Game Preview: Rhode Island FC vs. Detroit City FC: April 4, 2026
USL Rhode Island FC

Game Preview: Rhode Island FC vs. Detroit City FC: April 4, 2026

Published on April 3, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


After a 2-0 win vs. regional rival Hartford Athletic in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Rhode Island FC will return to regular-season action to complete its two-game homestand vs. Detroit City FC on Saturday. The Ocean State club is undefeated (2W-0L-1T) at Centreville Bank Stadium across all competitions in 2026, and will look to carry its momentum from the U.S. Open Cup into the USL Championship as it fights for its first win of the regular season. Ahead of 401 Night at Centreville Bank Stadium, here is everything you need to know.

AT A GLANCE

Date | Saturday, April 2

Kickoff | 4:00 p.m. ET

Location | Centreville Bank Stadium - Pawtucket, R.I.

Broadcast | myRITV, ESPN Select

Radio | 790 The Score (WPRV 790 AM)

Social | @rhodeislandfc (X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)

Game Hashtag | #RIvDET

Last Meeting | Aug. 6, 2025: RI 1-0 DET - Pawtucket, R.I.

DETROIT CITY FC

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Carlos Herrera, 91-Carlos Saldana

DEFENDERS (7): 2-Rhys Williams, 3-Aedan Stanley, 4-Callum Montgomery, 12-Michael Bryant, 14-Haruki Yamazaki, 20-Rio Hope-Gund, 30-Devon Amoo-Mensah

MIDFIELDERS (-): 6-Ryan Williams, 8-Abdoulaye "Laye" Diop, 10-Jeciel "Jeci" Cedeño, 21-Maximiliano "Maxi" Rodriguez, 22-Kobe Hernandez Foster, 66-Bilal Obeid

FORWARDS (-): 7-Darren Smith, 9-Ben Morris, 11-Connor Rutz, 15-Alexander "Alex" Dalou, 18-Preston Tabort Etaka, 26-Chisom Egbuchulam, 32-Alassane "Ates" Diouf, 33-Derrick "Tommy" Silva

Strong Start

In the regular season, Detroit City FC is 2W-1L-0T, headlined by its 1-0 win vs. Charleston Battery over the weekend that saw the Battery defeated for the first time in 2026. Detroit's 2025 leading scorer, Darren Smith, continued his hot start to the season vs. the Eastern Conference heavyweights, scoring in his fourth-straight regular-season game dating back to last season to lift Le Rouge over Charleston for the first time since October of 2024. Smith has led an extremely productive Detroit attack that has outscored opponents 5-2 through three games in league play. Smith took just 32 minutes to record a brace in Detroit's season-opening 3-0 win over expansion club Brooklyn FC on March 14, before netting the lone goals at Indy Eleven (2-1 loss) and Charleston. The brace vs. Brooklyn was the third of his Detroit City FC career, and the first since netting twice in Detroit's 2-0 win over Rhode Island FC on April 19, 2025.

Flying in the Cup

Similarly to Rhode Island FC, Detroit City FC is off to a 2W-0L start in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, defeating a pair of amateur sides to advance to the Round of 32. It began the tournament in the First Round with a commanding 5-1 win vs. National Premier Soccer League club Michigan Rangers FC. After going behind 1-0, Detroit powered back with five unanswered goals from four different goalscorers, with Tabort Etaka, Maxi Rodriguez, Alex Dalou and Ates Diouf all finding the back of the net. In its Second Round game on Wednesday, Detroit faced off against USL League Two side Flint City Bucks, advancing to the Round of 32 with a gritty 1-0 win. Dalou scored his second goal in as many U.S. Open Cup games late in the first half to secure the 1-0 win, setting up a meeting with Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire in the Round of 32.

Rodriguez, Hope-Gund Return

Saturday's game will mark a homecoming for two former Rhode Island FC players, as Rodriguez and defender Rio Hope-Gund both will both return to Centreville Bank Stadium for the first time as opponents. Since returning to his former club after spending the 2025 season for Rhode Island FC, Rodriguez has one goal and two assists in five games across all competitions. Hope-Gund has made three appearances across all competitions for Detroit in 2026, getting the start in both of the club's U.S. Open Cup wins.

RHODE ISLAND FC

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Koke Vegas, 13-Will Meyer, 29-Jacob Castro

DEFENDERS (8): 2-Dani Rovira, 3-Aldair Sanchez, 4-Hugo Bacharach, 5-Grant Stoneman, 15-Frank Nodarse, 22-Nick Scardina, 24-Karifa Yao, 25-CJ Williams, 32-Hamady Diop

MIDFIELDERS (7): 7-Dwayne Atkinson, 10-Agustín "Pity" Rodríguez, 12-Clay Holstad, 17-Jojea Kwizera, 19-Kevin Vang, 21-Zachary Herivaux, 77-Amos Shapiro-Thompson

FORWARDS (5): 8-Leo Afonso, 9-JJ Williams, 11-Noah Fuson, 14-Logan Dorsey, 20-Jamin Gogo Peters

Derby Win

Rhode Island FC advanced to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 in style on Wednesday, blanking regional rival Hartford Athletic 2-0 at Centreville Bank Stadium to set up a rematch of last season's Round of 32 loss vs. Major League Soccer club New England Revolution. Aldair Sanchez opened the scoring in the 12th minute, converting a JJ Williams headed assist to score his first career goal for the Ocean State club. Eighteen minutes later, the homeside doubled its advantage when Williams found the back of the net himself, getting on the end of Augustín "Pity" Rodríguez's corner kick and heading home his first goal of the season. The goal cemented RIFC's second-straight shutout win in the historic tournament, and cemented Williams as RIFC's all-time leading goalscorer.

Super-sub Atkinson

Rhode Island FC will look to carry its cup momentum into the regular season on Saturday, where it is still looking for its first win. In its last league contest, RIFC fell 2-1 at Miami FC on March 28, coming up short on a late comeback effort after falling behind 2-0 early in the second half. The highlight of the night came from second-half substitute Dwayne Atkinson, who made club history by scoring the fastest substitute goal in club history. In the 65th minute, Atkinson - just 50 seconds after entering the game - found the back of the net, connecting with a deflected cross with his first touch of the game to cut the deficit in half. Although the strike was not enough to complete the comeback, it reinvigorated a Rhode Island FC attack that went on to outshoot Miami 20-9 through 90 minutes, dominating possession but struggling to convert chances into goals. Against Detroit, the Ocean State club will be hungry to finish more of its chances in order to earn a valuable result at home.

For the Recordbooks

Rhode Island FC is 1W-2L-1T in four all-time meetings with Detroit City FC. After being out-scored 5-1 in its first three meetings, RIFC picked up its first-ever win vs. Le Rouge on Aug. 6, 2025, defeating Detroit 1-0 at Centreville Bank Stadium. Former Rhode Island FC and current Detroit City FC midfielder Maxi Rodriguez scored the decisive penalty kick for the Ocean State club in the second half, doing so with his first touch of the game after coming in as a substitute less than two minutes prior. The goal set a club record as the fastest substitute goal in RIFC history - a record that held up until it was broken by Atkinson's goal last weekend.

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