Bristol Rhythm AFC Earns a Statement 2-1 Victory against Appalachian FC
By Parker W. Cox/Bristol Rhythm AFC
In a game of fire, passion, and intensity, Bristol Rhythm AFC won 2-1 against Appalachian FC in the second-ever Mountain Clash. Appalachian FC were handed their second loss of the season to a Bristol team who looked unstoppable, making Gene Malcom Stadium an impenetrable fortress for any opposition so far this season in the NPSL.
The score line doesn’t remotely do this match enough justice. You just had to be there to witness the pure and utter excitement this match had in store. Neither team was able to find a foothold in the flow of the match until Kai Slinn scored an absolute rocket in the 16th minute. The importance of this goal proved to be decisive for Bristol, as it completely shifted the momentum in their favor. Rash challenges were made, yellow cards were shown, and the Rhythm eventually doubled their lead midway through the second half thanks to a cool and tidy finish from Alex Panner. It was Bristol’s game to lose at this stage of the affairs, and Appalachian FC applied significant pressure all throughout the second half and eventually found their goal late in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough.
“It shows the character of this team, to dig in all the way until the end,” Rhythm head coach Louis Sharp said. “Credit to the boys. We give it all to them, and we keep pushing.”
The real highlight was the near-shutout performance and dominant goalkeeping display from Gauthier Lumale. The Frenchmen nearly saw out the clean sheet and had some incredible saves that helped keep the momentum on Bristol’s side of the field.
“I’ve seen it for two years, day in and day out, what he can do, and he’s done it again today. Those saves at the end, they win us games,” added Sharp, who previously coached Lumale at King University.
“We just defended with everything we had, every man did his job defensively, and that’s how we got this result,” Lumale noted.
The last time these two teams met in the NPSL, Appalachian FC defeated Bristol Rhythm AFC 4-0. To say that Bristol had a chip on their shoulders coming into today’s match would be an understatement, and the players gave everything they had on the pitch. The atmosphere was electric at Gene Malcom Stadium, and fans and players alike will be highly anticipating their rematch on June 28th in Boone, NC.
Photo Credit: Austin Pantaleo/Bristol Rhythm AFC and Emily Roberts/Bristol Rhythm AFC
