Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds Fall to Brooklyn Italians 3-1

By Andrea Gauntlett/Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds

Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds played a robust 76 minutes then handed a 3-1 victory to the
travelling Brooklyn Italians Sunday at UMass Lowell. The first half was scoreless with just one
yellow card issued to Greater Lowell player Mbambi Mbungu in the 31st minute.

Everything picked up in the second half. Greater Lowell’s Hossam Sarheam made his debut on
the pitch in the 63rd minute. In the 66 th minute Emmanuel Smith scored the first goal of the
game, and for a brief moment it seemed Greater Lowell would prevail. But that was just wishful
thinking. Jusufu Juma bagged a yellow card in the 68th minute and Sam Richards got his yellow
card just one minute later.

George O’Malley levelled the score for Brooklyn with a goal in the 71 st minute. Then his
teammate Patrick Guier got a yellow card at the 72 nd minute. Brooklyn upped the ante as James
Thristino put them ahead with his first of two goals in the 73 rd minute.

It was Greater Lowell’s turn again, as Patrick Hamilton got his yellow card in the 75 th minute.
Then, Hossam Serham got his yellow a minute later and Greater Lowell was finished for the
evening.

In the 77 th minute, Brooklyn’s Thristino added a nail to Greater Lowell’s coffin with his second
goal. In the meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, his teammate George O’Malley pocketed a
yellow card in the 81 st minute.

In spite of the seven yellow cards, both sides displayed admirable sportsmanship as the traveling
Brooklyn Italians bagged another three points. The skies exploded with a thunderous downpour
of rain showers as the game ended.

Photo Credit: Andrea Gauntlett/Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds