RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, August 31, 2016) – Richmond Kickers extended their unbeaten run to 10 games with a hard-fought tie against long-time rivals Charleston Battery.
RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, August 31, 2016) – Richmond Kickers extended their unbeaten run to 10 games with a hard-fought tie against long-time rivals Charleston Battery.
Fresh from securing a USL Eastern Conference playoff spot on Saturday, Kickers looked like they might finally get one over on Battery courtesy of Anthony Grant’s spectacular 50th minute strike.
But Charleston managed to find an equalizer through Justin Portillo’s curling free-kick to ensure that the points were shared in the clubs’ 58th official meeting.
The all-time record between the teams now reads as 25-24-9 in favor of Charleston, who officially clinched their USL playoff spot with this result.
Victory over Charleston was long overdue in the Kickers’ eyes. Following the dramatic quarter-final Eastern Conference play-off defeat last year, and a 2-0 reverse in South Carolina in July, Kickers were keen for revenge here, and almost got it through Grant’s brilliant strike.
A terrific goal made by Fred Owusu Sekyere’s excellent pass, the frontman rippled the net with a vicious effort that flew past startled goalkeeper Alex Tambakis.
It was the goal the City Stadium needed after a less-than-exciting first period in which both teams lacked a cutting edge in an attacking sense.
That said, both teams threatened in the opening five minutes. Richmond’s Jackson Eskay was given a couple of sights at goal, but he couldn’t adjust his feet in time to create a meaningful effort, while Charleston appealed in vein for a handball call in the penalty area against William Yomby, which referee JT Alukonis dismissed.
Kickers were indebted to the brilliance of giant defender Yomby in the 30th minute. Yomby produced a monstrous last-ditch tackle to prevent Romario Williams from surely scoring after he capitalised on a poor touch from Hugh Roberts near the half-way line.
Roberts wasn’t the only one who had a lapse of concentration in the first half. Soon after Charleston’s near miss, Shawn Ferguson was caught napping on the ball, and following Eskay’s excellent slide tackle, Grant should have done much better than to just shoot straight at Tambakis, with Eskay doing the same in the aftermath.
But Grant’s glorious moment was to come shortly after, only for it to be cancelled out by Portillo’s classy 20-yard equalizer in the 69th minute.
Either side could then have gone on to win the game. Yomby twice made vital interceptions to deny Charleston in the six-yard-box, while Yudai Imura saw a well-hit right foot shot tipped onto the bar by Tambakis.
In a frantic end, Imura’s low slow-motion cross somehow managed to evade Charleston’s defenders and Richmond substitutes Scott Thomsen and Matthew Delicâte as the two teams – who will play each other at least one more time this year in Richmond’s last regular home game of the season on September 17 – ended with a tie.
With just four regular season games remaining before the play-offs, Kickers are maintaining the momentum nicely.
Richmond returns to action September 10 on the road against Louisville City FC. The live stream of the match will be available at uslsoccer.com/match-center The Kickers come back to City Stadium September 14 for Oktoberfest, as they host the Charlotte Independence at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.
