Richmond Kickers News Release -- www.richmondkickers.com
Friday, August 9, 2013
RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium this Saturday night to host the Dayton Dutch Lions at 7 p.m. Admission is just $10 for the whole family before 6 p.m. as the Kickers and Chick-Fil-A present FAMILY FEST. With a one-of-a-kind fun zone, presented by Bounce 2 The Moon, the fun begins when the gates open at 4 p.m. with inflatable games, train rides, live music, food and beverage trucks and fun for the whole family.
Saturday’s match will be critical in shaping the final USL PRO standings as the Kickers hold a narrow lead over Orlando City on tiebreakers at the top of the table with a 13-1-9 record and 48 points after splitting a back-to-back road trip to the Carolinas last week. First, the Kickers clinched a berth to the playoffs and secured a home game in the quarterfinals of the USL PRO Playoffs with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Charlotte Eagles. Midfielder Joseph Ngwenya netted the lone goal while goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra posted his league-leading ninth shutout.
Twenty-four hours later, the Charleston Battery snapped the Kickers 24-game unbeaten streak, handing the league-leaders a devastating 5-2 loss. Conceding an early two-goal lead, the Kickers pulled a goal back on an Alex Lee tally just before halftime. The Kickers were able to cut the deficit to one goal for a second time after forward Matthew Delicâte converted a rebound with 18 minutes to go, but the visitors could not overcome two late goals by the Battery.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Lions enter Saturday’s match on the back of a two-game home and away series against the Wilmington Hammerheads. After suffering a 1-0 loss at home last week, the Dutch Lions take to the road to face the Hammerheads in Wilmington on Friday before taking on the Kickers one day later. With a record of 9-7-7 and 34 points, the Dutch Lions currently reside in sixth place in the USL PRO standings, just five points from the coveted fourth place spot that secures home field advantage for the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
Carrying a 6-0-1 series advantage into the weekend, the Kickers meet the third-year Dutch Lions for the second time this season. The two clubs last met at Beavercreek Stadium in early July when end-to-end action saw Brandon Swartzendruber give the Dutch Lions a fourth minute lead, which they carried through the first 45 minutes until a pair of Luke Vercollone tallies, followed by a Michael Seaton goal put the Kickers on top in the second half. Dayton defender Greg Preciado pulled a goal back with three minutes remaining in regulation but the Kickers defense shut down the home side’s late-game attack to come away with a 3-2 victory.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Discovered at the Kickers combine and signing with the pro team just 24 hours before the season opener, Nate Robinson earned his fourth USL PRO Team of the Week nod after posting his team-high ninth assist on the game-winning goal against Charlotte last week. Following his collegiate career at University of Detroit Mercy, the midfielder spent the 2012 season with the Michigan Bucks of the PDL.
After scoring the lone goal for the Kickers in a 1-0 win in Charlotte, midfielder Joseph Ngwenya further cemented himself as the club’s leading scorer this season with nine goals and four assists overall. Bringing eight years of MLS experience to Richmond, the Zimbabwean international most recently spent the 2011 season with D.C. United before signing with the Kickers prior to the 2013 campaign.
The only player to appear in all 25 matches this season, William Yomby anchors the stingiest defensive unit in USL PRO, conceding just 22 goals through all competitions. Doubling as an offensive threat, adding a goal and an assist on the season, the Cameroonian defender recently contributed to his 11th shutout in Charlotte last week.
Dutch Lions: Forward Gibson Bardsley leads the Dutch Lions for the second consecutive season since signing with the club prior to the 2012 campaign. Adding an assist on the opening goal against the Kickers, the Fall City, Wash. native has amassed eight goals and five assists for 21 points this season.
Defender Greg Preciado was named to the USL PRO Team of the Week this week after notching his second goal of the season against the Rochester Rhinos as the Dutch Lions recently rallied for a 3-1 win. In his sophomore season with the Dutch Lions, the 6-foot-0 defender posted his first-ever goal in a Dutch Lions uniform against the Kickers in July.
Featuring for nearly every minute of every game played so far during the 2013 campaign, midfielder Joel DeLass has notched six goals and added one assist. Signing with Dayton in 2011 after spending one season with the Charlotte Eagles, he was named to the USL PRO All-League Second Team in 2012.
USL PRO Playoff Structure
The Richmond Kickers will enter postseason play in the Quarterfinal Round on Saturday, August 24 at City Stadium. The 2013 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top eight finishers in the table (No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, etc.), with the Kickers first-round opponent to be determined. The Semifinals featuring the four remaining teams will be played the following weekend, with the 2013 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 6-8. All playoff rounds feature a single-game knockout format and teams will not be re-seeded following each round.