RICHMOND, VA – (Tuesday, June 16, 2015) – The Richmond Kickers return to U.S. Open Cup action this Wednesday, June 17 when they battle Columbus Crew SC of Major League Soccer in the Fourth Round at City Stadium. The pre-game party begins at 5:30 p.m. with live music from The Out East Band, RVA food trucks, craft beer on tap and growlers from Growlers To Go. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
The Kickers face Columbus for the fourth time in history, and for the third time in the U.S. Open Cup, most recently meeting four years ago when the Kickers ejected the Major League Soccer side 2-1 on the road en route to a U.S. Open Cup Semifinals run. With the score level at one goal apiece during the first half, the Kickers emerged victorious when prolific goal scorer Matthew Delicâte nodded home the game-winning goal five minutes from regulation.
Previously, Crew SC opened their 2002 U.S. Open Cup Championship run with a 3-0 victory over the Kickers on July 17, 2002. The Kickers hosted Columbus in a preseason exhibition on March 15, 1997, when the underdogs handed their MLS opponents a 3-1 decision. Four players have progressed from the Richmond Kickers to Columbus in franchise history, including Mike Clark, Stanley Nyazamba, David Testo and Todd Yeagley, while Scott Cannon and Ben Hunter joined the Kickers following stints with Crew SC.
The Kickers advanced to Wednesday’s Fourth Round match-up following a 2-0 Second Round victory over National Premier Soccer League side Virginia Beach City FC and a 3-0 rout over the Jacksonville Armada of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the Third Round. Meanwhile, Columbus enters the tournament in the Fourth Round alongside 16 other domestic MLS teams.
The 2015 season marks the 17th time the Kickers have qualified for the U.S. Open Cup over the past 22 seasons, with an overall record of 28-15 during tournament play. The Kickers claimed the U.S. Open Cup title the first year of the Professional Era in 1995 and have since made it to the quarterfinal round five times (1995, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2011) and the semifinal round twice (1995, 2011). Ousting five Major League Soccer teams along the way, including Colorado Rapids in 2000, D.C. United in 2004, LA Galaxy in 2007 and Columbus Crew SC and Sporting Kansas City in 2011, the Kickers became the first lower division team to defeat back-to-back MLS teams on the road.
Players to Watch
Kickers: Midfielder Nate Shiffman (#21) notched his first goal for his hometown team during the U.S. Open Cup Second Round victory over Virginia Beach last month. The native of Midlothian, VA and former James River High School standout signed with the Kickers prior to the 2015 campaign, following his rookie season with OKC Energy. Homegrown goalkeeper Ryan Taylor (#1) posted his third shutout of the season, backstopping the Kickers to a scoreless draw against FC Montreal last weekend. The former FC Richmond and Midlothian High School goalkeeper also added back-to-back shutouts in the first two rounds of the 2015 U.S. Open Cup and boasts a goals against average of 0.86 through all competitions. Forward Matthew Delicâte (#7) led the Kickers to a 2-1 U.S. Open Cup victory over Columbus Crew SC during the 2011 tournament when he nodded home the last-gasp game winning goal four years ago. Notching 93 goals over nine seasons in Richmond, the club’s all-time leading scorer posted his 200th point in a Kickers uniform in May.
Crew SC: The club’s third-ever Designated Player and 2012 MLS Newcomer of the Year, Federico Higuaín (#10) re-signed with Columbus prior to the 2015 season with the most lucrative contract in franchise history. One of the top playmakers in MLS, the Argentinean forward led Columbus to a postseason berth in 2014 and has tallied 31 goals and 25 assists over three seasons. Returning to Columbus in 2015 following stints with English Premier League side Norwich City and Championship side Middlesbrough, forward Kei Kamara (#23) leads the team and MLS with 10 goals this season. The Sierra Leone international began his professional career in Columbus in 2006 before amassing over 200 MLS appearances in San Jose, Houston and most notably Sporting Kansas City. Defender Emanuel Pogatetz (#5) signed with Columbus at the end of the 2014 season and has since anchored the back line in all but two matches in 2015. Earning 61 caps with the Austrian National Team, Pogatetz boasts extensive international experience, having spent time with the top flights in Austria, Germany, Russia and England.
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Club Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 101 consecutive years dating from 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt. This year’s winner will earn $250,000, a berth in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions’ League and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports. The runner-up will take home $60,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will earn a $15,000 cash prize.
Richmond Kickers Host Wilmington Saturday
The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium this Saturday, June 20 when they host the Wilmington Hammerheads at 7:00 p.m. Summer Fest, presented by Union Bank & Trust and Bounce 2 The Moon starts at 5:30 p.m. with live music from What’s On Tap, a splash zone featuring a 40-foot slip ‘n slide, human foosball, RVA food trucks and craft beer on tap. Tickets are on sale now at www.richmondkickers.com.
