Kickers Rally for 2-2 Draw in Phoenix
Published on July 20, 2013 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
PHOENIX, AZ - Kicking off their three-game west coast road swing in dramatic fashion, the Richmond Kickers rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit as they remained undefeated through 18 games with a 2-2 draw against Phoenix FC at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. Tommy Ramos scored twice in the first half to put the Wolves on top, but second half goals by William Yomby and Shane Johnson, in stoppage time, preserved the Kickers undefeated season and moved them within a point of Orlando City, with a game in hand, at the top of the standings.
End-to-end action saw the Wolves take an early lead as Netinho served a long ball out of their own half. A missed clearance was stolen by Ramos who weaved between Kickers defenders before colliding with goalkeeper Ryan Jones as he buried the ball in the back of the net in the 22nd minute.
Jones sustained a serious injury on the play, forcing a goalkeeper change on the fly before Ramos headed home his second goal of the night when midfielder Cam Vickers picked him out with a well-placed cross just before halftime.
Soon after the restart, the Kickers nearly cut the deficit when forward Jason Yeisley, stationed at the back post, buried a rebound from point blank range but during the commotion, a Kickers foul annulled the much-needed goal in the 54th minute.
Pressing forward, the Kickers were not to be denied 10 minutes later when a service into the box found Conor Shanosky. The defender, on loan from D.C. United, headed the ball into the path of Yomby who poked it over the line from five yards to put the visitors back in the game.
With the final whistle looming, the Kickers saw their chance to level the score disallowed when Philippe Davies played Yomby into the box before ruling the Kickers' defender offside.
Rising above insurmountable odds, the Kickers kept their record-breaking unbeaten streak alive when defender Sascha G̮̦rres whipped an inswinging corner into the crowded box. The ball pinged around several players before falling to Johnson who steamrolled through traffic and buried the equalizer to steal a point from Sun Devil Stadium.
The Richmond Kickers continue westward to take on the Los Angeles Blues on Sunday, July 21. Originally slated for 4:00 p.m., kickoff has been changed to 5:00 p.m., live from Cal State Fullerton Stadium on USLnation.com.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 20, 2013
- Alexandre Scores Brace, Lions Grab 3-1 Win over Harrisburg - Orlando City SC
- Eagles and Dutch Lions End in Scoreless Draw - Charlotte Eagles
- Kickers Rally for 2-2 Draw in Phoenix - Richmond Kickers
- Wolves lose lead, but pick up point from draw with Richmond Kickers - Phoenix FC
- Dayton Dutch Lions Women Fall to Carolina Elite Cobras in Southeastern Conference Final - Dayton Dutch Lions
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