Rhode Island FC Takes First-Ever Trip to Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday
March 21, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
WHAT
Rhode Island FC travels to Phoenix Rising Stadium to take on Phoenix Rising FC in Week 3 of the 2025 USL Championship season.
WHO
Phoenix Rising FC
Rhode Island FC
WHEN
Saturday, March 22
10 p.m. ET
WHERE
Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium
3801 E Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
BROADCAST
NESN+
ESPN+
RADIO
790 The Score (790 AM)
MATCH PREVIEW
In the 53rd minute of Phoenix Rising FC's (0W-1L-1T) Week 2 matchup at El Paso Locomotive FC, the 2023 USL Championship Final winners found themselves down 4-1. Having fallen 1-0 to FC Tulsa in its home opener the week prior, Phoenix was left searching for answers, and those answers finally came in a resurgent second half. It started in the 69th minute, when Phoenix's 2024 leading scorer, Rémi Cabral, made it a two-goal game with a low shot to the bottom-left corner from inside the box. Then, with just ten minutes to play in regulation, Ihsan Sacko and Mohamed Traore netted their first goals for the club in a six-minute span to complete the improbable comeback. Traore's goal, which tied the game in the 86th minute, came when he launched a left-footed laser from inside the center circle, finding the back of the net from 50 yards out. Cabral, who led Phoenix with seven goals last season, including a brace in the club's first meeting with Rhode Island FC on April 26, was the only returning player to score a goal in the eight-goal thriller vs. El Paso. In total, five players tallied their first goal contributions with the club, including former RIFC defender Collin Smith, who assisted Cabral's goal to kickstart the second-half comeback. Nobel Okello (45+3'), Sacko (80') and Traore (86') all scored their first goals, while newcomer Hope Avayevu also recorded his first assist.
In Rhode Island FC's (0W-0T-1L) season-opening 2-0 loss to Charleston Battery, the opening goal came in the 15th minute of action, when the Ocean State club was unable to clear a dangerous corner kick before Cal Jennings pounced on the loose ball first, poking the ball into the back of the net. RIFC struggled to contain Jennings again 22 minutes later when the striker snuck towards the near post and nodded in another corner, catching the visitors off guard for a second time. In an otherwise positive road performance, RIFC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith said the corners were, "just one area of the game where we let ourselves down." Through the first 68 minutes of the season opener vs. Charleston, RIFC was outshot 12-3 without recording a single shot on target. After struggling to create dangerous chances, a slew of second-half substitutes eventually gave the Ocean State club new life. After Zack Herivaux, JJ Williams, Joe Brito, Grant Stoneman and Amos Shapiro-Thompson all made their 2025 season debuts off the bench, RIFC ended the match outshooting Charleston 8-0 through the final 22 minutes. Substitute Joe Brito was responsible for the only two shots on target for RIFC.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 21, 2025
- FC Tulsa Names Andrew Christiansen as Assistant Coach for 2025 USL Championship Season - FC Tulsa
- ELPvNM Game Notes/US Open Cup Second Round Announcement - El Paso Locomotive FC
- Match Preview: Miami FC vs Tampa Bay Rowdies - Miami FC
- Republic FC Reinforces Roster with Defensive Depth, Emerging Young Players - Sacramento Republic FC
- Monterey Bay Travels Down the Coast for League Fixture with Orange County SC on Saturday - Monterey Bay FC
- US Soccer Announces Draw and Schedule for U.S. Open Cup Round Two - FC Tulsa
- El Paso Locomotive FC to Face Ventura County FC on April 2 in Second Round of 2025 U.S. Open Cup - El Paso Locomotive FC
- Lexington Sporting Club Advances to Second Round of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Set to Face Columbus Crew 2 - Lexington Sporting Club
- Oakland Roots SC Prepares for Historic Home Opener Versus San Antonio FC - Oakland Roots
- Rhode Island FC Takes First-Ever Trip to Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday - Rhode Island FC
- El Paso Locomotive FC Hit the Road for Derby Del Camino Real - El Paso Locomotive FC
- Preview: Rowdies at Miami FC - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- What to Watch for as LouCity Hosts Loudoun in Home Opener - Louisville City FC
- Preview: Hartford Heads to Steel City as USL Championship Play Resumes - Hartford Athletic
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