KICKERS SEASON ENDS IN DEFEAT TO ATLANTA

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — (Saturday, October 13, 2018) — The Richmond Kickers (6-24-4) 2018 season came to an end with a 2-3 defeat at the hands of Atlanta United 2 (7-17-10) Saturday night at Coolray Field. Scoreless at halftime, Lagos Kunga put in a brace along with a third goal by Devon Sandoval to put Atlanta ahead. The Kickers nearly had the come back with Giuseppe Gentile netting a brace of his own coming on a second half substitute. 

Heviel Cordovés had a chance just three minutes into the match. Oscar Umar played the ball quickly to Raul Gonzalez as three Atlanta players are pressuring. Gonzalez went for the long ball forward trying to pick out Cordovés, instead Miles Robinson heads it away. Brian Shriver tried for a one-time effort instead mis-hitting the ball as it rolled to the feet of Cordovés. He got control and took two touches to get enough space for a shot, putting it high over the goal. 

A chance for Atlanta was shut down by Brandon Barnes in the 11th minute. Kevin Kratz sent the ball up the right side for Jon Gallagher. He cut towards goal to get around Austin Yearwood and then looked to get a shot in towards the near post low corner as Barnes dives to make the stop. Devon Sandoval followed that up with another shot that the Kickers keeper also saves as the ball deflects out for a corner kick. Kratz came over to the right corner and sent in the cross for Miles Robinson at the back post. The defender’s header went straight down and over for a Richmond goal kick. 

Brandon Barnes was called into action again in the 21st minute. Laurent Kissiedou and Oliver Shannon both looked for an opening for a shot. Shannon kept the ball going to the right for Kevin Kratz in just enough space. Kratz let a shot go that took a slight deflection heading in towards goal as Barnes dove to his right to make the save. 

Koby Osei-Wusu had a chance saved in the 39th minute. Austin Yearwood fed it up the left flank for Osei-Wusu. He started a run towards the top of the Atlanta box. With no open options for a pass, Osei-Wusu let a shot rip from just inside the box that forced a save from Atlanta keeper Nicolaus Caraux. 

Thirty seconds into the second half, Raul Gonzalez had a chance to get Richmond on the board. Koby Osei-Wusu played the ball back on the left side for Austin Yearwood when he could not find a cross. Yearwood played in the cross, connecting with Heviel Cordovés. The Cuban’s header popped up the in the air, nearly falling to Luiz Fernando for a volley as José Hernandez headed it away and right to Gonzalez. He came up and looked to pick out the upper 90, missing just high of the goal. 

The Kickers nearly found the opening their were looking for in the 59th minute. Oscar Umar won the ball in the midfield taking it off the feet of Laurent Kissiedou. He went for a quick pass to Luiz Fernando, who then continued the play out wide on the left side for Brian Shriver. Looking at his options, Shriver switched the play up and sent it wide for Osei-Wusu on the right side. The rookie wanted to pick up his first goal in the regular season, as Nicolaus Caraux stopped his shot at the near post. 

Atlanta broke the deadlock in the 61st minute through Lagos Kunga. AJ Cochran controlled a loose ball in the midfield and sent it ahead for José Hernandez. He got a touch to play it ahead for Kunga right as Koby Osei-Wusu came in for a challenge. Kunga split between Austin Yearwood and Oscar Umar to get into the box for a shot that he slipped past Brandon Barnes and over the goal line. 

Nine minutes later, Lagos Kunga doubled the lead for Atlanta. Brandon Barnes received the ball from Giuseppe Gentile and quickly tried to get it to Mallan Roberts.  With Kevin Kratz coming in for a tackle, Roberts played the ball ahead to Oscar Umar. He could not get control as Oliver Shannon came up to get a touch on the ball getting it to Kunga. He managed to avoid a tackle from Roberts, then chipped Brandon Barnes for his second of the night. 

A mistake at the back for the Kickers ended up with a third goal for Atlanta. Brandon Barnes sent a pass to Austin Yearwood out wide on the left side. He went for a long ball forward, instead hitting Oliver Shannon who was jumping in the way of the attempted pass. Devon Sandoval picked up control of the ball inside the Richmond box. He just needed to get a touch around Brandon Barnes as he slid in one on one for the goal.

Giuseppe Gentile came on in the second half and started a come back for the Kickers, scoring in the 80th minute. Luiz Fernando could not find an option on the left side and elected to play the ball back to Yudai Imura. He sent the ball back for Fernando retreating back, as the Brazilian continued playing the ball back for Oscar Umar. He picked out Conor Shanosky to his right in acres of space. Cutting away from his defender, Gentile gave Shanosky the easy option for a through ball. Gentile turned and blasted a shot into the near post, giving Nicolau Caraux no chance to make the save. 

Heading into stoppage time, Giuseppe Gentile picked up his second of the night. Luiz Fernando used his speed on the left flank to get around his defender. He whipped in a cross that Gentile met at the near post for a glancing header to put it into the back of the net. 

Keep up to date with the Kickers in the offseason online at www.richmondkickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

Atlanta GK Nicolas Caraux, Miles Robinson, A.J. Cochran, Shawn Nicklaw, José Hernandez, Laurent Kissiedou (68’ – Christopher Goslin), Oliver Shannon, Kevin Kratz, Lagos Kunga (87’ – Jack Metcalf), Devon Sandoval (78’ – Jackson Conway), Jon Gallagher

Unused Substitutes: Paul Christensen, Jack Metcalf, Kevin Barajas, Alessandro Castro

Richmond GK Brandon Barnes, Austin Yearwood, Mallan Roberts, Conor Shanosky, Raul Gonzalez (69’ – Brandon Eaton), Neil Hlavaty (63’ – Yudai Imura), Oscar Umar, Koby Osei-Wusu (63’ – Giuseppe Gentile), Luiz Fernando, Brian Shriver, Heviel Cordovés

Unused Substitutes: Trevor Spangenberg, Mekeil Williams, Shaun Russell, Greg Boehme

STATISTICS

SCORING SUMMARY

CAUTIONS SUMMARY

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MATCH INFORMATION