Second-half Herivaux brace powers club to sixth-straight unbeaten result
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 17, 2024) – Rhode Island FC once again displayed attacking firepower on the road on Wednesday, battling to its second-straight win in a 3-1 victory over Birmingham Legion FC at Protective Stadium. A first-minute strike from Noah Fuson gave the Ocean State club an early advantage and a second-half brace from substitute Zachary Herivuax ensured the win as the visitors stretched their club-best unbeaten run to six matches.
Rhode Island FC (5W-4L-10D) got started early, netting the quickest goal in club history just 53 seconds into the match when Fuson took advantage of open space at the top of the 18-yard box. After Albert Dikwa “Chico” took down Stephen Turnbull’s throw-in in the attacking third, he quickly laid the ball to Fuson, who unleashed a powerful one-touch, left-footed shot that found the bottom left corner.
Birmingham Legion FC (8W-8L-3D) began to find its own stride in the attack as the half went on, but the best chance following the early goal once again came from Fuson, who had a golden opportunity to double the lead in the 19th minute. Sprinting into a one-on-one position from inside his own half with only Legion goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg to beat, Fuson’s shot at the top of the 18-yard-box was deflected at the last second by a sliding Birmingham defender before going out for a corner.
In the 40th minute, Koke Vegas was called into action for the first time, denying a long-range effort from Dawson McCartney with a strong, two-handed diving save. The effort would end up being Vegas’ only action of the half as the Ocean State club went into break up 1-0.
Despite hitting the target only three times in the opening 45 minutes, the hosts came out strong in the second half, finding an equalizer less than five minutes in. Receiving the ball from McCartney at the right corner of the 18-yard box, Prosper Kasim curled an inch-perfect shot past Vegas and into the top left corner to level the score.
Minutes after coming on as a substitute in the second half, Zachary Herivaux marked his 100th USL Championship appearance with his first career RIFC goal to put the Ocean State club back in front. It happened after JJ Williams intercepted an outgoing pass in RIFC’s attacking third in the 68th minute, working his way into the middle of the penalty area before sending a crafty backheel pass towards Herivaux. Taking the ball onto his right foot from close range, Herivaux slotted a well-worked finish past Spangneberg and into the back of the net.
Herivaux’s breakout performance continued less than 10 minutes later, when he received the ball at the top of the box before immediately launching a right-footed rocket past Spangenberg and into the right side netting to give the Ocean State club an insurance goal. The score marked the first time a player has recorded multiple goals off the bench for RIFC, and was enough to see out a second-straight win and sixth-straight result for RIFC.
Up next, Rhode Island FC returns home to Beirne Stadium on Saturday, July 27 when it hosts North Carolina FC at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the next home match are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
RI – Noah Fuson (Albert Dikwa “Chico”), 1st minute: Noah Fuson lines a first-time shot into the bottom left corner from the top of the 18-yard box. RI 1, BHM 0
BHM – Prosper Kasim (Dawson McCartney), 50th minute: Kasim curls a shot into the top left corner from the corner of the 18-yard box. RI 1, BHM 1
RI – Zachary Herivaux (JJ Williams), 68th minute: Herivaux slots home a close-range shot on the end of JJ Williams’ backheel assist. RI 2, BHM 1
RI – Zachary Herivaux (Stephen Turnbull), 77th minute: Herivaux launches a powerful strike from the top of the 18-yard box. RI 3, BHM 1
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The match marked the first time RIFC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith returned to Protective Stadium since his time as an assistant coach with Birmingham, where he helped the club to four-straight playoff appearances from 2019-2022.
- RIFC have now earned six consecutive results, including three consecutive victories on the road.
- After appearing off the bench in the last two matches after his return from injury, defender Grant Stoneman made his first start since March 30.
- Noah Fuson’s goal was his fourth of the season for RIFC, tying Frank Nodarse for second on the team. The forward has three goals and one assist in his last five matches.
- Fuson’s first-minute strike was the fastest goal scored in club history.
- In his assist to Fuson’s goal, Albert Dikwa “Chico” recorded his fifth goal contribution in four matches, with three goals and two assists.
- Second-half substitute Zachary Herivaux’s brace marked his first two goals for RIFC in just his third appearance for the club, and 100th career USL Championship appearance.
- The brace was the fourth in club history, and marked the third-straight match in which an RIFC player has netted multiple goals. Herivaux is the first player in RIFC history to record multiple goals off the bench, and the 13th different player to score for RIFC this season.
- RIFC has now scored three or more goals in four-straight matches, totaling 19 in six-straight unbeaten matches. Three of those results have come against Eastern Conference teams currently in the top five of the Eastern Conference standings.
- JJ WIlliams’ assist to Herivaux’s first goal was his fourth of the season, tying Noah Fuson for the team lead.
- The match marked the 12th time this season that RIFC has kept the opposition scoreless in the first half, and fifth time taking all three points when leading at the break.
- The win puts RIFC three points clear of ninth-place North Carolina FC in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Zachary Herivaux
Match stats and information available here.