Rhode Island FC Secures First Clean Sheet In Third Draw

Rain and refereeing

Photo Courtesy of Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island FC secured its first ever clean sheet in a hard fought 0-0 draw against Charleston Battery on Saturday night. Freezing rain and extremely interruptive refereeing marked a frustrating contest where neither side really managed to create or convert their chances. RIFC opened their night match with a good crowd, but they dispersed by half-time, forced away by the cold, the wet, and the refereeing.

First, the refereeing. The average professional soccer match has perhaps 20-25 fouls in it. Tonight, each side had that many fouls alone, as RIFC recorded 25 fouls to Charleston's 22, for a total of 47 fouls. In addition, nine total offsides were called, five for Rhode Island, and four for Charleston.

Fans could tell as booing was constant, and a foul was called on average more than every two minutes. These fouls killed many attacks for both sides but Rhode Island FC, already among the most carded teams in the league; undoubtedly suffered worse for it.

In addition to being called for more fouls, they were also yellow carded six times, including four in the first half alone, beginning as early as the third minute, as every slip on the rain-soaked pitch drew the referee’s whistle. Conor McGlynn was notably yellow carded twice, leading to him being sent off with a red card in the 70th minute.

The first half opened with Charlotte dominating and the bulk of the first 30 minutes seemed to be played solidly in RIFC’s half with RIFC hoofing the ball up the pitch and hoping to make something of it. Still, RIFC’s defending was strong as the first shot on target wasn’t taken until the Battery fired at Jackson Lee in the 35th minute as he made his first of six saves. Rhode Island FC managed its first significant attack in the 38th minute, narrowly missing on their first shot of the match. They narrowly missed again shortly after as they took a long shot from nearly midfield after Charleston’s goalkeeper came out too far on a punch. Though he was unable to make it back to his net in time, he was saved as the wet ball sailed well over the crossbar.

Rhode Island FC played much better after Charleston’s first shot, as they managed to finally put attacks together and keep the ball out of their own half of the pitch in the last 15 or so minutes of the first half.

The second half opened with the referee being relatively quiet, though the quiet didn’t last long. Charlotte took the first shot of the second half in the 52nd minute but from there Rhode Island FC dominated and pinned Charlotte in their half until McGlynn’s second yellow (and thus red) card in the 70th minute saw their control dissipate. Charlotte especially poured pressure on over the last ten minutes and stoppage time, as Jackson Lee made save after save to preserve the clean sheet and ultimately, the draw. The rookie goalkeeper’s second start saw him grow well into the role.

At the end of stoppage time, which fittingly ended on a foul, Rhode Island grinded out its first clean sheet of the season. Between the persistent ticky-tack refereeing and being down a man, they’ll be happy to escape with a point, but RIFC’s fans will bemoan their side’s inability to convert their possession in Charlotte’s half into chances, shots, and goals when it mattered as Rhode Island heads into their fifth week of professional soccer still winless.

All told, tonight’s match could best be described as a kind of Calvinball, where the rules were made up and changed at the whim of a capricious referee and fans of both sides suffered for it. Rhode Island FC’s fans will look forward to seeing their club back in action against Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, April 13th, at 7:30pm EDT, either live at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island, streaming via ESPN+, or on television on NESN.