Khano Smith's Rhode Island FC returned to the win column in truly emphatic fashion, powering past USL Championship expansion club Brooklyn FC with a dominant 4-1 victory at Centreville Bank Stadium.
The clinical triumph was orchestrated by second-half braces from both Jojea Kwizera and JJ Williams, who combined for three decisive goals in the final 20 minutes to secure the Ocean State club’s second consecutive result on home soil.
The scoreline reflected a highly encouraging attacking display for the former Bermuda captain and New England Revolution winger's side, who systematically dismantled a stubborn Brooklyn defensive structure.
Rhode Island signal of intent arrived in the 13th minute when Amos Shapiro-Thompson collected a loose ball on the left wing and swung a dangerous cross to the back post. Williams rose highest to meet the delivery, directing a powerful header toward goal that was brilliantly clawed away on the line by former RIFC goalkeeper Jackson Lee.
Lee produced another double-save sequence in the 22nd minute to keep the game level. Williams triggered a quick attacking move with a line-splitting pass to Leo Afonso, who raced into the box before squaring to Kwizera. The ball ricocheted off Kwizera’s body and on target, but Lee reacted instantly to deny the close-range deflection. Less than a minute later, Kwizera’s long throw found Williams, who rattled a header off the crossbar before collecting his own rebound, only for Lee to heroically scoop it away from point-blank range.
The breakthrough finally arrived seven minutes before the interval. Shapiro-Thompson found Kwizera at the top of the area, and the midfielder took a neat touch inside before depositing a crisp, low left-footed shot past Lee and into the far-side netting to put the hosts ahead at the break.
The hosts continued to flex their muscles in the second half, with Afonso stinging the gloves of a full-stretch Lee in the 55th minute. However, against the run of play, Brooklyn found an equalizer in the 62nd minute. CJ Olney Jr’s right-wing cross took a delicate kiss off the far post and nestled into the back corner to shock the home crowd at 1-1.
Rhode Island response was swift and merciless. Ten minutes later, Kwizera produced a moment of absolute magic to restore the lead, collecting Clay Holstad’s pass and curling a spectacular long-range effort into the top-left corner.
In the 83rd minute, the relentless pressure paid off again when Nick Scardina played a precise goal-line cross to Williams, who plucked the ball out of the air with an acrobatic volley to double the advantage. Williams tied a definitive bow on the afternoon just two minutes later, leaping to flick Noah Fuson’s near-post corner into the top-left corner to complete his brace and seal a magnificent four-goal explosion.
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