Dramatic penalty-shootout win sets up Eastern Conference Semifinal at North Carolina FC next weekend
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (Nov. 2, 2025) – For the second-straight season, Rhode Island FC took down Eastern Conference heavyweight Charleston Battery in the playoffs on Sunday, toppling the No. 2 seed in a penalty shootout at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium after a dramatic 0-0 tie in regulation. Fueled by four impressive saves from Koke Vegas during the game, the Ocean State club buried all five penalties in style to secure a thrilling road upset in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, setting up an Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup at North Carolina FC next weekend. The game’s date, kickoff time and Official Watch Party information will be announced soon.
In a tense, chippy first half, both teams were slow to find genuine goalscoring opportunities and neither produced a shot on target. Although Charleston began to test RIFC in the final 15 minutes of the half, it was not enough to truly test the RIFC defense as the game stayed scoreless, setting the scene for an end-to-end second half display as both teams turned up the pressure.
Just three minutes into the second half, Rhode Island FC found one of its best opportunities of the game when Amos Shapiro-Thompson drove into open space on the right wing. Whipping in a cross, Shapiro-Thompson found the wide-open head of Zachary Herivaux, whose header bounced off the ground and just over the crossbar from close range. Two minutes later, Noah Fuson came down the same side before looking for JJ Williams with another dangerous cross, but Williams just missed the delivery as the ball slipped wide.
In the 58th minute, Cal Jennings had the best chance for either team up to that point when the USL Championship’s second-highest scorer broke through the back line and into a one-on-one position. Streaking into the box with nobody around him, Jennings took a wide-open shot that was denied by a spectacular save from Koke Vegas.
As the game wore on, Williams produced RIFC’s first shot on target when he tested Charleston goalkeeper Luis Zamudio with a dangerous free kick in the 78th minute. The shot looped over the wall and found the frame, but Zamudio got in front to save the effort. Four minutes later, Jojea Kwizera got on the end of Fuson’s cross at the top of the box, ripping a powerful low shot that forced a sharp save from Zamudio at the near post.
In second-half stoppage time, RIFC came within inches of a game-winning goal on several occasions. In the first minute, Fuson delivered an inch-perfect cross that found the head of Williams, who nailed the crossbar with a close-range header. Three minutes later, Fuson found Williams again, this time with a low cross that Williams redirected into the hands of a diving Zamudio at the far post. Although RIFC nearly broke through with a slew of dangerous late chances, it was not enough to find the back of the net as the teams went into extra time to decide the game.
Despite a large scuffle in the final minute that led to both teams being shown a red card and going down to 10 men, the Rhode Island FC attack continued to shine in the first period of extra time. In the 101st minute, Williams broke away from his defender on the goal line, finding Fuson with a squared pass across the box. Fuson took a quick shot, but it was blocked away by a defender. Two minutes later, Aldair Sanchez flicked a header to Hugo Bacharach at the top of the box, who fired a first-time volley out of the air and just narrowly over the bar.
Although RIFC controlled most of the attacking possession in the late stages of the game, it ultimately could not find the breakthrough, and two massive stops from Vegas took the game into a penalty shootout. In the final minute of extra time, Vegas came up big with a full-stretch diving stop to deny Aaron Molloy as the final whistle ended a riveting scoreless period of regulation.
Although RIFC were kept from scoring in regulation, that did not hold into the shoutout. Burying all five penalty kicks, and the Battery missing one, the Ocean State club downed the hosts with its first-ever penalty shootout win to punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the second-straight season.
Up next, the Ocean State club will head back to First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park to face North Carolina FC for the second time in four weeks with a second-straight spot in the Eastern Conference Final on the line. On Oct. 18, the two squads battled to a 0-0 tie in North Carolina that officially clinched RIFC’s second-straight USL Championship Playoff berth.
For up-to-date information regarding Official Rhode Island FC Playoff Watch Parties, playoff scheduling and potential home playoff games at Centreville Bank Stadium, text “Playoffs 2025” to 401-249-4857.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
RI: JJ Williams (Scored), Hamady Diop (Scored), Maxi Rodriguez (Scored), Hugo Bacharach (Scored), Aimé Mabika (Scored)
CHS: Aaron Molloy (Scored), Rubio Rubín (Scored), Arturo Rodriguez (Missed), MD Myers (Scored)
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Rhode Island FC’s penalty shootout win was the first in club history. It also marked just the second time in club history RIFC has gone to extra time in a game, and the first time it has done so in the USL Championship Playoffs.
- Rhode Island is 4W-0L-0T all-time vs. Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs.
- Rhode Island FC is 2W-0L-0T vs. Charleston in the postseason. In 2024, the Ocean State club took a 2-1 win at Patriots Point in the Eastern Conference Final to lift its first-ever trophy.
- RIFC is the only team to win multiple games at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium in the last two seasons. The game marked Charleston’s first home loss since its 2025 regular season opener on March 8, and snapped its 14-game home unbeaten streak.
- The shutout marked just the fifth time Charleston has been kept from scoring this season, and the first time it has been shut out at home across the regular season and playoffs. It was RIFC’s second shutout against the Battery in 2025, following a 1-0 win at Centreville Bank Stadium on Aug. 30.
- Koke Vegas kept his second career playoff shutout for Rhode Island FC in the win, making four impressive stops. The clean sheet is the 21st of Vegas’ Rhode Island FC career across all competitions, a feat which he accomplished in 52 all-time appearances for the club.
- Jojea Kwizera was shown a red card in the second half.
- Rhode Island FC and North Carolina FC’s Semifinal matchup next weekend will mark the second meeting between the two clubs in four weeks. On Oct. 18, the two squads battled to a 0-0 tie that officially clinched RIFC’s spot in the playoffs.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Koke Vegas
Match stats and information available here.
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