Rhode Island FC Destroys Miami FC 8-1

The Draw Kings become the Goal Kings

Photo By J. Alexander Dolan

RIFC entered tonight’s match in fifth place, needing a victory to stay there. They delivered that victory in stunning fashion.

Yes, their opponents Miami FC have been the worst team in the USL Championship this season, but never before tonight had they been beaten so savagely. Rhode Island scoured their opponents by a score of 8-1. In doing so, the Tide nearly doubled their goal differential, going from just +8 to +15 in one night; good for third-best in the USL Championship. Additionally, they became the third-highest-scoring team in the entire league, along with suffering the third-fewest losses.

After their disastrous start, head coach Khano Smith has turned Rhode Island FC into one of the league’s most fearsome sides. Having demonstrated just how fearsome they can be against Miami, RIFC will also hope to have set the tone heading into the USL Championship playoffs.

The scoring started early as Rhode Island found the back of the net in the 10th minute. Striker JJ Williams’ pass found forward Noah Fuson wide open in front of goal and Fuson fired across from the left-hand side of the goal into the right-hand side of the net, leaving Miami FC goalkeeper Felipe Rodriguez caught out and unable to stop the shot.

The next goal came only six minutes later, as it was Fuson’s turn to assist Williams. Fuson stole the ball from Miami’s defenders and then played a perfect through ball to Williams who ran uncontested to a one-on-one with Rodriguez, who he chipped easily. It was the third time Fuson and Williams had combined for multiple goals on the season and Fuson’s fourth goal and fourth assist in just the last five games. The total guaranteed his position as the single most productive playmaker in the USL Championship this season, with eight goals, 10 assists, and 50 chances created.

Rhode Island FC scored again in the 31st minute as midfielder Zachary Herivaux found midfielder Marc Ybarra in front of goal for his first goal of the season. RIFC’s next goal came in the 40th minute after Fuson was fouled in the box. Williams took the penalty and blasted it home into the left-hand side of the net, giving him a brace and Rhode Island a 4-0 lead.

Miami FC finally struck back in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, as striker Michael Lawrence had a shot bounce off of Rhode Island FC defender Karifa Yao and over goalkeeper Koke Vegas’ head, whose vision was blocked by RIFC defender Grant Stoneman. It was Miami FC’s one good moment of the night, and their only shot on target. The goal prevented RIFC from securing their tenth clean sheet of the season.

RIFC struck back moments later as first-half stoppage time expired. Herivaux was once again the creator as his cheeky pass found Williams who once again ran free towards Rodriguez. The Miami FC goalkeeper ran out to challenge Williams. but the RIFC striker’s shot rolled calmly into the open and empty net as he secured his first hat-trick of the season and the first in club history. The score was 5-1 for Rhode Island FC as the half-time whistle blew.

The second half got off to another quick start for Rhode Island FC. It was the 54th minute when defender Frank Nodarse — eager to get on the score sheet after a long drought — pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the left-hand side of the eighteen-yard box. His shot curved beyond the diving Rodriguez to sneak just inside the right-hand goalpost and give RIFC its club-record sixth goal of the match. Rhode Island FC, however, were far from finished despite the record.

Striker Albert Dikwa was next to score as midfielder Joe Brito found an open Dikwa on the right-hand side of the goal and “Chico” buried a fast, low shot to the left-hand side of the goal past a once-again diving Rodriguez. It was Dikwa’s 10th goal of the season.

Finally, winger Jojea Kwizera put Miami FC to bed in the 82nd minute, with the assist coming from midfielder Jack Panayotou. Panayotou’s long pass found Kwizera streaking down the left-hand side of the pitch, and the winger blasted the ball past Rodriguez, who got a touch to it but simply couldn’t stop the shot.

Rhode Island FC has been on the upswing ever since their 5-2 victory over league-leaders Louisville City FC last June, although if you ask head coach Khano Smith, the real change occurred the week before when they squandered a two-goal lead in a draw against Memphis. Over their final twenty matches, RIFC won eleven matches and lost three; a far cry from the way they started their inaugural season. In their final match of the season, Rhode Island recorded its most dominant victory yet and demonstrated exactly why it is a team to be reckoned with heading into the 2024 USL Championship playoffs.

Rhode Island FC’s 8-1 victory over Miami FC is the single most lopsided result in this entire USL Championship season. No other side this season managed to build the seven-goal differential that RIFC did tonight, nor did any side score as many goals.

With the win, Rhode Island FC finished their inaugural regular season in fifth place, with 51 points and a 12-15-7 record. That fifth-place finish means they’ll play their first-ever playoff match away against Indy Eleven. Rhode Island FC have played against Indy Eleven twice already this season, a 3-3 draw at home on July 5 and a 1-0 loss away on August 7. That loss came as a midweek clash with a heavily rotated eleven and Rhode Island FC will certainly seek to avenge themselves. That match will be played on Sunday, November 3.