Coach Khano Smith has taken Rhode Island to the final of the USL Championship Eastern Conference.

A second-half brace from Albert Dikwa powered Rhode Island to a 2-0 victory over North Carolina in the semi-finals on Saturday, with Smith’s side facing Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the title decider on November 15.

“We are very pleased to advance to the final,” Smith told The Royal Gazette.

“Sticking together and trusting each other was the key to victory. It’s going to be a normal week of preparation and we have a good rhythm.”

Meanwhile, Bermudian striker Cody Robinson was on target for Thomas College in their 3-2 extra-time loss to SUNY Delhi in the North Atlantic Conference Championship final on Saturday.

Robinson, a rolling substitute, found the target with a header from a David Ivarsson cross in the 72nd minute to give the Terriers a 2-1 lead. However, their opponents equalised with four minutes left.

SUNY Delhi scored just before the end of extra time to clinch the title. Despite defender Brynjar Johannsson being sent off in the 87th minute, Thomas College held on to force the match into extra time.

“It felt unbelievable when I scored that goal,” Robinson said.

“It brought back flashbacks from last year’s final. It meant a lot to make my family and grandpa proud, it was a very emotional moment for me.

“It was great to score, but in the end we did not get the result that we wanted. I think we could’ve been more clinical in front of goal, which would’ve changed the game.

“Also being focused for the entirety of the game, not giving away cheap set pieces for them to capitalise on.

Defender Tre Burgess, one of the two Bermudians in the Thomas College starting line-up together with T’syi Showers, enjoyed playing in his second straight final.

“The match was good for me,” the 20-year-old said.

“I made some good defensive plays, helped out in attack, unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough.”