area today for tonight's contest. They qualified for the Cup proper by winning regionals in Sacramento. "In the first game against San Diego we had three injuries," noted Kahn, "which left us with limited players for the rest of the tournament, even playing without subs in some of the matches." Bay Area will come here with their eyes wide open. "We anticipate a strong match up. The Pumas are playing their 2nd year in the Open Cup," finished Kahn.
.gif)
The Pumas appeared in the 2009 US Open Cup when they hosted the USL Division One Portland Timbers. In a close match the Timbers pulled away at the end, scoring two goals after the match had been a 1:0 affair for much of the night. That 3:0 loss was on the minds of the Kitsap players when they beat Portland 3:2 in Bremerton this pre-season.
The Kitsap Sun has this report on tonight's match.
The Kitsap Pumas beat the Portland Timbers USL-1 3:2 in a pre-season match in March. If both sides can win tonight then they will bring on a rematch of the 2009 US Open Cup. (Jenni Conner)
Comments
Let's Git 'R Done PUMAS!!!
The first step...is our NEXT step! ALLEZ PUMAS!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!