Alexandria Reds Fall 2-1 in Road Clash Against Ristozi FC
by Shershah Atif
OWING MILLS, Maryland —Despite a resilient second-half fightback and a beautifully worked equalizer, the Alexandria Reds dropped a narrow 2-1 result on the road against Ristozi FC in NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference action on Saturday night.
The match tested the Reds' mentality before the whistle blew, demanding a 50-mile away trip followed by a one-hour weather delay. When the skies finally cleared, both sides settled into a tightly contested, physical chess match.
The Reds, entering the weekend tied for first place on points, looked dangerous in the opening 10 minutes, finding pockets of space between Ristozi’s disciplined, compact defensive lines.
Forward Conrad Brady nearly found a breakthrough midway through the half, carving his way into the box before his shot was deflected. As the half wore on, Ristozi began to test the Alexandria defense, but the Reds’ backline and goalkeeper stood firm against a barrage of late chances to keep the match scoreless at the break.
"I'm super proud of the team's effort and the intensity that we brought in terms of executing the game plan," said Head Coach Nick Conklu. "We knew it was going to be a challenging game against a good opponent, but we were able to stymie their attack and create frustration with our press."
The gridlock finally broke in the 60th minute when Ristozi found the back of the net via a through ball and a one-on-one finish. However, the Reds refused to fold. Dominating possession and pinning the hosts back in their own half, Alexandria’s relentless pressure paid off 10 minutes later.
In the 70th minute, a ball was lofted into the attacking third where Gabriel N’Dakpri expertly headed it into the path of Aidan Walsh. Beating his man down the touchline, Walsh delivered a precise cross into the box for the striker to finish from close range.
"There were a lot of positives in terms of how we responded," Conklu noted regarding the equalizer. "After going down a goal, being able to come back, control the tempo, and pin them back in their attacking half showed a great response from the group."
The final 20 minutes devolved into an end-to-end sprint as both sides chased a winner. In the 83rd minute, moments after Alexandria narrowly missed a golden opportunity at the far post, Ristozi quickly countered. The hosts won a corner kick, and after the ball bobbled around the penalty area, they managed to scramble it across the line to secure the 2-1 victory.
Despite the heartbreak of conceding late, Conklu emphasized the squad's growth and adaptability early in the campaign.
"We played a slightly different system, but we're still executing our principles," he said. "It's definitely a learning moment in terms of how we need to see games out, but our mentality was strong. Having to fight through the delay, go down a goal, and bounce back—we have to continue to build off that work rate."
The Reds, who sit in the top half of the tightly packed conference standings with six points through four matches, will look to wipe the slate clean. They return to Alexandria for a full week of training before hosting DMV Elite at home next weekend.
"It's all about resetting," Conklu added. "We have a full week in preparation for DMV Elite at home. Now it's about taking care of each game and maximizing our opportunities to get points, especially when we're playing at home. We have to bounce back."
