Rhode Island FC Hosts Hartford Athletic for First Home Derby Match on Saturday

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Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island FC Hosts Hartford Athletic for First Home Derby Match on Saturday

August 9, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


WHAT

Rhode Island FC returns home to Beirne Stadium to take on Hartford Athletic in Week 23 of the USL Championship season.

WHO

Rhode Island FC

Hartford Athletic

WHEN

Saturday, August 10

7:30 p.m. ET

WHERE

Beirne Stadium

1150 Douglas Pike

Smithfield, RI 02917

BROADCAST

NESN+, ESPN+

GATE GIVEAWAY

Centreville Bank Hand Clappers (First 2,500 fans)

MATCH PREVIEW

While Hartford Athletic has struggled through the majority of the season to string together consecutive results, the Connecticut club finds itself in the midst of a season-best three-match unbeaten run, capped off by its recent 2-2 draw at Birmingham Legion FC. The Green and Blue overcame a two-goal deficit for the first time since August 2022 to earn a result. Facing a 2-0 deficit at halftime with a 0W-8L-1D record on the road up to that point, Hartford dug deep and fought back in the final 20 minutes with a performance Brendan Burke's side had not seen all season. The comeback effort started in the 72nd minute, when 20-year-old striker Mamadou Dieng headed home his third goal of the season, and third goal in five matches, to cut the lead in half. Then, with just four minutes remaining in regulation, Dieng was fouled in the box fighting for a rebound, earning a vital penalty that 2022 USL Championship Young Player of the Year Michee Ngalina converted to rescue a late point for the visitors, slotting home his team-leading seventh strike of the season.

After suffering a midweek loss that snapped the fourth-longest undefeated streak in the USL Championship this season, there is no better place for Rhode Island FC to look to rebound than Beirne Stadium, where it is unbeaten in five of its last six matches. The Ocean State club hasn't lost at home in more than two months and has scored eight goals across three matches during that time. In its last two home matches, RIFC has fought back from behind to claim important results against Eastern Conference clubs with a 2-1 win vs. North Carolina FC and a 3-3 draw vs. Indy Eleven. All five goals came late in the match, showcasing the team's ability to put on complete 90-minute performances week in and week out. Against a Hartford team that is finally starting to find its form, another hard-fought effort will be necessary to create further separation from the New England rival in the Eastern Conference standings. In the first-ever rivalry matchup between the two clubs, which took place on June 1 at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford, a tight match finished in a 1-1 draw.

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