Ocean State club’s third season concludes in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Oct. 30, 2026) – Rhode Island FC’s 2026 season came to a dramatic conclusion on Friday when it fell 5-4 in a penalty-shootout loss at Charleston Battery in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Ocean State club took the lead early at Patriots Point, but a late Charleston equalizer deep into second-half stoppage time took the game to a shootout for the second-straight postseason, where Charleston just edged the Ocean State club in sudden death.
Rhode Island FC started the game strong, holding the league’s hottest attack through the opening 30 minutes and out-shooting the Battery 10-0 in that time. Amos Shapiro-Thompson tested Charleston Battery goalkeeper Luis Zamudio just six minutes into the contest, firing a long-range shot from distance that forced a low save. Nine minutes later, Jojea Kwizera dribbled into the box and sent a cross to Stas Korzeniowski, who fired a volley over the bar.
The Ocean State club cashed in on the early momentum in the 28th minute, drawing a penalty kick after Charleston committed a foul defending an RIFC corner kick. Kwizera’s effort from the spot was initially saved by Zamudio, but the winger pounced on the rebound, burying it from close range to give the visitors a first-half lead.
The Battery found its first dangerous chance in the 32nd minute when a through ball into the 18-yard-box fell to a wide-open Maalique Foster. The Battery’s leading scorer snuck a close-range shot past RIFC goalkeeper Koke Vegas that was deflected by a sliding Karifa Yao, who held it up enough for Grant Stoneman to sweep the goalward ball off the goal line.
The hosts turned up the attacking pressure in the second half. Charleston nearly leveled the game in the 57th minute when Colton Swan picked up the ball at the top of the box, taking a touch towards goal before lining a low shot towards the far post. Vegas was swift to move off his line, however, getting down low to make a vital one-on-one save.
Rhode Island FC scrambled to keep the ball out in the late stages, absorbing intense pressure as it held onto the lead. The Ocean State club came out on the better end of a pair of intense goalmouth scrambles in the final five minutes of the game, doing everything in its power to claw the ball out of danger.
The resilience paid off deep into second-half stoppage time for Charleston, who forced an equalizer over the line in the fourth and final minute. Laurent Kissiedou began the move on the right wing, playing a long cross to the back post. Miguel Berry rose above a pair of defenders to win a heavily-contested header that was blocked, but the rebound fell to his feet and he poked it into the far corner to level the game and force extra time.
RIFC re-established its attacking presence in extra time, out-shooting Charleston 4-1 in the first 15 minutes. Shapiro-Thompson came closest to finding a dramatic go-ahead goal in the third minute of extra time when he fired a long-range shot from the top of the box, but Zamudio read the bounce to punch it wide. The shot on frame was as close as the Ocean State club came to the winner in extra time, as the matchup went to penalties for the second-straight season.
Vegas led the way with both a save and a scored penalty kick, but it was not enough to lift visitors across the line as the Ocean State club narrowly fell in the shootout, officially bringing its 2026 season to a close in Charleston.
Despite the loss, the 2026 season was another successful year for Rhode Island FC. The Ocean State club finished the regular season with a tied club-record 12 wins and clinched its third-straight playoff berth, becoming just the fourth club to do so in its first three seasons in the league’s modern era. The club thanks its dedicated fans for another year of support and looks forward to welcoming fans back to Centreville Bank Stadium for its fourth USL Championship season in 2027.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
RI – Jojea Kwizera, 28th minute: Kwizera fires home a close-range rebound after his initial penalty penalty kick was saved. CHS 0, RI 1
CHS – Miguel Berry, 90+4th minute: Berry converts a close-range scramble at the far post. CHS 1, RI 1
PENALTY SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
RI (4): Jojea Kwizera (Scored), Yutaro Tsukada (Scored), Karifa Yao (Scored), Hugo Bacharach (Missed), Koke Vegas (Scored), Agustín “Pity” Rodríguez (Saved)
CHS (5): Miguel Berry (Scored), Sean Suber (Scored), Emilio Ycaza (Scored), Graham Smith (Saved), Laurent Kissiedou (Scored), Jeremy Kelly (Scored)
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Jojea Kwizera scored his seventh goal of the season. He finished as the club’s active leader, scoring the second-most overall goals behind JJ Williams (8).
- Goalkeeper Koke Vegas scored his second career penalty in the shootout.
- The game marked the second-straight season that the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal between No. 2 Charleston and No. 7 RIFC went to a penalty shootout. The loss marked RIFC’s first postseason defeat in three meetings at Charleston.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jojea Kwizera
Game stats and information available here.
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