Preview: Kickers Face AV Alta FC

Opponent:  AV Alta FC (7-4-8)
Date/Time: Saturday, August 1st,  7:00 PM
Last Result: 3-1 Loss Against Charlotte Independence

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Three Things to Kick About

1. Free Ice Cream – In an attempt to be positive, the first 500 fans through the gate get a free Nightingale Chomp. A Chomp is a miniature ice cream sandwich. All of Nightingale’s flavors are delicious but I’m a fan of key lime pie.
2. Searching – At this point, it’s obvious that whatever plans former coach Sawatzky had for the team are long gone. Interim coach Ownby is left with the unenviable task of picking up the pieces and forming a team. So far those efforts have fallen short but he has tried various line-ups, formations, and players are seeing the pitch for the first time. A work in progress when you’re half-way through the season isn’t ideal but it is where the Kickers sit right now.
3. Home Cooking – The Kickers have the opportunity to win over some fans with results as the next two games are at home. This Saturday obviously but then on Wednesday they face the only team in the league (as is stands on Friday) with a worse record than the Kickers the back from the dead for the 20th time the NY Cosmos. So there is maybe a small light at the end of a long tunnel.

Prediction

I think you can see what’s coming. AV Alta sits in 7th with 7 wins. The Kickers are teetering on the basement in 16th just 3 wins. AV Alta have Adam Aoumaich and Jerry Desdunes which sit on 7 and 6 goals respectively. The Kickers as a team have only scored 13 goals, matching Adam’s and Jerry’s contributions. AV Alta has scored 26 goals twice as many as the Kickers. The Kickers have a little bit of hope in the shot stopping ability of Kickers goalkeeper Fillion but in the last match he, for the first time, made a couple of mistakes, one of which led to a goal. I still believe he is the Kickers best option but believe he is getting worn down trying to make up for all the mistakes his defensive back line is making. In all offensive stats (goals, shots, passes, passing accuracy) the Kickers rank as the 2nd-worst in the league. This is reflected in the dismal -20 goal differential which is tied for the worst. Nothing points to a change in the Kickers future.

AV Alta 2
Kickers 0