RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, August 8, 2007) – The Richmond Kickers (12-3-4, 40 points) host the Cleveland City Stars (10-1-8, 38 points) this Saturday, August 11th at 7:00 pm in the final regular season game of the 2007 campaign at the University of Richmond Stadium. Donate new and gently used clothing and sports equipment to benefit the children of Gulu, Northern Uganda and purchase $5.00 tickets at the gate.
The Kickers meet the City Stars for the third time overall and for the final time during the regular season. The first encounter occurred on June 26th in Richmond when the Kickers ousted Cleveland from the US Open Cup in a hard-fought Second Round battle that ended with a 2-1 scoreline in favor of the home side. Richmond midfielder Matt Watson and forward Robert Ssejjemba notched two first half goals while Cleveland closed the deficit in the second half on a goal by Nigel Codrington. Later, the Kickers met the City Stars in Cleveland during last month’s road stand, colliding on July 21st. A defensive and gritty affair resulted in a 1-1 stalemate when Cleveland broke the ice with a late tally by Adam Moffat in the 86th minute, followed by a last minute Watson equalizer in the final seconds of stoppage time.
Re-claiming the lead in the USL Second Division last weekend, the Kickers shutout Western Mass 2-0 in Richmond, dashing any playoff hopes for the Pioneers. Meanwhile, the City Stars narrowly edged first-place contender Harrisburg City Islanders, 1-0, when Chris Lemons converted an 8th minute penalty kick.
Race For The Playoffs Continues
Coming down to the wire, playoff positioning will be decided to determine the top two seeds in the league this weekend during the final regular season games. With just two points separating the top three teams, the regular season title is still up for grabs. Richmond currently holds two points over Cleveland and Harrisburg with 40 points while Charlotte rounds out the top-4 with 32 points.
The #1 and #2 seeds will host the #4 and #3 seeds, respectively, in a single-elimination semifinal on Saturday, August 18th. A win or a tie over Cleveland will secure home field advantage in Richmond during the semifinal round of postseason play. The Championship will be held the following weekend, showcasing the two semifinal winners on Saturday, August 25th at a host site to be determined by a bid process.
Players To Watch
Kickers: Midfielder Ricky Schramm (#9) has moved into second place in scoring on the team with six goals and two assists for 14 points. The rookie out of Georgetown University recently secured the win over the Western Mass Pioneers, notching his sixth goal of the season by finishing an Evan Harding (#15) cross with a diving header last weekend. Defender/midfielder Harding has earned USL2 Team of the Week honors three times, more than any other rookie, most recently receiving a nod for his assist in the Kickers 2-0 win over Western Mass. Midfielder Matt Watson (#8) netted two goals against Cleveland this season including a goal and an assist on the game-winner during the US Open Cup Second Round and a last-minute equalizer during regular season action on the road. Captain Mike Burke (#19) leads the league in assists with eight, combining with three goals for 14 points.
City Stars: Midfielder Adam Moffat (#8) and forward Nigel Codrington (#11) each notched a goal against the Kickers this season. Leading the team with seven goals and two assists for 16 points, Moffat earned USL2 Team of the Week honors for his offensive efforts in Cleveland on July 21st while second-place holder Codrington (6g) registered the Stars’ only goal during the US Open Cup Second Round. Midfielder Chris Lemons (#2) converted a penalty kick early in the Stars 1-0 win over Harrisburg last weekend to prevent Harrisburg from leap-frogging Cleveland in the standings, while goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap (#1) posted seven saves to preserve the shutout.
US Open Cup Run Comes To An End
The Kickers were ousted from the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last night in Cary, NC, dropping a 1-0 decision to the Carolina RailHawks at SAS Soccer Park in the Quarterfinal Round. The Kickers two best chances in the first half were stifled when a goal by David Bulow was annulled due to an offside call and a Matt Watson attempt was cleared off the line by former Kicker Chris Carrieri. The RailHawks broke the ice after the second half restart when Johnny Steele, streaking down the right flank, slotted a ball to Connally Edozien at the penalty spot. Edozien slid a low and forceful strike to the far corner, inches past a diving Kickers keeper. Despite several close calls after the 64th minute, the Kickers were unable to rally back from the deficit and the RailHawks held on for the win. Tuesday’s loss followed three prior Open Cup victories for the Kickers including a 4-2 win over the Michigan Bucks (PDL), a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland City Stars (USL2) and a shocking 1-0 scoreline against the LA Galaxy (MLS).
Gifts For Gulu Night
The Richmond Kickers are pleased to team up with the Cleveland City Stars, Spring Run Presbyterian Church and Sports Outreach Institute, Inc. to support the children of Gulu in Northern Uganda. The Kickers will host “Gifts For Gulu Night” with the Cleveland City Stars during the last regular season home game on Saturday, August 11th at the University of Richmond Stadium. Donate new and gently used clothing and soccer equipment for the children of Gulu and purchase $5.00 tickets at the gate for the Kickers vs. City Stars match at 7:00 p.m.
Former Kickers defender Kevin Knight and City Stars midfielder Chris Lemons spent time in Uganda during the off-season, which prompted a clothing and equipment drive for the children in need, specifically Northern Uganda. While there, the players saw first-hand the devastation from the civil war after visiting a small refugee camp just outside of Gulu. Home to over 13,000 people living with no running water in mud huts with thatched roofs, there was little to no food available and most children did not have any clothing. Knight and Lemons as well as Uganda native Robert Ssejjemba will share their experiences during halftime on August 11th.
• Click HERE to read a personal letter from Kevin Knight
About Gifts For Gulu
Gifts For Gulu is sponsored by Sports Outreach Institute, Inc. a 501C non-profit, non-denominational organization based in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has been working in Uganda since 1987 and currently employs 28 full and part time national staff in Uganda. The fundamental purpose of Sports Outreach Institute, Inc. is to identify and train committed Christian leadership in the effective use and understanding of sports ministry. For more information about how to support these children in need, visit www.GiftsForGulu.com
About The Conflict In Northern Uganda
For the past 20 years, the people of Northern Uganda have endured a conflict involving the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the government of Uganda. More than two million people (90% of the population) are now displaced and forced to live in squalid internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. These camps remain largely unprotected and vulnerable to LRA attacks and abductions. The LRA has kidnapped more than 30,000 children from their homes. An estimated 25,000 children, known as “Night Commuters,” throughout Northern Uganda, commute nightly to sleep in town centers or temporary shelters in order to avoid violence and abduction. For the displaced, life in the camps is extremely difficult as the overcrowding and poor sanitation condition found in the camps has led to massive health concerns. The protracted nature of this conflict has created a humanitarian crisis that is among the world’s worst.
