RICHMOND, Va – The Richmond Kickers saw three players named to the USL League One Team of the Week while Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky was named Coach of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
Darwin Espinal, Tarik Pannholzer and Ali Sasankhah each earned their first Team of the Week recognition this season after helping Richmond to a 2-1 victory over USL1 foe Union Omaha on Saturday, April 18 at City Stadium.
Espinal scored the match opener, maneuvering around two Omaha defenders before placing a ball into the top left corner of the net to give the Kickers an early 1-0 lead. The El Progreso, Honduras native played the full 90 minutes, recording two shots including one off of the right post which lead to the eventual match winner.
Pannholzer earned his first Team of the Week nod after scoring the match winner, finishing the rebound from Espinal’s shot off the post in the 57th minute to secure a 2-1 advantage for the Kickers. The Flensburg, Germany native recorded a team-high six touches in the opposition box, consistently finding his way into opportunistic positions in the final third.
Sasankhah earned Team of the Week selection in just his third professional start, recording an assist and a team-high four tackles out of the midfield. A defensive midfielder, Sasankhah totaled 49 touches and 12 passes in the final third in Saturday’s victory over Union Omaha.
Sawatzky takes home his first Coach of the Week distinction of the 2026 season, after leading the Kickers to the win and a full three points on the USL1 table.
The Kickers continue their four match homestand, hosting Charlotte Independence in Prinx Tires USL Cup action at City Stadium on Saturday, April 25 at 6:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on CBS 6.3 and ESPN+ with live updates and links available at richmondkickers.com or @RichmondKickers on X (Twitter).
