Rhode Island
Rhode Island FC trounces Miami in regular-season finale. What’s next?
Drummers and dancers greet tailgaters at Rhode Island FC’s first game
A marching ban parades through the parking lot at Bryant University ahead of Rhode Island FC’s first game
SMITHFIELD — Saturday night was a coronation for Rhode Island FC.
The club already secured a playoff spot entering the regular-season finale against Miami FC and RIFC used all 90 minutes to celebrate its postseason berth. JJ Williams tallied three first-half goals and Rhode Island trounced Miami, 8–1,at Beirne Stadium.
Rhode Island finishes its first regular season at 12-7-15 and earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The club travels to fourth-seeded Indy Eleven for its inaugural playoff game on Sunday, Nov. 3. The start time is TBD.
“It’s a nice way to cap the season off at home and give the fans something to celebrate,” RIFC coach, Khano Smith said. “I don’t think [Miami], at the end, provided much resistance. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves and think we are that good. We are definitely going to play a much better team next week.”
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Noah Fuson started the first-half blitz with a goal in the 10th minute and Williams doubled the advantage just six minutes later. Fuson corralled a Miami turnover at midfield and fed Williams for the easy score. Marc Ybarra made it 3-0 with a right-footed finish in the center of the box, while Williams added his second goal off a penalty spot.
“We haven’t done anything, we’ve qualified for the playoffs, but we’re going on the road,” Smith said. “We’re in no position to be taking anyone lightly or getting ahead of ourselves.”
Williams finished off the first-half hat trick, the first three-goal game in club history, with a deft move around the Miami keeper for an open-net score in the 45th minute. Miami was the worst team in the USL this season finishing with just three wins and a minus-63 goal differential. Miami’s first-half score was the first goal the club managed since Aug. 14 against Memphis 901 FC.
Rhode Island rode its second-half momentum and added goals from Frank Nodarse, Albert Dikwa and Jojea Kwizera. The club bested its most goals in game this season by three.
Rhode Island finished with 51 points on the year and a plus-15 goal differential. They tied Indy Eleven in points but lost the head-to-head matchup as the teams drew, 3-3, in July and Indy topped Rhode Island, 1-0, in August.
“A team that we haven’t beat, but certainly a team we think we can beat,” Smith said of Indy. “It’s going to be difficult, but I think we’re in really good form and we are healthy.”
jrousseau@providencejournal.com
On X: @ByJacobRousseau