In Rhode Island FC’s short three-season history, J.J. Williams looms large.
But on Saturday, as Rhode Island hosts Louisville City FC, Williams will be notably missing. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I.
The 28-year-old forward made headlines last month, moving to Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian FC. Rhode Island brought in a club-record transfer fee as part of the move.
The former University of Kentucky star leaves Rhode Island as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 30 goals in all competitions. He also ranks second in club history with 13 assists. He had scored eight league goals this season, 10th most in the USL Championship.
Against LouCity, Williams was at his best. He scored three times against Louisville with Rhode Island, leading all players in the matchup, including two goals in the club’s upset playoff win at Lynn Family Stadium in 2024.
Across his entire eight-year USL Championship career, Williams scored against LouCity five times, including goals with the Birmingham Legion and Tampa Bay Rowdies. That total is tied for the most goals he scored against a single club in his USL Championship career.
Now, Williams is out the door — and he’s not alone.
Midfielder Clay Holstad also left the club, joining FC Dallas of Major League Soccer on loan. Like Williams, Holstad is a former University of Kentucky player that has been a thorn in Louisville’s side — two of his nine career league goals came against LouCity.
Both players made impacts against LouCity in the clubs’ first meeting this season, a 4-2 Louisville win on March 21, albeit in opposite ways. Holstad scored, but Williams was sent off, when referee Jeremy Scheer showed him a red card in the 88th minute.
In their place comes a new crop of talent, including players that joined Rhode Island from Major League Soccer and the English league system, but with a similar identity.
“I think every time we play them, it’s going to be a fight,” LouCity captain Kyle Adams said. “They’ve got a lot of big boys and so do we. It ends up being a scrappy one goal normally in it kind of game.”
To Adams’ point, Williams’ size caused problems; he was listed at 6-foot-4. His replacement, Philadelphia Union loanee Stas Korzeniowski, is also listed as 6-foot-4.
The game kicks off a high-profile week for Louisville. After Saturday’s game, LouCity will travel to Texas to face San Antonio FC in the semifinals of the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Then, on Saturday, LouCity will return home to face El Paso Locomotive FC, the first-place team in the Western Conference.
Follow Along
• The game will air locally on MyTV 58, with local radio coverage of the game will air on ESPN Louisville’s 680 AM and 105.7 FM.
• To watch streaming coverage of the game, log on to ESPN+ or WDRB+WAVE.
• For starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also, find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on Facebook.
Storylines…
Shay-way: Louisville City acquired goalkeeper Ryan Schewe on loan from Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. The 24-year-old is in his third season as a professional and has made one senior appearance for SKC, coming in last year’s U.S. Open Cup.
Clean sheet: LouCity is coming off a 0-0 draw with Detroit City FC. It was Louisville’s ninth clean sheet of the season overall, and fifth in USL Championship play. The shutout was also Louisville’s first since Aug. 13 and first in the league since July 4.
Streak: After going winless in the first three games of the series, Louisville City has won three straight games against Rhode Island FC. LouCity leads the all-time series 3-2-1, which includes five meetings in the regular season and one in the playoffs.
The Vault: Rhode Island FC has been very successful at home this season, suffering just one loss. The club has an 8-1-6 record at Centreville Bank Stadium this season, across all competitions. The lone loss came on May 2 at the hands of the Birmingham Legion, 3-1. Rhode Island did fall in a penalty shootout on April 14 to the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer in the U.S. Open Cup, but that result goes down as a draw in the ledger.
Philadelphia re-Union: Saturday’s game could prominently feature two former Philadelphia Union strikers. LouCity’s Chris Donovan is in his first year with the club, signing in January. The 26-year-old has registered eight goals and five assists this season, including six goals and four assists in league play. Rhode Island, meanwhile, acquired 23-year-old Stas Korzeniowski on loan from Philadelphia just last week. Before the loan move, Korzeniowski had made six appearances, including one start, in MLS for Philly. Additionally, he scored ten goals in just eight appearances for the Union’s MLS Next Pro reserve side, Philadelphia Union II, this year. Donovan and Korzeniowski were teammates in the organization last season.
