USL Richmond Kickers

Kickers Travel to Charleston Saturday for Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

September 24, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, September 24, 2015) - The 2015 USL Playoffs begin this Saturday, September 26 when the No. 6 seed Richmond Kickers travel to No. 3 seed Charleston Battery in an Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match-up. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. and the match will be broadcast live from MUSC Health Stadium on YouTube.com/RichmondKickers.

The Kickers concluded the 2015 regular season with a 10-7-11 record and 41 points after edging Toronto FC II, 2-1, last week in the regular season finale at City Stadium but required help to solidify their place in the postseason. The Kickers needed one of two results to pan out in either the Keystone Derby or the Charlotte Independence's match against the Charleston Battery (12-6-10, 46 points). It turned out that the latter matchup was key as Charlotte (10-8-10, 40 points) fell short of a playoff berth with a 3-1 loss to Charleston to set up the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match for the Kickers at MUSC Health Stadium.

Rivals for over two decades, Saturday's match marks the 56th meeting between the Kickers and the Battery with the Kickers holding a slight advantage on the 24-23-8 all-time series record. The two clubs last met in the postseason when the Kickers claimed a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory in the Quarterfinals of the 2014 USL Playoffs. Forward Matthew Delicate's first touch of the game proved to be decisive, as the Kickers' leading scorer buried the game-winner in the 117th minute, moments after being brought on as a substitute. Collin Martin gave Richmond the lead 11 minutes in, but Battery forward Dane Kelly responded in the second half as the game ended level after regulation, requiring late game heroics to avoid penalties.

This season, the Battery led the three-game series against the Kickers with one win and two draws. The last meeting between the two clubs on August 29 sparked a four-game unbeaten streak for Charleston who closed out the regular season with a 3-0-1 record to climb to a third place finish in the Eastern Conference. In a match marred by missed chances, the Kickers outshot their longtime rivals 13-5 but could not recover from a pair of first half goals when Justin Portillo converted a penalty and Zach Prince quickly added a second just past the half hour mark at City Stadium.

Earlier in the season, the longtime rivals exchanged home and home draws with the Kickers salvaging points with equalizers on both occasions. The Kickers last traveled to MUSC Health Stadium in June when they rallied for a 1-1 tie. Conceding an early goal to Battery midfielder Ricky Garbanzo, the Kickers rallied for the equalizer just before the break, courtesy of Samuel Asante, to escape Charleston with a point on the road.

Previously, the two clubs played to a 2-2 draw at City Stadium in May. Midfielder Brian Ownby gave the Kickers a first half lead but the Battery responded with two quick goals by Prince and Garbanzo after the break, forcing Delicate into action to tally the late equalizer.

Despite combining for seven league Championship titles (Charleston 1996, 2003, 2010, 2012; Richmond 1995, 2006, 2009), the two sides have only met in one title match, when the Battery claimed their third league crown in a heated 2-1 affair on August 28, 2010.

The winner of Saturday's match will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to battle No. 2 seed Louisville City FC on Saturday, October 3.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 24, 2015


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