Richmond Kickers 0, Union Omaha 0
| RICHMOND KICKERS | 0 | |
| UNION OMAHA | 0 |
RICHMOND, Va. —The Richmond Kickers (2-1-3, 9 pts) earned their fourth clean sheet of the season in front of 5,418 fans, Friday night, as they earned a 0-0 result against fellow top-half-of-the-table rivals Union Omaha (2-1-3, 9 pts).
The Kickers started fast as they nearly converted a chance with an opening salvo. In the third minute, Justin Sukow raced up the center of the park before laying off a pass to Kharlton Belmar. The forward carried the ball up the left wing and fired in a cross to Emiliano Terzaghi who made a tracking run into the box. Terzaghi shed his defender and got his foot to the cross, but the attempt went just wide of the far post.
Two minutes later, the Kickers’ first attempt on goal required the attention of reigning USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year, Rashid Nuhu, as Sukow sent in a cross that found Nathan Aune. The centerback – who gave his markers fits on set pieces all night – placed his header on frame and forced the save from Nuhu.
Richmond created another moment of danger for Nuhu in the 30th minute. Terzaghi received the ball in Omaha’s half near midfield and quickly turned to play a lofted cross to Matthew Bentley on the right wing. The forward cut inside which forced Nuhu to come off his line before cutting a pass back inside towards Terzaghi who made a run into the box, but Terzaghi’s marker did enough to prevent the three-time MVP from getting on the end of a potential goal.
The Kickers would find joy again in the second half as they pressed for a go-ahead goal late.
Richmond earned successive corners in the 89th and 90th minutes. Week 7 team of the week honoree Michael Hornsby played in an inswinger that found Luke Pavone at the apex of his jump. The forward’s snap header exploded toward goal which forced a reaction save from Nuhu and earned a second corner.
Hornsby played in another inswinger that found Aune who beat his marker and got his head to the ball, but the attempt would hit the wrong side of the crossbar.
The match ended with Omaha earning one more shot than Richmond (14-13), but the Kickers placed four shots on target to a single shot on target from the visitors. Richmond added on 49 final third entries and 15 touches on the box as they continue to build their attack on the foundation of their lights-out defense.
The Kickers have earned four clean sheets in their first six games – more than any other team in that time frame – and have matched the clean sheet output of fellow leaders Charlotte Independence who did it in seven. Richmond is on pace to eclipse their seven clean sheets in 2022 when they finished with the second-fewest goals conceded in the league.
The Kickers hit the road to take on Greenville Triumph SC (3-4-0, 9 pts) on Saturday, May 13th – less than two months after their first trip to the Upstate that resulted in a 1-0 win in favor of Richmond. The Kickers will host a Watch Party at Triple Crossing Downtown.
The Kickers then return home to host league debutants Lexington SC on Saturday, May 20th during First Responders Night presented by Bon Secours. Doors are set to open at 5:45 p.m. ahead of the 7 p.m. kickoff. Tickets are available at richmondkickers.com/tickets.
For a cost as low as $10 per match, Kickers fans can save the most with Season Tickets while unlocking exclusive perks and experiences. With one additional regular season match and two new opponents joining USL League One in 2023, City Stadium will be the place to be! Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.
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