Recap: RIFC 2 - Birmingham 0
Recap: RIFC 2 - Birmingham 0
Another win for the Boys in Blue see them jump to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Rhode Island FC returned to Beirne Stadium on Saturday night as they hosted Birmingham Legion FC, an opponent very familiar for head coach Khano Smith who spent four seasons with the club.
It took Rhode Island just thirty seconds to get their first real chance of the match, with the recently returned loanee Jack Panayotou’s attempt from inside of the box going just high of the net. It was Panayotou again in the 14th minute, taking on his defenders and beating them with some quick footwork to generate a chance for himself inside of Birmingham’s box.
Despite a number of good attempts in the opening half from the Blue and Amber they were unable to convert and went into the half tied at zero.
Rhode Island made their first change of the game in the 66th minute, replacing Fuson with JJ Williams. In the 71st minute, it was defender Stephen Turnbull who found the breakthrough for the hosts, his close-range effort the result of a cross from Marc Ybarra which Williams was able to tee up perfectly for Turnbull.
Celebrating the goal Turnbull jumped into the stands to celebrate with fans and was rewarded with a yellow card caution from the referee.
In the closing moments of regular time, Clay Holstad’s shot from close range was deflected by the keeper and out for a corner giving the hosts one more good opportunity to score. It was the substitute Williams who put the nail in Birmingham’s coffin, getting his head on the ensuing cross to double Rhode Island’s lead and put the game away.
With the win over Birmingham, Rhode Island now sit above the playoff line, currently residing in fifth place in the East. They’ll be traveling to Highmark Stadium for their next match to take on Pittsburgh Riverhounds on September 7th.