Second-half substitutes Doyle and Herivaux power club to third-straight win
Smithfield, R.I. (July 27, 2024) – A dominant second half fueled by a pair of substitutes lifted Rhode Island FC to a come-from-behind victory on Saturday as the club defeated North Carolina FC 2-1 at Beirne Stadium. Sparked by Zachary Herivaux’s third goal in two matches and Mark Doyle’s second goal of the season, the three points marked a club-best third-straight win and stretched the Ocean State club’s unbeaten run to seven.
The best chance of the opening half for Rhode Island FC (6W-4L-10D) came in the 25th minute, when Jojea Kwizera burned his defender down the left flank before entering the penalty area and cutting a goal-line pass to JJ Williams at the top of the six-yard box. Williams was able to connect with the pass and line a first-time effort, but the low shot flew just wide of the near post.
Five minutes later, North Carolina FC (5W-7L-8D) got on the board first when Evan Conway brought down a cross with his head at the top of the 18-yard box. The redirected pass fell perfectly to the feet of Mikey Maldonado, who buried a first-time effort into the bottom right corner to give the visitors an early lead. The effort was the only shot on target for either team throughout the half, and ensured that North Carolina went into halftime up 1-0.
After a slow start to the second half for both sides, Williams once again had one of RIFC’s best chances to equalize in the 70th minute. Using quick footwork to split the defensive line at the top of the box, the striker pelted a left-footed shot on goal, forcing a full-stretch save from North Carolina FC goalkeeper Jacob McGuire. Working quickly off the ensuing corner kick, Clay Holstad unleashed a curling effort from the corner of the 18-yard-box that beat McGuire seconds later, but the shot narrowly missed wide of the far post.
RIFC’s increased attacking presence would pay off just four minutes later, when Doyle found the back of the net less than five minutes after entering the match as a second-half substitute. After a powerful shot from Grant Stoneman rattled the crossbar from outside the box, Doyle was the first to the rebound, nodding the ball into the empty net from close range to level the score at 1-1.
Another second-half substitute would find the back of the net to give RIFC the come-from-behind lead in the 84th minute. Netting his third goal in two matches, Zachary Herivaux started his attacking move when Noah Fuson fed last week’s USL Championship Player of the Week with a through ball into the box, before Herivaux took a touch and fired a right-footed rocket to give RIFC the 2-1 lead. The goal would go down as the match-winner and see RIFC earn its third-straight win.
Up next, Rhode Island FC will look to extend its historic unbeaten run as it heads to Detroit City FC for the first of two-straight road matches. The nationally-televised contest in the Motor City will kickoff on Saturday, August 3 at 4 p.m. on CBS. Fans can join in cheering on the team at the Official Rhode Island FC Watch Party at The 78 Pub @ This Guy’s Pizza in Johnston. Following the two-match road stretch, the club will welcome regional rivals Hartford Athletic for the first-ever home derby match on Saturday, August 10 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the next home match are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
NC – Mikey Maldonado (Evan Conway), 30th minute: Maldonado fires a first-time shot past Koke Vegas from the top of the box. RI 0, NC 1
RI – Mark Doyle, 74th minute: Doyle nods home the rebound after Grant Stoneman’s shot nails the crossbar. RI 1, NC 1
RI – Zachary Herivaux (Noah Fuson), 84th minute: Herivaux powers home a close-range shot to the near post. RI 2, NC 1
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Scoring the equalizing goal in the 74th minute, second-half substitute Mark Doyle’s goal marked the second consecutive match that an RIFC substitute has scored within five minutes of entering the match. The first came when Zachary Herivaux netted his debut goal five minutes into last week’s 3-1 win at Birmingham Legion FC.
- Doyle’s goal was his second of the season, and first since the club’s 1-1 draw at Hartford Athletic on June 1.
- Herivaux’s match-winner was his third goal in two matches, and marked the second-straight home match in which RIFC have come from behind to secure a result.
- Noah Fuson’s assist to Herivaux was his team-leading fifth of the season.
- Nine goals have been scored by RIFC substitutes this season, which is good for second-most in the USL Championship behind only Sacramento Republic FC (10).
- The win was the third straight for RIFC, marking the longest in club history. The Ocean State club also stretched its club-best unbeaten run to seven matches, recording multiple goals in each match for a total of 21 of its 32 total goals in that timeframe.
- The win bumped Rhode Island FC to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, five points clear of the playoff line.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Zachary Herivaux
Match stats and information available here.