Following the first victory in club history, a 2-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC, Rhode Island FC returns home to Beirne Stadium on Friday for a second-straight interconference clash, this time against 2023 USL Championship title winners Phoenix Rising FC at 7:30 p.m. After a pair of scoreless draws at Bierne Stadium in its last homestand, Head Coach Khano Smith and his squad will look to continue its recent goalscoring momentum in search of the first home win in RIFC history on Friday. Here’s everything you need to know about the match.
AT A GLANCE
Date | Friday, April 26
Kickoff | 7:30 PM ET
Beirne Stadium, Smithfield, RI
Broadcast | NESN+, ESPN+
Social | @rhodeislandfc (X, Instagram, Facebook)
Match Hashtag | #RIvPHX
PHOENIX RISING FC
Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Rocco Rios Novo, 22-Patrick Rakovsky
DEFENDERS (9): 3-John Stenburg, 4-Pape Mar Boye, 5-Mohamed Traore, 23-Ryan Flood, 27-Lawrence Wyke, 30-Alejandro Fuenmayor, 64-Isaiah Kaakoush, 72-Edgardo Rito, 77-Juan Carlos Azocar
MIDFIELDERS (8): 6-Giulio Doratiotto, 8-Jose Hernandez, 10-Federico Varela, 14-Emil Cuello, 16-Gabi Torres, 17-JP Scearce, 21-Panayioti “Panos” Armenakas, 26-Renzo Zambrano
FORWARDS (3): 7-Erickson Gallardo, 29-Dariusz Formella, 91-Remi Cabral
Back to Winning Ways
Two 2023 trophy-winners clashed at Phoenix Rising Stadium last weekend when the defending league champions took on 2023 Players’ Shield winners Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The battle between the two conference heavyweights ended in a 3-1 win for the visitors, handing Phoenix its third loss of the season and marking the second time in three matches the club has given up three goals. In the attack, Pittsburgh got things started with the opening goal in the 25th minute, but Phoenix fired back less than two minutes later to send the teams into the locker room tied at 1-1. Despite tallying nearly double Pittsburgh’s shooting total, entering the final third 64 times and owning the possession battle at 61.6 percent, Phoenix’s first-half strike was all the homeside had to show for it. Two second-half goals would be all the visitors needed to secure all three points. Phoenix is winless on the road this year (0W-2L-1D), and will look to change that narrative on Friday at Beirne Stadium in order to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time this season.
Defending the Crown
In Phoenix Rising FC’s tenth USL Championship season in 2023, the club picked up its third Western Conference crown and first-ever title. The Arizona club has won all three of its Western Conference title matches in the last six years, making it to the USL Championship final in 2018, 2020 and 2023. During the 2023 season that saw the club finish sixth in the west before making its historic playoff run, the club got off to a 1W-2L-4D start to the season. This year, the visitors come to Beirne Stadium with a 2W-4L-1D record, equaling its title winning campaign’s seven points through seven matches.
Cabral Headlines New Acquisitions, Building from the Core
Phoenix Rising FC had 13 players return from its 2023 championship squad in the offseason, maintaining a consistent core of players who bring championship-winning experience. Despite losing its top goalscorer in Danny Trejo, who netted 19 goals last season (just one goal behind RIFC’s Albert Dikwa “Chico”), the club brought in MLS Next Pro 2023 Golden Boot winner Remi Cabral, who already has three goals in six appearances in his third USL Championship season. Cabral, who came off the back of a career-best 2023 season with MLS Next Pro side Colorado Rapids 2, also scored 19 goals last season and has picked up where he left off in his first season in Phoenix. The forward scored the lone goal in the club’s 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
RHODE ISLAND FC
Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Koke Vegas, 22-Jackson Lee, 30-Nate Silveira
DEFENDERS (6): 2-Nathan Messer, 3-Stephen Turnbull, 4-Collin Smith, 5-Grant Stoneman, 15-Frank Nodarse, 16-Gabriel Alves, 24-Karifa Yao
MIDFIELDERS (9): 7-Prince Saydee, 12-Clay Holstad, 17-Jojea Kwizera, 18-Joe Brito, 19-Kevin Vang, 21-Kofi Twumasi, 23-Marc Ybarra, 28-Conor McGlynn, 77-Amos Shapiro-Thompson
FORWARDS (4): 9-JJ Williams, 10-Chico, 11-Noah Fuson, 14-Mark Doyle
History in Vegas
Rhode Island FC made history with a 2-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC on April 20, taking home three points for the first time ever. On Tuesday, RIFC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith was named USL Championship Coach of the Week following the historic victory. Rallying behind two first-half goals from Stephen Turnbull and Noah Fuson, the club showcased late defensive resilience to protect its lead and come away with a narrow win on the road. The 2-0 halftime advantage was the club’s first-ever multi-goal lead, and it came as a result of an efficient press that helped force several key Las Vegas turnovers in the attacking third. Against the defending league champions on Friday, maintaining a similar pressure will be crucial to a positive start in front of the home fans.
Opening the Floodgates
After two consecutive 0-0 draws at home and only three goals through the first seven weeks of league play, Rhode Island FC finally found its goalscoring thunder in an action-packed week. Through a midweek Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup thriller and the win in Las Vegas, the club scored six goals in five days, with four different players finding the back of the net. In the penalty-shootout loss in the Open Cup, Nathan Messer earned his first professional goal, Clay Holstad’s curler from distance was featured on SportsCenter Top 10, Conor McGlynn picked up his second career Open Cup goal and Turnbull netted a dramatic late equalizer to send the match to penalties. Four days later in Las Vegas, Turnbull’s second RIFC goal in as many matches gave the Ocean State club an early lead and earned the Holtsville, New York native his first-ever selection to the USL Championship Team of the Week. Fuson also netted his first USL Championship goal, which ended up being the match-winner. RIFC will look to use its recent momentum on Friday at Beirne Stadium, where the club aims to earn its first-ever home victory.
Between the Sticks
After leaving the pitch injured in RIFC’s 2-2 draw at Monterey Bay F.C. on March 24, Koke Vegas made the matchday lineup for the second-consecutive match in Las Vegas. RIFC’s first-ever team captain is nearing a return to action in the USL Championship while two-time Team of the Week selection Jackson Lee is riding a 180-minute streak without conceding a goal at home. As the veteran starter Vegas gets back to full health and Lee continues an incredible start to his professional career, Khano Smith will have some difficult decisions to make at goalkeeper on Friday.