by By Allen Gregory/NPSL.com
The long road to the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) title continues to run through northern California.
Following a 2,202-mile journey, San Francisco-based El Farolito won the championship for the second time in three years on Saturday with a 3-0 decision over Bristol Rhythm AFC.
A record crowd of 2,159 showed up for the biggest match in Rhythm history.
“This crowd was unbelievable,” El Farolito head coach Santiago Lopez said. “It means so much to come here and showcase a different style in a big-time moment.”
The latest big-time player for El Farolito was Kipre Sacre. After a scoreless first half, Lopez inserted Sacre into the game to find a spark on offense. Sacre delivered in style with two goals and Man of the Match honors.
The first goal came on a header in the 47th minute.
“My coach told me I had to score and that’s what I tried to do,” Sacre said. “This is the best moment of my career.”
What is the formula for success for Sacre and his mates?
“It’s all about hard work,” Sacre said. “We go hard in every training session and every minute of every game.”
Just five minutes after Bristol lost Patrick Enchill to a red card, Dembor Benson gave El Farolito a 2-0 margin at the 59th minute after he converted off an assist from Jonatan Valdivia.
A 30-year-old forward, Benson has competed at the professional level in both the United States and in his native Honduras.
Sacre sealed the victory in the fourth minute of extra time.
It was the third straight appearance in the championship game for El Farolito.
“Our players are very committed,” Lopez said. “For the past four years I’ve kept the same core together, and we’re like a family now.”
The Rhythm (13-1-1) threatened in the first half with four shots on goal but could not get past El Farolito goalkeeper Julian Escobar.
“In the first 20 minutes, we were very dominant,” Bristol head coach Dave Neijenhuis said. “Our game plan was spot on, and we did what we were supposed to do, but we kind of lost control after that. We got very unlucky with a free kick hitting the post and another ball hitting the crossbar. It was just not to be for us.”
Bristol, which featured a 4-3-3 formation all season, advanced to the finals behind 11 different goal scorers, precise passing, and acrobatics from NPSL Golden Glove award winner Noe Delmotte.
A 6-foot-4 athlete who plays at East Tennessee State University, Delmotte entered Saturday with eight clean sheets.
El Farolito, which won three games in a span of 24 hours last week, captured both the Golden Gate Conference and the USASA National Amateur Cup title.
The self-proclaimed “Burrito Boys” dropped a 3-2 decision to Hickory FC last year in the NPSL title game.
“It was an honor to play in Bristol,” Lopez said. “The sport is growing here, and the owners are doing incredible things.”
Photo Credit: Chris Row/NPSL.com
