4th seeded Red Wolves SC travel to Richmond to face the top seeded and regular season champions, the Kickers in a semifinal matchup.
Richmond Kickers
The Kickers finished the regular season strong, with an unbeaten streak going back to a 1-0 loss at Greenville on August 13th. Their 14-7-9 record was good enough for a record 51 points, and they had already wrapped up the regular season championship going into their final week. And even though the final match had no bearing on their own results, it was still a capacity sellout of 6,000 fans, the highest attended regular season match in the league all year.
To say that Richmond and their fans are carrying momentum into the semifinal round is an understatement. Led by three time Golden Boot winner Emiliano Terzaghi and assists champion Jonathan Bolanos, the high scoring Kickers are sure to put up a challenge for the visiting Red Wolves. The Kickers led the league in goals scored at 54, were second in goals conceded at 35, and had the highest goal differential by far at +19. They enter the playoffs with all the markings of a championship caliber club.
Red Wolves SC
The Red Wolves finished the regular season with a disappointing 2-0 loss at Tormenta FC, but turned around with a 1-0 extra time win over defending champions Union Omaha in the first round of the playoffs.
The club is prone to bouts of high scoring, with four or more goals on four separate occasions this season. Their 52 total goals were second only to Richmond’s record setting 54. And at 39 goals conceded, their goal differential is also second only to Richmond.
Despite the offensive and defensive statistics placing them close to the Kickers, the Red Wolves lost 11 games, which hampered their results in the standings.
The clubs faced off three times during the season, with wildly split results. Early on, the Red Wolves took a 1-0 victory at home, but saw a 3-0 loss in their visit to Richmond in June. In September, the clubs played to a 2-2 draw in Chattanooga.
The Red Wolves are led by Colombian Juan Galindrez, with 13 goals in 26 appearances, tied for 3rd in the league. They also have a dangerous secondary attack from Moe Espinoza and Rafael Mentzingen, with 8 and 6 goals respectively.
Head to Head Comparisons
April 16 at Chattanooga: Red Wolves 1, Richmond Kickers 0
June 1 at Richmond: Richmond Kickers 3, Red Wolves 0
September 17 at Chattanooga: Red Wolves 2, Richmond Kickers 2
| Statistic | Richmond Kickers | Red Wolves SC |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 14-7-9 | 12-11-7 |
| Points | 51 | 43 |
| GF | 54 | 53 |
| GA | 35 | 39 |
| GD | +19 | +14 |
| Goals Leader | Emiliano Terzaghi (17) | Juan Galindrez (13) |
| Assists Leader | Jonathan Bolanos (11) | José Carrera-Garcia (8) |
| Shooting Accuracy | 47.4% | 49.8% |
| Conversion Rate | 21.5% | 17.9% |
| Home/Away Record | 8-2-5 | 5-7-3 |
Our Prediction
Chattanooga is nothing if not inconsistent away from home, and has struggled to convert lately when facing a solid defense. Richmond, meanwhile, is on a roll and will have the strength of 6,000 fans in a sold out City Stadium behind them. We see the Kickers taking this one 2-0.