corporate-logo
#UnitedForSoccer

Richmond Kickers

Home

GET Tickets

Club

IMURA, GONZALEZ GIVE KICKERS WIN OVER NORTH CAROLINA

Team Score Goalscorers

RICHMOND KICKERS

(1-2-0, 3 points, 16th East)

2
Imura (penalty) 77’, Gonzalez (Shriver) 83’

NORTH CAROLINA FC

(0-2-0, 0 points, 7th East)

1
Rios (Miller) 43’
 
RICHMOND, VA — (Saturday, March 31, 2018) — The Richmond Kickers (1-2-0) picked up their first victory of the 2018 season Saturday night at City Stadium over North Carolina FC (0-2-0). NCFC took the lead in the 43rd minute. Yudai Imura leveled the score for Richmond in the 77th minute from the penalty spot. Brian Shriver set up Raul Gonzalez in the 83rd minute to seal the win for the Kickers over their new regional rivals.
 
The Kickers went offensive early in the 10th minute through Brian Shriver. Koby Osei-Wusu received the ball from Matt Bolduc. He quickly turned and fed the ball through to Shriver on the left side of the field. Shriver took a touch to get enough space as his shot ended up sailing wide of the NCFC goal. 
 
Travis Worra was called into action in the 12th minute after Austin da Luz had the first chance on goal for the visitors. D.J. Taylor played a cross in from the right side near the end line to connect with Kyle Bekker at the top of the Richmond box as he knocked it down to Stephen Miller. Miller dummied the ball past Bekker and through to da Luz. He went for a low shot as Worra smothered it. 
 
The best chance for Richmond came from Koby Osei-Wusu in the 33rd minute. Bolduc won the ball in the midfield on the far right side. He started to make his run forward as Osei-Wusu broke free from his defender. Bolduc slotted the ball through to Osei-Wusu. The rookie looked for the near post as Tambakis stretched to make the save. 
 
North Carolina would take the lead in the 43rd minute behind a goal from Daniel Rios. Austin da Luz picked up control of the ball on the right side and quickly turned up field and fed the ball up for Stephen Miller near the end line. Miller cut back and found Rios right at the top of the six-yard box. He went up over Worra and into the crossbar and down for the opening goal. 
 
The Kickers drew level in the 77th minute from the penalty spot. Scott Thomsen chipped the ball over the top for Brian Shriver as he was entering the NCFC box. D.J. Taylor came to try and prevent the shot and took down Shriver, drawing the penalty for Richmond. Yudai Imura stepped up and converted the penalty.
 
Austin da Luz nearly gave NCFC the lead again in the 81st minute as Travis Worra came up big for Richmond. Miller laid the ball back for Donovan Ewolo at the top of the Kickers 18-yard box. Ewolo played a cross into the box and found da Luz for a header towards the top left corner. Worra was able to get a hand to the ball and tipped it over the goal.
 
Richmond would finally take the lead in the 83rd minute from second half substitute Raul Gonzalez. Oscar Umar launched a low pass up the field and found Gonzalez. He took a slight touch to get it to the feet of Brian Shriver as he turned around his defender. Shriver sent the ball back in front of goal as Gonzalez met the cross with a back heel to get the game winning goal. 
 
North Carolina FC came close to getting the draw in stoppage time from Marios Lomis. Graham Smith controlled the ball and quickly chipped it over the top for Lomis as he made a run towards goal. He fought off William Yomby to get a shot on target as Worra came off his line to make a massive save to preserve the win for Richmond. 
 
The Kickers return to City Stadium next Saturday night as New York Red Bulls II come to town for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff. The party starts at 3:00 p.m. with the I Heart Carytown Craft beer festival  with live music by Pretty Ugly, a mini-Carytown marketplace featuring locally-owned restaurants, food trucks and handcrafted items from Carytown boutiques, 20+ craft beers on tap. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com. 
 

BOX SCORE

 
First Half
Second Half
Final
Richmond
0
2
2
North Carolina
1
0
1
 

LINEUPS

Richmond GK Travis Worra, Alex Lee, Braeden Troyer, Conor Shanosky, Scott Thomsen, Oscar Umar, Yudai Imura, Brian Shriver (90’ – William Yomby), Matt Bolduc (66’ – Raul Gonzalez), Heviel Cordovés (66’ – Finnlay Wyatt), Koby Osei-Wusu
 
Unused Substitutes: Trevor Spangenberg, Evan Lee, Neil Hlavaty, Kent Dickey
 
North Carolina GK Alex Tambakis, D.J. Taylor, Futty Danso, Michael Harrison, Aaron Guillen, Peabo Doue (84’ – Andre Fortune), Austin da Luz, Graham Smith, Kyle Bekker (84’ – Marios Lomis), Stephen Miller, Daniel Rios (72’ – Donovan Ewolo)
 
Unused Substitutes: Austin Guerrero, Wuilito Fernandez, Marcel Kandziora, Bernhard Luxbacher
 

STATISTICS

 
Shots
Saves
Fouls
Corners
Richmond
10
3
11
4
North Carolina
7
1
9
3
 

SCORING SUMMARY

43’
NC
Daniel Rios (Stephen Miller)
77’
RIC
Yudai Imura (penalty)
83’
RIC
Raul Gonzalez (Brian Shriver)
 

CAUTIONS SUMMARY

41’
RIC
Oscar Umar
76’
NC
Aaron Guillen
 

EJECTIONS SUMMARY

None.

MATCH INFORMATION
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Assistant Referees: Heath Hixson, Nicholas Seymour
Fourth Official: Andrew Smith
Attendance: 5,032
Weather: Sunny, 60 ºF

KICKERS HOST NORTH CAROLINA FC SATURDAY

RICHMOND, VA – (Friday, March 30, 2018) – The Richmond Kickers (0-2-0) will play their second of three-straight home matches at City Stadium this Saturday night at 5:00 p.m. as they host another new club to the USL, North Carolina FC (0-1-0). This game is also RVA Bike Fest, with the gates opening at 3:30 p.m. with live music, RVA food trucks and over a dozen craft beers on tap. Anyone that rides their bike to City Stadium can get tickets for just $8, plus a free Bike Valet courtesy of I Am RVA and the Giant pop-up shop for free tune-ups. Then, the Kickers take the field to take on North Carolina for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff. This match will be available live on the Kickers Official Television partners WTVR CBS 6 and streaming online through the USL Match Center. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 
When the two clubs meet this Saturday, it will be the first time they have met in league play, but the fifth overall with honors even with a 2-2-0 record. The Kickers have hosted North Carolina on two occasions for exhibitions before the start of the 2007 and 2009 seasons, both of which were victories for Richmond. The other two contests have come in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, both on the road at North Carolina FC, with the home side getting the best of the Kickers each time in 2007 and 2009.
 
Richmond opened the home slate for the 2018 season last Saturday night, falling to Indy Eleven 0-1. The visitors broke the deadlock in the 41st minute with Soony Saad getting to the endline with enough space to send in a cross to the back post as Jack McInerney beat Raul Gonzalez to the ball and finding the back of the net.
 
North Carolina FC played their first USL match since joining the league, March 17 hosting the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Steven Miller tied the game up for the home team in the 38th minute from an assist by Marios Lomis. Two more goals from the Rowdies gave the visitors all three points as NCFC fell in their opening match of the season. North Carolina was slated to play on the road at Louisville City FC, as weather and field conditions forced the postponement of the match.
 
The Kickers will close out their three-match home stand next Saturday night as they host New York Red Bulls II and the I Heart Carytown Craft Beer Festival. The gates open at 3:00 p.m. with live music by Pretty Ugly, a mini-Carytown marketplace featuring locally-owned restaurants, food trucks and handcrafted items from Carytown boutiques, 20+ craft beers on tap and the Kickers pro game versus New York Red Bulls II at 5:00 p.m. to showcase why Carytown is the best place to Eat, Shop and Play. Tickets are available now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Richmond: Midfielder Neil Hlavaty (#7) made his Kickers debut last Saturday against Indy Eleven, wearing the captain’s armband. He signed with the Kickers before the start of the season following an extensive professional career, including recent stints with North Carolina FC and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Defender Conor Shanosky (#5) has played every minute for the Kickers in their first two matches this season. The Pittsburgh, PA native made 18 appearances for the Kickers last season, including 15 starts and scored one goal. Forward Giuseppe Gentile (#92) made his first start for the Kickers in last Saturday’s match against Indy Eleven, his second appearance of the season recording three shots in 90 minutes. Gentile joins the Kickers after one season with Puerto Rico FC, where he contributed four goals and five assists in 27 appearances.
 
North Carolina: Defender Steven Miller (#31) scored the first goal in the USL for North Carolina FC in their season opening match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Miller was loaned to NCFC for the final five matches of 2015 while with the Tulsa Roughnecks, before signing with North Carolina in 2016. Midfielder Kyle Bekker (#10) made his debut with NCFC March 17, where he recorded three shots in 90 minutes. Drafted third overall by Toronto FC in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Bekker went on to make stops at FC Dallas, Montreal Impact and the San Francisco Deltas before landing with North Carolina. Defender Peabo Doue (#3) is another new face on the NCFC roster, making his debut in the club’s season opener, playing 90 minutes and taking two shots. Doue most recently faced the Kickers in 2016 while with Wilmington Hammerheads FC.

OVER 20,000 WATCHED MARCH 24 MATCH ON WTVR CBS 6

RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, March 28, 2017) – The first televised match of the 2018 season for the Richmond Kickers was viewed by over 20,000 in the metro Richmond area Saturday night on the Official Television Partners of the Kickers, WTVR CBS 6. 

Saturday night’s game was the second highest viewed program in the Richmond market. This game is a 400% increase in rating over the average of last season’s games that were broadcasted on the WTVR CBS 6.1 main channel. 

The Kickers will return to WTVR CBS 6 airwaves this Saturday night as they host another new team to the USL, North Carolina FC at City Stadium at 5:00 p.m. Tickets to this match are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com. 

KICKERS DROP HOME OPENER

TEAM SCORE GOALSCORERS
RICHMOND KICKERS

(0-2-0, 0 points, 16th East)
0

 
INDY ELEVEN

(1-0-0, 3 points, 6th East)
1

McInerney (Saad) 41′

 

RICHMOND, VA — (Saturday March 24, 2018) — The Richmond Kickers (0-2-0) fell in their Home Opener to USL newcomers Indy Eleven (1-0-0) in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. Jack McInerney scored the only goal of the match for the visitors in the 42nd minute.
 
Giuseppe Gentile created the first chance of the match in the 24th minute. At midfield, Raul Gonzalez played the ball back to Braeden Troyer inside the center circle. He went for the long ball with Starikov putting the pressure on. Gentile was able to get on the ball and took a touch around Owain Fôn Williams. As he went for the shot, he mishit the ball sending it wide of the goal.
 
Yudai Imura found himself with a chance on goal at the top of the Indy box in the 36th minute. From a throw in on the right side, Gentile quickly threw in the ball to Neil Hlavaty, wearing the captain’s armband for the Kickers tonight. Hlavaty connected with Imura just ahead of him. With his space cut down in front of him, Imura turned and ran across the top of the box going for a shot from just to the right of the goal. The shot was deflected down as Koby Osei-Wusu tries to get on the ball. Reiner Ferreira stepped in and got a touch on the ball to play it out for a corner before Osei-Wusu could control it.
 
The first goal for Indy Eleven in the USL came from Jack McInerney in the 42nd minute to give the visitors the first half lead. Controlling the ball near the right sideline, Karl Ouimette played the ball up to Soony Saad as he made a run towards the endline. Under pressure from Troyer, Saad put in a quick cross into the far post. McInerney timed his run perfectly, beating Raul Gonzalez to the ball and finding the back of the net for the opener.
 
The best chance for the Kickers came in the 68th minute from Gentile. Coming on just four minutes prior, Matt Bolduc was able to gain control of the ball in the midfield and saw Gentile ready to make a run. Bolduc fed the ball through for Gentile as he slipped through the Indy backline. As he reached the top of the box, Gentile went for a shot that Fôn Williams needed to save to keep Richmond off the board.
 
A near chance came for Richmond in the 88th minute from a ball played in from Gonzalez. Finnlay Wyatt played the ball out wide right. He looked for Gentile in front of goal with a cross in. Ferreira was able to get a slight touch to the ball to knock it down for Fôn Williams to pick up before Gentile could get to the ball.
 
Richmond were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time after a straight red card was issued to Fred Owusu Sekyere.
 
The Kickers will be back at City Stadium next Saturday, March 31 night as they host North Carolina FC at 5:00 p.m. Gates will open at 3:30 with live music, RVA food trucks and craft beer on tap. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 

BOX SCORE

Team First Half Second Half Final
Richmond 1 0 1
Indy 0 0 0

 

LINEUPS

Richmond GK Travis Worra, Scott Thomsen, Braeden Troyer, Conor Shanosky, Raul Gonzalez, Neil Hlavaty (63’ – Matt Bolduc), Oscar Umar, Brian Shriver (63’ – Fred Owusu Sekyere), Yudai Imura (87’ – Finnlay Wyatt), Giuseppe Gentile, Koby Osei-Wusu

Unused Substitutes: Trevor Spangenberg, William Yomby, Finnlay Wyatt, Evan Lee, Heviel Cordovés

 

Indy GK Owain Fôn Williams, Tyler Pasher, Reiner Ferreira, Carlyle Mitchell, Karl Ouimette, Nico Matern (82’ – Brad Ring), Matt Watson, Zach Steinberger, Eugene Starikov (72’ – Juan Guerra), Soony Saad, Jack McInerney (90’ – Justin Braun)

Unused Substitutes: Ben Lundgaard, Seth Moses, Brad Rusin, Ben Speas
 

STATISTICS

Team Shots Saves Fouls Corners
Richmond 6 1 13 4
Indy 10 2 13 4
 

SCORING SUMMARY

Min Team Goalscorer
41′ IND Jack McInerney (Soony Saad)


CAUTIONS SUMMARY

Min Team Goalscorer
60′ IND Nico Matern
68′ IND Zach Steinberger
88′ RIC Fred Owusu Sekyere
90′ IND Reiner Ferreira
 

EJECTIONS SUMMARY

Min Team Goalscorer
90′ RIC Fred Owusu Sekyere
 

MATCH INFORMATION

Referee: Matthew Franz
Assistant Referees: Ben Pilgrim, Benjamin Hichak
Fourth Official: Neil Morrissette
Attendance: 4756
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 50 ºF

KICKERS HOME OPENER THIS SATURDAY

RICHMOND, VA – (Friday, March 23, 2018) – The Richmond Kickers (0-1-0) will host their 26th Home Opener, presented by Woodfin this Saturday night, March 24, as USL newcomers Indy Eleven (0-0-0) makes their first trip to City Stadium at 5:00 p.m. The party starts at 3:30 p.m. with live music from Pretty Ugly, RVA food trucks and over 20 craft beers on tap, followed by the Kickers battling Indy at 5:00 p.m. Woodfin will be giving away free scarves to the first 500 fans through the gates. The match will be available live on the Kickers official television partners WTVR CBS 6 on their main 6.1 channel (Comcast 9/212, Verizon FiOS 6/506), as well as streaming online through the USL Match Center. Tickets for the Home Opener are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 
Saturday will mark the first meeting between the Kickers and Indy Eleven since Indy joined the USL during the offseason. Indy Eleven will be the 119th different opponent the Kickers will face over their 26-year history as a club. The Kickers are 14-7-4 all-time in their 25 previous home openers.
 
Richmond will be seeking their first win of the season after falling on the road to Bethlehem Steel FC last Sunday afternoon. Steel FC got on the scoreboard early with Eric Ayuk netting the first goal of the match in the 24th minute from a cross by Matthew Mahoney. Derrick Jones doubled the Bethlehem lead in the 40th minute as he broke through the Kickers defense and took a low shot to the right of a diving Travis Worra. Kickers midfielder Oscar Umar scored his first professional goal in the 57th minute, pulling a goal back for the Kickers. Brian Shriver controlled the ball in the midfield, turning to find Umar in the center of the field with plenty of space. After taking a touch, Umar let a rocket of a shot go to the upper left corner of the goal from about 30 yards out. A second half brace from Brandon Allen sealed the victory for Steel FC as the Kickers dropped the season opener, 1-4.
 
Indy Eleven will be playing their first-ever USL match when they come to Richmond, having joined the league over the off season, moving over from the North American Soccer League (NASL). When they take the field Saturday, it will be with almost an entirely different look as new Head Coach Martin Rennie completely revamped the roster that finished with a 3-9-4 record in the 2017 NASL Fall Season. Only three players were held over from the previous season: Justin Braun, Brad Ring and Ben Speas.
 
The Kickers will host another USL newcomer, North Carolina FC next Saturday night, March 31 for at 5:00 p.m. for Bike Night. This match will also be available live on the Kickers official television partners WTVR CBS 6 on their main 6.1 channel (Comcast 9/212, Verizon FiOS 6/506), and streaming online through the USL Match Center. Tickets for the match next Saturday are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Richmond: Midfielder Oscar Umar (#17) scored his first professional goal Sunday in the 57th minute in the 1-4 loss on the road at Bethlehem Steel FC, playing 62 minutes in the season opener. The Right to Dream Academy attendee joined the club in July of 2017 after a four-year collegiate career at Villanova University. Forward Brian Shriver (#21) earned his first assist of the season on Umar’s goal last Sunday, while also making his first start for the Kickers playing 78 minutes. A former NASL Golden Boot winner and NASL Best XI honoree, Shriver joined the Kickers after making 11 appearances with the Jacksonville Armada following a midseason trade in 2017. Making his professional debut after four seasons at George Washington University, midfielder Koby Osei-Wusu (#24) came off the bench to play in the final 12 minutes of the Kickers road loss at Bethlehem Sunday. Osei-Wusu signed with the Kickers before the start of the season after a successful preseason trial that saw him score three goals in five matches during preseason. Making 63 appearances with the Colonials over four seasons, the native of Bowie, Maryland amassed more than 3,000 minutes while contributing four goals and seven assists.
 
Indy: A familiar face to long-time Kickers fans signed with Indy in the offseason in their roster overall. Midfielder Matt Watson (#8) joined Indy after spending the 2017 season with Phoenix Rising FC, where he made 30 appearances and scored one goal. The Redditch, England native was with the Kickers during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, playing in 47 matches and finding the back of the net on 14 occasions while adding seven assists over those two seasons. A high-profile signing for Indy in the offseason, forward Jack McInerney (#99) signed with Indy after a season with the LA Galaxy in 2017. Since 2010, McInerney has made 175 appearances in MLS, playing with the Philadelphia Union, Montreal Impact, Columbus Crew SC, Portland Timbers and the Galaxy, scoring 43 goals during that time. Forward Soony Saad (#14) comes to Indy following a second stint with Sporting Kansas City in 2017, seeing him split time between the first team and the USL-side Swope Park Rangers, where he made 14 appearances and scored one goal between both clubs.

KICKERS RE-SIGN EVAN LEE

RICHMOND, VA – (Friday, March 23, 2018) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that defender Evan Lee has re-signed for the 2018 season, pending USL and USSF approval. He will be available for selection this Saturday night for the Home Opener against Indy Eleven.
 
Signing with the Kickers prior to the 2017 campaign, he made 20 appearances in Richmond, amassing over 750 minutes last season. He spent his rookie season with Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati in 2016.  
 
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Lee was named North Coast Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year at Ohio Wesleyan University in 2015 after backstopping the Battling Bishop defense that compiled nine shutouts and a 0.97 goals against average. Also contributing offensively, he tallied three goals and seven assists as a Senior, twice earning All-Region, First-Team All-Ohio and First-Team All-NCAC honors.
 
Lee joins 23 players currently under contract including Sam Bacon, Matt Bolduc, Heviel Cordovés, Kent Dickey, Giuseppe Gentile, Raul Gonzalez, Neil Hlavaty, Yudai Imura, Alex Lee, Luiz Fernando, Koby Osei-Wusu, Fred Owusu Sekyere, Mallan Roberts, Conor Shanosky, Brian Shriver, Trevor Spangenberg, Scott Thomsen, Braeden Troyer, Oscar Umar, Mekeil Williams, Finnlay Wyatt, Austin Yearwood and William Yomby.
 
Experience the passion, excitement and authentic atmosphere at City Stadium with the Richmond Kickers 2018 season kicks off this spring. Richmond Kickers Season Ticket Benefits include 45-60% off match day prices, exclusive invitations, merchandise discounts and VIP benefits. Guaranteed to see all regular season, US Open Cup and playoff games for the best possible pricing, Kickers Season Tickets are a fantastic way to get together with friends, family and colleagues for an unforgettable experience – order now!

LEE, MIRANDA AND WILLIAMS CALLED UP FOR NATIONAL TEAM DUTIES

RICHMOND, VA – (Monday, March 19, 2018) – Richmond Kickers defenders Alex Lee, Mekeil Williams and forward Bruno Miranda have been called up by their national teams for friendlies this weekend. Lee will join Guam for two matches in San Diego, CA to take on San Diego State University and LA Galaxy II March 23 and March 27 respectively. Williams will travel with Trinidad and Tobago for friendlies against Guadeloupe March 23 followed by Martinique March 27. Miranda was called in by Bolivia for a friendly against Curaçao March 23.
 
Joining the 15-man roster for a camp in San Diego, CA, Lee and the Guam national team will have friendly matches against San Diego State University and USL Western Conference member LA Galaxy II. He most recently featured in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying with Guam, including their first-ever win in qualifying over Turkmenistan.
 
A native of Rockville, Maryland, Lee returns to Richmond for his sixth season with the Kickers. Lee started and played the full 90 minutes for the Kickers in the season opener Sunday at Bethlehem Steel FC. Making 100 appearances over the past five seasons, he recorded one assist in 24 matches in 2017.
 
Miranda has been capped by Bolivia three times since making his international debut on May 29, 2016, entering as a second-half substitute against the U.S. as an 18-year-old. His most recent appearance came on June 3, 2017, when he started and played a full 90 minutes in Bolivia’s international friendly against Nicaragua. 
 
On loan from the Kickers MLS affiliate D.C. United, Miranda is in his first season with the Kickers, making his debut coming on as a second half substitute and playing 29 minutes against Bethlehem. He signed with United in August of 2017, making five appearances for the MLS side.
 
Williams will be a part of the 20-man roster that will participate in two friendlies, starting March 23 against Guadeloupe. He has been capped by the National Team on 17 occasions, most recently against Panama and Mexico in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. The USL is well represented with Williams being called in with three other players: Neveal Hackshaw (Charleston Battery), Nathan Lewis (Indy Eleven) and Kevan George (Charlotte Independence).
 
Signing with the Kickers for the 2018 season, Williams made his Kickers debut March 18 as the Kickers opened the season on the road at Bethlehem Steel FC, playing 90 minutes. He joined the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer in 2016 and made 38 appearances and logged 2,865 minutes over two seasons.
 
The Kickers return to City Stadium this Saturday night, March 24, as they play host to USL newcomers Indy Eleven for their 26th Home Opener, presented by Woodfin. Get tickets to the Kickers Home Opener, plus two additional matches along with three beers with a Three Game Pack for only $33 on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.

UMAR SCORES, KICKERS FALL IN OPENER

TEAM SCORE GOALSCORERS
BETHLEHEM STEEL FC

(1-0-0, 3 points, 3rd East)
4

Ayuk 24′, Jones (Epps) 40′, Allen 64′, Allen (Catalano) 90′
RICHMOND KICKERS

(0-1-0, 0 points, 14th East)
1

Umar (Shriver) 57′

 

BETHLEHEM, PA — (Sunday, March 18, 2018) — The Richmond Kickers (0-1-0) fell to Bethlehem Steel FC (1-0-0) to open the 2018 USL season Sunday afternoon on the road. Oscar Umar scored his first goal for the Kickers as goals from Eric Ayuk, Derrick Jones and a brace from Brandon Allen gave the home side the victory.

 
Steel FC looked to create the first opportunity of the match in the fourth minute. Matthew Mahoney won the ball out wide right in the attacking third for Bethlehem. He looked to place a cross into Brandon Allen at the top of the Richmond six-yard box as Travis Worra came off his line to make the stop.
 
Brian Shriver created the first chance for the Kickers in the 11th minute. Yudai Imura picked up possession inside the center circle as Shriver started making a run out wide right. Imura chipped the Bethlehem backline to find Shriver. At the top of the Steel FC box, Shriver looked for the far post as his shot rolled just wide.
 
Eric Ayuk broke the deadlock in the 24th minute to give Bethlehem the lead. Mahoney controlled the ball out wide right and played in a cross near the endline. Worra leaped to try and make the save and was only able to tip the ball. Ayuk beat Alex Lee to the ball and shot to the near post from the left and past Worra.
 
Bethlehem would double their lead in the 40th minute behind a goal from Derrick Jones. Marcus Epps played a simple pass to Jones in the center of the field. Jones took a touch around Scott Thomsen and made a 40-yard run inside the Kickers box and shooting from just right of the goal into the far post under Worra into the back of the net.
 
Oscar Umar scored the first goal of the 2018 season for the Kickers, and his first goal for the club, to get Richmond back into the match in the 57th minute. Braeden Troyer controlled the ball out wide left inside the Bethlehem end of the field. He played a simple pass for Shriver towards the middle of the field. He saw Umar with plenty of space to his right and sent in a quick pass. Umar took one touch and sent a rocket of a shot from 30 yards out into the top left corner of the Steel FC goal.
 
Brandon Allen scored in the 64th minute to give Steel FC another two-goal lead. Matthew Mahoney sent the ball up the field, over the top for Derrick Jones making a run towards the Kickers goal. Jones collided with Worra as Allen snuck in to regain control for Bethlehem avoiding a challenge from Troyer. With three defenders converging on Allen, he sent his shot into the far post from the right side to score his first of the season.
 
A brace from Allen in the 90th minute sealed the victory for Steel FC. Santi Moar won the ball inside the Richmond end of the field and played a quick pass to Mike Catalano in space in the center of the field. Catalano found Allen with good positioning in line with the Kickers backline and slipped the ball through. Allen needed to get a touch to get around Worra and took his time for the shot from near the endline on the left side into the far post.
 
The Kickers open the home portion of their schedule next Saturday night, March 24 at 5:00 p.m. as they play host to USL newcomers Indy Eleven for their 26th Home Opener, presented by Woodfin at City Stadium. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 

BOX SCORE

Team First Half Second Half Final
Bethlehem 2 2 4
Richmond 0 1 1

 

LINEUPS

Bethlehem GK John McCarthy, Matt Mahoney, Mark McKenzie, Brandon Aubrey, Matt Real, James Chambers, Derrick Jones (87’ – Mike Catalano), Adam Najem, Marcus Epps (84’ – Issa Rayyan), Eric Ayuk (69’ – Santi Moar), Brandon Allen
 
Unused Substitutes: Tomas Romero, Prosper Chiluya, AJ Paterson, Brenden Aaronson
 
Richmond GK Travis Worra, Alex Lee, Mekeil Williams, Conor Shanosky, Braeden Troyer, Scott Thomsen, Yudai Imura (61’ – Giuseppe Gentile), Oscar Umar, Raul Gonzalez (61’ – Bruno Miranda), Brian Shriver (78’ – Koby Osei-Wusu), Heviel Cordovés
 
Unused Substitutes: Trevor Spangenberg, William Yomby, Finnlay Wyatt, Fred Owusu Sekyere
 

STATISTICS

Team Shots Saves Fouls Corners
Bethlehem 18 1 10 2
Richmond 7 2 9 1
 

SCORING SUMMARY

Min Team Goalscorer
24′ BST Eric Ayuk (unassisted)
40′ BST Derrick Jones (Marcus Epps)
57′ RIC Oscar Umar (Brian Shriver)
64′ BST Brandon Allen (unassisted)
90′ BST Brandon Allen (Mike Catalano)

 

CAUTIONS SUMMARY

None.
 

EJECTIONS SUMMARY

None.
 

MATCH INFORMATION

Referee: Marcos DeOliveira
Assistant Referees: Craig Lowry, Gjovalin Bori
Fourth Official: Joshua Encarnacion
Attendance: 3,284
Weather: Clear, 43 ºF

6235 FOR WOMEN'S MATCH

RICHMOND, VA – (Saturday, March 17, 2018) – 6235 fans were on hand at City Stadium to see the Washington Spirit fall to the North Carolina Courage, 0-3 Saturday night. 
 
Canadian international defender/midfielder Rebecca Quinn, goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and three U.S. internationals – midfielder Andi Sullivan, defender Taylor Smith and forward Ashley Hatch – all made the starting lineup for their Spirit debuts after joining the team in the offseason.
 
North Carolina netted two goals in the first half, and one in the second half, with Abby Erceg (13’), Jessica McDonald (23’) and Lynn Williams (84’) providing the scoring.
 
“I thought the first half hour we were pretty passive, and made a couple mistakes that led to goals, but I thought we worked our way out of it,” said Spirit Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra. “In the second half, our front six defended well, and on the back line, we had a couple new players back there and they did a good job.”
 
The Spirit recorded eight shots on the night, with two coming on target, while North Carolina put four of their 13 total shots on frame. Washington earned eight corner kicks to the Courage’s two.
Washington will travel to the West Coast for a match-up with Seattle Reign FC on March 24, in the club’s NWSL regular season opener. Kickoff in Seattle is set for 10 p.m. ET.
 
The Kickers come home to City Stadium Saturday, March 24 to take on USL newcomers Indy Eleven at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com. 
 

Match Report

Match: Washington Spirit vs. North Carolina Courage
Date: March 17, 2018
Venue: City Stadium
Kickoff: 7:00
Attendance: 6,235
Weather: Clear, 30’s
 
Scoring Summary:
Goals
1
2
F
Washington
0
0
0
NC Courage
2
1
3
NC – Abby Erceg (13’)
NC – Jessica McDonald (23’)
NC – Lynn Williams (84’)
 
Lineups:
Washington Spirit: Bledsoe; Smith, Church (Solaun, 46’), Johnson (c), Dydasco; Quinn, Sullivan, Dougherty Howard (Eubanks, 77’); Banini (Ordega, 64’), Pugh, Hatch (Aedo, 84’)
 
Substitutes Not Used: Wys, Haracic, DeBree, M. Huster
 
North Carolina Courage: D’ Angelo (Rowland, 46’), Mathias (Crouse, 75’), Dahlkemper (Teergarten, 75’), Erceg (c) (Chapman, 75’), Hinkle (R. Williams, 75’), Zerboni (Kurtz, 75’), Speck (Debinha, 46’), O’Sullivan (Reed, 75’), Jenkins (L. Williams, 46’), McDonald (Hamilton, 46’), Dunn (Kleiner, 75’)
 
Substitutes Not Used: Rassmussen
 
Stats Summary: WAS / NC
Shots: 8 / 13
Shots on Goal: 2 / 4
Saves: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 8
Fouls: 7 / 15
Offside: 3 / 7
 
Misconduct Summary:
NC – Zerboni (Yellow Card) 51’

KICKERS ADD THREE ON LOAN FROM D.C. UNITED

RICHMOND, VA – (Friday, March 16, 2018) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the return of goalkeeper Travis Worra and the additions of forwards Dane Kelly and Bruno Miranda on loan from the Kickers Official Major League Soccer (MLS) affiliate, D.C. United pending USL and USSF approval.
 
Now in his fourth season on loan to the Kickers, Worra comes into the season with a career GAA of 0.86 in a Richmond uniform. In 2017, he posted four shutouts in nine appearances with the Kickers, making 27 saves. He also earned his first career assist September 23, 2017 on the game-winning goal against the Rochester Rhinos. With United, he made 14 saves over five appearances in MLS in 2017. The University of New Hampshire product signed with United in 2015, after starting in 59 of 60 matches over his four-year collegiate career.
 
Earning both the USL Golden Boot and league MVP in 2017, Kelly signed with D.C. United on March 9, 2018. With Reno 1868 FC in 2017, the Jamaican international netted 18 goals, including back-to-back hat tricks against Phoenix Rishing FC on May 7, 2017 and against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on May 21, 2017. Kelly is also the USL’s all-time leading scorer after netting 56 goals and recording 14 assists in 138 total USL appearances. Prior to joining Reno 1868 FC, Kelly played for the Charleston Battery (2011-2015) and Swope Park Rangers (2016).
 
A member of the Bolivian National Team, Miranda joined D.C. United in August 2017 and made 5 substitute appearances. Before joining D.C. United, he broke into Club Universidad de Chile’s first team, making several appearances for one of Chile’s most successful franchises this spring en route to the club’s 2017 Clausura (Chilean spring season) victory. Miranda has been capped by the national team on three occasions with the first coming against the United States May 29, 2016.
 
Richmond opens the 2018 USL season this Sunday, March 18, as the team travels to Bethlehem Steel FC for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff. The match will be available to stream live online through the USL Match Center. The Kickers return to City Stadium for the Home Opener next Saturday night, March 24 as they host USL newcomers Indy Eleven for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff. Tickets are available now at www.richmondkickers.com.
 
Experience the passion, excitement and authentic atmosphere at City Stadium with the Richmond Kickers 2018 season kicks off this spring. Richmond Kickers Season Ticket Benefits include 45-60% off match day prices, exclusive invitations, merchandise discounts and VIP benefits. Guaranteed to see all regular season, US Open Cup and playoff games for the best possible pricing, Kickers Season Tickets are a fantastic way to get together with friends, family and colleagues for an unforgettable experience – order now!

NEVER MISS AN UPDATE!

By submitting this form you are agreeing to the USL Privacy Policy.

Presented By