A big club from a small state, chasing its destiny
Playoffs.
It’s one of the most significant words in sports, where stories are written and legacies are made. For Rhode Island FC, that moment has arrived in its inaugural season. The opportunity is not one the club takes lightly as it looks forward to an intense Eastern Conference quarterfinal clash at Indy Eleven on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. (NESN, ESPN+, 790 The Score).
When making it to the postseason on this type of stage, it may seem easy to get lost in the emotions and look far into the future. However, the Ocean State club remains focused on the match ahead, dialing in on a date against No. 4 seed Indy Eleven in The Circle City Sunday afternoon with their relentless Never Say Die attitude.
“I think it’s just about living in the moment,” said 2024 USL Championship Golden Playmaker Noah Fuson. “It’s about taking everything day by day and focusing on the task at hand, which for us now is Indy. We are not looking ahead to the next game or who we could play or what the possible scenarios could be in the future.”
The squad, full of USL Championship experience, understands the situation and knows what the focus of the first round of playoffs needs to be. Despite the historic success in the Ocean State club’s inaugural season, everyone from the technical staff to the players knows that the job is not finished and that this is not the final destination.
“We haven’t done anything,” said Rhode Island FC General Manager and Head Coach Khano Smith. “We’ve qualified for the playoffs but we’re going on the road. We’re in no position to be taking anyone lightly or getting ahead of ourselves.”
Indy Eleven is not a side that Rhode Island FC is taking lightly. The Ocean State club is winless against its Eastern Conference foe this season. The task is clear that the squad will have to play to the final whistle to be victorious in Indianapolis. If the dramatic 3-3 draw between the two clubs in July says anything about RIFC’s mentality when it comes to competing against an experienced club like Indy, it’s that the Ocean State club will Never Say Die.
“It doesn’t matter what position you’re in,” said USL Championship Player of the Week JJ Williams. “It doesn’t matter how late it is in the game, it doesn’t matter if you are winning or losing, you have to make sure you are executing all the way to the final whistle. You’re never out of it, you really aren’t. So it’s about making sure you’re staying in there, looking forward and continuing to perform. And that’s what we have to do. Anything we have to do to get a win; Never Say Die.”
In the pair of meetings between RIFC and Indy this season, the two clubs split points in their first encounter on July 5 in a 3-3 draw before Indy Eleven took all three points in their second meeting, defeating RIFC 1-0 at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Aug. 7. To keep the season alive, Smith and his squad know they will have to do something they have yet to do this season — beat Indy Eleven.
“Indy is a team we haven’t beaten, but they are certainly a team we think we can beat,” said Smith. “It’s going to be difficult but I think we’re in really good form and we are healthy.”
The playoffs are a new season where anything can happen. Every member of the roster understands the stakes at hand and what it is going to take to advance and give the Ocean State club a chance at going down in USL Championship history.
“Anybody can beat anybody, and that’s just the way I think about it,” said Williams. “It’s all about your preparation and how you show up on game day. That’s the biggest thing. So we can think we’ve done something great, but going into next week, it doesn’t matter. It’s a clean slate. The winner advances and the loser doesn’t. So that’s how we have to think about it.”
Smith and his club have arrived at this moment by playing their exciting, fast-paced style of soccer. And while there will be minor adjustments, the club must continue to be confident and play the way that has gotten it here in the first place.
“I think we just have to play with confidence,” said Rhode Island FC midfielder Marc Ybarra. “Just be ourselves and go out there. Nothing has to change. Obviously, everyone is going to be a bit tight and it’s going to be high pressure. It’s going to be high stakes and it’s going to be flying around for the first fifteen minutes, but if we can keep our confidence and be ourselves, we can really take advantage of this matchup and go a long way with this team.”
It’s important to the Ocean State club’s success to stay confident and determined in order to get the win on Sunday. Self-doubt is not an attribute Smith’s squad is used to, and each member of the club is positive and ready to play against a tough opponent.
“Indy is a team with very good players,” said Rhode Island FC defender Frank Nodarse. “Anyone can win a game and we are going to go out and try to win.”