RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Kickers returned to City Stadium for the first time since August 1st and picked up three crucial points beating Saint Louis FC 2-0.
RICHMOND, VA – The Richmond Kickers returned to City Stadium for the first time since August 1st and picked up three crucial points beating Saint Louis FC 2-0. After the 1st half ended in a scoreless draw, Richmond’s Yudai Imura opened up scoring for the game in the 70th minute and also earning man of the match honors. Richmond’s thirst for goals would continue on late with Jason Yeisley netting one of his own in the 77th minute, his 12th of the season.
Richmond Kickers
2 (Imura 70’, Yeisley 77’)
Saint Louis FC
0
Richmond and Saint Louis FC would trade looks early on that included crosses in the 1st and 4th minutes by the Kickers and STLFC respectively. The Kickers would take control of the opening 45 in the 30th minute after Sascha Goerres obtained possession at midfield and found Alex Lee who would connect with Imura on a run, but the impending shot would sail over the cross bar. The 40th minute saw Goerres once again control the midfield and find Samuel Asante running down the right side of the field, but STLFC’s keeper Alec Kann would beat Samuel to the ball in the box. Richmond would get one more look in the closing minute of the half after a long throw from Yeisley rolled towards Fred Owusu Sekyere who found some open space in the box for a shot that would find the hands of Kann. The Kickers’ would test the limits of STLFC’s physicality in the 1st half, particularly Asante, who would be called for three of Richmond’s four 1st half fouls. The Kickers would also out shoot STLFC in the 1st half to the tune of four shots to one.
The 1st half would end with a scoreless draw but everything would change in the 2nd half. In the 70th minute Goerres led an attack up the midfield and found Imura on a run with a through pass, then ripping a laser of a shot through the top left corner of the goal and directly pass Kann. Richmond would add an insurance goal in the 77th minute after Matthew Delicate received a pass in the box and then chipped it over to a unmarked Yeisley who’s header went just to the right of the save attempt by Kann. The Kickers barrage of shots in the 2nd half would not be done as they would get attempts in the 80th, 82nd, and 83rd minutes by Yeisley, Imura, and Delicate respectively. The 2nd half would see the only two cautions of the game with Patrick Doody from STLFC being booked in the 54th minute and then Richmond’s Alex Lee going in the book in the 65th minute.
Also in the 63rd minute newly Richmond signee forward Anthony Grant made his professional debut coming in for Asante.
The Richmond Kickers will stay a City Stadium for their next match on Saturday August 29th against the Charleston Battery for Bark and Brew Night presented by Pet Safe and the Southside SPCA. Another home game will follow as Richmond will host the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday September 5th for Bike Night presented by Loveland. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.
Scoring Summary
70th minute: Richmond: Yudai Imura (Sascha Goerres)
77th minute: Richmond: Jason Yeisley (Matthew Delicate)
Lineups
Kickers: GK Ryan Taylor, D Uriah Bentick (Michael Callahan – 63’), D Braeden Troyer, D William Yomby, D Hugh Roberts, M Sascha Gorres (Ricky Burke – 89’), M Alex Lee, M Fred Sekyere Owusu (Matthew Delicate – 63’), M Samuel Asante (Anthony Grant – 63’), F Yudai Imura, F Jason Yeisley
STLFC: GK Alec Kahn, D James Musa, D Sam Fink, D Chad Vandergriffe (Oskar Gasecki – 62’), D Patrick Doody, M Gregg Cochrane, M Bryan Gaul, M Kingsley Bryce (Charles Renken – 62’), M Parker Maher (Kentaro Takada – 77’), F Jamiel Hardware (Jack Mathis – 83’), F Jordan Roberts (Aaron Horton – 83’)
