Richmond Renews Rivalry, Hosts Charleston Battery for USL Cup Clash
USL1 Richmond Kickers

Richmond Renews Rivalry, Hosts Charleston Battery for USL Cup Clash

Published on May 14, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers host long time regional rival Charleston Battery in Prinx Tires USL Cup action at City Stadium on Saturday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. EST. Get your tickets today at richmondkickers.com/tickets and follow all of the action live @richmondkickers on Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter).

Last Time Out

Richmond earned a thrilling 3-0 victory over USL League One foe Greenville Triumph SC on Saturday at Historic Riggs Field.The victory marked Richmond's third straight in USL1 league play.

Mujeeb Murana opened the scoring in the 32nd minute sending a long-range shot into the bottom left corner, giving Richmond the initial 1-0 advantage.

Pannholzer chipped it over the goalkeeper to double the Richmond advantage in the 70th minute, 2-0.

O'Malley delivered a cross into the box, and Landon Johnson redirected it into the net in the 79th minute, 3-0.

Yann Fillion recorded his second consecutive clean sheet in USL1 regular season play.

Series History

Richmond currently holds a 27-28-9 record against Charleston Battery all-time.

The two clubs last faced each other on July 28, 2018, with Charleston claiming a 3-0 win at MUSC Health Stadium

Both clubs were founding members of the modern United Soccer League and competed in the USL Championship from 2011-2018, when Richmond joined the inaugural USL League One season in 2019.

From 2011-2018 the Kickers held a 7-10-5 against the Battery.

Back to 93 ‚¬Â²

Saturday's matchup features the two oldest continuously operating professional soccer clubs in the United States, with both Richmond and Charleston playing their inaugural match in 1993 and in the midst of their 34th season overall.

The Richmond Kickers played their inaugural match on Friday, April 30, 1993 vs. Columbia Spirit, falling 3-2 in overtime.

Charleston Battery played their first league match just one day later on Saturday, May 1, 1993, defeating the Kickers 2-1 in South Carolina.

The Kickers would claim a 2-0 victory over Charleston later that season on July 24, 1993 in the USISL Playoffs

Numbers to Know

2: Two members of the Richmond Kickers, midfielder Nils Seufert and defender Mujeeb Murana, were named to the USL1 Team of the Week on May 12, 2026.

3: Richmond comes into Saturday's matchup off its third consecutive USL1 vicotry.

3: Josh Kirkland and Tarik Pannholzer sit tied with a team leading three goals across all competitions this season.

12: Saturday marks Richmond's 12th match of the season and second in the USL Cup

26: Yann Fillion ranks first in USL1 in saves (26) and third in save percentage (78.79%)

34: 2026 marks the Kickers 34th continuously operating season.

63: Head Coach Darren Sawatzky earned his 63rd USL1 victory on Friday, May 1 becoming the winningest coach in League One's history, passing former Greenville Head Coach John Harkes.

Kickers Release Crossing Kit

As their 34th consecutive season begins, the Richmond Kickers reveal the Crossing Kit - a classic silhouette crafted to honor a uniquely Richmond landmark.The Kickers will debut their 2026 primary kit at AV Alta in the 2026 USL League One season opener.

The Kickers will debut the club's 2026 primary kit on March 7 at AV Alta, in the 2026 USL League One season opener.

The kit is inspired by Richmond's Triple Crossing - one of only two places in the United States where three railroads intersect - is a significant piece of industrial architecture that stands as a powerful symbol of the city's enduring connection to the railways that helped shape its growth.

The design incorporates a tonal triangular pattern subtly layering depth into the fabric, while referencing the intersecting geometry of the railway.

The Crossing Kit is available in long-sleeve and offers supporters additional ways to style the kit on and off the pitch.

Kickers Unveil Give Me Liberty Kit

The Richmond Kickers unveiled their Give Me Liberty Kit on February 11, 2026 - a design inspired by one of the most historic moments in the City of Richmond and one that sparked the American Revolution.

At the heart of the 2026 secondary kit's narrative is Patrick Henry's legendary speech, delivered at the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond's historic Church Hill neighborhood. Widely regarded as a catalyst for the American Revolution, the speech's most infamous line - "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" - is featured in a custom jocktag, anchoring the kit in one of the most pivotal moments in American history.

The kit features dark blue-on-blue vertical stripes, contrasted by the Kickers' primary red at the collar and cuffs. The complete text of Henry's enduring words are integrated subtly into the vertical stripes across the full body of the kit.

The kit was designed by Alex Kocher of Easy Friday Co., marking the third year of partnership between the club and the agency. Easy Friday Co. led the Kickers' rebrand that launched in 2025 and the 2026 primary kit.

The Kickers return to the road, facing Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at CHI Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on CBS 6.3 and ESPN+ with live updates and links available at richmondkickers.com or @RichmondKickers on X (Twitter).

Check out the Richmond Kickers Statistics

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United Soccer League One Stories from May 14, 2026


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