The Richmond Kickers put on a fine performance today considering that they are two weeks away from opening day and playing a team that has gone though a full preseason schedule. The Kickers took on the MLS’s Dallas Burn in Dallas’s final preseason game. At times the Kickers looked in mid-season form and at other times the rust that comes from inactivity showed itself.
The Kickers started with the one forward lineup that they used last season. The Burn had the edge in possession but the Kickers had better chances at putting the ball in the net in the first half. The Kickers fist scoring chance came in the 10th min. when they misfired on a wide open shot from the left side from about 10yds out. The Kickers next scoring opportunity came in the 26th min when they had the ball inside the 18 and mishandled the ball twice. Richmond drove to the 18 in the 30th min only to see Dallas strike back quickly on a free kick from 24 yds out that was deflected over the bar by goal tender Mike McGinty. Two minuets later Dallas’s Jason Kreis one touched a high though ball over the goal from the top of the 6-yard box. The Kickers made a late surge but some bad ball handling stop any scoring chances.
In the second half the only goal of the game for Dallas was called back for offsides in the 57th min. Dallas was almost handed the winning goal when substitute goalie Ronnie Pascal made a weak outlet throw that was intercepted by a Dallas player who quickly chipped the ball over the goalie only to hit the left goal post and rebound to the goalie.
The rest of the second half saw both teams make a number of trips down the field only to be turned away. The last 10 minuets of regulation saw both teams put increased pressure on the goalies. Richmond owned the 2 minuets of added time.
Richmond newcomer Kevin Jeffrey played a very active game for the 75 minuets he was in the game. Jeffrey, who only arrived in Richmond on Wednesday, played for the Bay Area Seals last year scoring 12 goals 3 assists. The play of this second year A-League player could make the loss of Dwayne DeRosario a lot easier to bear.
Starting Lineups
Dallas - Matt Jordan, Lubos Kubik, Eric Dade, Richard Farrer, Chad Deering(Ted Eck 46), Oscar Pareja(Josue Mayard 60), Miles Joseph(Bobby Rhine 46), Antonio Martinez(Paul Broome 71), Ariel Greziani(Joselito Vaca 60), Jason Kreis, Jorge Rodriguez
Richmond – Mike McGinty( Ronnie Pascale 64), Chris Fox(Darrell Etienne 83), Chris Brown(Guillermo Henriques 62), Peter Luzak, Josh McKay(Rob Ukrop 46), Tony Williams( Mike Burke 73), Marco Ferruzzi(Keith Donohue 68), Kevin Knight, Paul Lekics, Kevin Jeffrey(Kwaku 75), Josh Henderson(Kevin Alvero 64)
Yellow Cards
Dallas – Dale 58th Min.
