UPSL: Wynalda's OC Invicta FC takes fall/winter championship

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jan 17, 2018

Paolo Cardozo, who played two seasons in MLS with the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA, scored the winning goal in stoppage time to give first-year team OC Invicta FC a 3-2 win over Orange County rival Santa Ana Winds FC in the UPSL fall/winter final in Norco, Calif.

The goal was the second of the game for Cardozo. Gabe Robinson also scored for Invicta, which came back from 2-1 down. Winds FC had taken the lead early in the second half with two goals in six minutes from Carlos Andrade and Kramer Runager.

OC Invicta FC is owned by Southern California businessman Pete Capriotti, owner of California United FC. Michael Collins is the club’s general manager. U.S. Soccer presidential candidate Eric Wynalda has been working with Invicta FC. He previously coached the L.A. Wolves, who won the 2017 spring championship.

The UPSL is a national amateur league that plays a split season. The final eight featured teams from Colorado, Florida, Idaho and Nevada in addition to California.



Quarterfinals
Real San Jose 5 Indios Denver FC 2
OC Invicta FC 1 FC Ginga 0 (forfeit)
Santa Ana Winds FC 3 Boise FC 1
East Bay FC Stompers Juniors 5 Las Vegas SC 2
Semifinals
OC Invicta FC 5 Real San Jose 1
Santa Ana Winds FC 2 East Bay FC Stompers Juniors 0
Final
OC Invicta FC 3 Santa Ana Winds FC 2