Tonight soccer fans were treated to a US Open Cup soccer double header. The Kickers take on the Connecticut Wolves in the 6 o'clock opening game followed by DC United of the MLS against the Hershey Wildcats. The Kickers Mike Burke has colored his hair a pinkish shade of red in celebration of the third round game.
The first bit of excitement of the game comes by way of Temoc Suarez in the forth minute when he briefly gets behind the Richmond defense. Chris Brown quickly recovers to dispossess him of the ball. Minutes later Kevin Jeffrey takes a pass up the middle, splitting two defenders but is unable to get off a good shot off. Ball goes wide to the right. At this point the kickers were beginning to take control of the game.
In the 7th minute Marco Ferruzzi tees off on a corner kick from Tony Williams from 25+ yards out. Marco buries the shot into the back of the net for an early Richmond lead. Richmond continues to attack in the Connecticut end of the field as Ferruzzi puts a short pass on the foot of Jeffrey at the top of the box in the 17th minute. Jeffrey sends a good shot to the lower right hand corner of the goal. The Connecticut goalie stretches for all he's worth and is able to get a hand on the ball to deflect it wide over the end line.
The play of the Wolves' Temoc Suarez has provided what little offense Connecticut has shown in the first 30 minutes of the game. The Wolves have been able to make a game of it in the last 5 minutes and are able to mount some pressure on the Richmond defense. The pressure pays off in the 38th minute when Connecticut forward Winston Griffiths bangs a shot off the left post from the right corner of the Penalty box to tie the score at 1-1. The Richmond goalie never moved on the shot which did not seem to be struck with that much pace.
The second half starts out with neither team gaining an advantage. Jeffrey is able to get in deep on the left side in the 58th minute. He puts a cross into the 6yd box but the onrushing Josh Henderson is unable to get a foot on the ball. Several minutes later Jeffrey battles with the goalie for a long pass and is able to gain a corner kick. The Kickers are in firm control of the game with Connecticut rarely able to penetrate much past the 18-yard box.
Mike Burke, on a free kick in the 63rd minute, puts a hard shot to the upper right hand corner for what looked like the go ahead goal. Once again the Connecticut goalie makes a great save leaving Burke with his head in his hands wondering what he has to do to put one past the line. Burke again with the ball feeds Tony Williams in the 65th minute. He tees the ball up and sends the shot towards the upper left corner that just sails wide. From this point in the game the Wolves start to connect on some passes putting pressure on the Richmond goal.
A back and forth game continued with the Kickers getting more and better chances at goal. The game looked certain to go into overtime as the game approached the 89th minute when the Kickers got a free kick from 25+ yards out on the left side. Kevin Jeffrey sent in a bending ball to the upper left corner that the goalie was unable to get a glove on. This was a well-deserved win for the Kickers. They were the dominant team throughout the game.
In the second game D.C. United beat the Hershey Wildcats 3-0. United clearly outplayed Hershey on and off the ball. The Wildcats did show that they were a quality team but the speed of the D.C. players and the quickness of the passing was something that they were unable to counter.
D.C. United and the Richmond Kickers will meet in the quarterfinals on July 24th.
Lineups
Kickers: GK Mike McGinty, Rumbani Rumbani Munthali, Chris Brown, Peter Luzak, Josh McKay, Kevin Knight, Marco Ferruzzi, Tony Williams, Mike Burke (81st min Kwaku), Kevin Jeffrey, Josh Henderson
Wolves: GK Anthony Latronica, Max Zieky, Adam Eyre, Tony Soto, Dean Sewell, Fabio Zuniga (70th min Knights), Temoc Suarez, Mobi Oparaku, Sean Nealis, Paul Oyuga, Winston Griffiths
Shots Saves Fouls Corners
Kickers: 17 3 14 5
Wolves: 8 4 17 3
Attendance: 5,788
