(l-r) Coach Matt McDougall, Ireland Women’s Team Head Coach Sue Ronan, Coach Paul O’Brien, Ireland Women’s Team Assistant Coach Tom O’Connor

Placer United coaches Paul O Brien and Matt McDougall joined up with the Ireland Women’s National team as they prepared for Sunday’s big game against team USA at the home of the San Jose Earthquakes. 

Coach Paul talks with FIFA World Goal of the Year nominee Stephanie Roche

Last week Coach Paul received a phone call from Ireland’s Head Coach Sue Ronan who invited Paul to help out at the Irish team’s training sessions leading up to the game.

Coach Paul O’Brien with Ireland’s goalkeepers Niamh Reid Burke (left) and Charlotte McCormack (right)

The coaching opportunity presented itself  when one of Coach Ron Benjamin’s former youth soccer players, Irish striker Fiona O’Sullivan mentioned to Ron that the Irish squad was looking for someone to help out while the team trained in Northern California. Ron gave Paul’s information to Fiona who passed it along to the Ireland coaching staff. Early Monday morning Head Coach Sue Ronan called Paul and chatted about his back round, coaching experience and credentials. At the end of the call, Sue invited Paul along with goalkeeper coach, Matt McDougall, to join up the Irish squad on Thursday afternoon when they arrived from Ireland.

Coach Matt McDougall finishes warming up Irish goalkeeper Niamh Reid Burke

Coach Matt said “It’s been a tremendous experience to be involved on the international stage and with such elite women athletes. I’m looking forward to and bringing all the new experiences back to Placer United”

Great job guys!

Coach Matt McDougall

A mainstay in competitive youth soccer and the college soccer scene, Coach Matt McDougall has officially been named the new Director of Goalkeeping for Placer United Soccer Club. Matt, a former indoor professional and collegiate all conference player, will lead Placer’s goalkeepers and help develop them to reach their full potential. Matt holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma in addition to a NSCAA Level 3 Goalkeeping Diploma.

“We are over the moon about Matt McDougall,” said an enthusiastic Paul O’Brien, Director of Soccer Operations. “Not only does he bring division one college-level expertise to our successful goalkeeping program, Matt has played at the professional level and will be a asset to all our goalkeepers.”

Matt graduated from Sacramento State in 2006 with a degree in business administration and marketing.  After college, he coached with the San Juan Soccer Club from 2006-2013 before joining Placer United in 2013.  Matt is also the assistant head coach and goalkeeper coach at Sac State since 2006.

“Matt’s expertise lies in the goalkeeping position, game management, match analysis, and on-field training,” Placer’s Director of Coaching, Ron Benjamin said.  “We look to him to continue the great success and legacy of our fearless leaders in between the pipes.”  Placer United’s development of goalkeepers over the past 20 years has been unmatched with keepers moving on to the collegiate level, as well as keepers selected for youth and full senior national teams.

“The goalkeeper position is very unique and involves individual development along with being integrated into the team/club philosophies,” said Matt McDougall. “Trainings will be intense, very demanding on techniques and the ability for goalkeepers to play with their feet. This is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to developing the best goalkeepers in the region.”

Matt has been coaching older boys teams within Placer United since 2013.  He brings knowledge, experience, and passion to his new position.

Matt’s Resume

Placer United U15B 00 Gold Wins NorCal NPL Championship hosted in Davis, CA

A big congratulations to the Placer United U15B 00 Gold team who were crowned 2015 NPL Champions League winners. The boys entered the final weekend of the NPL Champions League in second place and knew they would need maximum points from their last two games to bring home Placer United’s third NPL title of the year. And they delivered!

In game one over weekend at the  NPL College Showcase, the boys beat current NorCal State Cup champions and NPL league leaders Santa Clara Sporting 2-0 with goals from Ivan Oseguera and Estaban Zepeda. That huge victory moved the boys into first place with all teams having one more game on Sunday to play.

Going into Sunday’s last round of league games, four teams still had a chance to be crowned champions. So the boys knew anything but a victory against a strong Bay Oaks team would open the door for someone else. When Bay Oaks scored the first goal of the game the door seemed to open but a quick reply from Jordan Vice and then Keegan Ness quickly shut and bolted that door.

When the final whistle sounded the scoreboard read Placer United 2, Bay Oaks 1, the boys clinched the championship of 2015 NPL Champions League.

Great job guys! Your win gives Placer United three 2015 NPL titles.

Congratulations to all!

Go Placer!

Placer United Alumni Player, Johannes DeMarzi (center), Midfielder with San Francisco City FC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April, 2015) – In its first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appearance, San Francisco City FC (formerly Ticket Arsenal FC) will open the 102nd edition of the country’s longest-running national soccer competition by hosting Cal FC, April 25 at 2 p.m. PT at Kezar Stadium.

San Francisco City FC claimed US Club Soccer’s direct qualifying berth to the U.S. Open Cup by defeating Stanislaus United, 3-0, on Jan. 31. That game was the final stage of the US Club Soccer qualifying process in a NorCal Adult Premier Leagues playoff series.

While San Francisco City FC coach Andrew Gardner has aspirations greater than a one-and-done appearance, he recognizes the significance of the appearance itself.

“The fact that we are able to host a US Open Cup match, here at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco is a major success. To be able to bring this level of soccer, to a city with this kind of history behind it, is something so special,” Gardner said. “On the pitch, I am really confident in where we are at as a club and our ability to compete with anyone. With the combination of high-level former college players and recent professionals, I think our soccer can match up with the best of the best. I have my sights set on getting to round two of the Cup. If we are able to go out and establish our ‘city football’ style of play and knock off a couple teams in the play-in and first rounds, I would consider this first trip to the U.S. Open Cup a success.”

San Francisco City FC readies to face Cal FC, a United States Adult Soccer Association representative, in the play-in round of the tournament. Cal FC made a name for itself in the 2012 U.S. Open Cup, when the Eric Wynalda-coached squad defeated the Portland Timbers (MLS) and Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro) en route to the round of 16.

“In the end, while we know they will be a very skilled and organized bunch, their history has certainly added to the motivation of our players and staff to end up on top,” Gardner said. “We want to be that 2015 team to make a run and surprise some larger clubs. Not only do we want it, but we have it within our grasp; it’s now just a matter of capitalizing on it.”

Buy tickets to San Francisco City FC vs. Cal FC, April 25 at 2 p.m. PT at Kezar Stadium

The winner of San Francisco City FC/Cal FC advances to the first round, May 13, against Ventura County Fusion (USL PDL) at the Ventura College Sportsplex in Ventura, Calif., at 7 p.m. PT. In addition to the PDL, the first round will also welcome fellow amateur teams from the National Premier Soccer League and other USASA opponents.

A week later, those winners move on to face USL foes (Division III) in second-round showdowns before NASL (Division II) and MLS (Division I) teams join in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. Ultimately, the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship will be held Sept. 29 or 30 at the home field of one of the finalists.

There are a record 91 total teams participating this year – 47 professional and 44 amateur. The 2015 champion will hoist the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, earn a berth in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League and claim $250,000.

MLS’s Seattle Sounders FC are the defending U.S. Open Cup champions, having won four times in club history.

This is the fifth year US Club Soccer has sent representatives to compete in the U.S. Open Cup.

Before San Francisco City FC takes the field, Gardner said his advice to the team will be simple. “I will just remind them of everything it has taken to get up to this point – all the way back two years ago when this was just an idea, and we had to battle through some tough things,” Gardner said. “We have not only persevered, but we have found major successes. This is just the next step in getting to where we want to be. We have prepared for it, this amazing city is out here to support us and it’s our time.”

ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER

A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer is an organization committed to the development and support of soccer clubs in the United States.

US Club Soccer offers youth and adult registration, league- and cup-based competition platforms at the recreational and competitive levels, as well as a variety of other programming, including the Olympic Development Program-sanctioned id2 Program and Player Development Programs.

Through US Club Soccer, all of a club’s programs – recreational, competitive and adult – are able to be united under one organizational umbrella, creating a “members for life” culture within each club. US Club Soccer is sponsored by Nike.