SACRAMENTO – In the five year history of Sacramento Gold FC, the club has finished higher in the NPSL standings than its rival from the south: Real San Jose.

2014 was no different with the Gold shellacking Real by a seven goal margin en route to finishing as national semifinalists.

But Saturday at Capital Christian High School in Sacramento, in front of a crowd of roughly 100, 10-man San Jose garnered an elusive 3-0 victory over the heavily-favored hosts to put them in the semifinals of the NPSL’s Golden Gate Conference tournament, the winner of which will qualify for the 102nd edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

“I thought (our performance) was great. We battled hard from the start all the way through,” said San Jose coach Nick Arellano. “It’s a tough environment playing against Sacramento, everybody knows about Sac, so it was great for us…it just feels great to finally beat Sacramento.”

The win, which advances Real to host the Sonoma County Sol next Saturday, did not come easily for the team who has never qualified for the Open Cup in its nine-year history.

Edwin Luna was the hero on the day, scoring a short-handed goal and setting up another to put the game away late.

“That was just some great stuff from Edwin. He’s got a special gift,” Arellano said. “Some guys can run fast. He can run fast with the ball, and that’s a rare thing.”

Up 1-0 in the 75th minute, two minutes after substitute Eric Bettencourt was shown a straight red for a late challenge, Luna produced some breathtaking skill.

As the Gold were pressing forward to try and find an equalizer, the San Jose No. 10 found himself open on the counter attack, sent through alone on goal.

Onrushing Sacramento goalkeeper John Connelly cut down the angle, but Luna cheekily lifted the ball off the turf with the outside of his right foot and reeled away to the bench as it slow-rolled into the back of the net.

Luna again found the ball at his feet in the attacking third in stoppage time. He faked a move to the corner flag, rounded a defender in the box and looked up for options.

As Connelly again came out to close the angle, Luna squared the ball across the box to forward Salifu Jatta, who side-footed it into the empty net, sealing the game.

Though it appeared easy from there on out, things could have been much worse for the visitors who were nearly behind 15 minutes into the game.

Influential midfielder Niko Brioso picked out Clemente Fonseca with a chipped through ball.

Fonseca, in a near-mirror image of what Luna would later do, chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, but instead of hitting the back of the net, center back Nick Vargas athletically cleared the ball off of the line, preserving the shutout.

Sacramento enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession in both halves as San Jose attempted to defend narrowly and try and catch the home side on the break.

They were successful in their plan 30 minutes into the game when Gold right back Zach Ulrich took down Jose Avalos in the box, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot.

Alfredo Daniel Martinez stepped up and coolly smashed the ball down the middle of the goal for what would turn out to be the game-winner.

Despite its best efforts, the Gold weren’t able to get back into the game, the closest they came being a header from defender Danny Mititelu that rattled off the post in the 83rd minute.

While Real San Jose have never qualified for the Open Cup, the 2010 National Champion Gold qualified in 2013, losing in the first round to Portland Timbers U-23 despite a two goal lead in the first 25 minutes of the game.

Real’s Saturday opponent, the Sonoma County Sol, are four-time Open Cup qualifiers, reaching the second round in 2006 and 2009.

On the other side of the bracket, CD Aguiluchos will host the San Francisco Stompers. Aguiluchos are the defending Golden Gate Conference tournament champions, but were knocked out in the first round of the Open Cup last year, the only year they have qualified.

San Francisco has never qualified for the tournament.

Southwest Conference Semifinals

Also taking place Saturday were the two Southwest Conference Semifinals, of which the winner will play FC Tacoma 253 March 21 to determine the second and final western NPSL Open Cup qualifier.

In the first match of the day, 2013 qualifier FC Hasental were dispatched by visitors Deportivo Coras USA 3-0, with Christian Zamora scoring a goal and setting up Shane Shelton for a second in the first half. Julio Ayala added a third in the second half to put the game away.

The other semifinal saw four-time qualifier San Diego Flash defeat Temecula FC by a score of 4-2.

Dauch Jock put the hosts up early before Temecula tied the game right before the half through Isaias Cruz.

A second half brace from Allessandro Canale gave the Flash a 3-1 lead, before Justin Picou scored to unofficially end the game at 4-1 late in the match.

The Flash will host Coras USA Saturday to determine who advances to the win-and-you’re-in game against Tacoma.

Evan Ream covers Sacramento Republic FC for the Davis Enterprise. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanReam.

MORE: FC Tacoma one win away after NPSL playoff victory

2015 US Open Cup Qualifying (NPSL West)

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

First Round (March 7)

San Diego Flash 4:2 Temecula FC

FC Hasental 0:3 Deportivo Coras USA

Final (March 14)

Deportivo Coras USA at San Diego Flash

Location/Time TBA

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

Final (Feb. 20)

SFC Spartans 1:2 FC Tacoma 253 [+] RECAP

WIN & YOU’RE IN

FC Tacoma 253 vs. Southwest winner

Date/Location TBA

*Winner qualifies for 2015 US Open Cup

GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE

First Round (March 7)

Real San Jose 2:1 Sacramento Gold

Second Round (March 14)

Sonoma County Sol at Real San Jose

Time/Location TBA

San Francisco Stompers at CD Aguiluchos

Raimond Park – Oakland, CA

8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET

Final (March 21)

CD Aguiluchos/SF Stompers winner at SJ/SAC/SOL winner

* Golden Gate winner qualifies for 2015 US Open Cup