Temecula FC will be advancing to the knockout rounds of the SoCal Premier League’s 2025-26 Raul Briones Cup.
The Quail improved their cup competition record to 2-0 with a 7-0 victory December 13 against Zapa FC at the Chaparral High School stadium. The final group stage match for Temecula FC will be played this Saturday against Problems FC in Orange County.
“It’s a great start. We played two tough teams, got two good results,” said Temecula FC owner Brandon Jantz.
Problems FC won the 2024-25 Raul Briones Cup, which has been played since the 2009-10 season. During group stage play a team receives six points for a win and three for a draw. An additional point for each goal up to three per game is also given (the losing team also receives points for any goals scored up to three), and a defensive shutout earns one additional point. Temecula FC thus earned the maximum ten points with the win over Zapa FC, and the 5-1 victory November 23 against AMSG U23 at Patricia H. Birdsall Sports Park also contributed to the 19 points the Quail will take into their December 20 game.
The 18 teams in the Raul Briones Cup were divided into six flights. Each of the three teams in Flight C including Temecula FC plays a match against each team in Flight D. The top team from each flight and two wild cards will advance to the knockout rounds beginning with the quarterfinals. The other two teams in Flight C have already played all three matches, and Academia Gullet Dos has the second-place total of 12 points.
Zapa FC, which is based in Santa Ana, had won both group matches before the loss to Temecula FC. The Zapa FC win over Academia Gullet Dos had a 5-2 score while the game against Fontana Legacy FC was a 7-1 Zapa FC victory.
Temecula FC held a 2-0 halftime lead with Beto and Joshua Pinones scoring the first-half goals. Second-half scores by Ricardo Acosta, Jonathan Arriaga, and Sean Palena made the score 5-0. The lead allowed for substitutions and Jesus Dominguez, who played the 2024-25 season with Vista High School, scored the final two goals.
Zach Cochran played goalkeeper for the Quail and had three saves. Acosta, Francisco Martinez, Diego Mora, and Hilario Renteria were the defenders contributing to the shutout.
The schedule for the quarterfinals has not been set but will consist of each team having one home game and one away match.
Joe Naiman can be reached at jnaiman@reedermedia.com.
