Energized by World Cup, Napa 1839 FC keeps men's soccer playoff hopes alive

It was 9½ years ago when Marco Manzo and the Vintage High boys soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw in its season opener at Davis High against fellow senior Elijah Alba and the Blue Devils.

History repeated itself in The League For Clubs on Saturday night, as Manzo and his Napa Valley 1839 FC men's team settled for a 1-1 deadlock against Alba's FC Davis squad.

"Just like when we were in high school," Manzo said. "Davis (High) always had good players. That area's pretty competent when it comes to soccer."

So is the Napa Valley, so the teams were very physical in the box trying to keep each other out most of the night - just like an old Crushers vs. Blue Devils high school clash.

"We've had a lot of history with them, back and forth. We beat them pretty bad, they beat us pretty bad, we've had close matches. Every time we face them, it's a good battle," Manzo said of FC Davis. "Our identity is to always go forward and be the aggressor, but they have some big boys."

Just like Davis High did against Vintage on Dec. 1, 2017, FC Davis came back from a 1-0 halftime deficit against 1839 FC on Saturday.

Maria Carrillo High grad Ryan Dieter, who got the assist for Napa Valley, a UC Davis teammate from 2019 to 2023 of Toronto native Adewumi Aladetimi, who scored for FC Davis on Saturday.

Dieter got a well-timed pass from Oscar Ortiz and made a perfect cross, just before running into the fence behind the net, that Dario Pavon headed into the net in the 36th minute.

But the lead disappeared with 16 minutes left in the match. FC Davis' Daniel Jebri got his own deflected pass and fed Aladetimi, who tied things up by threading a needle between 1839 FC goalkeeper Javier Valdez and the left post as he was about to run out of bounds.

Napa Valley head coach Mark Corbett had hoped to get a second goal because it was so challenging for his defense to shut out such a quality opponent such as FC Davis.

"We've got a lot of guys not fully fit and they all seem to be our defenders," he said. "We were playing some guys (on defense) who normally play midfield and they've done a hell of a job, to be fair. But when that's not their mindset, we've got to be a little more connected together and staying disciplined and compact.

"It was slightly disappointing that we were wasteful in front of the goal and didn't go up 2-nil, which probably would've been enough to win the game. With a 1-nil deficit, there's been a lot of draws on late goals in this league and so you've got to make sure you put the game to bed. We didn't that well enough tonight, compared to how excellent we were last week in being really clinical and scoring five goals last week (in a 5-2 home win over Oakland SC on May 30)."

A win for Napa Valley (4-3-2) would have secured a home game in the first round of TLFC playoff action on June 20. Now to get a home playoff opener, 1839 FC needs to defeat Yuba FC (2-7) at River Valley High in Yuba City in its regular-season finale at 7 p.m. Sunday.

"It's important we didn't lose tonight, but (the draw) takes it out of our hands," Corbett said. "Being up 1-nil for so long with really good momentum and conceding late, honestly, it's disappointing. For the last 10 minutes, when you know a draw keeps it in your own hands, it was a bit cagey. Should we go for a second goal and risk giving one up at the other end, or keep pretty calm and reserved? We chose the latter route, especially being down a player the last few minutes."

That was because Luis Ramirez received a red card. The forward will have to sit out the Yuba FC game.

"Hopefully it's just one game and he'll be available for the playoff game," Corbett said. "You can appeal, but I don't think we'll appeal that one. It's going to be really tough to overrule that; he did make a move. If you appeal some things, you risk making it worse. So we'll just have to take that one on the chin."

There are multiple reasons 1839 FC is motivated to win on Sunday and play at home the following Saturday.

"It's been a mixed season, but the beauty of it is playoffs is all about the playoffs," said Corbett. "Whoever we play, it's going to be a tough game. We want to make sure we have a home advantage. We train on our game field, so we're really comfortable with the distances, the spaces. We also have another opportunity for the community to come out and support us, which it does fantastically well. We want to make sure we give them at least one more men's game to come and watch."

Players become fans

Fortunately for 1839 FC, none of the four FIFA World Cup matches on June 14 or 20 involve teams they're rooting for.

One of Dieter and Aladetimi's teammates at UC Davis from 2019 to 2021 was Fresno native Max Arfsten, now in his fourth season of Major League Soccer with the Columbus Crew. Arfsten is also a member of the U.S. men's national team, which will open its 2026 World Cup against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood at 6 p.m. Friday.

Mexico will host South Africa in Mexico City at noon Thursday in the first game of the five-week tournament. Spain will open at 9 a.m. Monday against Cape Verde, an island country off the coast of Senegal.

On Wednesday, Portugal will open against the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 10 a.m. in Atlanta, and England will get going against Croatia at 1 p.m. in Arlington, Texas.

All of those games involve 1839 FC players' or coaches' native countries. Unfortunately for Ivan Sakou and Storm Schmidt, who hail from Cameroon and Denmark, respectively, their countries' teams didn't make it.

Corbett is from England, and center back Alvaro Carreras and Pavon hail from Spain.

"We have a pretty good team, so we'll see how far we can go," said Carreras. "All the big European countries have good teams, but we have a chance to go far in the competition.

Added Pavon: "I'm rooting for Spain, but I'm not trying to be biased. I think Spain is one of the strongest and favorite teams to win the World Cup, along with Portugal and France."

Manzo is rooting for Portugal.

"I want (Cristiano) Ronaldo to get it," he said of the team's 41-year-old star, who is playing in his sixth World Cup. "They're very good. Their midfield's strong. If not, my second choice is Mexico or the U.S. Mexico could be the Cinderella story, and the U.S. has played decent in the last game or two, so it would be nice to see them go far."

The 1839 FC players will be get to see some of the games together.

"We have great sponsors who host events like that for us, so we'll probably be getting together to at least watch Mexico play and the U.S. play, for sure," Manzo said. "We're a very United Nations-like team. We've got a lot of internationals, some college players as well, people from all over. That's kind of been our identity the last five or six years, and it's been fun. You get to know different cultures."

Manzo said it was hard initially for a team with so many players from other parts of the country or world, who grew up playing their own styles of soccer, to develop chemistry as 1839 FC teammates.

"Maybe we had trouble at first, but now we have our identity and we've been around internationals for years - starting with our head coach - so we're pretty acclimated to it now," he said. "We have a very forward mindset. I think we create a lot of opportunities, combine well, (and) we're composed under pressure."

Manzo still enjoys playing and helping lead 1839 FC in the midfield.

"Soccer for me is an escape," he said. "As long as I'm physically able to, I'll continue to represent my city because I love it."

Manzo and his teammates played in limited-edition jerseys that the team was selling to raise awareness of human trafficking. All proceeds were to be donated to Monarch Justice Center Napa, which serves anyone who has experienced or been impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, elder or dependent adult abuse, or human trafficking.

"Today we were playing for a bigger cause, for mental health awareness. We do it every year because it's very important to us," Manzo said.

"Being so involved in the community constantly and having so much support from them, it's important to stay in unison always and include people of all walks of life. Mentality is so important as a player, too, as you get older. You could be really good on the training ground, but if you're not confident during the game, you won't show up."

Alvaro Carreras has been showing up at center back for 1839 FC since 2019.

"We love to play against the best teams," he said of FC Davis and others. "That's why we practice, that's why we want to raise the level of everyone, so we're able to match their intensity and quality and get ready for the playoffs. Tonight it was back and forth, back and forth, not too much control. We needed to control the tempo. But it is what it is. Sometimes you plan the game and when it doesn't happen like that, you need to keep fighting."

Holding a toddler, the 38-year-old Carreras said he's the oldest 1839 FC player by seven or eight years, and wonders if it's time to step away from the game.

"To be honest, this is probably my last season," he said. "These guys in their 20s are in such good shape and it gets more and more challenging. At some point, you have to step out. I don't know yet (for sure) because I do love playing soccer. I love the competition and trying to be in shape. I know I'm getting old and have family and work commitments, so when I come to practice, I get a break from my life and that's the motivation. My family motivates me, too. I want my daughter to see me play soccer, and hopefully she'll remember it."

Corbett said rookie Ricky Gonzalez has been "a breath of fresh air since he's come in, but Storm (Schmidt), when you see him going just box to box, he doesn't get the goals and the plaudits. But his energy - any young kid who wants to look at what hard work on the field looks like, he's a fantastic example to come and watch live and see the amount of ground that he covers."

Women split with FC Davis, Cal Storm

Napa Valley scored blanked FC Davis, 3-0, scoring all three goals in a seven-minute span early in the second half on Saturday.

Ellieana Vazquez scored with 41 minutes left on a long dribble and well-timed pass from Sydnie Fong. Samantha Fenske just missed moments later on a long run and pass from Jacqueline Tamayo.

But Erin Brown headed in a corner kick from Fenske with 37 minutes left. Vazquez closed the scoring with a goal off a Kamryn Bubak pass three minutes later.

On Monday, 1839 FC fell 6-1 to the visiting California Storm.

Vazquez scored Napa Valley's goal by stealing the ball 35 yards out, dribbling into the left side of the box, and drilling a shot into the right side of the net.

The next Women's Premier Soccer League game for 1839 FC (3-2) is at 4 p.m. Sunday at Yuba FC (2-5) in Yuba City, prior to the men's matchup between the same clubs.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 6:11 PM.