Rowdies Fall 5-0 in Rhode Island
USL Tampa Bay Rowdies

Rowdies Fall 5-0 in Rhode Island

Published on October 11, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release


The Tampa Bay Rowdies fell 5-0 to Rhode Island FC at Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday night, dealing a significant blow to the club's hopes of securing a spot in the USL Championship playoffs.

"Rhode Island did a good job tonight exposing some of our weaknesses that we've been trying to hide," said Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato. "I think we just lacked the necessary aggression and bite to match up tonight to come here and put in a good performance. It's really disappointing."

The hosts found their way to a lead only eight minutes into the match when forward JJ Williams curled a shot from the top of the box inside the far post. Williams provided the assist to double Rhode Island's lead 20 minutes later, flicking a pass over Tampa Bay's back line to spring teammate Noah Fuson into the final third for a strike and finish.

Williams completed a first-half brace in the first minute of added time following a penalty call against Rowdies Captain Aaron Guillen for a foul on Clay Holstad. Guillen and the Rowdies pleaded their case that the foul was committed just outside the box, but the penalty call stood, and Williams converted from the spot.

Down three goals, the Rowdies still continued to struggle in creating much against Rhode Island in the attacking half. Of 13 shots taken in the match by the Rowdies in the match, only one was put on frame.

Rhode Island eventually added a fourth goal in 69th minute and a fifth as the final whistle neared in the 88th minute. Substitute Albert Dika recorded the fourth with a header off a pass from Aldair Sanchez, while Maxi Rodriguez tallied the final goal of the night after a long ball over the top was tapped his way by Dikwa.

The Rowdies remain alive in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after Detroit City FC's loss to Loudoun United FC earlier on Saturday. However, there's no margin for error for the Rowdies in the final two matches of the regular season. Detroit holds the last playoff spot with a five-point advantage over the Rowdies at the end of the weekend. Indy Eleven sits 9th in the standings, three points back of Detroit and two points ahead of the Rowdies.

Next up, the Rowdies face a must-win matchup against Hartford Athletic at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"We've just got to pick the guys up," said Casciato. "Outside of tonight the guys have all been fantastic, when we've won and when we've lost. Tonight we've let ourselves down. Now we try and lift the guys, and we try and go again."

Scoring Summary

RI - Williams (Fuson), 8'

R - Fuson (Williams), 28'

RI - Williams (Penalty), 45+1'

RI - Dikwa (Sanchez), 69'

RI - Rodriguez (Dikwa), 88'

Caution Summary

RI - Stoneman, Yellow Card, 10'

TBR - Wyke, Yellow Card, 78'

TBR - Arteaga, Yellow Card, 80'

RI - Fuson, Yellow Card, 90+1'

Lineups

Rowdies: Hamid, Vancaeyezeele, Lasso, Guillen, Azocar, Mendez, Crisostomo, Bodily (Skinner, 16'), Marie (Sharp, 83'), Alvarez (Wyke, 46'), Arteaga (Moon, 83')

Rowdies Bench: Bandre, Castellanos, Wyke, Moon, Skinner, Rodriguez, Sharp

Rhode Island: Vegas, Stoneman, Yao, Diop, Holstad, Bacharach (Rodriguez,, Sanchez, Nodarse, Shapiro-Thompson (Ybarra, 67'), Williams (Dikwa, 46'), Fuson

Rhode Island Bench: Lee, Mabika, Rovira, Atkinson, Ybarra, Rodriguez, Dikwa,

Check out the Tampa Bay Rowdies Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 11, 2025


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