USL Game Report

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

HARRISON, N.J. - The Richmond Kickers extended their undefeated streak to five games to start the season as they took a 1-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II on Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena. Richmond’s Brian Ownby scored the only goal on a penalty kick in the 50th minute as the Kickers moved into first place in the USL's Eastern Conference standings.

The first scoring opportunity of the match came from Richmond. In the seventh minute, a Kickers corner sent into the penalty area was headed down to an open Ownby. Alone in the six-yard box, Ownby struck his shot, but Santiago Castano made the point-blank save to keep the game scoreless.

New York's Manolo Sanchez applied pressure on Richmond, forcing a few turnovers which turned into chances. His first takeaway in the 10th minute resulted in a shot that went high and another forced turnover led to a shot that was blocked out of bounds for a corner.

Perhaps the best chance in the first half came to RBNYII's Anatole Abang. In the 35th minute, Derrick Etienne spotted Abang charging forward and delivered an accurate through ball. Abang, alone in behind the defense, beat the charging goalkeeper but was dispossessed by Richmond's Hugh Roberts as he recovered well. Abang battled for the ball back, but Roberts drew a foul and play was blown dead.

In the second half, Richmond needed only five minutes to break the tie. Ownby received a pass in some space behind the Red Bulls II defense. Castano ran off his line to confront Ownby, but Ownby went right, beat Castano and the goalkeeper dragged him down for a penalty kick. Ownby stepped up to the spot, Castano dove right, and Ownby went left to put his side on top.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, on loan from the First Team, found himself in some space in the 55th minute outside the penalty area, but his shot flew a couple yards over the bar. Five minutes later, Richmond responded to the threat and tried to double its advantage. Forward Miguel Aguilar took a shot that beat Castano, but hit the post and bounced out of play.

The best chance of the match for NYRB II arrived in the 63rd minute. Abang received the ball in Richmond’s final third and dribbled around the Kickers’ defense towards the end line, just right of the penalty area. He sent in a low and driven cross which deflected off a Richmond defender and fell to Karl Ouimette in the area. Ouimette calmly cut-back to his right to dodge a charging defender, and took a shot that was blocked on the line by a Richmond defender. The ball fell to Derrick Etienne, who took a shot, but it was blocked and deflected out of the penalty area to safety by the Kickers' defense.

“We looked a little slow today, maybe the short week, we played Saturday and then Wednesday, but Richmond did the same,” RBNYII head coach John Wolyniec said. “They just managed themselves in the game a little better than we did.

“Overall, we’re a bit disappointed. You want to win at home, but playing against an undefeated team, an experienced team that consistently has success in the league, they were just less naïve than we were.”

Red Bulls II pushed further up the field and had a few set-piece opportunities, but could not find the back of the net in time. With the loss, Red Bulls II falls to 1-2-2, while Richmond moves to 3-0-2 with a +7 goal differential to edge ahead of the Rochester Rhinos.