Flower City Union turned in one of their most complete performances of the 2025 National Premier Soccer League season on Saturday night, earning a convincing 5–1 win over Niagara 1812 at the Rochester Community Sports Complex. With the result, Flower City solidifies its position at the top of the NPSL’s Great Lakes Conference.
The hosts set the tone in just the 9th minute when Haato Efune opened the scoring. After a sharp buildup down the flank, Efune broke free at the top of the box and coolly slotted the ball past Niagara goalkeeper Carson Provenzano.
In the 32nd minute, Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida doubled the lead for Flower City. The midfielder made a late run into the area and beat the keeper with a composed finish, giving the home side a 2–0 advantage.
Niagara 1812 responded just two minutes later through Jordan Prescod, who pounced on a defensive lapse to pull one back and briefly shift momentum. But Flower City Union answered before halftime, with Dylan Rice scoring in stoppage time to restore the two-goal cushion at 3–1.
Rice would strike again early in the second half. In the 51st minute, he picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and rifled it home for his second of the night and Flower City’s fourth. The relentless pressure proved too much for Niagara’s back line, and Flower City’s dominance continued until the final whistle.
Though the scoring ended there, the match remained intense and physical. Four players received yellow cards, including Niagara’s Olutosin Akinwumi (30’), Demetre Bibilis (64’), and Alexander Tweddle (82’), along with Flower City’s Nick Rippe (67’), as tempers occasionally flared in the midfield.
Flower City Union’s backline—anchored by Matt Bamford, Rippe, and goalkeeper Jax Flugel—snuffed out any further attacking threats from Niagara. In the midfield, Ryan Brown and Gavin Rice provided the connective tissue for a well-balanced performance on both sides of the ball.
Niagara 1812, now in its second season in the NPSL, came into the match with a 1–1–2 record. The team, based out of Niagara University in Western New York, has shown competitive flashes but struggled to match Flower City’s pace and execution on this occasion.
With the win, Flower City Union continues to build momentum during the summer stretch of the NPSL season. The club remains firmly in the hunt for a postseason berth and has established itself as one of the most consistent squads in the conference.
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Match Details
Competition: National Premier Soccer League
Date: June 8, 2025
Venue: Rochester Community Sports Complex, Rochester, NY
Kickoff Time: 6:00 PM ET
Goals
9′ – Haato Efune (Flower City Union)
32′ – Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida (Flower City Union)
34′ – Jordan Prescod (Niagara 1812)
45+1′ – Dylan Rice (Flower City Union)
51′ – Dylan Rice (Flower City Union)
Discipline
30′ – Olutosin Akinwumi (Niagara 1812) – Yellow Card
64′ – Demetre Bibilis (Niagara 1812) – Yellow Card
67′ – Nick Rippe (Niagara 1812) – Yellow Card
82′ – Alexander Tweddle (Niagara 1812) – Yellow Card
Starting Lineup
Flower City Union: Jax Flugel, Ryan Fitzgerald, Matt Bamford, Nick Rippe, Jack Hopson, Ryan Brown, Gavin Rice, Gaven Egan, Haato Efune, Chase Alexandre, Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida
Niagara 1812: Carson Provenzano, Alexander Tweddle, Dominic Massaro, Ezekiel Leones, Jordan Prescod, Marco Panunto, Olutosin Akinwumi, Tyler Guppy, Tyler Montaque, Xavier Cabada Perry, Damon Gordon
