Rhode Island Gets Big Win Over Las Vegas
Rhode Island came from behind to win a game for the first time since September 21st, 2024.
As the USL Championship regular season continues to wind down RIFC welcomed fans to Centreville Bank for the penultimate home match of 2025, hosting the Western Conferences’s last place Las Vegas Lights.
Head coach Khano Smith made three changes to the starting eleven following the team’s two goal draw against El Paso Locomotive as Grant Stoneman, Albert Dikwa, and Hamady Diop were named in the starting XI.
It was the substitute, Stephen Stojanovic, who opened the scoring for Las Vegas in just the 46th minute after entering the match for former New England Revolution II player Patrick Leal to start the second half.
Rhode Island made their first pair of changes for the match in the 58th minute with Maxi Rodriguez and Amos Shapiro-Thompson replaced Diop and Zachary Herivaux respectively. Making another substitution in the 70th minute, Dwayne Atkinson checked into the game for Dikwa as Rhode Island pushed to get their equalizer.
It took just seven minutes.
Rhode Island were able to strike in the 77th minute thanks to a Hugo Bacharach strike from the top of Las Vegas’s box that took just the right deflection off of the defender and into the back of the net.
Koke Vegas made another big save for his team in the 81st minute to keep this game tied as another former New England man, Tommy McNamara, got off a close shot within Rhode Island’s box.
RIFC made a final pair of substitutions in the 84th minute Aimé Mabika and Aldair Sanchez replaced Karifa Yao and Jojea Kwizera, looking to hold on defensively for the closing minutes of the match.
The 90th minute of Sunday’s match was what can only be described as the best counterattack that Rhode Island has pieced together over the course of the season.
Defending a Las Vegas corner kick RIFC were able to get the ball out of their danger zone and pushed into the opposing end of the field in a matter of seconds as Clay Holstad carried the ball, laying a pass across Las Vegas’s box to a waiting Noah Fuson, whose first time strike beat the outstretched keeper to give Rhode Island the lead.
It was J.J. Williams who put the game to bed for Rhode Island in the 95th minute after some fancy footwork on the end line of Las Vegas’s box saw him beat the keeper with an impressive shot from a tough angle, sealing a crucial three points for the Ocean State.
With the 3-1 victory over the Lights Rhode Island currently sit at eighth in the Eastern Conference with three matches remaining, the players well aware of the importance of getting these last few wins.
Rhode Island will host their final home match of the year on Saturday, October 11th as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rowdies to Centreville Bank Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 PM EST.