Kickers Suffer 1-0 Loss to Orlando in Regular Season Finale
September 6, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
ORLANDO, FL - The Richmond Kickers concluded the 2014 USL PRO Regular Season with a 1-0 loss in Orlando Saturday night as a first half goal by Kevin Molino was enough to edge the road weary visitors.
Orlando claimed the advantage in the 23rd minute and never looked back when Valdmiro Lameira intercepted the ball in the midfield and fed it through to Guiseppe Gentile stationed at the top of the 18. The midfielder slotted a square pass to Luke Boden on the left edge of the box, where he stood up his mark and sliced a right footed cross to the penalty area. With his back to goal, Molino redirected the ball with a flicked header that curled just inside the far post to give the home side a first half lead.
The Kickers nearly leveled the score two minutes later when defender Stephen Basso played a leading ball to Shay Spitz at the right touchline. Charging into the box, Spitz challenged the Orlando defense to clear a determined cross for a corner. George Davis IV teed up the resulting inswinger and sought an unmarked Hugh Roberts lurking at the top of the six yard box but Orlando goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski read his header and denied the point-blank nod to leave the Kickers chasing the lead into the break.
Ten minutes after the second half restart, Orlando defender Bryan Burke seized the ball deep in his own territory and slotted a pass to Molino who surveyed the midfield before playing a diagonal ball to a streaking Gentile. Racing towards the box, he challenged Taylor 1v1 before ripping a shot that the Kickers diving keeper rebuffed with a smothering save at the top of the box.
Later, second half substitute Corey Hertzog stripped the ball and centered it for an onrushing Brian Span on the right wing. Span unleashed a powerful shot from distance that seemed destined for the left post but Taylor came up big once again to parry the ball past the upright.
With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, the Kickers pressed for the equalizer when defender Conor Shanosky trotted through the midfield and fed the ball wide to Alex Lee on the right touchline. Eluding his defender, Lee earned a corner that set Spitz up for a well-placed inswinger into a swarming box. Forward Jason Yeisley's flick on header fell to Nate Robinson at the right post but Woszczynski blocked his close range shot. The rebound fell to Yomby at the top of the box who blasted a follow up shot back to the post but Woszczynski spoiled the late-game attempt once again.
Then, in a last gasp effort to steal a point from the regular season champions, Yomby cut through the midfield and served the ball wide to Lee. The defender cut inside and lofted a perfectly placed cross to Yeisley at the penalty spot but his one-time volley skied over the target.
The late game surge continued into stoppage time but the Kickers could not overcome the early deficit to close out the 2014 regular season. The Kickers return to City Stadium on Saturday, September 13 to kick off postseason play with a Quarterfinal match-up at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 6, 2014
- Lions Defeat Richmond 1-0 in Final Regular Season Match - Orlando City SC
- Kickers Suffer 1-0 Loss to Orlando in Regular Season Finale - Richmond Kickers
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- LA Galaxy II Face Sacramento Republic FC on the Road - LA Galaxy II
- Rhinos Playoff Push Comes Down to Last Match - Rochester Rhinos
- Orange County Blues FC Face OKC Energy FC in Season Finael Saturday - Orange County SC
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