Rhode Island FC Hosts Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday

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USL Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island FC Hosts Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday

August 30, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


After being shutout in two straight losses at home against Eastern Conference opponents who are in the thick of the playoff race, Birmingham Legion FC will be desperate to return to form on Saturday against an RIFC side who sit just one point behind The Three Sparks in the Eastern Conference standings. In total, Tommy Soehn's side has amassed just one point in its last three home matches, and has earned just one win in five tries at Protective Stadium dating back to the club's first meeting with RIFC on July 17. In its latest match, despite outshooting Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 14-11, Birmingham allowed three goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half and was unable to dig its way out and ultimately fell to its second-straight shutout defeat. The match marked only the third time Birmingham has suffered back-to-back losses, and the first time this season it has happened at home. Luckily for the Alabama club, the road has been more kind. Birmingham has picked up 21 of its 35 points, six of its 10 wins and just three of its 10 losses this season away from Protective Stadium, and is unbeaten in eight of its last nine road matches dating back to early April.

Despite putting on a dominant attacking display in the first half of its 0-0 draw with Loudoun United FC, a large part of the reason Rhode Island FC was able to protect its seventh clean sheet of the season was due to a Team of the Week performance from goalkeeper Koke Vegas. The Spaniard made several highlight-reel saves during the match, including a 58th-minute goalmouth scramble where he managed to swat what looked to be a certain goal off of the line, and an 80th-minute curling ball that he denied with a full-stretch save. The most important stop, however, came in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, when Vegas' diving save denied Loudoun's leading scorer, Zach Ryan, from taking a late lead from the penalty spot. The stop was Vegas' first penalty kick save for RIFC, and complimented a performance that matched his season-high five saves during RIFC's inaugural 1-1 draw vs. New Mexico United on March 16. On the other end of the field, leading scorer Albert Dikwa "Chico" fired off a season-best five shots and led a lively first-half attacking effort, but the visitors ultimately could not find the breakthrough as the Ocean State club fought to its fifth scoreless draw of the season.

WHAT

Rhode Island FC returns home to take on Birmingham Legion FC in Week 26 of the USL Championship season.

WHO

Rhode Island FC

Birmingham Legion FC

WHEN

Saturday, August 31

7:30 p.m. ET

WHERE

Beirne Stadium

1150 Douglas Pike

Smithfield, RI 02917

BROADCAST

NESN+, ESPN+

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