Kickers Win Penalty Shootout Over Tormenta in USL Jägermeister Cup Round 7

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Richmond Kickers

Kickers Win Penalty Shootout Over Tormenta in USL Jägermeister Cup Round 7

August 10, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release


Richmond Kickers' Ryan Shellow on game night
Richmond Kickers' Ryan Shellow on game night
(Richmond Kickers)

RICHMOND, Va. - - The Richmond Kickers (1-3-3, 3-0, 9 pts) won a penalty shootout 6-5 over South Georgia Tormenta FC (0-3-4, 2-2, 6 pts), Saturday night after the Kickers earned a comeback 1-1 draw in regulation in Round 7 of the USL Jägermeister Cup.

Down 4-3 in the penalty shootout after a missed attempt for the Kickers, goalkeeper Ryan Shellow went to work. Tormenta's Jackson Khoury placed his shot to the left and Shellow dove to get both hands on the shot and confidently make the save.

Adrian Billhardt and Tormenta's Tavio D'Almeida traded goals before Justin Sukow made his to level the score at 5-5. On Tormenta's next attempt Daniel Steedman went to the right with a low and quick shot, and, again, Shellow confidently stopped the shot with both hands.

With the penalty shootout in sudden death, and the Kickers in the driver's seat, Ryan Sierakowski used a stutter step to send Tormenta's goalkeeper Drew Romig the wrong way before blasting his penalty into the left-side netting to give Richmond the shootout win.

The first 90 minutes of the match proved to be a typical matchup between Richmond and South Georgia: fast and physical.

Nil Vinyals received the ball in the ninth minute and dribbled up the sideline before getting trapped against the sideline. The midfielder broke away from the two defenders with skillful dribbling before getting caught up at the top right corner of the box and drawing a foul. His free kick swung right onto the head of Emiliano Terzaghi but the flick-on was caught late and went off target.

In his first start of the season, Landon Johnson won the ball in the 13th minute before sending Chandler O'Dwyer in on the run to earn another free kick. Vinyals took it and found Sukow at the far post who crossed it in but ultimately it was cleared. Tormenta would force a corner in response a minute later, but with a ball swinging in, newly-minted pro Griffin Garnett kept his marker from making contact.

In the 21st minute, a ball in from Johnson to O'Dwyer just inside the top of the box found Zaca Moran and then Terzaghi. The forward received the ball at the top of the box in the center, and with his back to goal, dribbled away from three defenders. He then ripped a low shot that curled across the grass, beating the keeper but going just wide of the far post.

In the 24th minute, Terzaghi received the ball on the edge of the final third. The forward chipped the ball to Sukow who was making a run up the middle and peeling away from his defensive marker. The midfielder deftly chested the ball down before catching the ball on the half-volley which rocketed on target. Romig got his hand to the ball but it had too much pace and deflected into the net anyway.

The game's tempo continued to stay high-energy, but the scoreline stayed locked throughout the rest of the match. In the 77th minute, the Kickers nearly found their go-ahead.

Billhardt sent in a corner to the six-yard box which forced a punchout from Romig but the clearance popped into the air, hovering in the danger area. Nathan Aune collected the ball and fired a shot with Romig out of position, but Tormenta was able to clear the potential game-winner off of the goalline at the last second.

Terzaghi forced a turnover in the 81st, picking a defender's pocket and sending the ball forward. João Gomeiro ran on it and was able to get a low-driven shot off which headed for inside the near post but Romig got there in time.

The penalty shootout win marked the third for the Kickers who have been nearly perfect from the spot, scoring 16 of their possible 17 penalties. They previously won 5-3 at Greenville Triumph SC in the first-ever round of the cup, before winning 5-4 at Charlotte back in June.

The Kickers will travel to Greenville and Omaha for the next two weeks before returning to City Stadium on Thursday, August 29 to host Spokane Velocity in Round 8 of the USL Jägermeister Cup. Kickoff for the match is set for 7:00 p.m.

Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Richmond Kickers' Ryan Shellow on game night
Richmond Kickers' Ryan Shellow on game night
   

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