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Three More Clubs Join VPG eNPSL

May 06, 2020 by Dan Vaughn

The VPG eNPSL competition continues to add more NPSL clubs. Announced yesterday, three more clubs added their names to the list of clubs competing. Boston City FC, Las Vegas Legends, and New Orleans Jesters all signed up and are preparing clubs for the competition. Cindy Spera, NPSL Managing Director highlighted the announcement in a press release - “We are very excited about our final three teams and the contributions they will make in the competition. Fans and supporters should be excited about this new esports league and the clubs that will be represented.”

The competition is now set at 16 clubs. The schedule is yet to be set, but the league has plans to announce it soon.

May 06, 2020 /Dan Vaughn
enpsl, esports, fifa, VPG, Boston City FC, Las Vegas Legends, New Orleans Jesters, home, Cindy Spera, soccer
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Player Profile: Jhonata Batista

May 10, 2019 by Dan Vaughn

The paths to soccer success are not the same for every player. In fact, every story is strikingly unique. Every player has to sacrifice and take risks to achieve their goals. It’s an act of faith - faith in the ability and skills you possess and the knowledge that you will continue to develop and grow those skills. Jhonata Batista’s path to Boston City FC started in South America and has led him to leave behind everything he calls home to find something new in the United States. His story is inspiring and reflects the dream of success being realized.


You have an interesting path to Boston, can you talk about your time in Brazil and how that contributed to your development as a player?

My time in Brazil was very good for my development as a player. Since I was really young, my coach on my local team would use me in the older teams. One year he signed my whole team in the older league, I’m sure that helped. The following year my coach registered me to play on the U20 team, and I was only 13 years old and starting and doing well and scoring goals. That was my first team called G10 with coach Gilberto in my home town.

What's the biggest difference between Brazil and the United States?

Soccer in the US has grown a lot the past years but I think a big difference I noticed when I got here was that the type of game was a lot of running and strength and long balls. Different from where I came from. My teams’ style would be always try to move the ball around and create plays through the wings or finding the center forward.

How about soccer wise? Are there differences between the two countries and their approach to the game?

Now with all the information and coaches experiences, Brazil and US is getting a similar way to play the game even though I came young here and I still think Brazil has a lot of quality and skillful players, maybe for our background, soccer was everything to me and it is for most of the Brazilian kids. I would breath soccer 24/7.

You've played for Boston's BSSL team and are now playing for their NPSL side, can you talk about that transition?

I actually have played in the NPSL the past three years and I knew how it would be. Last year I didn’t play for Boston, so when I came back the first team was already off-season so I wanted to help the second team in the Open Cup and get playing time playing in the BSSL as well.

How does the BSSL compare with the NPSL?

Boston City is new to the BSSL so there is three divisions and they started on the lowest so I would say it’s a huge difference. I’m not familiar with the highest divisions so I can’t say much about them, even though there are some teams with the capacity for growing in the league or in the US soccer.

Nice start to the season, 2 goals and an assist. Can you keep up this pace for the season?

My past seasons it’s been very good. I’m happy with the goals and the assist from the first game, but there’s much more to achieve. I’ve been working hard so I’ll do my best to keep helping my team, scoring goals or giving good passes and creating chances.

How would you describe your game?

I play as a center forward, so scoring is my thing, but I like participating in the game as much as I can, getting touches in the ball, making combination passes. The main ones I would say are receiving the ball with speed and putting pressure on the defenders.

Boston FC has changed up the roster in the offseason, how do you feel about your roster this year? Who stands out?

Our team this year has a lot of young and quality players. A good example of it is that we had seven players starters debuting on the team and in the league and they showed a great personality and passion earning goals from behind three times and getting that point away versus Hartford. We all have to work hard to achieve our goals so I believe in all of them!

Your division is a strong one, what does Boston FC have to do to make the playoffs this season?

I think the head coach Michael Bustamante is doing an awesome job showing us the way he wants us to play and all the players really believe it so if we keep a positive mind set and work hard on the pitch, we can definitely make it.

What music are you listening to?

Samba

Chips Ahoy - Original or Soft Baked?

Original

May 10, 2019 /Dan Vaughn
BSSL, Bay State Soccer League, NPSL, Boston City FC, Soccer, Brazil
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Screen Shot 2019-05-06 at 10.40.12 AM.png

A NPSL Doubleheader

May 06, 2019 by Dan Vaughn

With 12 goals and 11 yellows cards across two matches, Boston City FC and Hartford City FC began their seasons by facing off in two-straight matches. The first was at the home of Hartford City FC and the second led them to Boston City FC's new grounds.

As the NPSL Northeast Region North Atlantic Conference began on April 27, the Lions of Boston City FC were headed to Hartford. According to their Communications Director Michael Preston, Boston City had seven players making their first team debut in the season opener. Hartford City FC has recently come under the direction of new head coach Nick Balistierri and is playing at a new home field, Yousuf Al-Marzook Field at the University of Hartford.

The excitement in the first match of the season began early as Luke Alvaro scored in the 3rd minute for Hartford and Jhonata Batista scored in the 6th minute for Boston. Both teams scored again the first half on goals by Miguel Carneiro for Hartford and Rigoberto Jimenez for Boston. The game was back and forth for the opening 25 minutes of the second half until Tyler Carlos netted a header off of a free kick to take Hartford up 3-2. As the time was winding down, Jimenez sent a cross to Batista who finished with a header and leveled the score at three in the 81st minute. All five cautions of this match were issued after Batista's second goal.

The back and forth of the first match led to a lot of anticipation from the sides as they shifted venues. The second leg of the opening series took both teams to Boston City's new home: Harry Della Russo Stadium in Revere, MA. Both teams we hoping to come out with a win after drawing the previous week, but Hartford came out looking ready almost immediately. Luke Alvaro started off quickly again, this time scoring in the 6th minute, and was followed in the 10th minute by Shaquille Saunchez. The goals just kept coming for Hartford. By halftime, it was 5-0 with Alvaro and Saunchez at two goals and Daniel Jones with one. Each team had two players on a yellow. After Alvaro scored for a third time in the 51st minute, the second half saw Boston City looking tighter defensively as a team. The final score ended up at 6-0.

The doubleheader was a great way to start the season. The excitement that comes with the new season only became greater after the opening draw. Having two matches with the same teams at the start seemed to prolong that joy for an extra week. It would be great to see this again next year with a different set of teams in the North Atlantic.

The matches can be viewed online. For the match in Hartford, visit Hartford City's YouTube channel and for the match at Boston, visit Boston City's website. Both teams will play again this Saturday night. Boston City FC will be on the road to face a strong New York Cosmos B and Hartford City FC is at home as the Brooklyn Italians begin their season in Connecticut.

- Andy Rittenhouse

Thanks to Boston City FC for the photo.

May 06, 2019 /Dan Vaughn
Boston City FC, Hartford City FC, Soccer, Amat, NPSL
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