RIFC Fights Back to Secure Hard-Earned Draw

The Return of the Draw Kings

Photo Courtesy of Rhode Island FC

The Draw Kings made their triumphant return tonight in their match against Indy Eleven as they fought back late to earn a 3-3 draw after two straight commanding victories.

Still, Rhode Island FC displayed a significant amount of heart and effort despite trailing twice against the third-best team in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference so one cannot be too disappointed with the result. Indeed, this match marked the third straight in which RIFC scored at least 3 goals. If only they can figure out their defensive issues.

The problems started for RIFC in the 20th minute, as Indy Eleven midfielder Laurence Wooton latched onto a dangerous free kick from fellow midfielder Cameron Lindley with about 18 yards of space on their right-hand side of the edge of the box and blasted the ball past RIFC goalkeeper Jackson Lee for the 1-0 lead. Rhode Island’s troubles doubled only seven minutes later as Indy striker Elliot Collier got open in front of goal and received a classy lofted through-pass from forward Romario Williams which he buried in roughly the same spot as Wooton had. Indy Eleven closed out the half solidly with a 2-0 lead over the home side, and there were no signs presaging Rhode Island’s thrilling comeback until the opening minutes of the second half.

When the signs of life did come, they came from the feet of JJ Williams and Jojea Kwizera, two Rhode Island FC forwards who have found scoring form in recent weeks as both took shots that tested Indy goalkeeper Hunter Sulte — the second led to a corner kick — which Miguel Ybarra lifted in to find the head of RIFC defender Frank Nodarse directly in front of goal. Nodarse nodded the ball into the dirt past Sulte and it bounced into the back of the net to get Rhode Island back into the match in the 52nd minute. Nodarse did it again only 17 minutes later, in the 69th as he headed in yet another corner from Ybarra past Sulte into the goal’s left-hand corner to draw the game up at 2-2.

Rhode Island’s elation did not last long, as the 79th minute saw Indy midfielder Tyler Gibson catch a cross from the right-hand side from Honduran striker Douglas Martinez, which he buried into the left-hand corner past the outstretched hands of a diving Lee to give Indy their second-straight lead of the night. Though Rhode Island FC was down, they were not out.

Their recent wins seem to have given them a shot of confidence that they lacked throughout much of the first half of the season (they have 3 wins, 10 draws, and 4 losses through the first 17 of 34 matches, including now 2 wins and 1 draw in their last 3), and they fought hard all the way into stoppage time for the equalizer and even ultimately for a win that never materialized.

The Tide’s break finally came in the 5th minute of stoppage time as Kwizera continued his blistering run of form, personally beating multiple Indy defenders to play a cross in to the feet of RIFC midfielder Isaac Angking who blasted it into the top shelf of the frame to level it up with only seconds left to play. Kwizera, who had endured a rough start to the season falling in and out of the starting lineup; has dominated the pitch recently with two goals and three assists in Rhode Island’s recent run of form. The club’s good results are due in no small part to his great play since the international break where he also scored for his national team, Rwanda.

Although RIFC fans will face some disappointment at their inability to continue to string together a winning run, fighting back from two deficits – one a two-goal shortfall – is nothing to sneeze at and the team has continued to display a goal-scoring form that was sorely missing throughout Rhode Island’s first fourteen matches. Plainly, RIFC head coach Khano Smith has been doing something right to get the side on track and looking positive heading into the playoff-push that marks the back-half of the USL Championship season.

Rhode Island FC will play next away against Miami FC –presently the worst team in the USL Championship – at 7 pm ET on Saturday, July 13.