USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers storm palace 5-0

Published on August 9, 2008 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Kickers avenged an earlier season loss to Crystal Palace Baltimore tonight with a 5-0 romp to conclude the regular season. Forward David Bulow notched two goals and added an assist while Mike Burke recorded a goal and an assist. Midfielder Ralph Pace bolstered the scoreline when he converted a late penalty kick while Adrian Bumbut solidified the victory seconds later. The Kickers finished the season tied for first in the league, alongside the Charlotte Eagles, who take the regular season title's tiebreaker. Receiving a bye to the USL-2 Semifinals, the Kickers return to the University of Richmond Stadium next Saturday, August 16th at 7:00 pm.

The Richmond Kickers took an early lead with a 6th minute tally to open the match. After a quick restart, midfielder Mike Burke curled a free kick from deep on the left wing to Bulow, positioned inside the six-yard box. At the near post, Bulow headed the ball into the back of the net.

Bulow nearly doubled the score 10 minutes later but goalkeeper Zach Thompson pushed it wide for a corner. Minutes later, Kickers midfielder Sascha Görres stole the ball in midfield and played it wide to Bulow on the right wing. Bulow carried it down the field and slipped it back to Görres, just outside the box. His low, left-footed strike sliced through the defense but slid inches from the left post.

Not to be denied again in the 29th minute, Bulow registered his second goal of the night after a scuffle inside the box. Bulow headed the ball on goal as Thompson came off his line to slow the ball's momentum. As Kickers defender Trevor McEachron and a Palace defender battled to gain control of the ball, it rebounded back out to Bulow at close range. With his back to the goal, Bulow back-heeled the ball over the goal line.

Bumbut looked dangerous on either side of the half, watching two close calls narrowly miss the target. First, in the 43rd minute, he beat a Palace defender to the ball and motored to the center of the box. Driving a determined shot on target, he came up short when Thompson tipped the ball over the crossbar at the last second. Eight minutes after the restart, Bumbut fired again, this time dodging defenders and unleashing a shot from just inside the box, again redirected wide by Thompson.

Looking to get on the board in the 55th minute, a Palace throw-in from the right side found a well-positioned Matthew Mbuta inside the six-yard box. Mbuta chested the ball into the air and bicycled it high and over the crossbar.

Not long after, Bulow and Burke connected in the 58th minute for the third goal of the night. Bulow won the ball at midfield and eluded a defender as he fed the ball through to an onrushing Burke. One on one with Thompson, he buried his shot from 12 yards into the far right corner of the net.

Palace attempted to get on the board in the 79th minute when Shintaro Harada played the ball up to a streaking Matthew Mbuta. The forward chipped the ball over Kickers goalkeeper Mark Murphy as he came out to challenge the play, but the ball bounced just wide and into the side netting.

As the minutes until full-time ticked down, Palace forward Sergio Flores received a cross from the left side and attempted a dangerous header from point-blank range. Murphy came up big with a save to preserve his first clean sheet of his professional career.

In the final minute of regulation, Pace drew a foul inside the box. Lining up the resulting penalty kick, Pace quickly ran onto the ball and fired directly down the center of the goal as Thompson dove right for his first professional goal.

Within seconds, the Kickers added their fifth and final goal of the night. Midfielder Ben Hunter slipped the ball through the defense to a sprinting Bumbut on the left side of the box. With a low, left-footed strike, he delivered the ball inside the far post.

The Kickers concluded the 2008 regular season with a 14-4-2 record and 44 points and a bye to the USL-2 Semifinals next Saturday, August 16th. The Kickers will likely host the winner of the Cleveland City Stars vs. Western Mass Pioneers match, to be determined in the First Round match on Wednesday, August 13th. The winner will travel to face the Kickers at the University of Richmond Stadium at 7:00 pm.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 9, 2008


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