Irvine Zeta FC eliminates Ventura County Futbol Club in U.S. Open Cup 2nd-round match

CARSON — The U.S. Open Cup dreams of Irvine Zeta FC are still alive.

The club from the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) took advantage of an early red card on its way to a 3-0 victory over the Galaxy’s second team, now known as Ventura County Futbol Club, on Wednesday night in the second round at Dignity Health Sports Park Track and Field Stadium.

The third-round draw will take place on Thursday.

“Excited, happy … all week long we really believed we could get a positive result and I think it showed today that we can play with anybody and that’s what we’re looking to do,” IZFC coach Tyler Silva said.

VCFC, which had defeated Irvine Zeta’s second team in the first round of the tournament, went down to 10 men in the 16th minute when midfielder Nicolas Barros Schelotto was issued a red card.

Late in the first half, Irvine Zeta broke through on the scoreboard as Rafael Espinoza scored after a ball was sent in from the left and a Galaxy defender failed to clear it.

“Obviously the red card changes the game,” Silva said. “But I think we started on the front foot and until the red card, if we weren’t better, we definitely weren’t worse.”

In the 61st minute, George Almeida’s shot from atop the 18-yard box hit the crossbar and went in for a 2-0 lead, then Marcel Salceda put the game away in the 88th minute with a counter-attack goal.

“I think we were able to handle the man-advantage well. We didn’t force things, we waited for the goal to come, the goal came and then we picked our moments to go for the second and third,” Silva said.

Irvine Zeta was founded in 2022 and in May of 2023, the National Independent Soccer Association Board of Governors approved the club’s application for membership in the professional league.

“It’s been one year, less than a year, we were in the UPSL, it’s our first year in a professional league and we’re trying to make the best environment possible,” Silva said. “We have really good players which helps and we’re looking to build a strong connection with the community.”

For VCFC, the team was without midfielder Jonathan Perez, defender Mauricio Cuevas and Marcus Ferkranus. Both Perez and Cuevas were with the Galaxy’s first team.

VCFC is unbeaten in MLS Next Pro play (3-0, nine points) and will return to league play on Sunday against Vancouver Whitecaps 2.