RIFC got a surprising and memorable 3 points tonight by taking down the Charleston Battery 1-0. It feels weird even writing that sentence but here we are. It’s been a tough season for us so far but wins like these can make us forget the bad times. Even if it’s only temporary. As always, here are my takeaways from another night at Tidewater:
Bad Vibes Coming In
The vibes were already at an all-time low heading into this one after the result in Hartford. It only got worse when this quote from Khano came out via local ABC6 reporter Ian Steele:
It felt like this was a direct message to supporters and all of us content creators who have been criticizing the team and their results this season. And I don’t think it was fair. Like it or not, making the final last year and bringing back most of the starters and contributors is what set high expectations for this season. The fans are allowed to feel down about this team when the results and performances haven’t been there
JJ The Beast
JJ Williams was on fire tonight. The team didn’t always connect and get him the ball, but when they did it was clear JJ was up for it. One of said attempts to get JJ the ball resulted in one of the worst offside calls I’ve ever seen:
JJ was through on goal there and I was apoplectic in the stands when he was called offside. Luckily, it didn’t end up costing us:
It isn’t the greatest view, as the USL didn’t actually post the broadcast angle of JJ’s 69th minute goal. But basically, Clay, Maxi and Aime made a nice triangle and on the right side of the attacking third. Eventually, the ball got to Atkinson, who got it to Maxi out wide. Maxi played a great cross to the center of the box right in front of the Charleston keeper, and JJ buried the header. It was an electric moment and JJ was yet again at the center of it, as he has been for so many moments in this club’s short history.
What Does It Mean?
At the time of writing, the 3 points tonight put RIFC back in a playoff spot in 8th in the Eastern Conference. As for the overall performance, it was an interesting one. If you look at the stats, Charleston looked like the team Khano wants RIFC to be:
Charleston’s 67% possession and 89% passing accuracy were impressive. They also typically create chances and got the 4 shots on target tonight. But RIFC continued their good defensive record and were able to keep a clean sheet against a potent Charleston attack. It is worth noting that Juan David Torres was out for this game and leading goal scorer Cal Jennings came on in the 2nd half. But even without them, Charleston have a lot of great attackers.
I thought the defensive performance combined with actually creating a few chances (and converting one) was the difference tonight. And it is a formula for this team going forward. I’m interested to see where the team goes from here, with a matchup against the top team in the league in Lou City next weekend. But for now, we can just enjoy a 3 points that many of us thought wasn’t coming tonight
Up Next
The pod will be back tomorrow to recap a good result for once. Writing this blog felt strange and I’m sure the pod tomorrow will be the same. Also, be on the lookout for some player ratings from a special guest. Timmy is overseas and honestly, if RIFC play this way when he’s not around, we might have to leave him there. Lastly, I will be back to preview the meeting with Lou City later in the week. Until then, UP THE TIDE!
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