NPSLBristol Rhythm AFC ground out a 2–0 home victory over New Haven United FC in NPSL action on Friday, with both goals coming courtesy of New Haven own goals — G. Vieira Ramos turning into his own net in the 76th minute before N. Booth did the same six minutes later.
The first half was a cagey affair, short on goals but not on needle. H. Martinez picked up a yellow card as early as the eighth minute for New Haven, and Bristol's J. Loura followed into the book on 38 minutes — a caution that would prove costly later.
The deadlock persisted deep into the second half, with T. Malango collecting a yellow for Bristol in the 52nd minute as frustrations mounted. New Haven's resistance finally cracked in the 76th minute when Vieira Ramos put through his own goal to hand the hosts the lead. Just six minutes later, Booth compounded the misery with another own goal to make it 2–0.
From there, the match descended into chaos. The referee brandished cards freely as tempers boiled over. M. Aldridge, E. Capollari, U. Hendriks, and A. Taleb were all cautioned for Bristol, while E. Edwards, L. Salkeld, N. Delmotte, and M. Lattanzi saw yellow for New Haven. The flashpoint came in stoppage time when Loura, already on a booking, received a second yellow and was sent off — though by then, the result was well beyond doubt.
Eleven yellow cards and a red across the 90 minutes told the story of a fractious contest. The win keeps Bristol Rhythm AFC moving in the right direction in the NPSL standings, while New Haven will rue a night where their biggest opponents were themselves.