Rhode Island FC Rallies for Late Draw Versus Tampa Bay

Late heroics saw Rhode Island FC bounce back and snatch a 1-1 draw vs the league-leading Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday night. The Ocean State side went down mid-way through the first half, before rallying back for the draw thanks to an 86th-minute header from forward JJ Williams, his third USL Championship goal of the season.

An even keel contest in the first half, Tampa Bay took the lead in the 29th minute thanks to a well-worked move, capped off by a free header into the top left corner from midfielder Pedro Dolabella. Both sides traded blows, combining for 13 shots and six shots on target, but Rhode Island struggled to gain a foothold in the game until late in the second half, wearing Tampa Bay down ahead of Williams' late equalizer.

Tampa Bay came into Pawtucket with the league's leading offense, boasting a +8 goal difference, and made sure to turn up the heat early, forcing Koke Vegas into his first save of the night after barely 10 minutes. Ultimately, it would go as the Spaniards' lone save of the night, as the RIFC defense held firm, only allowing one further shot on target.

Unfortunately for Khano Smith's side, that second shot on target found the back of the net. Following a well-worked move from the Rowdies, midfielder Max Schneider swung in a peach of a cross, airmailing the Rhode Island defenders in the box towards the unmarked Dolabella at the back post. All alone, the attacking midfielder arrowed a header past Vegas into the bottom left corner.

One could argue that defender Frank Nodarse should have done more to keep that ball from reaching Dolabella, having left the Brazilian in acres of space at the back post, but the cross was inch-perfect.

Tampa Bay carried the lead into halftime, but Rhode Island continued to grow into the game after the Rowdies broke the deadlock, particularly on defense. Once out of the break for the second 45, the offense sputtered for both sides, but RIFC looked the more clinical. Both sides combined for eight shots in the final 45 minutes, but RIFC was the only side to hit the target, once in the 80th minute off a long-range effort from Williams, and again on Williams' header in the 86th minute.

And for a match that looked so evenly split on the stat sheet, both goals bore striking similarities as well. Both headers off crosses from the near side of the pitch, over the heads of multiple defenders, before getting redirected at the back post.

Williams rose highest to head home substitute Nick Scardina's towering cross, heading home on the run between two Tampa Bay defenders for his third goal of the regular season. The American is Rhode Island's most potent goal threat thus far in 2026, leading the squad with five goal contributions in the league and eight across all competitions.

Rhode Island pressed ahead, gunning for a winner as the final minutes of regulation and stoppage time ticked away. But once referee Rodrigo Albuquergue put the whistle to his lips for full-time, RIFC had done enough to snatch a point from the leagues lone remaining invincible side.

The point on the night sees Rhode Island remain in 10th in the Eastern Conference, a full nine points behind Tampa, which leads the conference with 18 points and is still unbeaten through eight games.

The Ocean State Boys head up to Portland, Maine for a group stage match vs Portland Hearts of Pine in the USL Cup next Saturday, before returning to Pawtucket to host Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship on May 23.