Rhode Island
Rhode Island FC topped at home; here’s how it happened
SMITHFIELD — It took four games, and came in a losing effort, but Rhode Island FC finally scored its first goal at home by a player donning amber and blue colors.
In the club’s season opener, it was a New Mexico United own goal that gave RIFC its first score. Since that March 16 contest, Rhode Island had been shutout in back-to-back games at Beirne Stadium at Bryant University.
Clay Holstad’s right-footed blast on an indirect free kick in the box from Noah Fuson found the top right slot for club history in front of 4,000 on Friday night. RIFC managed the score in the 89th minute but was unable to equalize Phoenix Rising FC and fell 3-1.
Rhode Island (1-2-4) snagged its first win in program history last week, a 2-1 decision against Las Vegas Lights FC, but lost for the first time at home this season after three consecutive draws.
Phoenix opened the scoring just six minutes into the match when Rémi Cabral deposited a shot bottom right from Emil Cuello off a cross into the box. Rhode Island tweaked its defensive look after the goal to pressure Rising, the league’s defending champion, higher. It worked, but Phoenix landed its second goal shortly after as Cabral found space at the top of the box in the 34th minute.
“Unfortunately, right as it happened, we gave up the second goal,” RIFC coach Khano Smith said of the defensive change. “But then from there on, up until right when we scored, I thought we started to make an impression on the game.”
RIFC owned possession in the second half and held a 54.1% edge for the game. The chances were there as Albert Dikwa’s penalty kick, awarded on hand ball in the box by Phoenix, in the 41st minute was denied. And Mark Doyle’s header from Holstad in the 79th minute went over the bar.
Phoenix was limited to just four shots on target and RIFC had a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks, but the club was unable to manufacture goals again in the attacking third.
“We definitely, I think we had enough opportunities,” Smith said. “Credit to them, they went up two and then they didn’t need to score again. Just like us last week in Las Vegas, we scored two in the first half and we didn’t really need to push the game.”
Had Dikwa converted the penalty kick, Holstad’s goal would have been the equalizer as RIFC tried to salvage a draw. But the striker was denied on the attempt to the keeper’s right for his second consecutive failed penalty kick this season.
Phoenix capped the scoring on the counterattack in the 90th minute when Federico Varela used one touch to find the short post off a cross.
“When a team is compacted, they don’t have to come out,” Smith said. “We have to be the aggressor and create opportunities and score them. It felt like we were missing a little bit of that.”
jrousseau@providencejournal.com
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