Nodarse’s goal lifts Rhode Island FC past Hartford in El Clamico

Frank Nodarse turned a rainy rivalry night into a 1-0 Rhode Island FC victory, heading in the only goal midway through the first half against Hartford Athletic in the first league edition of El Clamico at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The Cuban center back’s finish, set up by Jojea Kwizera from a corner-kick sequence, stood as the difference in torrential conditions on Saturday night, July 18, 2026. Hartford never managed a shot on target, a blunt measure of how completely Rhode Island controlled the game once Nodarse put his side in front.

The result carried the extra edge that has started to define the matchup. USL has tied El Clamico to the supporters groups that give the rivalry its noise and color, Defiance 1636 for Rhode Island FC and Raza Brava for Hartford Athletic, with the clubs separated by about 75 miles between Pawtucket and Hartford. The first league meeting delivered exactly the kind of low-margin, emotionally loaded game that tends to give a new rivalry its shape.

For Rhode Island, the win was more than a derby bragging right. The club’s recap said the 1-0 result moved it above the playoff line, giving the clean-sheet victory direct weight in the Eastern Conference race. In a match decided by one set piece and one header, Rhode Island left with three points, a shutout and the first league claim to El Clamico.