Match Day Information
Location: City Stadium, Richmond, VA
Reported attendance: 6,000
Weather: 72F, mostly sunny, windy
Officials delayed the match in the 81st minute due to lightning. The match would not resume until 10:06pm, over two hours later.
Match Notes – Richmond Kickers
Formation: 4-3-3
Absent from the roster: David Olsen, Ethan Vanacore-Decker (ACL)
Owayne Gordon got the start over Matt Bentley at right wing.
Gordon scored an equalizer in the 25th minute on a header from a Kharlton Belmar cross.
Notable on the bench: Matt Bentley started the first two matches, but did not appear in this week three contest. Chris Cole and Chandler O’Dwyer also did not appear. Luke Pavone and João Gomiero came on in the 69th minute, and Jake Mecham replaced Michael Hornsby in the 72nd minute when the left back appeared to have a minor injury.
Akira Fitzgerald returned to the roster, but did not appear. The primary keeper has been on personal leave with a newborn baby. Academy goalkeeper Eli Mumford was unavailable.
Richmond dominated possession at 63.8% and put 15 shots on goal, including three on target. Emiliano Terzaghi was held to just one shot on the night.
Yellow cards: Belmar (58′), Vinyals (75′), Gordon (90+7′)
Richmond Kickers Substitutions
IN: FW Luke Pavone 69’
OUT: FW Kharlton Belmar
IN: MF João Gomiero 69’
OUT: MF Justin Sukow
IN: DF Jake Mecham 72’
OUT: DF Michael Hornsby
Match Notes – Charlotte Independence
Formation: 4-4-2
Absent from the roster: Hector Acosta, Carson Talboys
Charlotte went with almost the same roster as last week, with the exception of Nick Spielman starting in place of Hector Acosta.
Notable on the bench: Khori Bennett subbed in for Dane Kelly and Luis Alvarez for Gabriel Obertan when the match resumed after the storm delay. Avionne Flanagan and Bachir Ndiaye came in for Miguel Ibarra and Brad Dunwell in the 67th minute.
Captain and left-back Clay Dimick scored in the 13th minute on a Dane Kelly assist.
Center-back Nick Spielman provided the game-winner on a Miguel Ibarra assist in the 62nd minute.
Yellow cards: Ciss (51′), Spielman (78′), Johnson (79′), Pack (92′)
Charlotte Independence Substitutions
IN: MF Avionne Flanagan 67′
OUT: MF Miguel Ibarra
IN: MF Bachir Ndiaye 67′
OUT: MF Brad Dunwell
IN: FW Khori Bennett 81′
OUT: FW Dane Kelly
IN: MF Luis Alvarez 81′
OUT: FW Gabriel Obertan
Media Coverage
PHOTOS & GAME SUMMARY: Kicker Fall Short in Rain Delayed Home Opener (RVA Hub)
Fun Richmond Kickers open season at City Stadium: ‘We are Red Army’ (WTVR CBS 6)
Kickers sell out opener, fall to first-place Charlotte after weather delay (Richmond Times-Dispatch)