Preview: Kickers Face Union Omaha at Home for the First Time

Opponent: Union Omaha  (5-1-2)
Date/Time: Saturday, June 19th, 6:30 PM
Last Result: Richmond Kickers 0, Forward Madison 0

Weather Forecast From WeatherBug.com

Three Things to Kick About

1. Underperforming – If the playoffs were to start today the Kickers wouldn’t be in them. The team for reasons that escape my pea brain can’t seem to string together two good games. When they’re firing on all cylinders they’re one of the top teams in the league but that only seems to happen in short bursts and rarely for a whole game and never in back-to-back games.
2. Defense Dependent – The defense has kept us in every game but the offense isn’t doing their part. A team that has 3 clean sheets in 8 games shouldn’t be sitting in 7th place. There are two teams with worst goal differentials that sit higher than us on the table. Last week the team only managed 7 shots. Roughly one shot every 13 minutes.
3. Missed Opportunities – I keep going back to the game against NCFC on May 22. It ended in a 0-0 draw. Currently, NCFC has only managed 1 point in its six games and that was against us. If the Kickers continue this trend it will not end well.

Prediction

In order to protect what little self-confidence I have, I haven’t gone back to see how well I’ve done predicting these games. Omaha is on a two-game winning streak and has displaced Greenville from the top of the table. From the highlights I’ve watched their offense looks really good. This is backed up by three of their five wins being by two goals. The Richmond defense will have to have another outstanding game. I don’t have faith in our offense to do their part. It’s going to be another draw for the boys in red.

Kickers 1 – Union Omaha 1

Official Kickers Preview

The Richmond Kickers (3-3-2) return to City Stadium to face the league leaders, Union Omaha (5-1-2), on Saturday, June 19th. Kickoff for this match is set at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Richmond’s previous outing was an intense rivalry match against Forward Madison which saw both sides playing a physical match with neither able to break the deadlock. The match resulted in a scoreless 0-0 but saw the Kickers earn their fourth clean sheet of the season. Emiliano Terzaghi, Jalen Crisler, Ivan Magalhães and Jonathan Bolanos all kept Forward goalkeeper Chris Brady busy with shots on frame.

Crisler had an impressive game against his former club. Partnered with Magalhães, the center-back duo recorded their eighth-straight match paired together and were a major part of Richmond’s impenetrable defense. Crisler had a passing accuracy of 85.4%, made 10 clearances and had one block. Magalhães made five interceptions, made the most successful passes with 44 and had a passing accuracy of 86.3%.

Union Omaha’s last game was against New England Revolution II and resulted in a 4-2 Omaha win. Connor Presley of Revs II started the scoring for the match in the 23rd minute, then, minutes later, Greg Hurst would score the first goal of his 26-minute hat-trick which would help cement Union Omaha’s league standing. Omaha managed 20 shots against New England and had a passing accuracy of 76.1%.

With the draw against Madison, Richmond will look to take points away from Omaha to reposition themselves in the top 6 of the league table. Union Omaha are on a two-win streak right now and Richmond will look to produce another strong defensive outing to slow down the Omaha attack.

Richmond’s next match will be at North Carolina FC, June 25. The last time the two teams lined up, the match resulted in a scoreless 0-0 draw at City Stadium. This time out, Richmond will look to earn their first league win over NCFC since the two sides faced off in the USL Championship in 2018.

Don’t miss a moment of the 2021 season at City Stadium with your Kickers+ subscription. Kickers+ is a brand new subscription service for the 2021 season that provides fans tons of value, flexibility, and sweet perks! Sign up today for only $59.99 – Kickers+ benefits include 50% off tickets to any regular season home match, 15% off merchandise at shop.richmondkickers.com, exclusive digital content, member events, and more! Click here for more info and to join today!

Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Download the Richmond Kickers mobile app for news, contests, and more!

CBS6 Players to Watch

Richmond Kickers

Ivan Magalhães (#4) was a standout performer against Forward Madison. With a passing accuracy of 86.3%, a shot on goal and five interceptions, Magalhães helped secure another Kickers clean sheet. Look for Magalhães to put in a solid shift and neutralize Greg Hurst in the box.

Jonathan Bolanos (#17) started the match against Madison with a bang. With a solo run at the goalkeeper within the first five minutes in the game, Bolanos was able to strike fear into the Madison defense. A threat in front of goal as well as a distributor, Bolanos has racked up both goals and assists to make the Kickers’ attack more potent from the left side.

Jalen Crisler (#15) was crucial in keeping a clean sheet against his former club. Crisler had a passing accuracy of 85.4%, made one block, gained possession four times andmade 10 clearances. Crisler and Magalhães will have to be at the top of their game to give Richmond the foundation they need to battle it out with Union Omaha.