KINGSTON, R.I. (Interstat) — Rhode Island made an early goal stand up and beat Loudoun 1-0 on Wednesday at its home ground in Kingston, R.I., in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Nick Scardina scored the only goal in the third minute, and the home side held off the visitors through a second half marked by fouls, cautions and frequent substitutions. Rhode Island evened its competition record at 1-1 and its overall record at 1-1. Loudoun also moved to 1-1 in the competition and 1-1 across all competitions.

The decisive moment arrived almost immediately. In the 3rd minute, Scardina finished a chance set up by Hugo Bacharach to put Rhode Island ahead. Scardina played 84 minutes before being replaced in the 84th minute, while Bacharach played the full match and recorded the assist. The goal gave Rhode Island a lead it never surrendered, and Loudoun spent the rest of the match searching for an equalizer that did not come. Loudoun’s best efforts to pull level were disrupted by a stop-start second half, with the referee issuing several cards and both benches turning to substitutes.

Loudoun’s Murphy was cautioned in the 59th minute. Rhode Island’s Tsukada then received yellow cards in the 61st and 78th minutes, leaving Rhode Island to manage the closing stages carefully. Loudoun’s Aboukoura was booked in the 81st minute, and Niyongabire was cautioned in the 87th. The cards contributed to a choppy finish as Rhode Island protected its narrow advantage.

The substitutions began in the 57th minute, when Loudoun sent on Lomtadze. Rhode Island made two changes in the 62nd minute, bringing on Fuson and Korzeniowski, while Loudoun countered with Piras at the same time. In the 75th minute, Loudoun replaced Murphy and Adnan. Rhode Island then brought on Kwizera and removed Scardina in the 84th minute after his goal. Rhode Island added Shapiro-Thompson in second-half stoppage time in the 90th minute plus two. The changes helped Rhode Island see out the final minutes and kept Loudoun from finding a late breakthrough.

Rhode Island entered the match after a previous result at Detroit, where it lost 1-0. Loudoun came in after a previous win at Miami FC, 2-0. Rhode Island’s next scheduled match is at home against Pittsburgh. The result left both sides at 1-1 in this competition and 1-1 across all competitions, an early-season mark that reflected the narrow margins of the contest. The game was played in Kingston, R.I., part of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, before a home crowd supporting Rhode Island.

The first half settled quickly after Scardina’s early strike. Rhode Island did not add another goal, but it also did not allow Loudoun to level. Loudoun’s midfield tried to push forward after the break, and the introductions of fresh legs gave the visitors more energy in the attacking half. Still, Rhode Island’s back line and goalkeeper dealt with the pressure, and the host team managed the game with a series of tactical fouls and substitutions. Loudoun’s late yellow cards to Aboukoura and Niyongabire illustrated the frustration of a side chasing the game without a goal to show for its efforts.

Rhode Island’s clean sheet was the foundation of the win. After Scardina’s third-minute goal, the home side focused on preserving the lead. Loudoun could not convert its chances, and Rhode Island’s defense held firm through the final whistle. Scardina’s goal and Bacharach’s assist were the standout contributions on the scoresheet. Tsukada’s two cautions were the most notable disciplinary issue for Rhode Island, while Loudoun picked up three yellow cards as it tried to force an equalizer.

The result gave Rhode Island a split of its first two competition matches and its first two overall matches. Loudoun also ended the night with one win and one loss in the competition and overall. Rhode Island will look to build on the win in its next outing against Pittsburgh, while Loudoun will seek to bounce back in its next match. The match in Kingston remained a one-goal game throughout, decided by the earliest meaningful play of the night.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rhode Island 2, Loudoun 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Rhode Island with a 72 percent probability to win. Rhode Island had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The over/under line was 2.75, and the total score finished at 1.