The Richmond Kickers are back in action tonight, and Matthew Delicate has a chance to eclipse Rob Ukrop’s club record for goals scored. Both sit on 63 goals for the club, but unless Ukrop gets in a time machine, it will be Delicate’s record soon. Doing so in front of a home crowd, in a much needed win, would be an appropriate way to pass the club legend (and president). The Dutch Lions are coming off of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Wilmington Hammerheads last night, with the Kickers coming off a convincing 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds last weekend.
Every point is important now, and getting 3 of them at home is critical for the rest of the season. The Kickers are in a dogfight now, and they are competing with 5 times for three playoff spots. They haven’t missed the playoffs since 2003 and doing so this year would be a disaster. I know that I keep harping on this, but it is true; this is a team that is used to being at the top of the league. If they can build off of last weekend, however, the team is in a good position for a late season run that cements their place in the playoffs. Here’s hoping, anyways.
Game Time: 7:00pm
Video: As with all Kickers home games, there is no streaming video.
Lineup: With no news about Long Tan or Ethan White so far, I am adjusting the predicted lineup as though neither of them will be available. That gives us something like this
Pascale
Goerres Kalungi Yeisley Johnson
Heins Dos Santos Vercollone Fogelsong
Delicate Agorsor
Prediction: As with last week, nothing less than 3 points is acceptable. 2-0 win for the Kickers, with goals from Delicate (breaking the Kickers all-time scoring record) and Vercollone.
What are you drinking: No drinks tonight, as I am in the press box. However, I have whiskey of some sort or another waiting for me after the game..
As for all game, there will be live blogging after the jump. Feel free to join in!
So here is the lineup for the game: Pascale, Yomby, Johnson, Kalungi, Yeisley, Vercollone, Dos Santos, Goerres, Heins, Davies, Agorsor. No Tan or White, and Delicate is on the bench.
The Kickers are running out the all center back defense again, which worked to great effect last week.
The Dutch Lions are playing their third game in four days, so its just another reason that the Kickers need to win this game.
A little rainy and grey here tonight as we start the game, but it looks like the heavy weather will stay away.
1′ Agorsor streaks down the right hand side, with the Dutch Lion clearing for a corner kick.
3′ Williams catches a Goerres cross, but the Kickers are looking solid early.
4′ Kalungi is looking a little chippy in the right back spot tonight.
7′ Goerres and Vercollone line up over a free kick; Goerres takes, but it is cleared to midfield.
9′ Ball is pinging around the midfield, with little danger so far. A run by Kalungi to the top of the box is snuffed out.
11′ A run by Sascha Goerres who cuts open the Dutch Lions defense with a low shot, whose rebound is buried by RYAN HEINS! 1-0 Kickers!
14′ Jason Yeisley is pulled down from behind, but the Lion doesn’t get carded.
15′ A nice buildup by the Kickers is called offside.
17′ Yomby looking much better tonight than in previous outings; comes over to cut off a semi-dangerous run.
20′ Agorsor fights through the two centerbacks and gets half a chance, which the keeper kicks clear.
21′ Bardsley, who pulled Yeisley down by his hair before, just fouled him hard again. Still, no card.
24′ Apparently the Dutch Lions had more ejections than goals last year; something worth remembering as this game gets chippier. Garner gets to the endline, but his cross is into Pascale’s hands.
25′ Agorsor is one on one with the keeper again, but is called off.
28′ Good interchange between Kalungi and Agorsor on the right side, but the final pass is called off.
30′ Almost looks more like a 4-3-3, with Goerres, Vercollone, and Dos Santos playing centrally, and Davies, Agorsor, and Heins playing higher.
31′ Dutch Lions getting some pressure around the Kickers’ box, but no shots on goal yet.
33′ Davies first tick on the game sheet is a yellow card, looking like it was for dissent. The ensuing attack gives the Dutch Lions their first corner. Their crossing has been poor, and both the corner and the rebound cross are off target.
35′ Davies with a lovely cross from right to left that picks out Heins; his shot is just wide.
38′ Yeisley runs a clearance forward, but the Dutch Lions recover it.
39′ When he gets the all, Davies is showing flashes of class.
40′ Vercollone blocks a hard shot at the top of the box.
42′ Kalungi is locking down the right side, and frustrating Garner in the process.
42′ Yomby gives a weak foul about 30 yards from goal; he looked to have gotten just the ball, but the ref thought otherwise.
44′ Agorsor goes one on three in the box, and almost pulls it off.
45′ 1 minute of stoppage time in a chippy first half. Garner tries to draw a penalty, but the ref gesticulates widely to tell him no. And that’s the half!
Halftime: Looks like Elcock is getting ready to come in. And its confirmed; Elcock will be coming in for Davies, whose premier is over. The DDLs have a sub as well: Jeff DeGroot coming in for Shane Smith.
46′ And we’re back!
48′ And confusion reigns! it looks like Sascha Goerres had a goal, but Agorsor is called offsides for standing off when the shot was taken; however, the AR did not call it offside, the center ref came back from behind to call it. The Dayton keeper is also given a yellow.
52′ Yomby also went down during that whole scrum, but he is back in now.
53′ Agorsor is an offsides machine right now. The press box thinks that he has been off four times now.
55′ It is remarkable that the only Dutch Lion to get a card is their keeper so far. That won’t last.
56′ Kickers with the better of possession so far this half, and deserve another goal.
57′ More insanity, as Heins is chopped down with a scissor kick which is not called. Bardsley goes down 20 yards from the Kickers’ goal, but the foul is called on him. DDL sub coming, with Robison coming in for Knotell.
61′ DDL has some dangerous possession, but poor passing has prevented any shots from being put on target.
63′ Great block by Yomby blocks away a shot from the top of the 6.
64′ Triple change coming for the Kickers: Agorsor, Heins, and dos Santos. Delicate, Durkey, and Hiroyama.
67′ This half has been more open, but sloppier as well. DDL getting some better chances, but still can’t get any of them on frame.
69′ Hiroyama with a cross that Elcoock gets his head to, but Williams makes a nice one handed save to push it over the bar.
70′ Burke with some good footwork to tackle the ball and diffuse an attack.
73′ Johnson with a back pass to Pascale under pressure, but it is cleared by the veteran keeper.
74′ Its a good thing that the Dutch Lions can’t keep shots out of orbit, or the scoreline might be different.
75′ Deli got held up in the box, could have been a shout for a foul. Kissinger out, Bartels in. After a free kick for DDL, Pascale is limping. After some time down, Pascale is back up and play resumes.
80′ Two shots by the Kickers, Hiroyama and Kalungi, are parried by the DDL keeper.
81′ Burke with a nice run and cross, but Elcock’s shot is skied over the bar.
83′ Delicate with a beautiful breakaway, but pushes his potential record breaker wide.
84′ Delicate with a penalty shout called off, and then another penalty shout called off in the Kickers’ box. Delass gets a yellow card for dissent.
86′ Elcock with a cross into Delicate, whose header is barely pushed wide. He wants this record, and he wants it at home.
88′ Vercollone with a bad giveaway, but Yomby helps him out and nothing comes of it. Also, Burke still has the mad skills on the ball.
89′ Delicate is taken down in the box! Penalty kick opportunity for a record! For more dissent, Bardsley was given a red card and sent off.
90+ AND THATS THE RECORD! 64 goals for Matthew Delicate, and the Kickers are up 2-0!
90+ And that’s the end of the game, with your Richmond Kickers winning 2-0! My full match report will be forthcoming.
Before Extra Time 