In a heated local derby between the Great Lakes Conference’s top teams, RNYFC emerged victorious over Flower City Union by a 2-1 scoreline at the RNYFC Training Complex on Wednesday evening. Elhadji Sidibe’s two-goal performance proved decisive as the home team displaced their city rivals in the standings.
The matchup, rescheduled from earlier in the season, took on added significance with both teams entering the fixture near the summit of the table. RNYFC, backed by a lively home crowd, played with urgency from the start and opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Sidibe found space in the box and converted a well-placed finish past Flower City goalkeeper Christian Burkhart to give the hosts an early advantage.
Flower City responded in the 35th minute through Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida, who slotted home a cross played into the 18-yard box. The goal briefly silenced the home fans and reignited the fight in both clubs. Shortly after the equalizer, three Flower City players—Gavin Egan, Luca Dodge, and Matthew Bamford—were booked before halftime as tempers flared.
Just three minutes into the second half, Sidibe restored RNYFC’s lead. A well-timed run allowed him to meet a through ball and beat Burkhart again with a confident finish. The goal was his sixth of the season and underscored his growing importance to the RNYFC attack.
From there, the match became increasingly tense and physical. Flower City Union pushed forward in search of another equalizer, but RNYFC’s defensive shape held firm. The visitors were ultimately undone by their discipline, as yellow cards to Nick Rippe and Nate Masucci disrupted any rhythm they hoped to build in the final stages.
RNYFC’s goalkeeper Parker Kump made several key reads and interventions in the closing minutes to secure the result. His composure, along with solid defensive work across the back line, helped the home side see out the win under pressure.
With the victory, RNYFC not only claimed local bragging rights but also overtook Flower City Union at the top of the Great Lakes Conference standings. For Flower City, the result continues a drop in form and highlights the club’s need to regain control and composure heading into the end of the season.
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Match Details
Competition: National Premier Soccer League
Date: June 19, 2025
Venue: RNYFC Training Complex, Rochester, NY
Kickoff Time: 6:30 PM ET
Goal
26′ – Elhadji Sidibe (RNYFC)
35’ – Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida (Flower City Union)
48′ – Elhadji Sidibe (RNYFC)
Disciplinary
32’ – Gavin Egan (Flower City Union) – Yellow Card
42’ – Luca Dodge (Flower City Union) – Yellow Card
42′ – Matthew Bamford (Flower City Union) – Yellow Card
75′ – Nick Rippe (Flower City Union) – Yellow Card
82′ – Nate Masucci (Flower City Union) – Yellow Card
Starting Lineups
RNYFC: Parker Kump; Zachary Drayer (64′ – Archie Wisdom), Kyle Pollard (74′ – Aedan Burke), Albert Zarcone, Kodie Sarkodie; Nicholas Swanger (74′ – Matthew Torrell), Tyler Moran (64′ – Jan Makula), Brennan McDermott (64′ – Joao Antonio Rocha); Elhadji Sidibe, Jameson Railey, Glodie Mata (64′ – Michael Catanzarite)
Flower City Union: Christian Burkhart; Ryan Fitzgerald, Matthew Bamford, Myles Palmer (65′ – Chase Alexandre), Nick Rippe; Nate Masucci, Jack Hopson, Gavin Egan (65′ – Joshua Baraka); Haato Efune, Rodrigo Gomes de Almeida, Kyle Nelson (27′ – Luca Dodge)
