Ocean State club picks up third win in four games as mid-season surge continues
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Aug. 8, 2026) – Rhode Island FC exacted its revenge on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, taking the Western Conference club down 2-0 at Centreville Bank Stadium in a rematch of the 2024 USL Championship Final. Newcomer Yutaro Tsukada stole the show with a goal in his home debut for the club to open the scoring, before JJ Williams secured the 2-0 win with his 11th goal of the year in second-half stoppage time.
In an exciting first 45 minutes between Rhode Island FC (7W-6L-5T) and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (7W-7L-5T), the only thing missing was a goal, but it was not for a lack of action. RIFC nearly found the opening tally in the 17th minute when Noah Fuson took a crafty touch past his defender before playing a perfectly-weighted cross to Williams, who drilled a header on frame that was cleared off the line by Colorado Springs defender Talen Maples.
Thirteen minutes later, it was the visitors who nearly scored when RIFC goalkeeper Koke Vegas palmed away a cross that fell to Colorado Springs forward Jonas Fjeldberg in the box. Fjeldberg quickly fired a low shot towards goal, but Nick Scardina came sliding in to sweep the ball off the line and out of danger.
In an end-to-end opening half, Williams was back in action just six minutes later down the other way, meeting Aldair Sanchez’s right-wing cross and nodding a powerful header just wide of the far post. Just three minutes before the half, Tsukada nearly snuck a stunning long-range strike past Colorado Springs goalkeeper Colin Shutler that fell just below the crossbar, but Shutler read the curling effort well and made the save.
The visitors kept pushing into the second half, forcing another diving save out of Vegas in the 50th minute after Fjeldberg put a close-range header on target. Vegas’s denial fell back to Fjeldberg in the box, but the forward could not keep the follow-up from sailing over the bar. Five minutes later, Vegas came up big again with another athletic save, this time denying Adrien Peréz’s powerful effort from long range.
RIFC’s persistence paid off in the 69th minute when Tsukada stole the headlines, becoming just the second RIFC player to score in their debut at Centreville Bank Stadium to give the Ocean State club the lead. The Japanese winger sprinted into the box and connected with a low cross, firing a first-time shot that was blocked before tucking the rebound into the bottom-left corner.
RIFC continued to pile on pressure as the game wound down, and eventually scored an insurance goal to put the game to bed in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. It happened when second-half substitute Leo Afonso chased down Shutler and forced a dangerous turnover out of the Colorado Springs shot-stopper, which fell straight to the feet of Williams. Williams wasted no time taking advantage, burying a long-range shot into the bottom-right corner to secure the 2-0 win.
Up next, Rhode Island FC will head down south for a meeting with the league-leading Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NESN+ and ESPN Select. Following the Eastern Conference clash, the Ocean State club will return to Centreville Bank Stadium for Folklore Night on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Monterey Bay FC. Tickets to the next home game are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
RI – Yutaro Tsukada, 69th minute: Tsukada pounces on a rebound and tucks it into the bottom-left corner. RI 1, COS 0
RI – JJ Williams, 90+2nd minute: Williams finesses an errant pass from the goalkeeper into the bottom-right corner. RI 2, COS 0
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Forward Yutaro Tsukada made his first career start for Rhode Island FC, after making his debut off the bench in RIFC’s 1-0 loss at Birmingham Legion FC on Aug. 2.
- Tsukada became the second player in club history to score on his debut at Centreville Bank Stadium, and the first to score a game-winning goal.
- JJ Williams scored his team-leading 8th goal of the regular season and 11th goal of the season across all competitions, tying his career-best single-season tally for the Ocean State club with 13 games remaining.
- Goalkeeper Koke Vegas made three saves en route to his third shutout win in four games, keeping his seventh clean sheet of the season and the 31st of his Rhode Island FC career.
- The win was RIFC’s third in four games, lifting it to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. RIFC has won two-straight games at Centreville Bank Stadium and is unbeaten in seven-straight home games dating back to May 2.
- Following Louisville City FC’s 1-1 tie vs. San Antonio FC, RIFC finished Week 23 just three points removed from a top-four home playoff spot.
- The win was RIFC’s first win in club history vs. Colorado Springs.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Yutaro Tsukada
Game stats and information available here.
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