UPSL National Quarterfinal (Western Region) Preview – Deportivo Rose City (Portland, OR) vs. Olympians FC (Phoenix, AZ)
This weekend, two teams representing the Western Region, Deportivo Rose City from Portland, Oregon and Olympians FC from Phoenix, Arizona will face off for a spot in the UPSL National Finals.
After finishing first in the Pacific Northwest conference playoffs, Deportivo Rose City (5-1-2) is coming off a high-scoring regular season in which they put away 37 goals in just eight games. With forwards Gabe Kellum (15 goals) and Emanuel Grespan (10 goals) both in double figures for the season, the team is used to dominating the ball in the opponent’s final third.
With an incredible 14 goals in just their last three playoff games alone, Deportivo Rose City president Avery Palchikoff spoke about his team’s mindset ahead of the game.
“We really hit our stride in the second half of the season and in the playoffs. And now, being only one game away from the final four in the UPSL National Playoffs is hugely exciting for us. This team was first started as a group of friends in the Portland-area and those same core players are still with us, so we wouldn’t want to go into this match with anyone else.”
Deportivo Rose City head coach Orlando Fortanell added “We see this as a tough match. The guys are travelling far from home and competing against a very strong team with a lot of history. We have huge respect for them and at the same time we are very confident in the way we play and our own capabilities.”
Not to be taken lightly, Olympians FC (9-1-0) find themselves in a good position to get to the National Finals while in the midst of an undefeated streak. The team has yet to lose a game this season and in their last match were able to defeat a very talented LA Galaxy Academy side 2-1.
The side are a long-time UPSL team and finished first in a very competitive Arizona Conference that includes the likes of Barcelona Residency Academy USA and USL-affiliated side Pheonix Rising. Olympians FC Head Coach Christian Valdez spoke about his team’s preparation ahead of Saturday’s game.
“The players have been training very hard and we’ve been focusing on ourselves and our strengths. The team is very comfortable with the way we play and our strategy, and this is extremely important to us. We want to make it all the way to the National Finals and this is a huge challenge.”
“We look forward to our match with Rose City, we fully believe and trust in ourselves as we try to bring home a national championship for Arizona.”
The UPSL National Quarterfinal (Western Region) match will be broadcast live this Sunday at 7:00pm (EST) / 4:00pm (PST) on VYRE Network. You can find VYRE on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Android, iPhone, or your Smart TV by downloading the VYRE Network app for free or on their website at www.vyre.tv.
About United Premier Soccer League
The UPSL was formed in 2011 and occupies the unofficial fourth tier of US Soccer. Across its Premier, Division 1 and Womens leagues there are more than 400 teams competing nationwide. The UPSL is now the largest Pro Development League in North America and is a National Affiliate member of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated. UPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the league’s affiliation with USSF.
More information about UPSL can be found at www.staging.upsl.com or by following the league on Facebook (facebook.com/upslsoccer), Instagram (@upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer).
Contact UPSL: [email protected] / Media: [email protected]