ROCHESTER, NY – (Sunday, May 21, 2017) – The Richmond Kickers (2-5-3) came away with a 1-1 draw in their first of a three-match road trip at the Rochester Rhinos (2-1-3) Sunday night. Kenardo Forbes opened the scoring in the 32nd minute for the Rhinos. Raul Gonzalez would score both his first goal for Richmond and his first professional goal to give the Kickers a point on the road.
The home side would try to get on the attack early in the first half calling Matt Turner into action in the 4th minute. Stefan Defregger collected the ball out wide and found an opening to slot the ball through to Mike Garzi making the run into the box. Garzi would take a shot quickly, without much power on it, as Turner would make the save.
Richmond would try to put together an attack in the 17th minute. After winning the ball in the midfield, Alex Lee feeds the ball up the wing and finds Alhaji Kamara making the run towards the corner. Kamara sent his cross in looking for Luiz Fernando making the near post run as Tomas Gomez needed to come out to meet the cross and prevent any chance from Fernando.
The Rhinos nearly took a lead just two minutes later. Gomez plays the ball down field and finds Bradley Kamden Fewo in the corner. Kamden Fewo would get to the end line and play the ball across goal to Garzi on the far side. He could not get a shot off and laid it off to Forbes at the top of the box for a shot on goal that Turner is able to block. The rebound falls to Defregger and he slots it in, but the offside flag goes up negating the goal.
Kenardo Forbes broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute for the Rhinos. Darius Madison controlled the ball at the top of the box, unable to turn because of multiple Kickers defenders. Forbes makes a run towards the box and Shanosky is nearly able to prevent it, but Forbes gets enough on the ball to play it off a sliding Turner and then easily put away the rebound towards the far side of goal.
Just before the halftime break, Raul Gonzalez would put away a free kick to draw the Kickers level in the 45th minute. Samuel Asante collected the ball in the midfield and started to make a run towards the Rochester box, as Ryan Felix stuck his leg out to try and make a stop and ended up drawing a foul on Asante. Raul Gonzalez stepped up to take the free kick. A previous free kick by Gonzalez was lofted in looking for a near post run. This time Gonzalez put power on his free kick and snuck it in the near post past Gomez for his first professional goal.
Two minutes into the second half, Rochester looked to get back into the lead through Mike Garzi. Jordan Dover played the ball out wide to Brandon Beresford. Beresford played his cross in finding Garzi at the top of the box. Garzi took a touch and then tried a shot on the volley and it went high of Turner’s goal causing no threat.
Gonzalez had another chance on goal from a free kick in the 60th minute. This time it was Gonzalez that was fouled by Forbes in nearly the same spot as the first half goal. Gonzalez stepped up looking to create the same magic as his shot ended in the hands of Gomez in goal.
The Rhinos tried to create another dangerous opportunity in the 63rd minute. Kenardo Forbes once again was in on the attack and played the ball to Kamden Fewo looking to get the ball back. Kamden Fewo instead turned his shot on target as Turner was there with the save.
Rochester’s most dangerous opportunity of the second half came in the 73rd minute. Only on the field for five minutes, Antonio Correia was able to put a shot on frame after getting a pass from Sofiane Tergou out wide. Turner would block the initial shot as the ball fell to Madison. He would have a chance on goal that Troyer was able to get in front of to clear away.
The Kickers continue their three-match road trip as they head to Toronto FC II Wednesday with an early kickoff at 12PM. Following that match, the Kickers conclude their road trip with a stop to face Ottawa Fury FC Sunday at 2PM. All matches are available streaming online at USLsoccer.com/match-center.
