RICHMOND, VA – (Sunday, July 27, 2014) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to host Crystal Palace of the world famous Barclay’s Premier League in an international exhibition at City Stadium this Monday, July 28. The historic match marks the first-time ever a team from England’s top flight will appear in Virginia. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. and a sell out is expected. General Admission tickets are $30 and are on sale at www.richmondkickers.com.
“We are looking forward to the game,” commented Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer. “It’s a great opportunity for the team to test ourselves against superior opposition in front of a packed City Stadium and a great opportunity for fans to show again why RVA is rapidly becoming a soccer town.”
The prestigious match in Richmond concludes Crystal Palace’s nine-day, three-game U.S. preseason tour which also included a 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew on July 23 and a 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Union on July 25.
Established in 1905, the London-based club climbed to an 11th place finish with a 13-19-6 record and 45 points in the Premier League standings this season, under the guidance of Premier League Manager of the Year, Tony Pulis. Highlights from the momentous season include handing Chelsea a 1-0 defeat and a remarkable come-from-behind 3-3 draw against Liverpool in front of sell-out crowds at Selhurst Park.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Stalwart defender Sascha Görres (#23) contributed to the attack last weekend with a 35-yard free kick to edge the Harrisburg City Islanders 2-1. In his 10th season with the Kickers, the player/assistant coach ranks second on the all-time career assists list with 47 and holds the club record for most consecutive games played, appearing in 107 successive matches. Veteran Luke Vercollone (#4) anchors the midfield and added his second goal of the season last weekend when he converted a 5th minute penalty against Harrisburg. In his seventh season in Richmond, the 2013 Supporter’s Choice MVP has amassed over 13,000 minutes in a Kickers uniform. Forward Matthew Delicâte (#7) leads the league with 13 goals on the regular season, adding a 14th during this year’s U.S. Open Cup run. Notching 84 goals over eight seasons in Richmond, the club’s all-time leading scorer surpassed the century mark in career goals with a tally over the New England Revolution in June.
Palace: A mainstay in the net for over a decade, goalkeeper Julian Speroni (#1) earned the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time in his career last season. In 37 appearances, the 35-year old Argentinian backstopped Palace with 116 saves while posting 12 clean sheets. Since his Crystal Palace debut in 2011, midfielder Mile Jedinak (#15) has made 110 appearances, scoring five goals and played nearly every minute of every game last season. He doubles as captain of the Australian National Team and converted a penalty against the Netherlands during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Forward Dwight Gayle (#16) led Palace in scoring last season with eight goals in his first year in the Premiership. Returning from a late season injury, the 5’9” Englishman tallied a pair of goals to bring CPFC level with Liverpool, denying them the Premier League Championship crown.
