Harrisburg 1, Richmond 0

HARRISBURG, PA – (Saturday, July 15, 2017) – The Richmond Kickers (2-10-6) fell on the road to the Harrisburg City Islanders (6-8-4) Saturday night. Ropapa Mensah netted the only goal of the match in the 76th minute.

Harrisburg had the first shot of the game in the 8th minute. John Grosh passed the ball out wide to Cardel Benbow. Benbow was able to create enough space away from Braeden Troyer to get a shot towards goal. The shot was going over as Matt Turner assured it by getting a hand to the ball to push it over.

Richmond gained their first real chance of the match in the 17th minute. Sunny Jane received a pass from Conor Shanosky right as Abass Mohammed came out and fouled Jane, receiving a yellow card for the tackle. Sunny Jane and Raul Gonzalez stood over the free kick on the edge of the Harrisburg box. Jane stepped over the ball leaving it for Gonzalez to take the shot on goal, forcing City Islanders goalkeeper Brandon Miller to come up with the save.

10 minutes later and it was Harrisburg with a chance on goal. James Thomas worked up the sideline and cut into the box. Thomas saw Paul Wilson making a run at the top of the Richmond box. Wilson went for goal, as his shot was sent well over goal and out for a Richmond corner kick.

Sunny Jane looked for a chance on goal in the 33rd minute. Jane tried to play a quick pass to Franck Tayou as he was fouled from behind, about 25 yards from goal. Stepping up to take the free kick, Jane went for the near post going just wide of the Harrisburg net.

Chris Odoi-Atsem tried to get involved in his first appearance for Richmond in the 57th minute. Collecting the ball on the sideline, Odoi-Atsem found enough space to play a cross into the far post. Samuel Asante was there and his shot hits the side netting, nearly giving the Kickers the opening goal.

Back the other way just two minutes later, Harrisburg nearly found the first goal of the match. John Grosh broke through the Kickers defense to get to the endline. He played the ball back for Ropapa Mensah and his shot goes wide of a nearly open net for a Richmond goal kick.

Chris Durkin connected with William Yomby in the 75th minute as Richmond was looking for goal. Durkin played a free kick into the far post. Yomby slide in and got to the ball as his shot goes wide.

Just a minute later and Harrisburg found the back of the net. Paul Wilson fed the ball wide to James Thomas. Thomas started to move towards the box as Ropapa Mensah cut across his path and Thomas played the ball through. Mensah turned towards the center of the box. After a couple of steps, Mensah shot to the far post and under Matt Turner.

The Kickers return to City Stadium Wednesday, July 19 as they host Swansea City AFC from the Premier League in an international friendly presented by Virginia Credit Union. The biggest party of the Summer starts at 5:30 p.m. with live music by the Hit List, legendary RVA food trucks and over 20 craft beers on tap. Then, the Kickers take on Swansea City at 7:30 p.m. Richmond returns to USL action the following Saturday, July 22 as they host Bethlehem Steel FC at City Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7pm and it can be viewed live on the USL Match Center. Tickets are on sale now for both matches atwww.richmondkickers.com.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

Harrisburg GK Brandon Miller, Shawn McLaws, Abass Mohammed, Tiago Calvano, Travis Brent, John Grosh (70’ – Rasheed Olabiyi), Mouhamed Dabo, Paul Wilson (89’ – Danny DiPrima), James Thomas, Cardel Benbow (22’ – Jake Bond), Ropapa Mensah

Unused Substitutes: Sean Lewis, Michael Olla, Frederick Opoku, Griffin Libhart

Richmond GK Matt Turner, Mallan Roberts, Chris Odoi-Atsem, Braeden Troyer, Conor Shanosky (61’ – William Yomby), Sunny Jane, Samuel Asante (80’ – Luiz Fernando), Oscar Umar, Chris Durkin, Franck Tayou, Raul Gonzalez (48’ – Matt Bolduc)

Unused Substitutes: Marcel DeBellis, Mikey Minutillo, Patrick McCann, Finnlay Wyatt

STATISTICS

SCORING SUMMARY

CAUTIONS SUMMARY

EJECTIONS SUMMARY

MATCH INFORMATION

Referee: Brandon Smith

Assistant Referees: Ryan Dos Reis, Joseph Paolini

Fourth Official: Matthew Vodzak

Attendance: 3289

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 78ºF