Kickers face Hammerheads back-to-back
June 28, 2006 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
RICHMOND, VA - (Wednesday, June 28, 2006) - At the top of the USL Second Division table, the Richmond Kickers (8-1-2, 26 points) will host the Wilmington Hammerheads (2-5-4, 10 points) this Friday, June 30th at 7:00 p.m. at the University of Richmond Stadium. Download free youth tickets via RichmondKickers.com courtesy of Modern Woodmen of America, and the first 1,000 fans through the gate receive a new 2006 team Richmond Kickers team poster. The two teams will swap home field advantage, traveling to Wilmington on Saturday to play back-to-back matches for a home-and-home series.
Collecting six points on two road wins this past weekend, the Kickers increased their lead in the USL Second Division with a 4-2 victory over the New Hampshire Phantoms and a 2-0 shutout over the Western Mass Pioneers. The Hammerheads' trip to Richmond concludes a six-game road stand for Wilmington, who most recently dropped a 3-0 decision to Cincinnati last week.
Players To Watch
Kickers: Forward Robert Ssejjemba (#14) earned USL2 Player of the Week honors for the second time this season on three goals in the Kickers pair of road wins last week. Leading the team and the league with 22 points, Ssejjemba recorded two goals in the 4-2 win in New Hampshire and netted his 10th goal in the 2-0 win in Western Mass after entering the game as a 64th minute substitute. Midfielder Mike Burke (#19) was named to the Team of the Week for registering two goals over New Hampshire. Currently, Burke is second on the team and in the league in scoring with five goals and four assists for 14 points. Forward Cristian Neagu (#10) was responsible for the game-winner over the Pioneers after tallying his third goal of the season while goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale (#22) posted his sixth shutout, improving his goals against average to 0.77.
Hammerheads: Former New England Revolution forward Chris Bagley (#33) leads the Hammerheads with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Derek Popovich (#20) was a USL2 All-League First Team midfielder in 2005 and has tallied a goal and an assist for the Hammerheads during the 2006 campaign while midfielder Kenny Bundy (#9) currently has two goals for Wilmington after finishing the 2005 season tied for second in the league with six assists. Goalkeeper Bart Creasman (#1) made four appearances with the Richmond Kickers Future during the 2003 season and is currently second in the league with 50 saves for the Hammerheads and fifth in the league with two shutouts.
US Open Cup Second Round
The Kickers travel to Greensboro, NC tonight, Wednesday, June 28th, for the US Open Cup Second Round match-up against one of the Premier Development League's top teams, the Carolina Dynamo. The winner will advance to the Third Round to host the defending USL First Division Champion Seattle Sounders on Wednesday, July 12th.
Undefeated in the regular season (10-0-1), the Dynamo ousted the Cape Cod Crusaders in the First Round, 4-3, after postponing the match due to severe weather. Leading the PDL in scoring with 30 goals, the Dynamo features three players in the top 20 PDL points leaders table.
The Kickers first six regular season games (April 22nd through May 27th) doubled as U.S. Open Cup qualifiers. The top six of the nine teams in the USL Second Division, including defending league champion Charlotte Eagles, qualified for Cup play based on point percentage from regular season games played through May 28th. The Richmond Kickers (.72), New Hampshire Phantoms (.58) and Cincinnati Kings (.56) join the Eagles in the Second Round on Wednesday, June 28th (opponent and site to be determined), along with First Division sides Charleston Battery, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder and Virginia Beach Mariners, based on last year's standings.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 28, 2006
- Charlotte knocked out of Open Cup by Wilmington, 3-1 - Charlotte Eagles
- Cincinnati Kings fall in U.S. Open Cup match - Cincinnati Kings
- Charlotte Eagles Sign Ukrainian Forward Andriy Budnyy - Charlotte Eagles
- Kickers face Hammerheads back-to-back - Richmond Kickers
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