RICHMOND, VA – (Thursday, July 14, 2016) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to host Swansea City AFC of the world famous English Premier League in an international exhibition, presented by Chick-fil-A, at City Stadium this Saturday, July 16. The pregame party starts at 5:00 p.m. with live music by The Folly, RVA food trucks and over 20 craft beers on tap and the game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Tickets ($30) are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
“We are delighted to host the world’s greatest sports league at City Stadium on Saturday,” commented Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer. “Swansea City have an inspired history and tradition with a truly remarkable story over the last decade, establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the English Premier League. The atmosphere at City Stadium is guaranteed to be electric and we look forward to having this high profile exhibition highlight RVA’s Summer of Soccer.”
Following a week long training camp in Washington, D.C., the prestigious match in Richmond concludes Swansea’s two-game U.S. preseason tour, which also included 4-0 win against the Charlotte Independence earlier this week. The 2016-17 English Premier League season begins August 13.
The East Coast tour marks the second time the club have traveled to America for preseason, having visited Colorado and California in 2012 before returning to Chicago, Milwaukee and Minnesota two years later. Both tours helped prepare the Swans for hugely successful seasons, with the club lifting the Capital One Cup in 2013 while a record-breaking campaign was sealed in 2015.
Established in 1912, the Welsh club based in Swansea, South Wales, battled for many years in the lower divisions before making a historic climb from near bankruptcy in the Fourth Division to the Premier League in 2011, becoming the first Welsh team to play in the top flight since the league’s restructure in 1992. Swansea celebrated their greatest success to date by winning the Capital One Cup in 2013, with a record-breaking 5-0 victory over Bradford City, claiming the club’s first major trophy and qualifying for the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League. Most recently, Swansea finished the 2015-16 season in 12th place in the English Premier League standings with a 12-15-11 record and 47 points.
Saturday’s historic match marks the third consecutive season that a team from England’s top flight will appear in Virginia following exhibitions against Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion in 2014 and 2015, respectively, in front of a combined 14,632 fans at City Stadium.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Returning to his hometown team prior to the 2016 season following a season ending injury in 2015, Brian Ownby (#22) has tallied three goals and three assists. The homegrown midfielder out of Deep Run High School and University of Virginia notched five goals and four assists in 14 appearances in 2015 after a three-year stint with Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo. Newcomer Sunny Jane (#10) notched his fourth goal in a Kickers uniform in this week’s 2-0 win in Pittsburgh. The Lesotho National Team forward signed with Richmond prior to the 2016 season after spending two years with the Wilmington Hammerheads. Goalkeeper Travis Worra (#48) returned to Richmond on loan from the club’s official Major League Soccer affiliate, D.C. United earlier this week. Starting 11 matches in his sophomore season with D.C. United’s first team, he made 12 appearances in goal for the Kickers on loan during the 2015 campaign, posting 31 saves and five shutouts.
Swansea: Ghanaian forward Andre Ayew (#10) is slated to join Swansea’s preseason tour after representing his country during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Joining the Swans last season after a stint with French side Marseille, he contributed 12 goals during the 2015-16 English Premier League campaign. Swansea newcomer Mike van der Hoorn made his first appearance with his new club during Wednesday’s match in Charlotte. Signing with Swansea earlier this month, the 23-year old Dutchman began his professional career at FC Utrecht before spending the last three seasons at Ajax where he made 49 appearances through all competitions. Midfielder Wayne Routledge (#15) led the Swans to a 4-0 win in their first preseason match in Charlotte earlier this week, contributing a pair of goals and an assist. Bringing extensive English Premier League experience to Swansea City, the former England U21 National Team player previously made over 200 appearances at several English Premier League sides including Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa before signing with Swansea in 2011.
Tickets
General Admission tickets for the Richmond Kickers versus Swansea City match are $30. Tickets in the official supporter’s section are available for $25 for current Section O Season Pass holders. Season Passes will not be accepted at this match. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com and at select ticket outlets throughout the Greater Richmond area.
