The Richmond Kickers (3-3-3, 12 pts) earned a hard-fought point at City Stadium against rivals South Georgia Tormenta FC (3-3-3, 12 pts), Saturday night. Defender Stuart Ritchie scored his first professional goal while defender Jalen Crisler scored his second goal in as many matches.
Jonathan Bolanos picked up where he left off during Wednesday’s match and looked to influence early as he found the first opportunity to score in the 17th minute. Nil Vinyals found Bolanos in the box forcing the Tormenta defender was able to make a last-second tackle.
Tormenta responded with a goal scored by Barry Sharifi in the 22nd minute. A low cross into the box to Kazaiah Sterling as he turned his back to goal allowed him to lay the ball off to Sharifi who fired a curling wormburner into the back of the net.
The Tormenta lead did not last long as Stuart Ritchie netted his first goal as a Kicker. Leonardo Baima hit a ball over Bolanos’ defender who was able to pass the ball back near the penalty line where Ritchie was able to one-touch the ball into the back of the net.
Then in the 32nd minute, Nathan Aune settled the ball down from the right side of the box before hitting a cross that found Jalen Crisler who headed the ball into the goal, earning him his second goal in two matches.
Another opportunity presented itself before the end of the first half in which Bolanos was found over the top of the box. As he cut into the box to line up a shot, he was denied by the charging Tormenta goalkeeper.
The Kickers pushed for an insurance goal to start the second half, and, in the 59th minute, Owayne Gordon took a touch and beat the Tormenta defender before taking a shot from outside the 18-yard box. However, the shot would go just wide of the goal.
Tormenta responded to the pressure and found the equalizer in the 64th minute. Sterling received the ball close to the backline before playing into the box to Adrian Billhardt. The forward caught the ball with his left foot and put it on the inside of the left post.
The last opportunity for the Kickers presented itself with a run by another enterprising run from Ritchie. The fullback carried the ball into the box, beat his defender, and fired a shot on frame, forcing a deflecting save from Tormenta’s keeper. The deflection landed at Ritchie’s feet who took a follow-up shot but it went over the crossbar.
The Kickers stay at home for a match on Saturday, June 11 when they host Charlotte Independence on Military Appreciation Night. The first 500 fans in the gates will receive a limited-edition Kickers’ camo hat. Tickets are available at richmondkickers.com/tickets. Doors open at 5 p.m. ahead of the 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
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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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