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Three Players Named to USL League One Team of the Week

RICHMOND, Va. – (Tuesday, September 10, 2019) – USL League One announced on Tuesday that goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald and defenders Ivan Magalhães and Braeden Troyer have been named to the USL League One Team of the Week for Week 24 after the 1-0 win over Greenville Tuesday night.
 
Fitzgerald made fives saves en route to his seventh shutout of the 2019 season. WIth that shutout, Fitzgerald is now tied for fourth in USL League One for shutouts and tied for second for saves with 57. 
 
Magalhães remained solid at the back for the Kickers, helping Fitzgerald to the shutout. The Brazilian recorded two clearances and interceptions to reduce the chances for Greenville. He also had 46 passes to lead all 
 
Troyer scored his first competitive goal for the Kickers in Saturday’s win. Just before halftime, Joe Gallardo served in a corner kick that found the head of Troyer. His shot hit the underside of the crossbar and into the goal for the game winner. He also recorded a passing accuracy of 87.9 percent from 33 passes. 

Richmond are in action tonight as they are on the road to face the league leaders, North Texas SC at 8:00 p.m. ET. This match will be available to stream live on ESPN+. The Kickers are back at City Stadium next Saturday night to host Forward Madison FC and Heritage Night, presented by RVAmigos. The gates open at a special time of 4:30 p.m. with live music and Brazilian dancers. Dank Eats will be on hand with funky fresh pitas and gyros. The players will be wearing limited edition pregame jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
USL League One Team of the Week – Week 24
GK – Akira Fitzgerald, Richmond Kickers: Fitzgerald recorded a five-save shutout as the Kickers earned a 1-0 victory against Greenville Triumph SC to keep their postseason hopes moving.
 
D – John Nelson, North Texas SC: Nelson scored once, completed 5 of 5 dribbled and 49 of 58 passes while also winning 11 of 14 duels in North Texas’ victory against Orlando City B.
 
D – Ivan Magalhães, Richmond Kickers: Magalhaes made two interceptions and clearances, won 6 of 10 duels and completed 38 of 46 passes to help the Kickers hold Greenville scoreless in their victory on Saturday night.
 
D – Grant Stoneman, Lansing Ignite FC: Stoneman won 9 of 11 duels and 6 of 7 aerials in addition to completing 43 of 52 passes in Lansing’s big road victory against FC Tucson.
 
M – Braeden Troyer, Richmond Kickers: Troyer recorded his first league goal for the Kickers while also completing 29 of 33 passes and winning 8 of 12 duels in Richmond’s crucial win against Greenville.
 
M – Steven Beattie, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Beattie scored his ninth goal of the season to help the Red Wolves earn a point on the road against Toronto FC II on Friday evening.
 
M – Marco Micaletto, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Micaletto scored Tormenta FC’s late equalizer to cap a performance that also saw him complete 27 of 35 passes and make four recoveries against Madison.
 
M – Tumi Moshobane, Lansing Ignite FC: Moshobane continued his strong recent form, scoring a pair of goals and completing 17 of 20 passes in Lansing’s emphatic victory against Tucson.
 
F – Pato, Lansing Ignite FC: Pato put in an efficient display in attack, scoring two goals and adding one assist and two key passes on 10 of 14 passing overall to lead Ignite FC to its road win in Tucson.
 
F – Ronaldo Damus, North Texas SC: Damus extended his league-lead with a pair of goals and also completed 15 of 17 passes as North Texas clinched a playoff berth following its victory against Orlando City B.
 
F – Paulo Jr., Forward Madison FC: The Brazilian had the opening goal and completed 22 of 27 passes while winning 4 of 6 duels and making four recoveries in Madison’s 1-1 draw against Tormenta FC.

Troyer Goal Lifts Richmond Over Greenville

TEAM SCORE GOALSCORERS
RICHMOND KICKERS
(8-10-4, 28 points, 8th)
1

Troyer (Gallardo) 45′
GREENVILLE TRIUMPH SC
(9-7-7, 34 points, 4th)
0

 
 

RICHMOND, Va. — (Saturday, September 7, 2019) — The Richmond Kickers (8-10-4) defeated Greenville Triumph SC (9-7-7) Saturday night at City Stadium. Braeden Troyer scored his first regular season goal just before halftime to give Richmond all three points. With the victory, the Kickers were the first winners of the Bon Secours Cup. 

Josh Hughes came up with a massive goal line clearance in the 12th minute to keep the visitors off the board. Tyler Polak played a quick pass inside the Richmond box for Carlos Gomez. He was able to get enough of a touch on the ball to get it to JJ Donnelly, who could not get much on the shot as Hughes was there for the clearance. 

Dennis Chin nearly found the break through goal in the 35th minute. Eli Lockaby picked up control of the ball on the right wing. He whipped in a ball for Chin making a near post run. The Jamaican tried for a shot as it skipped just wide of the post. 

Braeden Troyer scored his first competitive goal for the Kickers in first half stoppage time. Off a corner kick from Joe Gallardo, Troyer rose above the crowd to get a head on the ball and ping it off the crossbar and over the line to put Richmond ahead 1-0 before halftime.

A chance came for second half substitute Mutaya Mwape in the 64th minute. Mwape switched up the play to get the ball over to Dennis Chin on the left wing. After some fancy footwork to create some space, Chin looked to play the ball back for Mwape making a run towards the far post. He was not able to get a clean touch on the ball, allowing Greenville to clear the ball away from danger. 

Mwape could have made it 2-0 for the Kickers in the 88th minute. After playing a give and go with Eli Lockaby, Mwape cut in towards the center of the field. He looked to sneak in a shot towards the near post that Miguel Uribe needed to push wide. 

The Kickers have a busy week ahead. First up, Richmond takes the trip to Toyota Stadium to face the first place North Texas SC Tuesday night for an 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff. The Kickers will be back at City Stadium next Saturday night to host Forward Madison FC and Heritage Night, presented by RVAmigos. The gates open at a special time of 4:30 p.m. with live music and Brazilian dancers. Dank Eats will be on hand with funky fresh pitas and gyros. The players will be wearing limited edition pregame jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.

BOX SCORE
TEAM FIRST HALF SECOND HALF FINAL

Richmond

1

0

1

Greenville

0

0

0
 
LINEUPS

Richmond GK Akira Fitzgerald, Ivan Magalhães, Conor Shanosky, Wahab Ackwei, Josh Hughes, Braeden Troyer, Eli Lockaby, Matt Bolduc (89’ – Maxi Rodriguez), Greg Boehme (59’ – Mutaya Mwape), Dennis Chin (73’ – Daniel Jackson), Joe Gallardo

Unused Substitutes: Joe Rice, Scott Thomsen, Jannik Eckenrode, Ryley Kraft

Greenville GK Miguel Uribe, Tyler Polak, Evan Lee, Kevin Politz, Max Hemmings (45’ – Edmundo Robinson), Aaron Walker, Cole Seiler, Carlos Gomez, Christopher Bermudez (77’ – Cameron Saul), JJ Donnelly, Dominic Boland (89’ – Travis Ward)

Unused Substitutes: David Greczek, Choi Sang-Ryeong, Sami Guediri

STATISTICS
TEAM SHOTS SAVES FOULS CORNERS

Richmond

8

5

11

4

Greenville

12

0

18

2

 

SCORING SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

45′

RIC

Braeden Troyer (Joe Gallardo)

CAUTIONS SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

27′

GVL

Tyler Polak

45′

GVL

Aaron Walker

53′

RIC

Braden Troyer

72′

GVL

Edmundo Robinson
 
EJECTIONS SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

None.

 

 

 

MATCH INFORMATION
Referee: Nickrod Fateh
Assistant Referees: Ben Pilgrim, Izzy Campos
Fourth Official: Otto Leon
Attendance: 3,624
Weather: Sunny, 81 ºF

Kickers Host Greenville Saturday

RICHMOND, Va. – (Friday, September 6, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers (7-10-4) are set to host Greenville Triumph SC (9-6-7) at City Stadium Saturday night, plus it is Cider Fest, presented by Bon Secours. The gates open up at 5:30 p.m. with live music from the Back Seat Drivers. Happy Hour has been extended until 7:00 p.m., with all ciders and craft beers for only $3. Richmond takes the field at 7:00 p.m. to face Greenville as both teams will compete for the newly announced Bon Secours Cup. Get your tickets now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 
This will mark the third and final meeting of the 2019 season between Richmond and Greenville. Both teams have claimed 1-0 victories at Greenville in the first two meetings. The Kickers picked up the first win on April 20 at Legacy Early College, as Joe Gallardo walked through the Greenville defense to score the lone goal of the match in the 49th minute. Greenville responded on May 18 when Jake Keegan chipped the ball over Akira Fitzgerald for the victory in the 42nd minute. 
 
Richmond is coming off their largest win of the regular season last Saturday night, picking up a decisive 4-1 road win at South Georgia Tormenta FC at Erk Russell Park. Tormenta jumped ahead in the fifth minute, with Mikie Rowe scoring from a free kick. The Kickers responded just six minutes later as Ivan Magalhães poked the ball away and into the path of Dennis Chin, as he went for the quick shot to level the score. Joe Gallardo added a second for Richmond in the 15th minute. Josh Hughes won the ball off Ricardo Gomez, allowing Gallardo to go on a run into space. With no one to pressure him, Gallardo launched a shot from about 35 yards out, arching it over Pablo Jara and into the back of the net. Matt Bolduc played a perfectly placed through ball for Chin to score the third goal of the night and his brace in the 36th minute. A brace would come in the 80th minute for Joe Gallardo when Greg Boehme headed the ball down for Gallardo. The former U.S. youth international proceeded to get past six defenders before going for the shot that found the back of the net to make it 4-1 for Richmond. 
 
Greenville picked up three points on the road as well back on August 28 at Breese Stevens Field, downing Forward Madison FC 1-0. Off a throw in from Tyler Polak, Aaron Walker continued moving the ball across the field for Christopher Bermudez. With two Madison defenders on him, Bermudez cut back towards the middle of the field before going for the shot that found the upper left corner of the goal and out of the reach of a diving Brian Sylvestre in the 42nd minute. Dallas Jaye made one save to pick up his league leading 12th shutout of the season. 
 
The Kickers have a busy week ahead following the match against Greenville. First up, Richmond takes the trip to Toyota Stadium to face the first place North Texas SC Tuesday night for an 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff. The Kickers will be back at City Stadium next Saturday night to host Forward Madison FC and Heritage Night, presented by RVAmigos. The gates open at a special time of 4:30 p.m. with live music and Brazilian dancers. Dank Eats will be on hand with funky fresh pitas and gyros. The players will be wearing limited edition pregame jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com. 
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Richmond: Named the USL League One Player of the Week, forward Joe Gallardo (#10) scored a brace in Saturday’s 4-1 win at Tormenta FC. The former United States youth international has a team-high six goals in 21 matches this season. Midfielder Matt Bolduc (#11) found a spot in the USL League One Team of the Week after providing his sixth assist of the season to set up Dennis Chin’s second goal of the night with a long range through ball. Bolduc sits tied for second in the league with his six assists, only two behind the league leading Arturo Rodriguez of North Texas SC. Forward Dennis Chin (#15) was also named to Team of the Week after his brace in the victory over Tormenta FC. Chin is one goal behind Gallardo with five in 18 appearances this season. 

Greenville: Forward Jake Keegan (#9) leads Triumph SC with nine goals this season in 22 matches, tying him for second overall in USL League One. Keegan has also recorded one assist and 21 key passes this season. Midfielder Carlos Gomez (#10) leads Greenville with five assists this season, putting him in a five-way tie for fourth overall in USL League One. Gomez played the final ten minutes in their last outing against Forward Madison FC. Midfielder Christopher Bermudez (#7) scored the game winner for Triumph SC last Wednesday night against Madison. He has also made two assists over his 16 appearances for Greenville.

Kickers Add Zach Perez

RICHMOND, Va. – (Thursday, September 5, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the signing of defender Zach Perez, pending USL League One and USSF approval. Perez will be available for selection Saturday night against Greenville Triumph SC. 
 
“Zach really stuck out in our friendly against Prep4Pro and during our midseason tryout,” said David Bulow, Kickers Head Coach. “We’ve always had success as a club with our open combines, and though getting some players in during the season was a bit of an experiment, we feel we have continued our tradition of finding quality players who are trying to break into the pro game.  Zach is very athletic and will give us some good cover at left back for the rest of the season.”
 
Signing his first professional contract, Perez joins the Kickers after four years at William Paterson University, where he was a two-time all conference choice. Perez made 59 appearances during his time in college, scoring three goals and adding three assists. The native of Edison, N.J. also appeared for FC Motown of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL).
 
The Kickers return home to RVA Saturday, September 7 for their third and final clash with Greenville Triumph SC and Cider Fest, presented by Bon Secours. The gates open up at 5:30 p.m. with live music from the Back Seat Drivers. Happy Hour is extended until 7:00 p.m. with half off all ciders and craft beers. Richmond takes the field at 7:00 p.m. to face Greenville as both teams will compete for the newly announced Bon Secours Cup. The series is level as both sides claimed 1-0 victories in Greenville. Get your tickets now at www.richmondkickers.com.

Joe Gallardo Named USL League One Player of the Week

RICHMOND, Va. – (Tuesday, September 3, 2019) – USL League One announced on Tuesday that forward Joe Gallardo has been named the Player of the Week for Week 23 after his two goal performance Saturday night at South Georgia Tormenta FC. Midfielder Matt Bolduc and forward Dennis Chin were also honored on the Team of the Week this week. 

Gallardo scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season Saturday night at Erk Russell Park, leading the Kickers to a massive 4-1 road win. The forward scored the go ahead goal in the 15th minute after Josh Hughes set him up on a run. With no one putting pressure on him, Gallardo launched a shot from about 35 yards out, chipping it over Pablo Jara and into the back of the net. He went on to score the fourth and final goal in the 80th minute after Greg Boehme headed the ball down for Gallardo to run onto. Getting past six defenders with ease, Gallardo powered his shot past Jara and into the top of the net.

Bolduc recorded his sixth assist of the season, tying him for second in USL League One. He picked up control of the ball right on the midfield line in the 36th. He turned and played a perfectly placed through ball for Chin to run onto and score for the third goal of the night for Richmond. 

Chin now has four goals this season after adding two more against Tormenta. The Jamaican forward responded quickly to conceding a goal to Tormenta in the fifth minute, leveling the score for the Kickers in the 11th minute after Ivan Magalhães was able to chip the ball to Chin, needing only to go for the quick shot inside the near post. His second goal came from the long ball played from Bolduc, going for the shot before the angle was cut down too much, giving Richmond a 3-1 lead heading into halftime. 

The Kickers return home to RVA Saturday, September 7 for their third and final clash with Greenville Triumph SC and Cider Fest, presented by Bon Secours. The gates open up at 5:30 p.m. with live music from the Back Seat Drivers. Happy Hour is extended until 7:00 p.m. with half off all ciders and craft beers. Richmond takes the field at 7:00 p.m. to face Greenville as both teams will compete for the newly announced Bon Secours Cup. The series is level as both sides claimed 1-0 victories in Greenville. Get your tickets now at www.richmondkickers.com.

USL League One Team of the Week – Week 23

GK – Jimmy Maurer, North Texas SC: Maurer recorded a five-save shutout as North Texas took its second victory of the week on Sunday night against Toronto FC II. 
 
D – Bryan Reynolds, North Texas SC: Reynolds recorded one goal and two assists, completed 109 of 124 passes and 7 of 11 dribbles and made 11 recoveries over North Texas’ two victories on the week.
 
D – Tyler Polak, Greenville Triumph SC: Polak made a pair of crucial goal-line clearances, made five recoveries and won two tackles as Greenville earned a big road victory against Forward Madison FC.
 
D – Lamar Batista, FC Tucson: Batista won 11 of 16 duels, won 4 of 5 tackles and completed 2 of 3 dribbles as Tucson earned a shutout victory against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Friday night.
 
M – Arturo Rodriguez, North Texas SC: Rodriguez had one goal and one assist across two NTSC victories while also completing three key passes and 99 of 110 passes overall against Tormenta FC and Toronto. 
 
M – Eric Virgen, FC Tucson: Virgen completed 49 of 52 passes, recorded five key passes and made five recoveries as Tucson earned a 1-0 victory against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. 
 
M – Aaron Walker, Greenville Triumph SC: Walker provided the assist on the lone goal and had two chances created and completed 20 of 27 passes overall as Greenville won on the road in Madison: 
 
M – Matt Bolduc, Richmond Kickers: Bolduc recorded one assist, two key passes and completed 32 of 42 passes overall while winning 11 of 14 duels and completing 5 of 6 dribbles in Richmond’s win against South Georgia.
 
F – Ricardo Pepi, North Texas SC: Pepi converted twice from the penalty spot in a performance that also saw him complete 15 of 18 passes as North Texas took a big win against Tormenta FC.
 
F – Joe Gallardo, Richmond Kickers (Player of the Week): Gallardo recorded two goals, one key pass and completed 6 of 9 dribbles while also completing 40 of 49 passes overall in Richmond’s big road win against Tormenta FC.
 
F – Dennis Chin, Richmond Kickers: Chin scored a pair of goals on four shots overall and completed 19 of 25 passes as the Kickers swept to victory on the road against South Georgia on Saturday night.

Kickers Dominate in Win at Tormenta FC

TEAM SCORE GOALSCORERS
SOUTH GEORGIA TORMENTA FC
(8-7-8, 32 points, 5th)
1

Rowe 5′
RICHMOND KICKERS
(7-10-4, 25 points, 8th)
4

Chin (Magalhães) 11’, Gallardo (Hughes) 15’, Chin (Bolduc) 36’, Gallardo (Boehme) 80’
 

STATESBORO, Ga. — (Saturday, August 31, 2019) — The Richmond Kickers (7-10-4) prevail over South Georgia Tormenta FC (8-7-8) after a dominating 4-1 road victory Saturday night at Erk Russell Park. Dennis Chin and Joe Gallardo both scored braces to lift Richmond to their league-high tying fourth road win, overshadowing Mikie Rowe’s fifth minute goal. 

Three minutes into the match and the Kickers had to rely on a massive save from Akira Fitzgerald. Kaleb Jackson sent in a corner kick, connecting with Jerry Saint-Vil. As Saint-Vil tried to put the shot on frame, Ftizgerald reacted quickly to make the goalline save. 

Tormenta struck first in the fifth minute from a set piece. Greg Boehme was called for a foul after a tackle from behind on Kaleb Jackson. Mikie Rowe stepped up, putting his shot into the top right corner and out of the reach of Fitzgerald. 

The Kickers leveled the score in the 11th minute, from the veteran Dennis Chin. Off a Joe Gallardo corner kick, Eli Lockaby quickly played the ball back for Gallardo to send in a cross. Tormenta tried to clear the ball away as it rolled back out for Lockaby. He curled in a pass towards Conor Shanosky. The Tormenta defense again tried to clear as Greg Boehme got a touch on the ball to leave it for Ivan Magalhães. He could only toe poke it into the path of Chin. He took a touch into space, before launching a shot on frame for the equalizer.

Joe Gallardo made it two for Richmond in the 15th minute. Gallardo put the pressure on Ricardo Gomez. Unable to win the ball, Josh Hughes stepped up to poke it away from Gomez and into the path of Gallardo. With acres of space, Gallardo let a shot rip from about 35 yards out and over a diving Pablo Jara for the second of the night for the Kickers.

Dennis Chin scored a brace in the 36th minute to put Richmond up 3-1 on the road. Matt Bolduc picked up control of the ball right on the midfield line. He turned and played a perfectly placed through ball for Chin to run onto. Just inside the Tormenta box, the Jamaican forward made no mistake with his shot to find the back of the net.

In first half stoppage time, Joe Gallardo nearly scored a brace of his own. Eli Lockaby pounced on a loose ball and played a quick give and go with Gallardo. Lockaby then gave the ball back to Gallardo, who put his shot just wide to the left of the goal. 

Joe Gallardo and Dennis Chin nearly had a goal twenty seconds into the second half. Gallardo had a run towards the Tormenta goal, slipping a pass through for Chin. Before the angle was closed down, Chin looked to chip in a shot, as Pablo Jara got a hand on the shot to deny Chin the hat trick. 

Akira Fitzgerald denied a second goal for Tormenta in the 48th minute. Alex Morrell picked up possession at the top of the box from Charlie Dennis. He looked to go for a shot at the far post from the left side. Fitzgerald dove to make the stop. 

Richmond needed a massive last-ditch block from Eli Lockaby in the 67th minute to keep Tormenta from getting a second goal. Charlie Dennis took control of the ball after a Richmond corner kick, avoiding a couple of challenges from Matt Bolduc and tried to change up the play for Alex Morrell. Morrell stopped the ball to create space away from Lockaby, as the VCU product came around to get his body in the way of the shot. 

Not to be outdone, Joe Gallardo netted his brace in the 80th minute. Greg Boehme knocked down a header from Conner Antley for Gallardo. Avoiding four Tormenta defenders and going for the meg on Jerry Saint-Vil before slotting his shot home for the fourth goal of the night for Richmond. 

The Kickers return home to RVA Saturday, September 7 for their third and final clash with Greenville Triumph SC and Cider Fest, presented by Bon Secours. The gates open up at 5:30 p.m. with live music from the Back Seat Drivers. Happy Hour is extended until 7:00 p.m. with half off all ciders and craft beers. Richmond takes the field at 7:00 p.m. to face Greenville as both teams will compete for the newly announced Bon Secours Cup. The series is level as both sides claimed 1-0 victories in Greenville. Get your tickets now at www.richmondkickers.com.

BOX SCORE
TEAM FIRST HALF SECOND HALF FINAL

Tormenta

1

0

1

Richmond

3

1

4
 
LINEUPS

Tormenta GK Pablo Jara, Jerry Saint-Vil, Jordan Shelton, Josh Phelps, Nick Wells (45’ – Conner Antley), Marco Micaletto, Ricardo Gomez, Kaleb Jackson (45’ – Charlie Dennis), Shinya Kadono, Mikie Rowe (77’ – Jad Arslan), Alex Morrell

Unused Substitutes: Matias Reynares, Daltyn Knutson, Dalton Pando, Yaw Amankwa

Richmond GK Akira Fitzgerald, Ivan Magalhães, Conor Shanosky, Wahab Ackwei, Josh Hughes (72’ – Scott Thomsen), Braeden Troyer (83’ – Maxi Rodriguez), Eli Lockaby, Matt Bolduc (70’ – Ryley Kraft), Greg Boehme, Dennis Chin, Joe Gallardo

Unused Substitutes: Joe Rice, Daniel Jackson, Jannik Eckenrode, Mutaya Mwape

STATISTICS
TEAM SHOTS SAVES FOULS CORNERS

Tormenta

12

2

10

5

Richmond

12

5

6

4

 

SCORING SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

5′

TRM

Mikie Rowe (unassisted)

11′

RIC

Dennis Chin (Ivan Magalhães)

15′

RIC

Joe Gallardo (Josh Hughes)

36′

RIC

Dennis Chin (Matt Bolduc)

80′

RIC

Joe Gallardo (Greg Boehme)

CAUTIONS SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

28′

TRM

Nick Wells

41′

RIC

Joe Gallardo

57′

TRM

Conner Antley
 
EJECTIONS SUMMARY
MIN TEAM PLAYER

None.

 

 

 

MATCH INFORMATION
Referee: Alyssa Nichols
Assistant Referees: Howard Ash, Kyle Johnston
Fourth Official: William Franchim
Attendance: 1,526
Weather: Most Cloudy, 70 ºF

Kickers Take the Trip to Tormenta Saturday

RICHMOND, Va. – (Friday, August 30, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers (6-10-4) will look to start a new unbeaten streak Saturday night on the road at South Georgia Tormenta FC (8-6-8) at Erk Russell Park. Watch the match live on WTVR CBS 6.3 (Comcast 206, Verizon FiOS 466) and streaming online on ESPN+ when the match kicks off at 8:00 p.m.

This will mark the third and final meeting this season between the two clubs. Both teams battled to a 0-0 draw in the first meeting between the two sides at City Stadium April 6. Akira Fitzgerald made three saves in that match to earn his first clean sheet of the season. The second match came back on June 22 at Erk Russell Park, with the home side taking a 1-0 win after a penalty was called late in the match. Marco Micaletto converted from the penalty spot in the 84th minute after Wahab Ackwei was called for a foul on Lucas Coutinho inside the box.

Richmond looks to get back to their recent form after falling on the road to Forward Madison FC last Saturday night. Just before halftime, Maxi Rodriguez looked to be the hero for Richmond. Scott Thomsen sent in a long free kick into the Madison box. Connor Tobin rose to try and head the ball out of danger, instead putting it right to the feet of Josh Hughes. The Kickers midfielder tried for a shot, but he did not get a clean hit on the ball. Rodriguez was there to put it past Brian Sylvestre as the referee called the goal back for offside. Madison scored the game winner in the 74th minute. Christian Diaz played the ball ahead for JC Banks. He slipped it through for Paulo Jr. as he took a quick pass to get it back for Diaz in front of goal. He just needed to redirect the ball into the back of the net.

Tormenta is in the midst of a six match winless streak, most recently coming off a rough 0-5 road defeat at the hands of the league leaders, North Texas SC Tuesday night at Toyota Stadium. North Texas took a 3-0 lead into halftime behind goals from Bryan Reynolds, Richard Danso and a converted penalty kick by Ricardo Pepi. Things did not get better for Tormenta as Gibran Rayo added a fourth goal in the 82nd minute. Pepi once again scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time to seal the three points for the home side.

The Kickers return home to RVA Saturday, September 7 for their third and final clash with Greenville Triumph SC and Cider Fest, presented by Bon Secours. The gates open up at 5:30 p.m. with live music from the Back Seat Drivers. Happy Hour is extended until 7:00 p.m. with half off all ciders and craft beers. Richmond takes the field at 7:00 p.m. to face Greenville as both teams will compete for the newly announced Bon Secours Cup. The series is level as both sides claimed 1-0 victories in Greenville. Get your tickets now at www.richmondkickers.com. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Richmond: Midfielder Ryley Kraft (#98) made his debut for the Kickers in the 80th minute last week against Forward Madison FC. The former USYNT player recorded 100 percent passing accuracy in the opponent’s half in his short time on the pitch. With another week of training with the team under his belt, Kraft will look to make an even bigger impact in Southern Georgia. Defender Wahab Ackwei (#18) returns to the starting XI after fulfilling his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation. The Ghanian has been one of the best defenders both for the Kickers and in the league. Currently, he ranks seventh in the league with 73 clearances and he will look to stifle Tormenta after a week off. Goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald (#1) continues to be one of the top keepers in the league with six clean sheets and 47 saves — both ranking fourth in the league. Fitzgerald shutout South Georgia during their first meeting and was nearly able to shut them out a second time before Tormenta was awarded a late penalty late in the contest. Surely disappointed from the last outing down south, Fitzgerald will be firing his backline up for the match so that he can bring in bagels to training next week as is his custom when the team earns a clean sheet.

Tormenta: Goalkeeper Pablo Jara (#1) has been a closed vault so far for the Richmond attackers and has held the Kickers scoreless in the opening two matches of the series between the two clubs. Of course, he’s been a difficult keeper to get past for many of the teams in the league as he is tied for second in USL League One in clean sheets with nine and fifth in the league with 44 saves. Midfielder Marco Micaletto (#10) scored the only goal in the series between the two clubs so far after he converted a penalty late to break the all but certain scoreless draw and steal three points in the second meeting. Micaletto is currently tied for sixth in the league with seven goals and surely will be looking for the back of the net. Defender Conner Antley (#3) has proven his versatility in the back of the Tormenta backine. He currently leads his team with five assists while ranking third in the league. His ability to play the ball forward will require the attention of the Kickers attackers.

USL Reaches New Rights Agreement with ESPN, ESPN+

TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League (USL) announced a new three-year rights agreement with ESPN on Tuesday that features the USL Championship and League One matches through the 2022 season.
The new agreement will see a three-fold rise in the number of games televised annually on ESPN’s networks, including the addition of Spanish-language telecasts on ESPN Deportes, as well as continued expansive coverage on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service.

“We are thrilled to continue with ESPN and ESPN+,” said USL Executive Vice President Court Jeske. “USL is an organization that aims to put the fans first and we know that supporters across the country will be very pleased with this new three-year agreement and the exposure it brings.”  

The relationship between the USL and ESPN will enter its fifth full year in 2020 as the league celebrates its 10th anniversary season. Under the new agreement, 18 regular-season games from the Championship will air on ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU or ESPN Deportes annually in addition to the USL Championship Final. All other matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

“We’re delighted to continue our relationship with the United Soccer League, and showcase the USL Championship and USL League One competitions across ESPN networks and ESPN+ through this new agreement,” said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN Senior Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions.   

The Championship has grown through its relationship with ESPN and ESPN+, including the debut of League One during the inaugural year of ESPN+. This new agreement will see nearly triple the content on ESPN networks, including ESPN Deportes, helping the USL and its clubs continue to broaden their fanbase. 

USL will continue to be featured among the portfolio of world-class domestic and international soccer on ESPN+, along with Major League Soccer, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Italy’s Serie A, the F.A. Cup, the English Football League, and the qualifiers for the UEFA 2020 European Championship. In 2019, more than 750 regular season contests across the USL Championship and USL League One will air on ESPN platforms.

Games will continue to be produced by USL Productions, the league’s state-of-the-art broadcast production, broadcast and distribution facilities with VISTA Worldlink in south Florida.

Kickers Sign Ryley Kraft

RICHMOND, Va. – (Friday, August 23, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the signing of midfielder Ryley Kraft, pending USL League One and USSF approval. Kraft will be available for selection Saturday night at Forward Madison FC. 

“We are so excited about the prospect of working with Ryley and continuing our vision of developing the best players in the country,” said David Bulow, Richmond Kickers Head Coach. “This is our second player with United States Youth National Team experience, and shows the ambition of how the Richmond Kickers are trying to assemble the most talented and competitive team in all of USL League One.  He’s  made an immediate impact on the team in training already and I believe he will be a big factor on our push for the playoffs.”

Kraft signs with Richmond after spending the last two seasons in the USL Championship with Oklahoma City Energy FC in 2018 and Orlando City B in 2017. Kraft was a teammate with Joe Gallardo during his time at OCB. Before signing his first professional contract with OCB, Kraft spent 2015-17 with the Sacramento Republic FC Academy where he made 46 appearances and scored 12 goals. Kraft played with the United States U-19 National Team including scoring the equalizer in a match against El Salvador. 

The Kickers are back in action Saturday night as they travel to Forward Madison FC. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be available live on WTVR CBS 6.3 (Comcast 206, Verizon FiOS 466) and online on ESPN+. 

Kickers Travel to Madison Saturday

RICHMOND, Va. – (Friday, August 23, 2019) – The Richmond Kickers (6-9-4) head back to Breese Stevens Field Saturday night looking to extend their unbeaten streak to five matches when they take on Forward Madison FC (8-8-5). The match will kickoff at 8:00 p.m. and will be available live on WTVR CBS 6.3 (Comcast 206, Verizon FiOS 466) and streaming on ESPN+.

This will be the second meeting in the last two weeks between the two clubs. Richmond claimed victory in the previous meeting, taking a 1-0 road win just two weeks ago. Daniel Jackson entered the match in the 66th minute and found the back of the net just three minutes later. The final meeting between the two sides will come at City Stadium September 14. 

Richmond took a point at home to go four matches unbeaten after a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC II last Saturday night. Daniel Jackson continued his form, scoring after just five minutes off a deflected Matt Bolduc shot. Joe Gallardo played a well timed pass through the Toronto back line for Jackson to get the brace in the 23rd minute, taking that lead into halftime. Two goals from TFCII in the second half denied the Kickers their four straight win and settling for a point for both sides. 

Forward Madison went on the road to Legacy Early College to face Greenville Triumph SC as both teams battled to a scoreless draw. Brian Sylvestre was in goal for Madison, making one save to record the club’s fourth shutout of the season. The visitors had their chances, putting three of their ten shots on target, all saved by Dallas Jaye. 

The Kickers continue their road trip next Saturday night, making their second trek to Erk Russell Field to face South Georgia Tormenta FC. Kickoff for that match is set for 8:00 p.m. and will be available live on WTVR CBS 6.3 and online on ESPN+. Keep up to date with everything going on with the Kickers at www.richmondkickers.com. 

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