Sports stats



USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers Home Opener Saturday

April 1, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, VA - (Tuesday, April 1, 2014) - The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium this Saturday, April 5 when they host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the 2014 regular season home opener at 5:00 p.m. The enhanced game day experience, presented by Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., begins when the gates open at 4:00 p.m. with live music from Aquafuture, Family Zone, food trucks, draft beer trucks, corporate entertainment and fun for families and soccer fans alike. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.

The defending USL PRO Regular Season Champions opened the 2014 campaign on the road last weekend with a 2-2 draw in Charleston. End to end action saw newly acquired midfielder George Davis IV score on either side of Battery goals as the Kickers head into Saturday's home opener against Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh opened the 2014 season with a 1-1 draw on the road against the defending USL PRO Champions Orlando City behind a goal from last year's MVP Jose Angulo. Sweeping changes during the offseason saw the Riverhounds become the official USL PRO affiliate of Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo and sign the Kickers 2013 leading scorer and MLS veteran, Joseph Ngwenya.

The Kickers and the Riverhounds drew even twice in 2013, opening and closing the regular season with the two-game home and home series. Overall, the Kickers hold a 14-8-7 record over the Riverhounds, with the rivalry dating back to 1999 when the two franchises competed in the USL First Division. Following Saturday's match-up, the two clubs meet twice more with the Kickers hosting on April 19 before closing out the series on the road on June 22.

Loveland Distributing will once again be the official sponsor of the outdoor bar area at City Stadium, located on the south side of the main concourse. The expansive area serves as a unique, gathering place for fans before and during games, offering a variety of food and beverage options, including the Kickers-specific craft beer, Kick It Hunny, and live music.

Players to Watch

Kickers: The USL PRO All-League Second Team nominee George Davis IV (#11) signed with the Kickers prior to the 2014 season after spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Orange County Blues where he made 36 appearances, notching seven goals and one assist. The USL PRO Player of the Week made an immediate impact with Richmond, opening the Kickers 2014 campaign with a pair of goals on the road against the Charleston Battery. Goalkeeper Joe Willis (#31) joined the Kickers on loan from the club's official MLS partner, D.C. United, making his Kickers' debut in last week's 2-2 draw in Charleston. Over the past three seasons, Willis has made 23 appearances with D.C. United, starting 22, posting six wins and four shutouts. Nineteen-year old midfielder and D.C. United Academy product Collin Martin (#14) returns to Richmond on loan from D.C. United after making one appearance with the Kickers in 2013. The D.C. homegrown player teamed up with Davis to offer a pair of assists in the Kickers season opener in Charleston, earning a USL PRO Team of the Week nod.

Riverhounds: Last season's USL PRO Most Valuable Player, Jose Angulo (#18), returns to Pittsburgh after a standout season in 2013 when he led the league with 34 points on 15 goals and four assists. He has picked up where he left off, notching the Riverhounds lone goal in the 1-1 draw in Orlando last weekend. The Riverhounds' marquee signing of 2014 is former Kickers midfielder Joseph Ngwenya (#13). The USL PRO All-League First Team honoree and MVP Finalist led the Kickers with 11 goals and six assists last season after spending eight seasons in MLS. Forward Jason Johnson (#7) adds firepower on loan from Pittsburgh's MLS affiliate, Houston Dynamo. In his second season with the Dynamo, Johnson was the number 13 overall selection in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft out of Virginia Commonwealth University. A member of Generation adidas, the Jamaican national team player appeared in 13 regular season games with Houston and scored one goal during his rookie season.

2014 Richmond Kickers Season Passes

Richmond Kickers season passes offer unbeatable value, VIP benefits and incredibly low prices to all regular season home games. Guaranteed to see all regular season home games for the best possible pricing, Kickers games are a fantastic way to get together with friends, family and colleagues for an unforgettable entertainment experience - order now!

Check out the Richmond Kickers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 1, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central