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USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers Battle Wilmington to Scoreless Draw

April 1, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


WILMINGTON, NC - The Richmond Kickers battled the Wilmington Hammerheads to a scoreless draw Friday night to collect a point on the road from Legion Stadium.

The match was slow to build inside the first half hour until Kickers defender Alex Lee cleared a Wilmington corner kick before turning into an offensive force, laying the ball off for Yudai Imura only to see his resulting shot sail just wide. Wilmington responded minutes later when midfielder Mael Corboz picked out Justin Moose but was denied by Kickers goalkeeper Ryan Taylor.

Lee was instrumental again just before the break when he collected the ball in Hammerheads territory and raced to the left edge of the box before playing a square pass to Luiz Fernando at the far post. Heavily marked, the Brazilian striker turned his defender and rattled the left post with a curling left-footed shot from point blank range.

After the second half restart, Taylor was called upon again when the Hammerheads threatened around the hour mark but the Kickers retaliated when Braeden Troyer got on the end of a long Jason Yeisley throw in but his half volley to the far upper 90 glanced just wide.

Three minutes later, Imura floated a free kick from 25 yards out into a swarming box, and picked out Hugh Roberts in the air at the top of the six but the defender's nod on target was stifled by a leaping John Smits.

Then, second half substitute Fred Owusu Sekyere collected a through ball in the midfield and played Samuel Asante wide on the right flank. Asante laid the ball off to Lee who rounded the defense and whipped an outswininger into the box from the touchline, connecting with Yeisley at the penalty spot but his blistering header whistled just wide.

The Hammerheads nearly conceded their clean sheet in the 71st minute when Imura played a leading ball to Troyer racing down the left channel. Troyer switched the ball back to the far side of the box where Lucas Paulini headed it back into the mix, finding Yeisley at the top of the six yard box but Smits threw himself into the line of fire to smother the effort.

With five minutes remaining in regulation, Smits launched a long ball into the Kickers half where Hammerheads midfielder Qudus Lawal battled for possession in the air before drawing a foul in scoring position. Corboz teed up the subsequent free kick but his lofted ball floated harmlessly past the left post to preserve the stalemate.

The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium to host the I Heart Carytown Craft Beer Festival, presented by Bon Secours Sports Medicine, on Saturday, April 9. Celebrating RVA's most iconic shopping district, the party starts at 3:00 p.m. with live music by Hollywood Cemetery, a mini-Carytown marketplace featuring locally-owned restaurants, food trucks and handcrafted items from Carytown boutiques, 20+ craft beers on tap and the Kickers pro game versus Rochester at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.

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