Preview: Kickers Looking for a Win

Opponent: New England Revolution II  (2-2-1)
Date/Time: Saturday, June 5th, 6:30 PM
Last Result: Richmond Kickers 1, Chattanooga 2

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Dave Bulow Honored

The Richmond community is still reeling from the sudden passing of former player and coach Dave Bulow. In a nice act, the Kickers and Richmond Strikers will celebrate his life before the game. There will be more than a few tears shed.

The Richmond Kickers and the Richmond Strikers plan to celebrate the life of David Bulow in a pregame ceremony at Saturday’s June 5 match at City Stadium.

Taking place shortly before Saturday’s 6:30 pm kickoff,  the ceremony will be led by representatives of both the Kickers’ organization and Bulow’s Richmond Strikers U19 Boys and Girls Elite Teams. A special tribute penned by members of both organizations will be read aloud over the public address during the ceremony. There will be a collection point inside City Stadium where fans can drop off cards or write memories of David that will be presented to the Bulow family.

Bulow, a long-time fixture in the Richmond soccer community as a player and coach for the Richmond Kickers’ professional and youth sides, Richmond United academy teams, and, most recently, a coach with the Richmond Strikers youth teams, passed away on May 6, 2021. He was 41.

Three Things to Kick About

1. Concentration – Lapses of concentration, attention, call it what you will but those lapses cost the Kickers three points last Saturday. The Kickers were in the driver’s seat right after the start of the second half with a quick goal. This was surprising since the first half the Kickers were mainly traffic cones for a Red Wolves shooting, dribbling drill. The lead was short-lived and the Kickers gave up a goal just six minutes after taking the lead. A draw would have been a decent result but another lapse during a set plan meant more frustration for the boys in red.
2. Changes – Credit, where credit is due the Kickers, do seem to be able to adjust tactics and change the game. Coach Sawatsky seems to be able to bring guys onto the field that make a difference in the pace and style of play. The first half and second half were dramatically different in part due to the addition of Stanley Alves but until the quality in the final third changes. One thing that doesn’t need to change is Oalex Anderson he scored and was a constant threat.
3. Passion – This team has heart and a bit of a temper. You could see some of that temper in last week’s game. Four Kickers received yellow cards all deserved, there could have been more. The most bone-headed of these yellows was from Oalex Anderson at the end of the second half. He booted the ball straight into the stands. There is no reason for that kind of behavior and had he struck a fan the ramifications could have been much more severe than a yellow card.
4. Bonus – With the change in state rules the Kickers will have no attendance restrictions so bring the whole gang.

Prediction

I hadn’t looked at the table prior to starting this writeup and had assumed that New England was the same team we thumped in the season opener. I was wrong. They’re right behind the Kickers with one less game played. On the plus side, the baby Revs aren’t goal-scoring machines only scoring more than a goal once so far. This gives them a -2 goal differential. I’m confident the Kickers are the better team overall and we haven’t seen their full potential. I’ll continue with my homer bias and give the Kickers the nod but just barely.

Kickers 1 – New England 0