Boston City FC projecting big things after impressive debut

The result might not have been what the club had hoped, but Boston City FC officials have plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

On Sunday, new NPSL team Boston City FC played their inaugural game at Malden Catholic High School. The club was lively in the opening stanza, showing no hesitation despite playing reigning champions Cosmos B, who didn't lose a game in 2015.

The home side grabbed the first goal of the night via Yaw Addow, who immediately celebrated with his teammates before recognizing the fans. It was a dream start for the debuting club.

Momentum shifted just before the break after Addow received a second yellow. Reduced to ten men, Boston City FC was forced to abandon their fast-paced attacking style for a more defensive approach. Cosmos B would go on to collect three unanswered goals to defeat Boston 3-1.

Despite the final scoreline, Boston head coach Palhinha was encouraged by what he saw.

"I liked the first half a lot," Palhinha explained through a translator. "Our team was marking very good, They were playing defense. We had two opportunities in the first half--when the ball hit the crossbar off a free kick and another one that Jhonata [Batista] hit and put in the corner and the goalkeeper made the save.

"The red card for Addow complicated things for the way we were playing, but I’m very content with the way the team played and I know that going forward things are going to be good."

Also encouraging was the fact that 927 fans were in stands to witness history. Despite the pouring rain, fans were rambunctious in their support. Not only that but Boston City merchandise, including scarves, were seen throughout Gilbert Stadium. All of this is a sign that the club has already been accepted by the community.

"It's incredible and I think that it shocked a lot of people because I think nobody was expecting almost 1,000 people in the stands," Palhinha said. "To have everyone in the stands and the press here was very important to us."

While Sunday was a good debut for Boston City, the team knows that growth is on the horizon. Players, coaches, and staff members all believe that this club has a lot of potential.

"I think almost 1,000 for the first game is a great number but that's just the beginning," Boston City defender Gabriel De Souza said through a translator. "I think the team will show you our quality and as time goes by 1,000 seats is going to be too little for this team."