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PAWTUCKET — Jojea Kwizera submitted his highlight for goal of the year.
He curled a strike past Brooklyn FC in front of the supporters’ section — enjoyed the moment — and led Rhode Island FC to a needed victory in Pawtucket. The left-footed strike from outside the box rendered Jackson Lee’s chance at keeping Saturday night even hopeless in the 72nd minute.
JJ Williams gave his best effort to outdo the proverbial winner with a clinical sequence late in the 4-1 victory against Brooklyn FC on May 23 in front of 6,506. Lee, a former Rhode Island FC keeper, kept the USL Championship newcomers alive before Kwizera lit Centreville Bank Stadium with his second goal of the night.
The midfielder also gave Rhode Island its first lead in a match since the 4-0 victory against Charleston Battery on April 22.
“That's a guy that's in form right now who's got confidence,” Williams said of Kwizera. “He's flowing whenever he cuts inside like that, especially if he can get that shot away cleanly. I mean, we've seen two hit the back of the net like that this year. If he's going to be in that kind of form, we're going to be alright.”
Williams followed with goals in the 82nd and 85th minutes. The first score was a give-and-go with Nick Scardina as Williams played the ball out to the right wing. Scardina took one touch to send the ball back into the box and Williams nailed the shot to the short side. His second score was a clean header off a corner from Noah Fuson.
Rhode Island’s fourth goal of the game tied its best mark of the season.
“We create so many of those opportunities that whenever we do put a couple away, that's what it looks like,” Wiliams said. “The game opens up, and if we get a lead, then it's very hard for teams, if they're going to open up to try to get back in the game to compete with us, I think that plays right into our strength.”
“I think that was a big stressor this week, is not shooting ourselves in the foot, being really good at the basics, limiting those errors,” said assistant coach Marcos Ugarte, who took postgame questions instead of Khano Smith. “I think we have firepower, so we back our team to score goals.”
That four-goal shutout against Charleston looked like a turning point for Rhode Island. But it returned with a troubling offensive effort in the following four matches, which included a 2-1 defeat against USL League One side, Portland Hearts of Pine in the Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage
The first 70 minutes of Saturday night’s match felt like another unfortunate finish for Rhode Island FC at Centreville Bank. Rhode Island was the better team, it outshot Brooklyn 18-4, but was still tied late in the second half. Brooklyn’s CJ Olney Jr.’s cross near the end line took a favorable curl past Koke Vegas in the 62nd minute to equalize.
“I had that feeling of maybe it could go either way,” Ugarte said. “I think for me personally, the feeling was there. Even though we had a good spell in the second half, goals change games, and when they made it 1-1, you never know. But again, another example of the group responding, which was really good to see.”
Rhode Island found its winner behind Kwizera and insurance from Williams as the task turns again to keeping the pace. The next three games — at Indy Eleven, vs. Westchester SC and at Loudoun United FC — are key before Rhode Island hits a three-week break.
“I think the challenge for this group is momentum,” Ugarte said. “I think we had a little bit in April, having an unbeaten month, and it was really good to see the group take on that momentum. May, a new month, stifled a bit of that momentum. … I think these are crucial games where we can gather some real momentum before this break.”
Assistant coach Marcos Ugarte took post-game questions instead of head coach and general manager Khano Smith. Ugarte, who joined RIFC in January 2024, played his high school soccer at Providence Country Day.
He was a Providence Journal All-Stater in his senior year (2010), which was PCD’s first season back in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. Ugarte also won Gatorade Player of the Year that season after scoring 16 goals and handing out three assists for the Knights. Ugarte then played two collegiate seasons at both Providence College and Michigan.
He was previously an assistant coach at Michigan and spent three seasons coaching and playing in the USL Championship with Birmingham Legion FC.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Final result between Rhode Island FC and Brooklyn FC from May 23
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He curled a strike past Brooklyn FC in front of the supporters’ section — enjoyed the moment — and led Rhode Island FC to a needed victory in Pawtucket. The left-footed strike from outside the box rendered Jackson Lee’s chance at keeping Saturday night even hopeless in the 72nd minute.
JJ Williams gave his best effort to outdo the proverbial winner with a clinical sequence late in the 4-1 victory against Brooklyn FC on May 23 in front of 6,506. Lee, a former Rhode Island FC keeper, kept the USL Championship newcomers alive before Kwizera lit Centreville Bank Stadium with his second goal of the night.
The midfielder also gave Rhode Island its first lead in a match since the 4-0 victory against Charleston Battery on April 22.
“That's a guy that's in form right now who's got confidence,” Williams said of Kwizera. “He's flowing whenever he cuts inside like that, especially if he can get that shot away cleanly. I mean, we've seen two hit the back of the net like that this year. If he's going to be in that kind of form, we're going to be alright.”
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Williams followed with goals in the 82nd and 85th minutes. The first score was a give-and-go with Nick Scardina as Williams played the ball out to the right wing. Scardina took one touch to send the ball back into the box and Williams nailed the shot to the short side. His second score was a clean header off a corner from Noah Fuson.
Rhode Island’s fourth goal of the game tied its best mark of the season.
“We create so many of those opportunities that whenever we do put a couple away, that's what it looks like,” Wiliams said. “The game opens up, and if we get a lead, then it's very hard for teams, if they're going to open up to try to get back in the game to compete with us, I think that plays right into our strength.”
“I think that was a big stressor this week, is not shooting ourselves in the foot, being really good at the basics, limiting those errors,” said assistant coach Marcos Ugarte, who took postgame questions instead of Khano Smith. “I think we have firepower, so we back our team to score goals.”
You must be registered for see images attach
That four-goal shutout against Charleston looked like a turning point for Rhode Island. But it returned with a troubling offensive effort in the following four matches, which included a 2-1 defeat against USL League One side, Portland Hearts of Pine in the Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage
The first 70 minutes of Saturday night’s match felt like another unfortunate finish for Rhode Island FC at Centreville Bank. Rhode Island was the better team, it outshot Brooklyn 18-4, but was still tied late in the second half. Brooklyn’s CJ Olney Jr.’s cross near the end line took a favorable curl past Koke Vegas in the 62nd minute to equalize.
“I had that feeling of maybe it could go either way,” Ugarte said. “I think for me personally, the feeling was there. Even though we had a good spell in the second half, goals change games, and when they made it 1-1, you never know. But again, another example of the group responding, which was really good to see.”
Rhode Island found its winner behind Kwizera and insurance from Williams as the task turns again to keeping the pace. The next three games — at Indy Eleven, vs. Westchester SC and at Loudoun United FC — are key before Rhode Island hits a three-week break.
“I think the challenge for this group is momentum,” Ugarte said. “I think we had a little bit in April, having an unbeaten month, and it was really good to see the group take on that momentum. May, a new month, stifled a bit of that momentum. … I think these are crucial games where we can gather some real momentum before this break.”
About Marcos Ugarte
Assistant coach Marcos Ugarte took post-game questions instead of head coach and general manager Khano Smith. Ugarte, who joined RIFC in January 2024, played his high school soccer at Providence Country Day.
He was a Providence Journal All-Stater in his senior year (2010), which was PCD’s first season back in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. Ugarte also won Gatorade Player of the Year that season after scoring 16 goals and handing out three assists for the Knights. Ugarte then played two collegiate seasons at both Providence College and Michigan.
He was previously an assistant coach at Michigan and spent three seasons coaching and playing in the USL Championship with Birmingham Legion FC.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Final result between Rhode Island FC and Brooklyn FC from May 23
Continue reading...
