RICHMOND, VA – (Thursday, May 12, 2016) – The Richmond Kickers (4-3-1) conclude a two-game road trip this Saturday, May 14 when they take on New York Red Bulls II (4-1-2). The match will be broadcast live from Red Bull Arena through the league’s official Match Center, uslsoccer.com/match-center, at 4:00 p.m.
Collecting just one point in their first four road matches, the road-weary Kickers enter Saturday’s match following a disappointing 1-0 midweek loss in Toronto on Wednesday. Despite outshooting their opponent 14-8, the Kickers could not recover from a late TFC II goal after edging Toronto by the same scoreline at City Stadium twelve days earlier.
Meanwhile, New York has had a full week to recover after a dramatic 3-1 win in Pittsburgh on May 7. After conceding a goal inside the first 10 minutes, NYRB II leveled the score two minutes later courtesy of an Anatole Abang tally before Stefano Bonomo gave the visitors a second half lead. Derrick Etienne’s late goal solidified the victory with less than 10 minutes remaining but a melee in the waning minutes of regulation resulted in a red card ejection to New York’s Karl Ouimette and a season-ending suspension to Pittsburgh’s Romeo Parkes.
Saturday’s match opens a two-game series between Richmond and New York who swap home field advantage on July 30 at City Stadium. The two clubs met twice at Red Bull Arena last season, first battling in April when Brian Ownby’s lone goal lifted the Kickers to a 1-0 win before a high-scoring affair upended the Kickers 4-3 in July. The Kickers held on to the series advantage through a 4-2 win at City Stadium last May.
The Kickers return from the six-day road trip next Wednesday, May 18 to host USASA side Aromas Café FC in the U.S. Open Cup Second Round at City Stadium. The Kickers resume USL regular season action three days later when they host Food Truck Fest and Louisville City FC on Saturday, May 21. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
