Bristol Rhythm AFC comfortably defeat Tri-Cities United 7-0
Goals galore at Gene Malcome Stadium as the Rhythm take care of business against TCU in their first ever exhibition match. This non-conference matchup served as a great opportunity for both sides to try new tactics and rotate players, while also giving the fans an incredibly exciting 90 minutes of football.
For Bristol, there were so many positives to draw from Wednesday night’s match. Firstly, Guinea native Abou Cherif made his debut for the Rhythm and scored the first two goals. In addition to this already impressive feat, Cherif made his return to the United States this past weekend and had only trained with the team twice in that timeframe.
More excitement for the Rhythm - several local players got some well-deserved playing time including the likes of Man of the Match Diego Silva (Davy Crockett high school), Lucas Park (Dobyns-Bennett), Gavin Farmer (Dobyns-Bennett), Kingston Stewart (Sullivan East), and Elijah Jackson (Virginia High School). These young talents serve as a testament to Bristol Rhythm AFC’s dedication to player development, and the club is excited to see what the future holds for them.
As for Tri-Cities United, this was their first match together as a squad after only beginning training roughly a week prior to this matchup. The USL Academy side have a very young squad who are just now getting a taste of what the next level of competition looks like, so there are many positives to take away from TCU as well. “Overall, plenty of room to grow, but plenty excitement to what we can [become],” stated TCU Coach David Strickland. The USL side is still in their pre-season preparation phase, so they will certainly have some positive takeaways leading up to the official beginning of their season.
Bristol Rhythm AFC now set their sights on Saturday June 14th, when they face off against Greenville United at home. The Rhythm won comprehensively 3-0 against Greenville last season, so claiming 3 points and climbing up the NPSL ladder is the mission this Saturday.
By Parker W. Cox
Photo Credit: Grace Carter
