USL Richmond Kickers

Richmond and La Galaxy II Draw 1-1

September 2, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release


LOS ANGELES, CA - The Richmond Kickers battled the LA Galaxy II to a 1-1 draw on the road Monday night. After conceding a penalty kick late in the first half, the Kickers rallied when William Yomby leveled the score to steal a point from the StubHub Center.

The Galaxy tested Kickers goalkeeper Ryan Taylor inside the first five minutes when midfielder Jose Villarreal teamed up with Chandler Hoffman for a give and go that freed him at the top of the box. Kickers midfielder Luke Vercollone read his slicing cross and cleared it out but Jaime Villarreal kept it alive and squared the ball to Rafael Garcia who switched it across to Bradford Jamieson. The determined midfielder eluded his mark at the left edge of the box and fired a right footed rocket to the far post but Taylor leapt to his left to wrap the ball around the upright.

A defensive battle ensued before giving way to the Kickers first chance of the night 20 minutes later when midfielder Samuel Asante drew a foul 30 yards out. Shay Spitz lofted the resulting free kick to the penalty area but an unfortunate bounce thwarted an unmarked Jason Yeisley as the ball popped over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Spitz was awarded another free kick for the visitors after being sandwiched between defenders. This time, Nate Robinson teed it up from the right side and launched an outswinger to the back post. A missed clearance fell to a lurking Yomby who blasted a follow up shot from point blank range. Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Perk bobbled the ball as Yeisley prowled at the goal line but recovered before the Kickers forward could tap in the rebound.

With the halftime whistle looming near, the Galaxy claimed the advantage when Jason Bli intercepted the ball in the midfield and charged into the box before drawing a foul near the endline and earning a penalty. Taylor read his shooter correctly and dove to his left but could not deny Hoffman who tucked a low left footed shot inches from his outstretched fingertips and just inside the right post.

The home side nearly doubled their lead four minutes after the break when Jamieson danced around his defender and blasted a shot from the top of the box but the Kickers were saved by the woodwork as the rocket rattled the left post.

Just past the hour mark, a Matheau Hall throw in found Yeisley on the right flank. Fighting for control deep into the box, he shielded his defender, turned and fired from a difficult angle but his shot was deflected over the endline. Spitz served the subsequent inswinging corner into a swarming box and connected with Yomby who outjumped his man with his back to goal to nod home the equalizer.

With 10 minutes to spare and hungry for more, the Kickers regained possession in the midfield when Spitz raced past defenders and fed the ball wide to Vercollone on the left flank. The Kickers midfielder played the ball back to Robinson who attempted a shot from distance that was cleared out, only to ricochet back to the penalty area where an onrushing Spitz latched onto the loose ball at the top of the 18 but Perk smothered his effort.

In a last gasp effort to steal all three points, second half substitute Joe Franco squared a pass to Jose Villarreal at the top of the box. Posting up his defender, he turned and fired a determined shot to the left post but Taylor came up big one last time to parry the ball from harm's away to preserve the draw.

The Kickers conclude the 2014 USL PRO regular season on the road with a rematch against Orlando City on September 6 before kicking off postseason play at City Stadium with a Quarterfinal match-up on Saturday, September 13. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 2, 2014


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