We’re 10 games into the season now, and the Kickers are remarkably unremarkable 4-3-3.  Right now that’s good enough to be sixth place, although Rochester is right behind them with two games in hand.  Here’s the thing though, I don’t think anyone out there thinks that sixth is or should be the goal.  It would get the team into the playoffs, but it would almost certainly mean having to win four straight road games to bring home the championship.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this team isn’t exactly a road powerhouse, so that path seems a bit suboptimal.

Enter FC Montreal.  This is a team that is worse than the Kickers on the road.  The Kickers have picked up 2 points away from home. Montreal has 0. In fact, they have 0 points at home too.  They are a smooth 0-8 with 3 goals scored so far.  Simply put, this has to be a win. Drawing Louisville at home last week was fine, but playoff caliber teams take three points from teams like this and don’t look back.

However, it hasn’t always been that simple.  Montreal was pretty bad last year too, especially in the first half of the year when the teams played their two games.  The Kickers won 1-0 on a Matt Delicate goal in Montreal, but settled for a 0-0 tie at home.  That game was noteworthy because it was the game when Brian Ownby got injured and was lost for the season. In retrospect, that was the turning point in the season, and the team never again really looked like a threat to contend.

The defense will be without Alex Lee this weekend, as he is suspended following his red card last week.  Both Travis Pittman and Jalen Robinson have filled in there this year, so there shouldn’t be too much disruption because of this change. Who starts will be mostly dependent on if Robinson is sent on loan or not. Otherwise, expect Charlie Horton to man the nets again, with the usual suspects of Roberts, Yomby, and Troyer in front of him.

I’d like to see something changed up in the midfield and attack, but I’m not sure what exactly. Clearly the existing plans haven’t been working, so why not mix it up some and give a different look a try?  While a 1-0 win would give the team the needed points, the fanbase is itching for a more formidable attacking stance, and this is the opponent to potentially provide the solution. If it means Fernando or Yeisely come off the bench, so be it.

I fully expect the Kickers to win this game and strengthen their position in the table ahead of a busy travel week to Florida and Ohio. Let’s see those flashes from the first 45 of the season and reignite the excitement around this team.

So Wednesday night was fun.  Although I don’t think anyone really thought that the Kickers would get upset (like, say, a team from South Carolina who got lucky through nothing they did), the game was effectively over within about 90 seconds when Sunny Jane scored on a free kick.  Right from the opening whistle, the Kickers dominated the game and showed the difference between professionals and amateurs.  After 90 minutes of one way traffic with very few exceptions, Richmond ultimately won 4-0 and probably could have doubled that was some cleaner finishing. In addition to Jane’s opener, Hugh Roberts, Anthony Grant, and Luiz Fernando got on the scoresheet, each tallying for the first time in 2016.

Leigh was able to play a primarily reserve team to save some legs and also let other guys get some minutes.  Charlie Horton was in goal, but really didn’t have to do much other than receive a few backpasses.  He looked the part though, so there’s that.  Typical starters Yomby and Roberts did start in central defense, which hopefully gave them a little more time to get accustomed to Horton and vice versa.  Sascha Gorres and Travis Pittman manned the outside back positions, and may as well have been midfielders with how far they were able to push forward.  Owusu and Paulini cleaned up almost everything that found its way into the middle of the field and never allowed Aroma’s to even think about getting something started.  Romulo, Jane, and Jackson Eskay filled the attacking midfield positions, and Anthony Grant was the front runner.  The hope is that these guys built some confidence from the game and will be able to contribute if and when they are called upon, possibly as soon as Saturday.

With the win, the Kickers advanced to the third round of the Open Cup, and will travel to Fort Lauderdale on June 1st to play the Strikers, a NASL team.  Should they advance, it’s an always mouth-watering matchup against DC United, this time somewhere in the DMV rather than at City Stadium.

Before any of that happens though, there’s the matter of taking care of business in the league. League leaders Louisville come to town on Saturday with momentum and some familiar faces. They were also in action midweek, facing the NPSL’s Detroit City. This was not the walkover that the Kickers experienced. Louisville needed extra time and penalties, including a late penalty in the second extra to equalize, to advance, and utilized a significant number of first choice players to do so.  While they are professionals, it does raise the question of if Louisville will be fielding their strongest squad possible Saturday.

Louisville does bring two former Kickers with them to City Stadium.  Conor Shanosky has been a steady presence on defense for them the last two seasons, and has contributed a couple of goals lately as well.  He’ll inevitably be banging bodies with Jason Yeisley. If the referee this weekend calls a tight game, Shanosky might be in some trouble since he has a tendency to play defense with his hands quite a bit, usually giving away at least a couple fouls anyway per game that way.  George Davis IV joined Louisville this offseason, and after struggling for minutes most of the year, he has begun getting more time recently and scored his first goal for the club last weekend.  If he’s on the field, look for Alex Lee to be the primary defender assigned to him.

Overall, Louisville has shown they can win by outscoring their opponents or by shutting them down.  After a flurry of high scoring affairs, lately they’ve been showcasing their defensive prowess, shutting out their last two league opponents.  Greg Ranjitsingh started the season on the bench, but after coming in following a red card a few weeks ago, he’s taken hold of the starting spot and doesn’t look like he wants to give it up.  In attack, Chandler Hoffman is the key man to watch.  The striker has scored seven goals already this season and constantly looks to find an inch of space to exploit in the penalty area.

Without much question, this will be the Kickers toughest test thus far in 2016.  The team has been strong at home this year, and there is optimism coming from the locker room that the performances on the field are approaching what the players expect.  Chance creation will be a difference making factor in this one, and if Yudai Imura and Brian Ownby can work together to find a few opportunities for the team, another positive result at home is completely reasonable.

Later this afternoon, the Kickers will finally begin their Open Cup run, hosting Aroma’s Cafe of Charlottesville at City Stadium.  The Kickers will enter as heavy favorites being a professional team against an amateur squad.

The Kickers have a long history of success in the Open Cup, clearly topped by winning the tournament in 1995.  Beyond lifting the trophy, the Kickers have advanced to the quarterfinal round of the tournament on four other occasions, most recently in 2011 when they advanced all the way to the semifinals before falling 2-1 to the Chicago Fire.  Along the way the Kickers have knocked off five MLS teams, including back to back away wins in that 2011 run.  On the flip side of the coin, Richmond has only once in their history fallen to lower tier opposition, dropping a 1-0 result in 2006 to the Carolina Dynamo of the PDL.

Aroma’s is making their Open Cup debut this year, and won last week against the Richmond Strikers 2-1 in extra time to advance.  There isn’t a ton of information out there about the club, but they promote themselves as being very diverse and featuring many former college players, as you would expect from a team still standing at this stage of the competition.  One name that we do know is Jake van Yahres, who played at VCU and scored the winner last week.

Expect the Kickers to play a primarily reserve squad tonight.  Charlie Horton will make his Kickers debut in goal on loan from DC United, and will presumably be our keeper for the foreseeable future.  Unless he’s hurt, Yomby will play in central defense after sitting out in New York, with Sascha Gorres and Travis Pittman joining him back there.  I’d guess Alex Lee would be the other defender, but I’m not as sure about that one.  In the midfield, look for Owusu to provide leadership.  Romulo will certainly start this one, and I’d be surprised if Nate Shiffman doesn’t play a big role too.  Lucas Paulini seems like a logical pick to start with Owusu, but again, that one could go any number of ways.  Up front, I think we see Anthony Grant and Jackson Eskay.  There’s a big game on Saturday, so I imagine the coaching staff would rather rest most key players, and especially those that played extensive minutes last week.  Guys like Ownby, Yeisley, and Imura will surely be on the bench just in case things aren’t going to plans though.

All in all, this is a game the Kickers should win without too much trouble.  If this were a gambling site, I’d probably set the line at Kickers -3.5, and I’d be worried that I set it too low and I’d get hammered by people taking the home team.

No stream tonight by the way, so you’ll have to find your way out to City Stadium to see the game, or just read here after to find out what happened.  You should read here anyway though, even if you do go to the game.

After a good defensive performance, but lackluster attacking outing, the Kickers were able to garner a 90th minute equalizer from Brian Ownby to snatch a point away from New York Red Bulls II.

The Kickers came out with a very different lineup than we’ve seen so far this year, mostly buoyed by the presence of three DC United loans.  Miguel Aguilar and Jalen Robinson slid into the lineup once again, and Luke Mishu made his 2016 return to the team at right back.  Braeden Troyer and Hugh Roberts were the mainstay in defense, and Mike Callahan and Samuel Asante paired this time in the central midfield. As a result, the team had a very potent bench featuring Paulini, Owusu, Jane, Ownby, Lee, and Yomby, one which would prove to be beneficial late in the game.

The Red Bulls carried the majority of possession throughout the game, but for the most part did not truly threaten.  Their attacking duo of Brandon Allen and Anatole Abang battled against the Robinson/Roberts duo throughout, with the Kickers pair more than holding their own against the muscular Red Bulls. As such, New York began to look to outside shots, and nearly scored a screamer late in the first half when Konrad Plewa rang a 30 yard shot off the outside of the right post.

The Kickers had one dangerous flurry in the first half.  Aguilar got himself space on the left side once and ripped a shot high into the side netting.  Shortly after that, a connecting sequence got Jason Yeisley a half-look, which was pulled wide. Unfortunately, the real critical moment for the Kickers came about 20 minutes in when Callahan had to be substituted for what appeared to be a blow to his head.  Given that he missed the last part of the 2014 season with concussion issues, this was not a situation to take any chances.

The Red Bulls took the lead in the second half through Abang.  Much like midweek against Toronto, a Kickers defender was overpowered physically in space.  This time, Hugh Roberts got the ball caught in his feet on the left side of the field following a poor pass from Paulini, which sparked a break toward goal.  Stefano Bonomo’s cross led to a shot that beat Turner but rang off the post.  Abang was there to chip in the rebound though, leaving Turner helpless. Simply put, this was a full defensive breakdown that began with an unforced error by the Argentine midfielder.  No one came across strongly in the sequence though, and there were certainly ample time to recover from the initial mistake.

Despite the struggles in the attack, the Kickers did eventually find their goal.  Late in the game, Alex Lee received the ball on the right flank in space.  With many Kickers still in the penalty area following a free kick, he was able to pick his head up and drive in a left footed cross to the top of the six.  Brian Ownby was there unmarked, and simply redirected the cross into the left side of the goal for the equalizer.  It was a familiar combination, as the two players have often linked together over the years in attack and produced let another memorable moment through their play.

The draw leaves the Kickers on 14 points through 9 games.  That’s a decent number, but not one that will have anyone truly satisfied.  They currently sit seventh in the table, with the top eight qualifying for the postseason.  Turning a road loss into a draw is the kind of result that, while in the moment isn’t ideal, often makes the difference in positioning come the end of the year.

The team next plays at home on Wednesday against Aroma’s Cafe of Charlottesville in the 2nd round of the US Open Cup.  Expect to see many reserves and therefore very few starters. If we’re seeing some of the very familiar faces, something is not going to plan.  The next league match is Saturday against league leading Louisville. Needless to say, that’s a big one.

So, Wednesday did not go as I think most of us imagined.  The schoolday game gave us all a chance to have some lunchtime Kickers action, which was fun, but the game itself was anything but. After controlling the first half and limiting any real chances, the Kickers gave away a fairly basic goal in the 75th minute to lose 1-0. It’s a continuation of the struggles away from City Stadium this year, as well as another outing where the offense was very underwhelming.

The team started off with essentially a first choice team on the field, highlighted by Yudai Imura’s return to action.  The game actually started off well enough, and the best chance of the match fell to the Kickers.  Brian Ownby was played through early in the half, but shot the ball directly at Quillan Roberts.  Quite frankly, that’s a goal he has to score, or at least make the goalkeeper do something more than putting it right into his torso.  These are the types of chances that the whole team has been missing so far. I can deal with keepers producing big saves, that’s something you just have to tip your cap toward.  Anyway, there was a rebound that Imura got to, but his shot was saved off the line by a defender who had plenty of time to position himself before Yudai got to the ball.

Matt Turner really didn’t have much to do at all until about the 73rd minute.  TFC moved the ball into the penalty area from a throw in deep in the corner.  The ball ultimately made it to Jordan Hamilton with his back to goal near the penalty spot.  After a few touches to get situated, he was able to spin his hips and rip a low shot to Turner’s left.  The keeper laid out in full extension to get his hand on the ball, killing its progress, and Braeden Troyer was there to help clear the rebound and shield the ball from the waiting Toronto attacker. It was easily Turner’s most impressive save with the Kickers thus far.

Unfortunately, Toronto scored a little more than a minute later. They took a free kick long from near midfield, and found Sal Bernal alone against Alex Lee racing down the left channel.  Bernal muscled Lee away, and was able to cut by a recovering Hugh Roberts. Turner got his hand onto the low shot to his right, but he could not turn it around the post.  It was a very disappointing goal to allow, mostly because of the defensive shape to begin the sequence.  Lee should have done better, but he also should have had some cover available so a 1v1 shoulder challenge wouldn’t directly lead to a high quality scoring opportunity. After the goal, the Kickers never really threatened again, and took another road loss.

Now, the Kickers play this afternoon at Red Bulls.  Unlike Toronto, New York has actually been strong throughout the year so far.  Their attack has been high powered, and features players like Brandon Allen, Anatole Abang, and Derrick Etienne.  This will be the most dynamic offense the Kickers have seen this season by a good margin. I’d also expect to see some first team players joining the Baby Bulls, especially those who didn’t travel for the game in DC on Friday.  It’s always hit or miss how that affects a team in USL, but New York does use that model more than many other teams, so it probably won’t be as big a shock to their system.

As for the Kickers, I would once again expect a full strength lineup to be used, with the plan being to play more reserves in the Open Cup on Wednesday.  The bench will be a place to watch, as Matthew Delicate and Anthony Grant were both unavailable in Canada.  Seeing as how they are the top forward reserves on the roster, it wouldn’t be bad to have them available should the team be chasing a goal.

I really wish I could predict a win here, but based on how things have gone on the road so far, I don’t think that’s actually going to happen.  I’ll be optmistic and say we can get a draw though, which sadly enough would be progress. The schedule is starting to pick up in terms of quality, so the Kickers will need to step up their play, both home and away, in order to maintain a firm hold on a playoff spot and contend for a first round home game.

Wednesday morning (yes, morning) will see the Kickers begin a short but busy road trip in Toronto.  Kickoff will take place at 11:30am, so you’re taking a long lunch or pretending to work even less than usual at that time. This is a rematch from a couple of weeks ago when Richmond won 1-0 at home via a Brian Ownby goal.  This probably won’t be the same TFCII team though, and you can decide if that’s good news or bad. The Canadian Soccer Association announced that the Canada U-23s will be holding a camp this week prior to games against Guyana and Grenada.  Four TFC players have been called: Skyler Thomas, Chris Mannella, Raheem Edwards, and Jordan Hamilton. All but Mannella started in the first match against the Kickers, and Mannella is near the top of the minutes list for Toronto this season.  Edwards and Thomas in particular will be significant losses, as they are the leading scorer and cornerstone of the backline, respectively.

For the Kickers, given that this is game two of a grueling stretch, do not be surprised if there is some lineup rotation.  Saturday saw Romulo Peretta get his debut, and while he might not start this game, this type of move is what should be expected.  Guys like Owusu or Anthony Grant getting a start either in Canada or this weekend in New York seem like safe bets.  The schedule crunch also might lead to an appearance or two by DC United loanees, although as always no one ever seems to know for sure on that.

Prediction: The Kickers continue on their winning ways with good old reliable 1-0 on the scoreboard.

On a roster note, the Kickers added Macklin Robinson on loan from the Carolina Railhawks for this trip.  The rookie goalkeeper from DePaul hasn’t appeared yet for the NASL team.  I’d expect Matt Turner to get all the minutes, with Robinson there to provide cover since Ronnie Pascale has his day job and Sawyer Gaffney presumably has school. Then again, we’ve seen a couple times in recent years that things can happen to keepers, so it’s good to have someone there rather than rolling the dice.

DC United also released Paul Clowes today.  The loanee appeared in one match for the Kickers as a reserve, and since he is an international player, I would not expect him to come to Richmond full time as the Kickers only have one spot available, which they surely want to save for a loan or future signing at a position of need.

Finally, the Richmond Strikers (nee Chesterfield United) host Aroma’s Cafe of Charlottesville tomorrow at 5pm at Striker Park.  Tickets are $3 for this first round US Open Cup game.  The winner will play the Kickers next Wednesday in the second round of the tournament.

It wasn’t a pretty game, but it was a game with an ultimately familiar outcome: the Richmond Kickers leaving City Stadium with 3 points via a 1-0 win.  That is now three consecutive home games won by that scoreline, and the Kickers have taken a full 12 out of 12 points from home games in 2016.  This time around, an own goal off of Ashani Fairclough was the difference maker, although both teams really should have scored well before that point.

Wilmington had the first, and without a doubt best, chance of the game in the 3rd minute. Following a corner kick, the ball popped out to Austin Martz.  Martz quickly took advantage of his positioning by unleashing a low shot from about 20 yards out.  The shot beat goalkeeper Matt Turner, but struck the right post and bounced back into the field of play.  The Kickers were far from out of danger at that point though, as the ball rebounded directly to Jeff Michaud no more than six yards from goal and fairly centrally at that.  All Michaud needed to do was touch the ball into the goal with Turner still prone on the ground from his save attempt on the initial shot.  Thankfully, Michaud botched the situation in spectacular fashion, skying the ball over the bar.

Richmond almost immediately answered with a chance of their own. Sunny Jane was able to produce a through ball to Jason Yeisley in the 5th minute that sent the striker in on goal.  Despite having a step on his defender, Yeisley was unable to find a shot that could beat John Smits, instead firing into the keeper.

The goal arrived after halftime, and an unusual source was at the focal point of the attack. Braeden Troyer began the play with an entry pass into Yeisley, who quickly played the ball wide to Brian Ownby on the touchline 30 yards from goal.  Troyer had continued his run, and Ownby found him darting to the corner of the penalty area.  Troyer beat his man to the pass, took a touch, and lofted a cross across the face of the goal toward an awaiting Luiz Fernando.  The ball would never reach the Brazilian though, instead finding the crossbar.  The carom took the ball into the path of Fairclough, who was rushing back to defend Fernando. Despite his best efforts to avoid it, the ball hit the sliding defender and softly bounced back into the upper corner of the goal for the game-winner in the 53rd minute.

Alex Lee was unfortunate not to make it 2-0 around minute 80.  After finding plenty of space on the right side of the field, as he tends to do, Lee this time cut inside and made a probing run down the center channel.  With runners on either side of him, he chose to chip the ball behind the backline to his right, where Ownby was able to run onto it.  After taking a touch, he sent a low cross to the penalty spot, where Lee met the ball in full stride.  Smits was able to get down to make the critical save though and keep the Hammerheads in the game.

One significant development in this game was the debut of Romulo Peretta.  The second of the Brazilian teenagers to join this offseason, Romulo got the start on the left wing, taking the place of Brian Ownby.  Although he only played 45 minutes, he showed well in his debut, albeit with some noticeable room for growth.  Much like Luiz Fernando, Romulo does not show fear in dribbling at defenders or releasing a shot from distance.  He was certainly helped on the defensive end by Troyer behind him and the combination of Paulini and Asante next to him to provide direction.  Once he figures out that positioning element, I suspect we will see much more from Romulo.

The other exciting personnel item from the game was the presence of Yudai Imura in warmups. Although he did not dress for the game, the fact that he is training shows his recovery is on the right track, and hopefully he will be able to return at some point in the near future, even in a substitute role, and especially with a glut of games on the schedule the next couple of weeks.

The Kickers play their first midweek game of the year this Wednesday at Toronto.  One key element to note is that the game will be at 11:30am, so plan your long lunch now.  They’ll follow up that game with a trip to New York to play the Red Bulls on Saturday.  The US Open Cup begins for the Kickers the following Wednesday, and then they host Louisville to cap off the busy two weeks.

On Saturday evening, the Kickers will host Wilmington at City Stadium in their first rematch of the season.  Last month, the two teams drew 0-0 in North Carolina in a game that was short on scoring opportunities.  18 year old Brazilian Luiz Fernando had the best look of the game for Richmond, beating the keeper with a left footed shot but unfortunately not beating the post behind him.  Wilmington had a few marginal chances of their own, but ultimately a scoreless draw was a fair result for both teams.

Since that night in early April, the teams have experienced similar results, if not similar paths.  The Kickers remain in a state of flux with injuries.  It appears that Matt Turner will be in goal for the team for a second consecutive week.  His first appearance for the club, and his overall professional debut at that, went well last week in a win over Toronto. An additional week of training and familiarity with the team can only help the overall performance of Turner and the backline.

Leading scorer Yudai Imura will once again miss the match as he recovers from an injury suffered at Charlotte two weeks ago.  While Imura’s absence hurts, the scoring responsibility has shifted into a committee mode.  Sunny Jane, Matthew Delicate, and Brian Ownby have all tallied their first goals of the season since Imura’s injury, showing that the attack is not reliant on any singular individual.

Wilmington enters the game with a 2-2-2 record, having drawn at Cincinnati last weekend.  They have proven to be a tough match for each opponent thus far, led by a stout defense that has only surrendered five goals in six games.  John Smits leads the team in defense, having saved over 80% of the shots coming his way.  Bruno Perone brings significant stature to the defense, having Premier League experience as well as a background with numerous clubs in his native Brazil. Perone has already chipped in with two goals this season as well, making him someone the Kickers will need to monitor coming out of the back.

If Wilmington is to score on Saturday, it is likely that rookie Mael Corboz will play a significant factor in the goal. The rookie midfielder has played every minute thus far for the Hammerheads, and has assisted on three of their six goals scored.  Look for Lucas Paulini to pay special attention to Corboz throughout the game to limit his opportunity to influence the action.

Barring any late injuries, expect to see the same team on the field that started last week.  Three of the four defenders for the Kickers have made a USL Team of the Week so far this season, with Alex Lee honored for his performance last week.  I wouldn’t bet against Yomby making it a clean sweep for the unit before too long, and perhaps even this week.  The return of Paulini and Samuel Asante last week provided a different, but perhaps more complete, look for the central midfield.  Neither is a pure defensive midfielder, but rather uses their range to connect the defense to the attacking players very fluidly.  The two also appear to have a good understanding together of positioning, denying space to opponents in tandem rather than individually.

While it’s not necessarily a great sales pitch, don’t expect a high scoring affair on Saturday.  Low scoring doesn’t mean not exciting though.  Come out to City Stadium (bring your dogs too, it’s Bark & Brew Fest!) to see a physical battle between two playoff caliber teams.  You’ll also get to see yet another home win. The Kickers will piece together a 2-0 win to go 4-0-0 at home before hitting the road for a pair of games up north.

Saturday night may have brought rain to Richmond, but nothing was going to sour the mood at City Stadium.  Behind a 10^th minute goal from Brian Ownby, the Kickers got back on the winning track with a comfortable 1-0 match against Toronto FC II.

While the team lost two starters to injury last week in Ryan Taylor and Yudai Imura, three other players did return to the starting lineup.  Samuel Asante, Lucas Paulini, and Alex Lee all re-entered the team, and their impact was felt throughout the match.  New England loanee Matt Turner took over in goal, and performed well given he met his teammates for the first time on Friday. The remainder of the team stayed as it has been all season, providing some continuity for the coaching staff and the team.

The goal was truly the primary highlight of the game.  The run up to the goal began innocently enough with a Toronto defender knocking an Alex Lee cross out for a throw.  Instead of a long throw from Jason Yeisley, Lee took the throw and eventually found Yeisley in the penalty area.  He took a touch and turned, looking to cross into the center of the box.  Fortunately, it turns out, the ball deflected off a defender and sat up neatly for an onrushing Ownby.  He deftly volleyed the ball over the keeper and into the net for the lone goal of the game.  These are the connections that give Kickers fans so much optimism when talking about the attack, and seeing the Yeisley/Ownby duo produce a goal again will hopefully lead to a hot streak for the both of them.

Yeisley did nearly add a second goal early in the second half. After a pass from Luiz Fernando, Yeisley found himself with space on the right side of the penalty area.  His touch set him up well for a shot, and he beat Alex Bono, only to see the ball ricochet back off the left post.  Fernando and Ownby then connected later in the half, but the local product pushed his shot wide.

The defense should be commended for their performance in the game.  While Toronto might not be the strongest team in the league, they can still cause problems in the attack.  The quartet of Troyer, Yomby, Roberts, and Lee held TFC in check throughout, and while Matt Turner had to make five saves on the night, they were all of fairly routine variety and certainly didn’t cause any troublesome moments for the fans in the crowd.

Luiz Fernando is also growing into his role in the team.  The eighteen year old has either started or been a primary substitute in each game thus far, and his presence on the wing is becoming more pronounced.  I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get on the scoresheet soon, as he clearly likes to cut in onto his favored left foot and fire away.  He had a great opportunity at the tail end of the game, but unfortunately got under the ball and skied his shot.  It’s coming though, and don’t be surprised if things take off for the young Brazilian at that point.

Next week the Kickers meet the Wilmington Hammerheads once again, this time at City Stadium.  The teams played to a scoreless draw in their first meeting in April.  Wilmington currently sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-2-2 record.