Rhode Island FC Travels to USL League One Club Portland Hearts of Pine for Second Game of 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup
USL Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island FC Travels to USL League One Club Portland Hearts of Pine for Second Game of 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup

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


WHAT

Rhode Island FC travels to USL League One club Portland Hearts of Pine in the group stage of the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup.

WHO

Portland Hearts of Pine

Rhode Island FC

WHEN

Saturday, May 16

4:00 p.m. ET

WHERE

Fitzpatrick Stadium

140 Deering Avenue

Portland, Maine 04102

BROADCAST

NESN, ESPN Select

RADIO

790 The Score (WPRV 790 AM)

GAME PREVIEW

Portland Hearts of Pine will begin a three-game homestand with its game vs. Rhode Island FC, and it could not come at a better time. Hearts have struggled to begin the 2026 campaign, picking up just two wins in their first 10 games of 2026 across all competitions with a 2W-2L-6T record. Much of the time, however, was spent on a challenging road stretch, with Portland playing just three of its first ten games of the season at Fitzpatrick Stadium. It is unbeaten (1W-0L-2T) at home so far, and will look to snap a two-game winless skid when it kicks off the first of three-straight home games on Saturday. Across the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the Prinx Tires USL Cup - the two non-regular season competitions Portland has participated in this season - the club is 0W-1T-1L, and will look for its second-ever win in the competition this weekend.

In its 1-1 tie vs. the league-leading Tampa Bay Rowdies last time out, Rhode Island FC rallied back from a losing position to earn a result for the first time since its 1-1 tie vs. Birmingham Legion FC on July 5, 2025. After going down 1-0 in the first half vs. the Rowdies - who had given up just four goals in seven games coming into their game vs. RIFC - the Ocean State club refused to back down. It eventually found the equalizer in the 85th minute when second-half substitute Nick Scardina found JJ Williams with an inch-perfect cross, and Williams drilled a header into the back of the net to secure a come-from-behind tie. The goal was Williams's team-leading fifth of the season across all competitions, and his club-leading 25th career goal for Rhode Island FC. He has scored three goals in RIFC's last three regular-season games. Scardina's assist was the first of his USL Championship career, and helped RIFC become just the third team this season to keep Tampa Bay out of the win column. RIFC is unbeaten in six of its last seven games against USL Championship competition across the USL Cup and regular season.

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 16, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central