August 10, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Rhode Island FC returned to its winning ways in dominant fashion on Saturday, powering past regional rivals Hartford Athletic with a 3-0 win in the first-ever home derby match. A first career RIFC goal from Grant Stoneman kicked off the action in the first half, and additional goals from Frank Nodarse and Joe Brito completed the club’s seventh shutout of the season.
Rhode Island FC (7W-5L-11D) came out firing early, nearly opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Jojea Kwizera got on the end of Stephen Turnbull’s cross in the box. With space to operate on the left side, Kwizera brought the ball down and sent a dangerous pass across the face of goal to the outstretched foot of Albert Dikwa “Chico” at the goalmouth, but the Cameroonian could not keep his shot down as it flew over the bar.
RIFC continued to test the Hartford goal as the half went on, getting another good chance in the 26th minute when Turnbull found open space inside the box after a corner kick sequence. Taking the ball out of the air with nobody in front of him, his close range shot once again flew north of the bar.
Eventually, the persistent pressure paid off just three minutes later for the Ocean State club, who capitalized off of a set piece from the corner of the box to take the lead. The opening goal came from Stoneman, who rose up above everyone, heading home Kwizera’s curling free kick for his first career RIFC goal to give hosts a 1-0 lead.
Hartford (6W-12L-4D) nearly equalized in the 37th minute when Michee Ngalina forced a dangerous turnover in the attacking third, eventually lacing a cross into the box from the right wing. Although Deshane Beckford was able to get his head on the end of the cross, he couldn’t keep it on frame as the best chance of the first half sailed wide of the far post. Hartford came close again off of a corner in first-half stoppage time, but Mamdou Dieng couldn’t redirect Joe Farrell’s header at the back post in time as RIFC held onto the 1-0 lead going into the halftime break.
Rhode Island FC didn’t take long to double its lead out of the break, striking again in the 49th minute when Frank Nodarse powered home another close-range header, this time from Noah Fuson’s team-leading sixth assist of the season that once again came from a set piece. The goal was the fifth of the season for the RIFC defender.
In the 56th minute, it was Stephen Turnbull that…
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