Opponent: North Carolina FC (4-10-3) Date/Time: Saturday, August 28th, 6:30 PM Last Result: Kickers 2 – Greenville 0
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Three Things to Kick About
Richmond’s Bane – NCFC has been at the bottom of the standings all season. Yet, the three previous times the Kickers have faced this team they’ve done progressively worse. The Kickers managed a draw when NCFC was up here but most recently lost 4-0 down in Cary. Somehow things just haven’t clicked against this team. The Kickers do have several advantages. NCFC had a game this past Wednesday and turning around and playing another hot humid game on Saturday will be rough. The other advantage the Kickers have is an on-fire Terzaghi. Hopefully, home-field advantage will be the key this time.
He Scores When He Wants – Emalino Terzaghi has now netted 12 goals this season putting him in a tie for the golden boot. The man is firing on all cylinders and even if the NCFC defense focuses on him the threat of Bolanos and Oalex could make them pay. Emalino’s goal on Sunday was also his 22 in USL1 in just 1.5 seasons.
Defense – A times this season the Kickers defense has looked shaky. Some of the blame lies in the inability to control the midfield. One player that has been amazingly consistent is co-captain Ivan Magalhães. He has the ability to make the big stop and the smarts to slow play down and allow other players to get into position. Ivan was selected to the Cleer Audio Team of the Week for a second time this year, so I’m not alone in thinking he’s a force to be reckoned with.
Prediction
If the Kickers don’t win this one it will be both surprising and incredibly depressing. Everything on paper with the exception of the Kickers record against them, points to an easy win. We’ve thought this two times before and been burned. That doesn’t stop us from believeing.
Kickers 2 – NCFC 0
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Richard Hayes is the co-founder of RVAHub. When he isn't rounding up neighborhood news, he's likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest board game.
The Richmond Kickers (0-1-0) earned a hard-fought point on the road at fellow 2022 USL League One playoff team, Charlotte Independence (0-1-0), to open the 2023 USL League One season, Saturday night.
Akira Fitzgerald made history when he stepped out onto the pitch becoming the first player in league history to reach 100 regular-season appearances. The iron man between the pipes marked the occasion with his first clean sheet of the season.
In front of Fitzgerald was a Richmond backline that picked up where it left off last season when it conceded the second-fewest goals in the league. Despite Charlotte attempting 16 shots, the Kickers limited the Jacks to only four on target and Fitzgerald was there to keep the net clear.
Defense was a team effort for the Roos as midfielder Justin Sukow tied defender Michael Hornsby with four tackles won apiece which led the team.
Meanwhile, the Kickers dictated the flow of the match, earning nearly 56 percent possession.
Nil Vinyals delivered the Kickers’ best scoring opportunity of the match in the 22nd minute. Hornsby gathered the ball on the left wing before passing it off to the Spaniard who cut in toward the box. Vinyals darted through three defenders, running parallel to the goalline, before cutting a shot back towards the near post that required the Charlotte goalkeeper to make a diving save.
The Kickers return to RVA for a week of training before heading back to Greenville, S.C. to face Triumph SC for the second match of the season on March 25 at 7 p.m.
The Roos then prepare for their home opener at City Stadium on April 1 at 6 p.m. when they will host Independence for a rematch. It will be during the match against Independence that the Kickers will debut their 2023 primary jersey, The Red Night Kit.
Tickets for the match are still available but are selling fast. For a cost as low as $10 per match, Kickers fans can save the most with Season Tickets while unlocking exclusive perks and experiences. With one additional regular season match and two new opponents joining USL League One in 2023, City Stadium will be the place to be! Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.
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!
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The Richmond Kickers held an open tryout and we captured a few pictures. Perhaps we’ll see some of these guys on the field at City Stadium this spring. The Kickers’ first home game is Saturday, April 1st. You can check out Season Tickets here and individual tickets here.
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The Richmond Kickers announced initial contract decisions for the 2023 season, Wednesday, with three exercised options and four option declines as the club prepares to defend its 2022 USL League One regular-season title.
The Richmond Kickers announced initial contract decisions for the 2023 season, Wednesday, with three exercised options and four option declines as the club prepares to defend its 2022 USL League One regular-season title.
“We worked very hard over the past few years to develop our culture here in Richmond, and this past season we put together a great run to win the regular season Championship,” Kickers’ Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach, Darren Sawatzky said. “With that success, we didn’t win the games we needed to in the playoffs.
“We have some great young players chasing higher-level opportunities, and we have some players heading to new opportunities. We are adding some good players and at the same time, we are bringing back the backbone of the culture the guys have created.”
Forwards Matthew Bentley and Owayne Gordon and midfielder Chandler O’Dwyer return to the Roos after their contract options for 2023 were picked up by the club.
Bentley finished his first professional season tied for second on the team with six goals and tied for fifth with three assists while starting 18 of 26 league matches. Gordon, a midseason signing, tied for fourth on the team with five goals while also making three assists in 22 league appearances. O’Dwyer made his professional debut in the Kickers’ second US Open Cup match and finished with three appearances across all competitions.
Reigning back-to-back-to-back USL League One MVP and Golden Boot winner Emiliano Terzaghi and 2022 USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year Nominee and Kickers’ goalkeeping coach Akira Fitzgerald have existing contracts for 2023.
The contract options for midfielders Matthew Bolduc, Leonardo Baima, and Christian Molina and goalkeeper Austin Causey were declined by the club.
The 2023 season will be here before you know it! Kickers fans can get ready now by placing a $100 deposit for a 2023 season ticket. With one additional regular season match and two new opponents joining USL League One, City Stadium will be the place to be. Additional information can be found at richmondkickers.com/seasontickets.
FORWARDS: Emiliano Terzaghi, Matthew Bentley, Owayne Gordon
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