USL Rhode Island FC

RIFC Faces Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Tomorrow for USL Championship Final

November 22, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


Earning 52 points and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC's 10th season in the USL Championship in 2024 marked its highest regular season finish in club history, fourth consecutive trip to the USL Championship playoffs and third time making it past the opening round. The club's advancement to the USL Championship Final is also a first, with its only other conference final appearance ending in a 2-0 defeat to San Antonio FC in 2022. Fresh off its first-ever trophy after a 1-0 win vs. Las Vegas Lights FC, the Switchbacks have a chance to hoist the USL Championship trophy for the first time ever on Saturday in front of its home fans, at a venue where it has only lost four times all season. Colorado Springs striker Ronaldo Damus has been dangerous all year, finishing the regular season with a team-leading 12 goals and adding a 13th in the club's 2-0 Western Conference Quarterfinals win over Oakland Roots SC. Damus had one of his most productive matches of the season in the last meeting with RIFC, scoring his second of two braces for the year in a 3-1 win. In his second season as the primary starter, goalkeeper Christian Herrera has played every minute between the sticks for Colorado Springs this season. The 6'7" shot-stopper made four impressive saves to keep his 12th clean sheet of the year in the club's 1-0 Western Conference Finals win over Las Vegas Lights FC. His 96 total saves rank fifth in the USL Championship and mark the most productive season in his three years with the club.

Playing its entire playoff campaign on the road, Rhode Island FC has overcome three of the Eastern Conference's four top seeds to advance all the way to the championship match. The Ocean State club became just the second team all season to win at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium, overcoming Charleston Battery 2-1 and shutting down Nick Markanich, who set the single-season goal scoring record with 30 on the season. In RIFC's 3-0 win over Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Ocean State club became the only team to win not once, but twice, at Lynn Family Stadium across 19 matches in 2024. The pair of wins marked the only two multi-goal losses for Louisville and the 3-0 conference semifinal defeat was the only shutout loss suffered by the league leaders at home. RIFC's 5-2 win in June marked the most goals scored by a visiting team in the history of Lynn Family Stadium. In total, Rhode Island FC has fallen only five times on the road this season.

After becoming the first expansion club to win the Eastern Conference in its first season in league history, Rhode Island FC has the chance to make more history on Saturday and achieve something that hasn't been done by a first-year team in more than a decade: win the USL Championship Final. The last time a club advanced all the way to the championship match in its first year was Sporting Kansas City II in 2016, and only 2014's Sacramento Republic FC was able to raise the trophy in its inaugural season.

WHAT

Rhode Island FC travels to Weidner Field to take on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the 2024 USL Championship Final.

WHO

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Rhode Island FC

WHEN

Saturday, Nov. 23

12:00 p.m. ET

WHERE

Weidner Field

111 W Cimarron Street

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

BROADCAST | RADIO

ENG: CBS

ESP: TUDN

SiriusXM: channel 206, 209 and 968

Radio: 790 The Score (790 AM)

RIFC OFFICIAL WATCH PARTY (arrive early, expected to reach maximum capacity)

Moonshine Alley

52 Pine Street

Providence, RI 02903

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 22, 2024


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