Club returns home to host Hartford Athletic in nationally-televised derby matchup on Saturday, July 19 at 4 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 12, 2025) – Although several players returned to the field for Rhode Island FC after lengthy injury absences, it was not enough to get a result on the road as the Ocean State club fell 1-0 to Indy Eleven at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday. RIFC’s attack struggled to generate chances as a lone second-half goal was enough to see the hosts come away with all three points.
During a largely uneventful first 45 minutes, the two sides combined for just four shots. Neither keeper was forced to make a single save, as the harshest separation on the statsheet throughout the first half was a 22 percent difference in total possession in favor of Rhode Island FC (61 percent). As the two teams entered the locker room on a wet, slick evening in Indianapolis, both were still in search of the first real scoring opportunity of the game.
After 55 minutes, Indy Eleven (5W-5L-5T) finally found the opening goal when Aodhan Quinn tore down the left wing to get on the end of a long through ball. Getting his foot to the ball from a tight angle at the goal line, Quinn cut the ball into the middle with a low pass, finding the feet of Romario Williams in traffic. Williams made a smart run to connect with the pass, depositing a first-time shot into the bottom-left corner to put the hosts in front.
In the 83rd minute, Rhode Island FC (4W-8L-4T) debutant Hugo Bacharach crafted one of the best opportunities of the game for the visitors just minutes after entering the game as a second-half substitute. Carrying the ball from inside his own half into the midfield, Bacharach cut through several Indy players before slicing open the defense with a through pass to Albert Dikwa “Chico.” Chico took a touch to his left before launching a shot from inside the penalty area, but could not keep the close-range effort down as it flew over the crossbar.
Although Rhode Island FC continued to push as the game wore on, it was not enough to pull back a result as the Ocean State club was held to a 1-0 loss in Indy.
Up next, Rhode Island FC returns to Centreville Bank Stadium to welcome regional rival Hartford Athletic for the first of two-straight derby games on Saturday, July 19 at 4 p.m. Limited tickets to the next home game are available at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
IND – Romario Williams (Aodhan Quinn), 55th minute: Williams slots Quinn’s low cross into the bottom-left corner. IND 1, RI 0
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Midfielder Amos Shapiro-Thompson made his return to the starting lineup after a three-game injury absence.
- Midfielder Marc Ybarra made his fourth start of 2025, and first since early April after returning from a long-term injury absence.
- Ybarra wore the captain’s armband for the first time in 2025, becoming the fifth player to do so for RIFC this season.
- Striker JJ Williams made his first appearance since being sidelined with an injury in late April, coming on as a substitute in the second half.
- Defender Hugo Bacharach made his Rhode Island FC debut, coming on as a substitute in the second half.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Frank Nodarse
Match stats and information available here.
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