USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers Suffer 3-2 Loss in Harrisburg

August 8, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


HARRISBURG, PA - The Richmond Kickers suffered a 3-2 loss to the Harrisburg City Islanders in the first leg of a back-to-back road trip Saturday night. Yann Ekra gave Harrisburg the first half advantage before Brett Jankouskas and Dante Leverock punctuated the decisive lead but the Kickers rallied back from the impossible deficit to avoid the shutout when Jason Yeisley converted a pair of penalty kicks late in the second half.

The Kickers nearly broke the ice in the 15th minute when Braeden Troyer fed a leading ball to Fred Owusu Sekyere deep on the right wing. Owusu floated a cross into the six yard box connecting with Yeisley but his header skimmed just over the crossbar.

Thirty seconds later, Sascha Görres settled the ball in the midfield and switched it to the far right touchline finding Luke Mishu who launched a long ball to the edge of the box. An onrushing Yeisley chested it down under pressure and fired a low shot to the left post but was denied by the upright.

Harrisburg drew a hotly contested foul in the 27th minute as Mishu collided with Jose Barrill resulting in a dangerously placed free kick inches from the box. Barill drilled a left footed shot to the near post and Kickers goalkeeper Ryan Taylor parried it against the frame but a lurking Ekra raced onto the rebound and buried the follow up with a nod from point blank range.

The City Islanders increased their lead 10 minutes after the break when a give and go between Barrill and Ekra squared the ball at the top of the box. Ekra played it back to Jankouskas who rocketed a shot from 35 yards out directly into the upper 90.

Four minutes later, Harrisburg struck again when they capitalized on their first corner kick of the night. Jason Plumhoff delivered the outswining corner into the crowded box and Leverock rose above the swarm to redirect a header just inside the right post.

The Kickers pulled within striking distance when Yeisley converted a pair of penalties late in the second half. First, Gorres served a long ball into the box, seeking out Yeisley who rounded the defense only to be taken down from behind. Later, he was the target once again when Jared Jeffrey picked him out of the fray with a lobbed cross, but was sandwiched between two defenders. Each time, he calmly stepped up to the spot and slotted a low, driven shot into the far left corner.

With a reenergized offense, the Kickers pressed for the equalizer but could not overcome the early deficit. The grueling road trip continues north in less than 24 hours as the Kickers take on the league-leading Rochester Rhinos on Sunday, August 9.

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