RICHMOND, VA – (Friday, June 22, 2018) – The Richmond Kickers (4-8-1) are set to play host to the Charlotte Independence (6-4-4) on Saturday night for the first of two straight at home. Saturday’s match marks Summer Fest from City Stadium presented by Sticks Kebob Shop, Crossridge Family & Cosmetic Dentistry and Bounce 2 The Moon. The party starts at 5:30 pm with live music by Hazeltone, a one-of-a-kind splash zone featuring a 40-foot slip ‘n slide and a 20-foot water slide, human foosball, soccer darts, inflatable games, RVA food trucks and over a dozen craft beers on tap! Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available now on www.richmondkickers.com.
Richmond and Charlotte met earlier this year on May 26 at City Stadium. The Independence jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Yann Ekra’s opener. Cordell Cato notched a brace for Charlotte to extend its advantage to 3-0. Brian Shriver tacked on a late goal for the Kickers to bring the final score to 3-1. The Kickers will be looking to reverse fortunes as Charlotte holds the 6-2-3 advantage in 11 all-time meetings.
The Kickers have a full week of rest after playing five games in 14 days. Last Saturday, Richmond fell 0-4 to Eastern Conference leaders, FC Cincinnati in front of 28,026 from Nippert Stadium. Emmanuel Ledesma tallied a pair of goals and Danni König added one goal and one assist to power Cincinnati to the victory. Richmond goalkeeper Travis Worra collected seven saves in the match.
Charlotte picked up one point at home this past Saturday against the Charleston Battery. Charleston got on the board first when Kotaro Higashi found the back of the net in the 25th minute. The Independence found an equalizer late in the 79th minute. Rookie Mutaya Mwape chipped it over Charleston’s goalkeeper for his first professional goal. Charlotte played to a 1-1 draw in front of a record-breaking crowd.
Next Saturday, June 30 will be BBQ and Bluegrass Night from City Stadium. Presented by Smohk, the party starts at 5:30 p.m. with live bluegrass music by the Cary Street Ramblers and craft beer on tap for only $22 ($16 for Season Ticket Holders). Includes an exclusive pre-game VIP party, traditional pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans and coleslaw by Smohk BBQ, two craft beers or sodas, and admission to the Richmond Kickers vs North Carolina FC game. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available now on www.richmondkickers.com.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Richmond: Midfielder Oscar Umar (#17) plays the key role of distributor within the center of the pitch. In Saturday’s loss to Cincinnati, Umar led the team with 62 total passes at a 85.5 percent clip. The Ghanaian is also second on the Kickers with 27 tackles. The Kickers will need goalkeeper Midfielder Yudai Imura (#14) has been a consistent performer in Richmond’s lineup, appearing in all 13 games thus far. The Kickers are hoping to generate some more offense, and Imura could be the answer with nine shots and two goals this season. Goalkeeper Travis Worra (#48) looks to play with a lot of confidence in front of the net on Saturday. The D.C. United loanee is eighth in the USL with 38 saves.
Charlotte: Forward Cordell Cato (#17) is tied for 11th in the USL with six goals this season. The former San Jose Earthquakes player scored a brace last time out against the Kickers. Midfielder Alex Martinez (#23) has started all but one game for the Independence, amassing 1,133 minutes. Martinez is tied for the team lead with two assists and has a knack for drawing a team-high 27 fouls. Goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra (#50) has recorded two clean sheets for Charlotte. The former Richmond net minder spent lots of time with the Kickers current goalkeeper Travis Worra while at D.C. United.
