Game Preview: Rhode Island FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC: June 21, 2025

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USL Rhode Island FC

Game Preview: Rhode Island FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC: June 21, 2025

June 16, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


After a dramatic stoppage-time winner saw Rhode Island FC earn its first-ever win at Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday against North Carolina FC, the Ocean State club will continue its four-game homestand as it prepares to welcome Western Conference foe Sacramento Republic FC this weekend. Rallying behind a first-half goal from Albert Dikwa "Chico" and stoppage-time penalty from Maxi Rodriguez in the second half of Saturday's 2-1 win, RIFC's dramatic victory marked its first-ever multi-goal game at Centreville Bank Stadium. It was also the first time since Sept. 21, 2024 that RIFC took all three points with a game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time. The Ocean State club now faces a tough test against a hungry Sacramento team that is unbeaten against Eastern Conference opposition, and looking to build momentum in its first road trip to the northeast. Ahead of School's Out Night, and the first of three postgame fireworks shows of the summer in Pawtucket, here is everything you need to know.

AT A GLANCE

Date | Saturday, June 21

Kickoff | 7:00 p.m. ET

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

Broadcast | NESN+, ESPN+

Radio | 790 The Score (790 AM)

Social | @rhodeislandfc (X, Instagram, Facebook)

Game Hashtag | #RIvSAC

Last Meeting | May 11, 2024: RI 2-2 SAC - Smithfield, R.I.

SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC

Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Danny Vitiello, 99-Jared Mazzola

DEFENDERS (10): 2-Jack Gurr, 3-Ryan Spaulding, 4-Lee Desmond, 5-Jared Timmer, 6-Freddy Kleemann, 17-Dominik Wanner, 21-Rayan Djedje, 22-Michel Benitez, 23-Aaron "AJ" Edwards, 55-Chibuike "Chibi" Ukaegbu

MIDFIELDERS (4): 19-Nick Ross, 20-Blake Willey, 43-Justin Portillo, 96-Luis Felipe

FORWARDS (7): 7-Trevor Amann, 8-Rodrigo Lopez, 9-Sebastian Herrera, 10-Christian Parano, 11-Russell Cicerone, 14-Da'vian Kimbrough, 24-Lewis Jamieson

Coast to Coast

Sacramento Republic FC recently capped off a five-game homestand with a 0-0 tie vs. San Antonio FC on Saturday, finishing a month-long stay at Heart Health Park with three shutouts. The California club conceded just two goals and scored 10 in front of its home fans. The impressive stint included a pair of dominant back-to-back wins over 2024 Western Conference finalists Las Vegas Lights FC. Sacramento bested Las Vegas 5-0 on May 17 before cruising to a 4-0 win two weeks later in the USL Jägermesiter Cup, extending an unbeaten start at home to eight games. Although Sacramento quickly saw that streak come to an end in a 1-0 loss to FC Tulsa in its next game, the scoreless tie vs. San Antonio last time out helped the club stabilize. Following the lengthy homestand, the club will head to the opposite coast for the first time in 2025, beginning a four-game road trip by taking on Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday before making its first-ever trip to Pawtucket on Saturday. So far this season, the club is unbeaten (0W-0L-2T) against Eastern Conference opposition, playing to a pair of 1-1 draws with Indy Eleven and league-leading Louisville City FC at Heart Health Park.

Goliath in Goal

Across 11 regular-season games ahead of its double-gameweek, Sacramento Republic FC averages just one conceded goal per game, and has not conceded a goal in 170 minutes of league play. Its 11 conceded goal total is the second-lowest in the USL Championship, behind only Western Conference second-placed FC Tulsa (9) and USL Championship leader Louisville CIty FC (9). Between the sticks, veteran goalkeeper Danny Vitiello has played every minute of the regular season in his seventh season in the USL Championship, averaging 2.5 saves per game. Vitiello kept his 49th career regular-season clean sheet vs. San Antonio and third of 2025. His 337 career saves are the third-most of any active goalkeeper in the USL Championship, and his 49 career shutouts stand as the third-most of any goalkeeper in USL Championship history. So far this season, Vitiello has only conceded multiple goals on three occasions.

Fine Margins

Although goals aren't flowing in full force for the Western Conference club, who sit in the middle of the USL Championship pack with 15 goals scored, its stout defensive structure allows it to grind out results. Across all competitions this year, four of the club's six wins have been decided by a one-goal margin. Sacramento has managed to earn a result in five of nine games where the club has been held to just one goal. In regular-season action, Russell Cicerone and Juan Sebastián Herrera lead the charge with three goals each, while six other players have netted at least once.

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 (10): 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

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

Battling Back

Rhode Island FC's 2-1 win over North Carolina FC showed a second-half fight the club had yet to showcase in 2025. The stoppage-time goal was the first time the Ocean State club has earned a win after entering halftime in a tied or losing position this season, and the first time it has scored a game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time since Albert Dikwa "Chico" did so in a 2-1 win vs. FC Tulsa on Sept. 21, 2024. It also marked the club's first-ever multi-goal performance at Centreville Bank Stadium, and ended North Carolina's then-longest active winning streak in the USL Championship.

Man for the Moment

Maxi Rodriguez once again showed up in the biggest moment on Saturday, taking center stage with a perfectly-struck, game-winning penalty kick in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. The historic goal sent 7,072 fans at Centreville Bank Stadium into euphoria and gave RIFC a much-needed three points at its brand-new home for the first time ever. Rodriguez, who is responsible for two of RIFC's three goals at home this season, also scored RIFC's first-ever goal at Centreville Bank Stadium during the club's Round of 32 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game vs. the New England Revolution on May 7. With goals in the USL Jägermeister Cup, the U.S. Open Cup and the USL Championship regular season, Rodriguez is the only player to score in all three competitions in 2025. Alongside Chico, who headed home the opening goal in the 18th minute, Rodriguez is one of four players with multiple regular-season goals for Rhode Island FC this year.

Attack from the Back

Rhode Island FC's defense has been strong lately, and showed an extra dimension when it played a crucial role in supporting the attack on Saturday. In the 18th minute, Chico's header to open the scoring came from an inch-perfect, curling cross from defender Aldair Sanchez. Sanchez joined the attack after getting on the end of an attempted clearance in the midfield, quickly turning defense into offense and whipping the ball into the 18-yard box. Later in the game, Frank Nodarse came in as a substitute and was active in the final third, including a quick move into the box that forced a defender to trip him in front of goal deep into second-half stoppage time. The quick run and foul led to the historic Rodriguez penalty that gave RIFC all three points.

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics



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