Noah Fuson and Stephen Turnbull score in historic first-ever RIFC victory
Draw, draw, loss, draw, draw. The Rhode Island FC faithful had long been anticipating the first taste of victory. Through grit, determination and a resilient defense, the Ocean State club earned its first-ever USL Championship win on Saturday, defeating Las Vegas Lights FC 2-1 at Cashman Field in downtown Las Vegas.
As the final three whistles blew to signal the end of the match, the entire Rhode Island FC bench, field players and staff erupted in excitement as they knew they had finally made history.
“We were just so happy to finally get the first one out of the way,” said Rhode Island FC forward Noah Fuson. “It was a big exhale. And now that we’ve had that first winning feeling, it only gives us that much more momentum moving forward.”
Fuson echoed the feelings of the locker room and the club as a whole. Every member of the squad and technical staff has put in a tremendous amount of work while sharing a common goal since day one — to win for all of Rhode Island. The team’s passion and dedication has continued to spread throughout the entire organization and fan base. On Saturday, every single supporter of the Club for All Rhode Island was ecstatic to be part of a milestone moment in RIFC history.
“I was just really happy to get the result,” said Rhode Island FC defender Stephen Turnbull. “It was a long week. Losing the Open Cup match in Charlotte was tough on us, and all the traveling added to the adversity going into the match. So to get a win like that felt really good.”
Both Turnbull and Fuson played key roles in the win in Las Vegas. In the 25th minute, the visitor’s first damage to the scoreboard came thanks to brilliant play from Albert Dikwa “Chico,” Fuson and Turnbull. As Fuson was streaking down the left wing, Chico sprung the ball down the path of the Glendale, California native. Fuson carried the ball into the box and towards the endline before cutting the ball across the six-yard box. The golden opportunity would make its way to a charging Turnbull, who slammed his left-footed shot into the back of the net.
“The goal felt really good,” said Turnbull. “It was probably the hottest game I’ve played in and I was feeling it. It was a lot of running back and forth in that dry heat, and to get a goal like that felt big. It fell to me pretty nicely thanks to the build up from Chico and Noah.”
The trio continued to make plays in the first half and gave Rhode Island FC its first-ever multi-goal lead in the 45th minute. The build up started with Turnbull, who cut into the penalty area and sent a dangerous ball to the top of the six-yard box. At the end of the pass was Chico, who one-timed a low and powerful shot that would get blocked by a Las Vegas defender. Fortunately for RIFC, the rebound landed perfectly at the feet of Fuson, who reacted quickly to slam the ball in from point-blank range.
“I was waiting for that first goal,” said Fuson. “And to have it come during our first win made it all that more special.”
Despite a second-half goal from the homeside to cut the lead in half, Rhode Island FC fought to the very end, showcasing incredible defensive resilience to protect its lead and preserve the historic victory. While the win was shared by the entire team, Turnbull’s efforts were further recognized as the defender was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week.
“It’s always good to have things like that,” said Turnbull. “I’m happy with it, but I can’t be comfortable with it because it is only one week. Performances like this week need to be the standard for myself.”
Accounting for the fifth instance an RIFC player has received the league-wide recognition this season, Turnbull’s honor further demonstrates the progress and success that he and his teammates have been able to achieve. In addition, the team’s success as a whole was also recognized as Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith was named USL Championship Coach of the Week after the win.
“We couldn’t do it without him,” said Fuson. “He’s a young head coach and that helps because he can relate to us. He sees us as people and not just players, and has that balance of being a player’s coach. He knows when to be hard on us, but we also know we can go to him for anything off the pitch too.”
Building the club from the ground up since he was first named RIFC Head Coach and General Manager on March 8, 2023, Smith has established meaningful relationships with all of his players.
“It means a lot to me specifically,” said Turnbull. “Coach took the time to really talk to me when I was thinking of coming here. He tells you how it is. He manages all the players and connects to every one of us on a personal level. Knowing the game is only half the battle. We need someone there for us and he fills that role. To have support from the coach and from the staff is a huge plus as a player.”
Fuson, Turnbull and Rhode Island FC will get the chance to start its first winning streak this Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET when the club takes on reigning USL Championship title winners Phoenix Rising FC at Beirne Stadium. Tickets to the match are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.