Ocean State club will travel to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in USL Championship Final on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. on CBS
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (Nov. 16, 2024) – Rhode Island FC officially clinched its first trophy in club history on Saturday, taking down Charleston Battery 2-1 at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium to win the USL Championship Eastern Conference title. Behind goals from Karifa Yao and Noah Fuson, the Ocean State club is the first expansion team in eight years to advance to the USL Championship Final in its inaugural season, and the first club ever to do so out of the Eastern Conference. RIFC will play for the league championship on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. ET on CBS as it travels to Weidner Field to take on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
Charleston Battery dominated possession in the opening 18 minutes, coming within inches of opening the scoring in spectacular fashion when Juan Torres unleashed a powerful shot from well outside the 18-yard-box. The shot narrowly missed an outstretched Koke Vegas at the top-right corner as the match stayed scoreless.
RIFC responded with its first dangerous chance of the night just two minutes later, when Albert Dikwa “Chico” connected with a long cross from the left wing at the top of the box. Working through a pair of defenders, Chico redirected the ball towards the back post, but it trailed just wide. In the 33rd minute, Zachary Herivaux flicked a header from inside the box that deflected off a Charleston defender and towards the goal, but Charleston goalkeeper Adam Grinwis made a full-stretch diving save to pick the ball out of the top-left corner, denying RIFC the opening goal.
In the 42nd minute, an RIFC corner produced yet another sharp save from Grinwis when JJ Williams’ low header from the top of the six-yard box was denied. Less than a minute later, however, Grinwis was left rooted to the line when Karifa Yao connected with Clay Holstad’s deep throw-in, flicking a header to the bottom corner from close range. RIFC would hold onto the 1-0 lead going into the halftime break.
The Ocean State club picked up right where it left off in the second half, doubling its lead in the 52nd minute when Noah Fuson tore down the left wing. Receiving a through ball from Clay Holstad before dribbling into the box, the 2024 USL Championship Golden Playmaker went one-on-one with Grinwis from a tight angle and laced a powerful shot across the face of goal and into the roof of the net to double the RIFC advantage.
Charleston got one back nine minutes later when Torres launched another powerful shot from distance. This time, the midfielder curled a brilliant effort down and off of the crossbar from a deep direct free kick to give the hosts a lifeline.
Despite a late corner in the last minute of second-half stoppage time that caused a lengthy scramble in the 18-yard-box, Rhode Island FC was able to defend its narrow margin, officially clinching the Eastern Conference title and securing a berth in the USL Championship Final with a 2-1 victory. The Ocean State club secured its first-ever trophy in historic fashion, becoming the first expansion club since 2016 to advance all the way to the final match in its first USL Championship season.
Up next, Rhode Island FC will travel to Weidner Field to take on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the 2024 USL Championship Final. The nationally-televised match will kick off on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. ET on CBS. Official RIFC Watch Party details for the historic match will be announced in the coming days.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
RI – Karifa Yao (Clay Holstad), 43rd minute: Karifa Yao flicks Clay Holstad’s long throw-in into the back of the net with a header inside the 18-yard-box. CHS 0, RI 1
RI – Noah Fuson (Clay Holstad), 52nd minute: Noah Fuson slams a powerful shot into the roof of the net. CHS 0, RI 2
CHS – Juan Torres, 61st minute: Torres goes bar down off a free kick from long range. CHS 1, RI 2
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Rhode Island FC advances to the USL Championship Final after beating three of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference on the road, including No. 1 Louisville City FC and No. 2 Charleston Battery.
- The Ocean State club is the first expansion side to advance all the way to the final match in its first year since Sporting Kansas City II did so in 2016, and the first club in league history to do so out of the Eastern Conference. Two years prior, Sacramento Republic FC became the first expansion club to reach the final in its first season, and the only first-year club to ever win it.
- Rhode Island FC is unbeaten in 15 straight USL Championship matches when scoring the first goal.
- RIFC has scored first in each of its three playoff wins, and has not conceded from open play in its last two.
- Albert Dikwa “Chico” made his first start of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs on Saturday. Chico scored 10 goals in 26 starts during the regular season and added one playoff goal off the bench in RIFC’s 3-0 Eastern Conference Semifinal win in Louisville.
- Karifa Yao’s goal in the first half was his first of the playoffs and second of the year. His first goal came in the club’s 2-2 draw with Sacramento Republic FC on May 11.
- Noah Fuson’s goal was his ninth of the year, and team-leading 19th total goal contribution for the club.
- Clay Holstad’s pair of assists were his second and third for RIFC, and first of the playoffs. The effort marked the midfielder’s first multi-assist match of his USL Championship career.
- RIFC outshot Charleston 18-11, limiting the hosts to just 18 touches in the 18-yard-box.
- Rhode Island FC will travel out west for the USL Championship Final, taking on the Western Conference Champions, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Noah Fuson
Match stats and information available here.