Match Preview: Rhode Island FC vs. FC Tulsa: September 21, 2024
September 18, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
After dropping back-to-back matches on the road for the first time this season, including a 1-0 loss at Orange County SC last time out, Rhode Island FC will look to get back in the win column in front of the home fans this Saturday as it returns to Beirne stadium to face Western Conference opponent FC Tulsa for the first time. The Ocean State club will play host to a Tulsa side that is fighting for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings and equally as hungry for three points after going winless in its last four matches. Ahead of a vital matchup where both teams will be pressed for a win, here is everything you need to know about Saturday's match.
AT A GLANCE
Date | Saturday, Sept. 21
Kickoff | 7:30 PM ET
Location | Beirne Stadium, Smithfield, RI
Broadcast | NESN+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
Social | @rhodeislandfc (X, Instagram, Facebook)
Match Hashtag | #RIvsTUL
FC TULSA
Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Michael Creek, 24-Joey Roggeveen, 99-Johan Peñaranda
DEFENDERS (10): 2-Anthony Harper, 3-Alex Souahy, 4-Arthur Rogers, 12-Rashid Tetteh, 20-Patrick Seagrist, 22-Bradley Bourgeois, 26-Angel Bernal, 31-Owen Damm, 47-Harvey St. Clair, 63-Sebastian Sanchez
MIDFIELDERS (10): 6-Boubacar Diallo, 7-Andrew Booth, 8-Blaine Ferri, 11-Milo Yosef, 14-Luca Sowinski, 17-Edwin Laszio, 21-Alex Dalou, 33-Aaron Kacinari, 66-Santiago Sanchez, 77-Faysal Bettache
FORWARDS (5): 5-Camilo Ponce, 10-Matthew Bell, 19-Stefan Stojanovic, 29-Aaron Bibout, 70-Diogo Pacheco
More is Better
Although FC Tulsa is unbeaten (5W-0L-4D) when scoring multiple goals this season, the Oklahoma club has only managed to find the back of the net more than once in a match three times since late May, and hold just one win in its last eight. A 1-0 loss to league-leading Louisville City FC last time out marked the second time in six matches the Western Conference club failed to register a shot on target, and the 12th time Tulsa has failed to find the back of the net, the second-most in the league behind only Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (13 shutouts against). With the attack struggling to produce of late, the club finds itself in the bottom seven teams in the USL Championship in scoring with 27 goals - an average of just over one goal per match. Against an RIFC team that, despite sitting on 39 goals this season, has been shut out in two-straight matches for only the second time, Tulsa will need to find a way to strike early and often to pick up a much-needed three points on the road.
Building from the Back
Despite the scoring struggles up front for FC Tulsa, goalkeeper Johan Peñaranda has been in excellent form during his first season as a professional, making six saves against Louisville to keep his side in the match through 90 minutes. The 24-year-old finished two saves shy of his career-high eight that he set five matches prior. The Long Beach, New York native has registered at least five saves in three of his last eight starts, keeping six clean sheets in 15 appearances after making his professional debut for Tulsa on June 8. Despite playing just over half of Tulsa's matches this year, the keeper already sits 15th in the USL Championship with 58 saves and 13th in clean sheets, averaging nearly four saves per match.
Pacheco Party
On the other end of the ball, another rookie USL Championship presence leads the way for Tulsa as Diogo Pacheco's seven goal contributions (four goals, three assists) lead the team in his first year with the club. Although the forward has not registered a goal involvement in six matches, Pacheco had a stretch of three goal involvements (one goal and two assists) in as many matches in early August, contributing to a stretch of six-straight results that have kept Tulsa in the playoff picture with just over a month to go in the regular season. In five matches that Pacheco has scored or assisted this season, Tulsa has not lost (3W-0L-2D).
RHODE ISLAND FC
Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Koke Vegas, 22-Jackson Lee, 30-Nate Silveira
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Nathan Messer, 3-Stephen Turnbull, 4-Collin Smith, 5-Grant Stoneman, 6-Morris Duggan, 15-Frank Nodarse, 16-Gabriel Alves, 24-Karifa Yao
MIDFIELDERS (12): 8-Jack Panayotou, 12-Clay Holstad, 17-Jojea Kwizera, 18-Joe Brito, 19-Kevin Vang, 20-Zachary Herivaux, 21-Kofi Twumasi, 23-Marc Ybarra, 28-Conor McGlynn, 77-Amos Shapiro-Thompson, 80-Isaac Angking
FORWARDS (4): 9-JJ Williams, 10-Chico, 11-Noah Fuson, 14-Mark Doyle
Struggling up Front
Despite scoring 26 goals in 13 matches and picking up the most points in the USL Championship with only one loss from June 12 to August 31, Rhode Island FC has struggled to operate at a similar efficiency in its last two matches. The club has been held to consecutive shutouts for only the second time. Its 180-minute scoreless stretch is second only to its 205-minute streak without a goal in April, and resulted in the club's first set of back-to-back losses. However, the Ocean State club's last win came in front of the home fans at Beirne Stadium, and RIFC has not lost at home since June 8. Now that only three points separate Rhode Island FC and ninth-place Pittsburgh, tapping back into its recent momentum at home and picking up all three points is a must to keep RIFC safely in the driver's seat for a postseason berth.
Peppering the Goal
Rhode Island FC's inability to find the back of the net on Saturday did not come from a lack of chances. After registering a season-low two shots with none on target in its previous match at Pittsburgh, Khano Smith's men jumped out on the attack early on Saturday, forcing six saves out of Orange County SC goalkeeper Chris Sulter with 18 total shots on the night. Stephen Turnbull and Albert Dikwa "Chico" led the way with four and five shots respectively, and Rhode Island FC completed over 500 passes with at least an 80% accuracy as a team for the second-straight match. Returning home against Tulsa, it will be key for RIFC to find a way to turn its midfield transitional play into goals to snap its recent skid.
Welcoming the West
FC Tulsa is the second of three-straight Western Conference teams RIFC will face in as many weeks. The Ocean State club holds a 2W-3L-5D record overall against teams from the opposite coast in 2024. Prior to the loss at Orange County, which snapped a three-match unbeaten run against Western Conference teams, RIFC's last loss against a team from the West came all the way back on May 17 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Additionally, RIFC has only lost at home against the West once in a 3-1 defeat to reigning USL Championship Final winners Phoenix Rising SC. The homeside will look to make it four straight against its opposite conference counterparts at home when it welcomes Tulsa to town on Saturday.
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