Today was a sight to see for soccer fans as the Rhode Island Reds set foot onto Malden Catholic High School to take on Boston City FC. Before kickoff, tension ran through the air as two teams prepared to throw everything they had into a game for the ages. This was much more than your average NPSL game; it was a battle for a playoff spot.
It began as a game of nerves and early jitters as each team struggled to find their rhythm. Both teams were firing back and forth at one another until about 15 minutes into the game when Boston City FC started to connect. Boston City FC created chance after chance, but could not break the deadlock as Reds goalkeeper Joseph Cipicchio was on top of his game. 20 minutes in, it looked as if Rhode Island would get on the board first as they surged down the field on a promising counter attack, but BCFC goalkeeper Victor Scariot had other ideas as he made a tremendous save. For the first 30 minutes of the game, this seemed to be a reoccurring theme as both keepers made save after save.
But then, in the 31st minute, Raniel Isaac of the Rhode Island Reds came flying in with a devastating tackle on BCFC’s Homero Morais, resulting in a straight red card. At this moment, the game would change for the worse as tempers began to flare. Just three minutes later BCFC standout Michael Bustamante broke the deadlock with a rocket of a shot from ten yards out, giving his team the first half lead. 45 minutes had gone, and Boston City FC felt as if they were on their way to another victory.
As the second half began, BCFC did not look like the same team that had been playing just 15 minutes before. Their rhythm seemed to have left them, and they were not playing their game. And in the 49th minute a clumsy tackle in the BCFC box resulted in a penalty kick for Rhode Island. Isaac “Nana” Addai stepped up to take the kick and sent Scariot the wrong way, creating an even tie once again. Once again, the game went from one end of the pitch to the other, shot after shot, save after save, and card after card, this game could not have appeared to be more even.
Then, in the 75th minute Boston City’s Homero Morais, the victim of the devastating first half tackle, smashed an eight-yard shot home giving his team the lead once again. This caused the crowd to go wild, adding to the game’s fire. Yellow cards seemed to be flying right and left until just moments later Addai notched another goal, leveling the game once again at two apiece.
This created momentum for the Reds and with seven minutes left, a blazing shot was hit square off the post nearly giving the Reds the win. But Boston City was not done, and they felt as if they should have the last say as substitute Darlan Rocha curled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box finding the bottom corner and giving them the lead once again. Rhode Island’s Nicholas Lozada-Smith earned his second yellow and was sent off with just minutes remaining.
90 minutes had gone and that was game, set, and match as Boston City FC took down the Rhode Island Reds with a final score of 3-2.
