Rhode Island FC Suffers 2-0 Defeat Against Loudoun United FC
Another rough start for RIFC
Following the club’s second loss in three matches this season — this time 2-0 to Loudoun United FC — Rhode Island FC very much continues to look like a ghost of last season’s squad.
Perhaps they just need time to gel; it is very early in the season, after all. Something, though, looks deeply off.
Zachary Herivaux, Noah Fuson, and Jojea Kwizera all started tonight’s match on the bench. The three have often found themselves left off of the starting XI, despite being some of the team’s most effective attacking players only a few months ago.
Look, head coach Khano Smith has earned a long rope and we’re still very early days; the boys haven’t even played a home match yet. RIFC has added some really good players, but the problem with being the comeback kid is that you’ve gotta be losing to come back, and you can’t always come back.
Rhode Island FC never really looked to seriously or comfortably be in this game. The squad managed to apply a brief moment of pressure, already down 2-0, when the ref sent off Loudoun United’s Yanis Leerman with a second yellow in the 67th minute. Rhode Island FC proved unable to do anything with their one-man advantage before Zachary Herivaux was himself sent off in second half stoppage time, thereby removing whatever advantage RIFC may have had left.
Loudoun United secured three points on the strength of two goals, both scored by left winger Abdellatif Aboukoura, who now has four goals and one assist through four games. On the first, he beat multiple RIFC defenders and then beat RIFC goalkeeper Koke Vegas at the bottom corner to make it 1-0 in the 35th minute.
Five minutes later, Aboukoura did it again after being allowed to go one-on-one against Vegas by the defense. The goalkeeper, left out, appeared paralyzed and failed to save the shot which sailed beyond his head, giving Aboukoura his brace and Loudoun a 2-0 lead.
For those Rhode Island FC fans who are still struggling with tonight’s loss, it is worth reminding them that RIFC remains, even now, better than Hartford Athletic who has yet to tally a point.
RIFC plays next on Saturday, April 5, at 4 PM ET, when they’ll be playing away against Oakland Roots SC.
Holstad in the back is not helping matters. He’s one of the few players that is a high-press player. That’s what RIFC needs instead of passing it around the back and losing ground.
Their play was so boring it made the revs season so far look less terrible (ignoring yesterdays very lucky late win)