Rhode Island FC traveled to Charleston on October 19th to play the Battery for the second time this season. The two teams last met in Rhode Island in April and played to a 0-0 draw. Both teams walked away with a point from this one as well but in a much more action-packed affair.

The red-hot Noah Fuson opened up the scoring in first half stoppage time before Charleston eventually equalized in the 71st minute. While Rhode Island had the opportunity to win the game with a penalty shot in the dying minutes, a draw feels like the right result for how this match played out.

After the most confusing 17 hours in club history, Rhode Island FC announced that they did, in fact, clinch a playoff berth with the draw at Charleston. Why is Rhode Island not marked as clinched in the USL Championship official standings? For everyone’s sake, let’s not talk about it.

For a full match recap of the playoff-clinching draw, check out the Tide Talk post match episode. Or, if you’re dying to know who REALLY broke the news behind Rhode Island FC clinching their first ever playoff berth, the Quahog Corner on Monday night is the place for you.

Here are my player ratings for Rhode Island FC vs. Charleston Battery on Saturday, October 19, 2024.

Koke Vegas (GK) – 4/10

There were some good moments from Koke in this match, but for me there was more bad than good. In the 75th minute, he made a huge save on a breakaway chance for Charleston to preserve the 1-1 scoreline. To his credit, he was also quick off of his line in a few other key moments of the game.

However, Koke is one of the most experienced keepers in the league – so you really expect him to hold on to the ball that led to Charleston’s goal. It’s a bummer to see the club captain make a mistake that ultimately cost us two points in a “win and you’re in (to playoffs)” game.

His pass accuracy at 59% isn’t terrible on its own – but some of the decision-making was suspect. For example, he put the team under pressure in the first half with a bad pass out from the back. The long ball accuracy at just 26% is pretty poor.

Grant Stoneman (D) – 6/10

I rarely have anything bad to say about Stoneman’s play, and this match is no exception. Stoneman was tidy and in control at all times. He did a little bit of everything on defense, stepping up into midfield to recover the ball, blocking crosses, blocking shots – and most importantly – the mark of any good center back performance – shutting down threats before they could become… threatening.

Karifa Yao (D) – 6/10

Karifa has come a long way this year to cut many (not all) defensive errors and/or questionable decisions out of his game. What impressed me more than his defending in this match was that he made some sharp, line-breaking passes out from the back line – whereas, previously, he’s generally looked to pass laterally or over the top.

Frank Nodarse (D) – 6/10

Nodarse had a solid game as well, as the three center backs as a unit kept Charleston relatively quiet in this game.

Interestingly, Nodarse played at RWB for about 10 minutes in this match after Turnbull came off and I actually thought the game opened up a bit on the right flank during this stretch. Sure, maybe Charleston eased off of him a bit knowing that he was playing out of position – but it didn’t stop Nodarse from picking up some good attacking positions and looking to get in behind and/or link up with the attacking midfielders.

Morris Duggan (MF) – 5/10

Duggan was just ok again starting at the LWB position. Defensively, he was solid. On the other side of the ball… he wasn’t asked to do much in possession, but he was underwhelming in that regard, with a lowly 63% passing accuracy. He did lead all RIFC players with six passes into the final third, but I don’t believe any of them were part of our more threatening sequences in the game. To be fair, he was involved in the build up to Noah Fuson’s goal.

Zachary Herivaux (MF) – 5/10

It was a more pedestrian performance from Herivaux in Charleston compared to the shift’s he’s been putting in. He did make the long run back on Ycaza’s breakaway chance to eventually clear the ball that Koke parried away.

Outside of that, Herivaux didn’t have a huge impact on the match. I did feel that he and Clay repeatedly challenged – and many times, won – balls in the midfield, but then they couldn’t control the loose ball. It might be part of why Herivaux won just two out of his 13 ground duels in this match.

Marc Ybarra (MF) – 7/10

Ybarra was exceptional this game, and – unlike most games where Ybarra is the “dirty work” specialist (and he did lead the team with seven defensive actions) – he was actually at the heart of most of Rhode Island’s best attacking moves in this game. First and most importantly, he had the assist on Fuson’s goal in the first half with a beautiful give-and-go from the corner of the 18-yard box.

But just moments before that, Ybarra also won the ball back in the attacking third with some very aggressive pressing. In the second half, he delivered a cross into the box that JJ Williams headed just wide, and he created a headed chance for Karifa Yao off of a corner kick as well. He also ran down an attacking Charleston player who was through on goal in the second half, and kept the pressure on him so that Koke could make the save.

Clay Holstad (MF) – 5/10

Clay looked more like himself in this game, but it still didn’t pack quite the punch as some early and mid-season-Clay performances. I mentioned for Herivaux as well, but the pair of them were often winning challenges in the midfield but then failing to control the loose ball.

His touch – usually exceptional – was also a bit sloppy at times. In the first half, he had a loose touch on a relatively straightforward entry pass to him in the midfield. It resulted in Charleston winning the ball back in a dangerous area, and Clay received a yellow card for his attempt to slow the Charleston attack back down.

Stephen Turnbull (MF) – 5/10

Turnbull was useful in keeping Charleston Battery, and particularly Nick Markanich, quiet in attack. He won six out of his nine duels and recovered the ball four times. However, not unlike last week, Turnbull was barely involved outside of that. With Rhode Island having less than 40% of the ball, he subbed off after 66 minutes with only 23 touches.

JJ Williams (F) – 5/10

JJ had a fine game as well – he didn’t have too much of the ball or quality service to work with. I thought there were a few times he received a ball over the top that he had a chance to run at the defense or attempt a shot, but he would pull up and wait for some of his team to catch up. It’s probably tactical/coaching, but I thought he wasted a couple of opportunities this way.

His best chance of the game was a headed attempt to the near post in the 56th minute off a cross from Marc Ybarra – it went barely wide. The other JJ moment worth mentioning was in the 18th minute – he made a sliding challenge at the Charleston goalkeeper, missed the ball, and wiped out the keeper. My heart sank immediately, as I actually expected him to be sent off with a red card… he somehow escaped with no discipline, but it was a nervy moment.

Noah Fuson (F) – 6/10

Noah returned from his one-match suspension and picked up right where he left off. He looked confident and like a player in form when he weaved through the Charleston defense to score the opening goal on the night.

However, it wouldn’t be his only golden opportunity in this match… in the 83rd minute, Fuson had a penalty shot attempt saved by the Charleston keeper.

I’m not claiming to know anything about penalty-taking just because I scored a game-winning PK in my rec league playoffs a few weeks ago (well, maybe, I kind of am) – but, I don’t think it was a good penalty attempt from Noah. The placement was well within reach of the goalkeeper, and worse even is that he broadcast which direction he was going. It’s definitely concerning, heading into the playoffs, that we’ve missed both of our penalty kick attempts in the league this year with two different players.

Subs

Jojea Kwizera (MF) (66th minute) – 6/10

The second half was very choppy, so despite playing for over 30 minutes, Jojea didn’t have many chances to impact the game. I did think we looked much more threatening down the left wing once he came on. Most importantly, Kwizera played a great through ball to Jack P that won RIFC the penalty attempt.

Jack Panayotou (MF) (76th minute) – 5/10

Jack P managed just four touches in 20 minutes of play time. However… one of those four could have been THE touch. It was a perfect touch on a great through ball from Jojea Kwizera that caused the Charleston keeper to trip Jack P’s up in the box and earn RIFC a penalty shot.

Joe Brito (MF) (86th minute) – 5/10

Brito played for more than 10 minutes but the ball was hardly in play – and even less so in Rhode Island’s possession – during that time.

For reference, my rating scale is as follows:

• 1/10 – Abysmal. You might as well have me on the pitch.
• 2/10 – Very bad
• 3/10 – Bad
• 4/10 – Below Average
• 5/10 – Average. The player didn’t necessarily stand out, but did their job.
• 6/10 – Good
• 7/10 – Very good
• 8/10 – Great
• 9/10 – Outstanding
• 10/10 – Transcendent performance. Watch out, because Real Madrid may come knocking.