RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, July 27, 2016) – The Richmond Kickers (8-6-5) return to City Stadium this Saturday, July 30 to host Kickers Fiesta, presented by Chicken Fiesta, and New York Red Bulls II (12-2-5). The Fiesta starts at 5:30 p.m. with an all-you-can-eat Chicken Fiesta taco bar, live Mariachi music and craft beer on tap before the Kickers battle Red Bulls II at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
The Kickers extended their unbeaten streak last week with a decisive 3-0 win over Toronto FC II at City Stadium. Forward Miguel Aguilar gave the home side an early lead before midfielder Yudai Imura converted a penalty kick and added a third tally after the break. On loan from New England Revolution, goalkeeper Matt Turner backstopped the Kickers to their fourth consecutive shutout.
Three days after knocking off FC Cincinnati 2-1 on the road, NYRB II dropped a 3-2 decision at home when the Charleston Battery handed them their second loss of the season at Red Bull Park. After conceding a pair of first half goals, the Red Bulls II rallied in the second half when Stefano Bonomo and Kevin O’Toole leveled the score at the hour mark but could not recover from a third Battery goal five minutes later.
The Kickers and Red Bulls II close out this season’s two-game series on Saturday after having previously battled to a 1-1 draw at Red Bull Arena in May. Red Bulls II forward Anatole Abang gave the home side the lead with 20 minutes remaining in regulation, but the Kickers rebounded when Alex Lee connected with Brian Ownby who nodded home a last-gasp equalizer in the 90th minute to claim a crucial point on the road.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Midfielder Yudai Imura (#14) increased his team-leading tally to six goals after adding a pair against Toronto FC II last week at City Stadium. Discovered at the Kickers 2015 Pro Tryouts, the Japanese midfielder quickly earned his spot on the starting lineup, making 37 appearances over two seasons. Midfielder Samuel Asante (#28) was integral in the Kickers 3-0 win against Toronto, drawing a second half penalty kick before assisting on the third goal of the night. The USL veteran and native of Sunyani, Ghana has anchored the midfield in more than 60 appearances and amassing over 5,000 minutes since 2014. Defender Chris Durkin (#37) became the youngest player in Kickers history to start and play 90 minutes in a USL match when he made his official debut at age 16 years, 147 days against Toronto last week. Signing a Homegrown contract with D.C. United last month, the native of Glen Allen, Virginia joined the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club at the age of 8.
Red Bulls II: Midfielder Derrick Etienne (#36) signed with the New York Red Bulls senior team as a Homegrown Player after one year at the University of Virginia and after making 14 appearances with Red Bulls II as an Academy player last season. The son and nephew of former Kickers players Derrick and Darrell Etienne, he added an assist in the NYRB II’s 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati last week. Forward Brandon Allen (#21) leads NYRB II’s attack, contributing eight goals and two assists in 17 appearances this season. The native of Old Bridge, NJ signed as a Homegrown Player and made his first team debut in May as a second half substitute in the club’s 3-0 win against Toronto. On loan from the New York Red Bulls, forward Anatole Abang (#9) gave the Red Bulls II an early lead against the Richmond Kickers at Red Bull Arena in May, forcing the Kickers to level the score with a last-gasp equalizer. Soon after, he became a regular on the senior team’s 18-man roster before returning to the NYRB II side that handed FC Cincinnati a 2-1 scoreline last week.
