Former NJCU Men's Soccer Greats Mohamed Conteh, Sheldon Parkinson to Play in U.S. Open Cup Third Round; Winner Meets the New York Red Bulls
JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Two former New Jersey City University men's soccer standouts, defender MOHAMED CONTEH (Trenton, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro North)and goalkeeper Sheldon Parkinson (New Rochelle, NY/Herbert H. Lehman (Bronx, NY)) will be in action tonight when they suit up in third round of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at St. John's University's Belson Soccer Stadium.
Conteh and Parkinson, both members of the Brooklyn Italians of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) will face the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The winner of the match will face the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer next month.
The Cosmos are the defending 2013 NASL Soccer Bowl champions—a team that included former NJCU All-American and two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year in Edison Bilbao (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep). However, Bilbao, who recently signed a new professional soccer contract in Malta, will not play in the game on May 28.
If Brooklyn wins, it plays at the Red Bulls on June 11. The Cosmos would host the Red Bulls on June 14 with a victory. Based on the weighted structure of the U.S. Open Cup, NASL-level clubs enter the field for the first time in round three with MLS teams joining the tournament in the fourth round.
Brooklyn was a 4-2 winner over the Jersey Express of the USL's Premier Development League (PDL) on May 14 in the second round, rebounding from a 2-1 second half deficit to advance. Parkinson made nine saves in the win.
