RIFC makes first-ever trip to USL League One expansion side in Third Round clash
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (April 3, 2025) – Following Thursday’s Third Round U.S. Open Cup draw, Rhode Island FC will travel to Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Maine to face USL League One expansion side Portland Hearts of Pine on Tuesday, April 15 at 7 p.m. The Third Round matchup will be streamed live via Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network as part of a new multimedia rights agreement between the U.S. Open Cup and CBS Sports.
Rhode Island FC joins 16 other USL Championship clubs entering the tournament in the Third Round. The Ocean State club was paired against Portland Hearts of Pine Thursday afternoon from regional Group B. The game will be RIFC’s second-ever appearance in the historic competition, and will give the club an opportunity to pick up its first-ever win in the tournament after it fell 5-4 in a penalty-shootout loss to USL League One side Charlotte Independence in its U.S. Open Cup debut last season.
Portland, playing its first-ever season in USL League One this year, advanced to the Third Round of the competition in dramatic fashion. First, the young club dismantled amateur side Clube Desportivo Faialense 4-0 in its first-ever home game on March 20, before upsetting USL Championship side and regional RIFC rival Hartford Athletic in a penalty-shootout on April 2. After Portland and Hartford couldn’t find the back of the net in a scoreless tie through 90 minutes of regulation in the Second Round fixture, Hartford eventually struck first in the second half of extra time. However, despite being down a goal and down a man after a red card in the 96th minute, Portland found a miraculous late equalizer with just three minutes to play, forcing a penalty shootout and sending Hartford home empty-handed in front of a packed house at Lewiston High School.
The U.S. Open Cup is the only competition in USA-based team sports where amateurs have the chance to play professionals in direct competition. It is the oldest active professional soccer tournament in the country and the third-longest continuously run national cup competition in the world. Conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with the U.S. Soccer Federation, the tournament has crowned a champion every year since 1914, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. The first-ever Final of the tournament took place at Coats Field in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1914.
Khano Smith’s squad will balance the tournament with regular-season action in the coming weeks as the club continues to search for its first win of the 2025 USL Championship season. Up next, RIFC is set to travel to Oakland Roots SC for the first time on Saturday, April 5 at 4 p.m. ahead of its mid-week Open Cup matchup with Portland, before returning to the East Coast for a meeting with Detroit City FC on Saturday, April 19 at 4 p.m.
For Rhode Island FC news and updates, visit rhodeislandfc.com, download the official team app, and follow the club on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.