Rhode Island FC Comeback Bid Falls Just Short in 2-1 Loss at Portland Hearts of Pine
USL Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island FC Comeback Bid Falls Just Short in 2-1 Loss at Portland Hearts of Pine

Published on May 16, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


Logan Dorsey of Rhode Island FC with possession vs. Portland Hearts of Pine
Logan Dorsey of Rhode Island FC with possession vs. Portland Hearts of Pine
(Rhode Island FC)

PORTLAND, Maine - Despite a resilient second-half comeback bid, Rhode Island FC came up just short in its Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage battle at Portland Hearts of Pine, falling 2-1 in its first-ever trip to Fitzpatrick Stadium. After going down 2-0 inside 27 minutes, a second-half Logan Dorsey goal was not enough to overcome a heroic six-save performance from Portland goalkeeper Hunter Morse as the Ocean State club suffered its first loss of the competition.

Portland Hearts of Pine (1W-0L-1T) got off to an electric start, taking the lead less than three minutes into the contest when Ollie Wright sent in a cross from the left wing, finding the run of Matteo Kidd in the box. Kidd beat his marker, slid towards the back post and connected with the cross, powering the close-ranger effort into the back of the net to put Hearts in front.

Rhode Island FC (0W-1L-1T) nearly found the equalizer just ten minutes later when Hearts struggled to clear Noah Fuson's corner, and the rebound fell to Aldair Sanchez in the box. Sanchez fired a low shot towards goal, but Morse got down quickly to deny the effort with a fantastic diving save.

In the 21st minute, the hosts came within inches of doubling the lead when Titus Washington sprinted into a one-on-one break down the left wing. Washington worked his way into the box and beat an onrushing Koke Vegas with a well-timed chip, but the shot bounced just wide of the far post. Six minutes later, the hosts took advantage of the momentum in the attack, winning a penalty that Ollie Wright drove into the bottom-left corner to make it 2-0.

In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, RIFC nearly pulled one back when Jojea Kwizera pounced on a miscued clearance in the box, but Morse came up huge once again to deny the Rwandan from point-blank range, protecting the 2-0 lead going into halftime. Coming out of the half, RIFC continued to push, and was once again stopped by an Morse in the 57th minute, when the goalkeeper got down low to stop Kwizera's crafty free kick that nearly snuck into the bottom-right corner.

After RIFC began the second half with an onslaught of attacking possession, it's persistence paid off in the 61st minute when it converted its ninth corner of the game. Amos Shapiro-Thompson swung in a dangerous ball from the right side that Dorsey nodded into the back of the net, cutting the deficit to one with his second career goal for the club. Five minutes later, JJ Williams broke in behind once again, playing a cross to Dorsey in the box. Dorsey got to the ball first, but Kemali Green recovered in time to heroically poke the ball away from Dorsey's feet at the last moment.

In the 83rd minute, Morse delivered another pair of superb stops to preserve the lead. After a quick passing play moved the ball to the feet of second-half substitute Dwayne Atkinson in the box, Morse saved his low shot. Then, just moments later, Morse dove low to deny Nick Scardina's redirected effort from the top of the six-yard box with a fingertip tip off of the goal line.

Despite out-shooting Portland 18-5 throughout the game, including a 12-2 deficit in the second half, RIFC did not do enough to break through the resilient Hearts back line, who handed RIFC its first-ever USL Cup group stage loss as the game finished 2-1.

Up next, Rhode Island FC will return to regular-season action on Saturday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. when it welcomes expansion club Brooklyn FC to Centreville Bank Stadium on World Soccer Night. Tickets for the next home games are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

POR - Matteo Kidd (Ollie Wright), 3rd minute: Kidd connects with Wright's cross at the back post, powering home a sliding finish. POR 1, RI 0

POR - Ollie Wright (Penalty), 27th minute: Wright drives a low penalty into the bottom-left corner. POR 2, RI 0

RI - Logan Dorsey (Amos Shapiro-Thompson), 61st minute: Dorsey nods home Shapiro-Thompson's corner kick from the right side. POR 2, RI 1

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Hamady Diop and Agustín "Pity" Rodríguez made their first career USL Cup starts.

Dorsey scored his second goal for the club across all competitions, and his first career goal in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.

Amos Shapiro-Thompson assisted his first career goal for Rhode Island FC.

Rhode Island FC out-shot Portland 18-5, including a 12-2 edge in the second half.

RIFC also dominated the statsheet in crosses (25-6) and corners (10-1). RIFC's 10 corners was a season-high single-game total, and its 25 crosses were the second-highest single-game total of the season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Logan Dorsey

For Rhode Island FC news and updates, visit rhodeislandfc.com, subscribe to RIFC's monthly newsletter, follow the club on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, X and LinkedIn, and download the official team app.

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Images from this story

Logan Dorsey of Rhode Island FC with possession vs. Portland Hearts of Pine
Logan Dorsey of Rhode Island FC with possession vs. Portland Hearts of Pine
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 16, 2026


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