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Richmond Kickers

Kickers Suffer 2-1 Loss to Toronto FC II

August 15, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Richmond Kickers suffered a 2-1 loss to Toronto FC II on the road Saturday afternoon. The Kickers claimed a second half advantage when Yudai Imura nodded home his first professional goal but Toronto's Molham Babouli equalized before last-gasp heroics by Massimo Mirabelli lifted the home side to victory.

Despite the late-game dramatics, the first half remained scoreless as just past the 10 minute mark, Kickers midfielder Michael Callahan drew a foul deep in Richmond territory. Goalkeeper Travis Worra launched the resulting free kick to the opposite end where Matthew Delicate nodded it down for Fred Owusu Sekyere who served a cross into the box before it was cleared over the endline. Sascha Görres teed up the subsequent corner kick with his left footed inswinger connecting with Hugh Roberts at the top of the six yard box but his header pinged against the crossbar before being swept away by Toronto goalkeeper Quillen Roberts.

Later, Worra was called upon twice in a span of five minutes when a heavily marked Mark-Anthony Kaye eluded his defender and broke free on the left wing. His lofted cross to the near post was met by an onrushing Jay Chapman but Worra leapt to his left to parry it from harm's way.

Chapman was denied again minutes later when Sal Bernal cut through traffic and fed a leading ball to Jordan Hamilton who burst through the defense but his shot bounced just wide. Chasing it down, he kept the ball in play before serving it back to Chapman who danced along the top of the six yard box before Worra charged off his line with a sliding save.

With the halftime whistle looming near, Owusu played a free kick wide to Imura on the right edge of the box. The Kickers midfielder sliced a cross to the far post finding Jason Yeisley who rose above his mark only to be bumped from behind to send his header just wide.

Ten minutes into the second half, the Kickers broke the ice when Imura was knocked off the ball in the midfield but Callahan picked it up and played a lateral pass to Görres who switched it to Braeden Troyer on the right wing. Troyer fed a leading ball up the touchline to Owusu who floated a cross to the penalty spot, meeting Imura in the air to tuck his nod into the upper 90.

Toronto leveled the score 20 minutes later when defender Wesley Charpie latched onto a long ball on the right side and drifted a cross to the far post. The ball took a big bounce directly in front of the upright and Babouli was there to bury the rebound.

Then, when the match seemed destined to end in a draw, second half substitutes Manny Aparicio and Mirabelli combined for the stoppage time game-winner to steal all three points.

The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium on Saturday, August 22 to host Saint Louis FC and Family Fest, presented by Movin' Mania and Bounce 2 The Moon. Admission is just $20 for the whole family before 6:30 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 15, 2015


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