Game Preview: Rhode Island FC at Hartford Athletic: August 23, 2025
USL Rhode Island FC

Game Preview: Rhode Island FC at Hartford Athletic: August 23, 2025

Published on August 21, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


This weekend, the third and final installment of the USL Championship's newest rivalry will head across state lines to Hartford, Connecticut when Rhode Island FC travels to Trinity Health Stadium to take on Hartford Athletic. With both matchups at Centreville Bank Stadium ending tied after 90 minutes, both teams will be hungry to defeat their cross-state rivals for the first time this season while picking up a vital result in the Eastern Conference standings. Both clubs are coming off huge quarterfinal wins in the USL Jägermeister Cup, and are separated by just two points in the final two playoff spots ahead of Saturday's critical matchup. Ahead of Rhode Island FC's trip to a red-hot Hartford team who is experiencing one of the best runs in its history, here is everything you need to know.

AT A GLANCE

Date | Saturday, Aug. 23

Kickoff | 7:00 p.m. ET

Location | Trinity Health Stadium - Hartford, CT

Broadcast | NESN, ESPN+

Radio | 790 The Score (790 AM)

Social | @rhodeislandfc (X, Instagram, Facebook)

Game Hashtag | #HFDvRI

Last Meeting | July 26, 2025: RI 2(3)-2(4) HFD - Pawtucket, R.I.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): 44-Justin DiCarlo, 77-Antony Siaha

DEFENDERS (6): 2-Sebastian Anderson, 4-Jordan Scarlett, 15-Joe Farrell, 19-Emmanuel Samadia, 22-TJ Presthus, 30-Arturo Diz Pe

MIDFIELDERS (6): 6-Beverly Makangila, 8-Junior Moreira, 10-Samuel Careaga, 16-Jack Panayotou, 27-Justin Ingram, 94-Marlon Hairston

FORWARDS (7): 7-Deshane Beckford, 9-Mamadou Dieng, 11-Michee Ngalina, 17-Jonathan Jiminez, 28-Kauan Ribeiro, 71-Kyle Edwards, 81-Adewale Obalola

Heating Up

Despite winning just five of its 18 games across the USL Championship regular season and USL Jägermeister Cup, Hartford Athletic turned its season around in dramatic fashion and is currently enjoying one of the most explosive runs in its six-year history. The Green and Blue are unbeaten in seven games across all competitions dating back to its 0-0 tie vs. Rhode Island FC on July 19, scoring an astonishing 15 goals and conceding just four. The run was highlighted by dominant regular season wins over New Mexico United (4-0) and Birmingham Legion FC (4-1), and a 2-0 road win over San Antonio FC in the Jägermeister Cup quarterfinal last time out. In the regular season, Hartford has netted 11 of its 26 total USL Championship goals in its last five games, averaging a goal every 36 minutes and leading the league with 17 big chances in that stretch. The run has launched Hartford from last place to seventh place in the Eastern Conference, and has it on pace for the highest finish in club history. On the attack, Mamdou Dieng's nine goals and Kyle Edward's eight goals lead the team, and both are within the top nine scorers in the USL Championship.

Super-Save Siaha

Hartford's defense has been anchored between the sticks by USL Championship veteran goalkeeper Antony Siaha. The experienced USL Championship goalkeeper, who has amassed 257 career regular season saves in six seasons in the league, has kept six shutouts this season, including three in his last five games. He is third in the USL Championship with 50 saves, and has conceded just twice in the regular season since his memorable shutout at Centreville Bank Stadium on July 5. Siaha has recorded at least three saves in 10 games this season, and has come up big with 18 saves in his last five games for The Green and Blue.

Villains on the Road

After getting thrashed 3-0 in its sole visit to the Ocean State in 2024, Hartford came to Centreville Bank Stadium with a point to prove in July. In two back-to-back matchups, Hartford came out unbeaten, first holding the Ocean State club to a 0-0 tie on July 19 before battling to a back-and-fourth 2-2 tie one week later in the Jägermeister Cup group stage that saw Hartford take the extra point with a penalty-shootout win. Saturday will mark the first time this season the rivalry returns to Trinity Health Stadium, where the two squads last battled to a 1-1 tie in their first-ever meeting on June 1, 2024 in front of a packed house in Hartford. After two ties, neither team has been able to grab hold of the rivalry in 2025, and Saturday presents one last chance for both teams to stamp their authority on the exciting New England clash.

RHODE ISLAND FC

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Jackson Lee, 1-Koke Vegas, 13-Will Meyer

DEFENDERS (7): 4-Hugo Bacharach, 6-Aimé Mabika, 14-Rio Hope-Gund, 15-Frank Nodarse, 2-Dani Rovira, 3-Aldair Sanchez, 5-Grant Stoneman, 24-Karifa Yao, 16-Cole Dewhurst

MIDFIELDERS (12): 80-Isaac Angking*, 18-Joe Brito, 20-Zachary Herivaux, 12-Clay Holstad, 17-Jojea Kwizera, 8-Taimu Okiyoshi*, 21-Maxi Rodriguez, 77-Amos Shapiro-Thompson, 19-Kevin Vang, 23-Marc Ybarra, 36-Matthew Corcoran, 7-Dwayne Atkinson

FORWARDS (3): 10-Albert Dikwa, 11-Noah Fuson, 9-JJ Williams

*Out on loan

Super-Subs

In Wednesday's 1-0 quarterfinal win over Birmingham Legion FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup, Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith used a deep bench to his advantage. After a tight first half saw both teams struggle to generate positive attacking chances, Smith brought Zach Herivaux and Dwayne Atkinson into the game in the 72nd minute. Less than two minutes after coming on, the pair combined for the game-winning goal when Herivaux played a long ball out of the back, finding a sprinting Atkinson down the left wing. Using crafty footwork to send his defender to the turf before cutting into the box, Atkinson quickly sent Centreville Bank Stadium into a frenzy, slotting home his first-ever goal for the club in just his second appearance for the club to punch RIFC's ticket to the semifinals.

Captain Koke

After veteran goalkeeper Koke Vegas returned between the sticks following an 11-game injury absence, Rhode Island FC has kept three-straight clean sheets in all competitions, and has not conceded a goal at Centreville Bank Stadium since its 2-2 tie vs. Hartford Athletic in the Jägermeister Cup group stage finale on July 26. In the regular season, the Ocean State club is holding onto a three-game home shutout streak for the first time in club history, and has conceded just 20 goals in 20 regular season games, which is the fourth-fewest in the USL Championship. Its back-to-back clean sheets in Week 23 brought its season total to seven shutouts, which is tied for second-most in the USL Championship. Vegas and Rhode Island FC will need to be on top of their game on Saturday, when it faces one of its toughest tests against a red-hot Hartford attack that has shown it can score for fun.

A Look at the Table

Ahead of a critical Week 25 matchup in Connecticut, Rhode Island FC currently sit just two points behind Hartford in the Eastern Conference standings. The two clubs currently occupy the final two playoff spots in the East, with Hartford in seventh place with 23 points, while Rhode Island FC is in eighth place with 21 points. While a tie could be enough to keep the Ocean State club above the playoff line, three points would do wonders for its playoff hopes, allowing RIFC to jump Hartford and move into seventh place in the standings. With Indy Elven and Miami FC both closely chasing Rhode Island FC on 20 points, points are an absolute premium in a jam-packed Eastern Conference table and the next few weeks could be some of the most decisive of the season.

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 21, 2025


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