Friday, July 13, 2012
RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers capitalized on a strong offensive performance to claim a 3-1 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Friday night at City Stadium. The victory moved the Kickers into the sixth and final playoff position in the USL PRO standings as William Yomby and Matt Delicate both found the back of the net. 
Richmond played a high-energy, pressing style from the kickoff and held the majority of possession in the early stages. However, Pittsburgh nearly made a breakthrough on their first chance of the night when striker Mike Seth launched a long-range shot toward the Richmond goal. Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale made a diving save to tip the ball over the crossbar.
For all their possession in the opening quarter of the game, Richmond couldn’t carve out a clear-cut scoring opportunity. The Riverhounds looked far more dangerous in possession, nearly scoring in the 20th minute when Neil Shaffer shot over the crossbar after a long spell of Pittsburgh pressure.
The lively Christopher Agorsor spurred the Kickers’ attack into life in the 23rd minute when he raced in front of Pittsburgh goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap to claim the ball. Gilstrap bowled Agorsor over inside the penalty area, but play was allowed to go on as the ball trickled to Ryan Heins. Heins opted to square his pass to Luke Vercollone, whose shot sailed over the bar with Gilstrap racing back to cover.
Agorsor again played catalyst in the 36th minute, poking the ball away from the Riverhounds and earning Richmond a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Gerson dos Santos floated a curling ball to the back post where William was waiting, unmarked, to head into the bottom corner of the net and give the Kickers a 1-0 lead.
Richmond nearly added to their tally in the 42nd minute through on-loan midfielder Long Tan. Vercollone won a tackle in midfield and sent Tan through on goal, but the D.C. United loanee couldn’t find the net with his low shot across the face of goal.
The Kickers did extend their lead just into first-half stoppage time through an own goal following a free kick. Jason Yeisley controlled the long ball into the penalty area and sent a speculative cross into the six-yard box, where the ball deflected off of Riverhounds defender Anthony Calvano, and it rolled between Gilstrap’s legs and off his heel into the net to give the Kickers a fortuitous 2-0 halftime lead.
Pittsburgh brought on striker Darren Amoo to start the second half, but it was the Kickers who nearly scored straight away following the restart. In the 47th minute, Tan claimed the ball inside the Riverhounds’ half and unleashed a dipping shot from outside the box that Gilstrap had to parry away for a corner kick. Tan nearly turned creator in the 53rd minute, playing a well-timed through-ball to send Agorsor beyond the Pittsburgh defense for a one-on-one with Gilstrap, but the forward couldn’t beat the ’keeper with his shot.
Richmond continued to dominate possession, and frustration began to set in for the Riverhounds. Matt Kassel was cautioned for dissent in the 56th minute after a foul was called against him. Pittsburgh committed another foul in the 61st minute, and Sascha Goerres’ free kick careened off the crossbar.
Richmond got the chance to add to its lead late on when Vercollone trapped a pass inside the Pittsburgh penalty area and was brought down for a penalty kick in the 86th minute. Delicate stepped up and sent Gilstrap the wrong way to put the Kickers three goals ahead. Pittsburgh claimed an 89th-minute consolation goal as Stanley Nyazamba’s foul gave the Riverhounds a penalty kick that Kassel converted. The goal came too late for the Riverhounds, though, and Richmond claimed the 3-1 victory.
The Kickers will be looking to continue their good form at home when they return to City Stadium next Saturday, July 21st, as they host the Dayton Dutch Lions at 7 p.m. For more information, please visit www.RichmondKickers.com.