The Richmond Kickers joined the USISL in 1993, but have never played the Minnesota Thunder, in a bright, mid-afternoon match with very gusty winds a pair of very evenly matched teams (Richmond 5-2-2 and Minnesota 5-4-1) took to the field to a 2-2 tie. I look forward to a rematch.
--- First Half ---
Richmond set the page in the first twenty minutes - easily controlling the flow; keeping Minnesota from entertaining any substantial possession, intercepting passes, and dominating the air. David Hayes used his speed to keep the Thunder back four running and the midfield occupied. However, they were unable to keep possession inside the Thunder penalty area, and contented themselves from shots from behind or outside of the area; there were no rebounds for their strikers to jump on. Minnesota made some adjustments, and began evening things out, and eventually taking their own turn at controlling the game, after about twenty minutes. However, the same situation Minnesota was able to place the Kickers in, that of shooting from outside, hampered Minnesota’s efforts, and the result was a 0-0 half-time score. Minnesota performed more flank runs, to the Kicker’s center, and slightly-off-center runs, but the result was the same.
--- Second Half ---
In many ways, the second half opened the same way the first did, with Richmond controlling play. However, it was a defensive blunder by Adam Eyre that gave the Kickers a gift-wrapped 1-nil lead. The error happened in the 56th minute, when Eyre failed to handle a slow pass to him at the upper-right corner of the penalty area. Mike Burke jumped on the loose ball, and played a cross from the lower-right corner to a waiting Kevin Jeffrey, who easily punched in the goal.
Minnesota’s defense continued to look shaky for the next ten minutes, and the Kickers capitalized on some loose coverage in the 62nd minute. This time from outside of the penalty area (but still near the goal line, on the right side of the area), Marco Ferruzzi sent a cross to the far side of the goal area where David Hayes sweetly one-touched on a jump the ball straight into the net.
Then, much like the first half, adjustments were made, and the Thunder started fighting back. Following a substitution of Jakob Fenger, who limped off the field, replacement Thiago Martins opened up a running game than opened up the Richmond defense, much as Hayes did for the Kickers in the first half. Thiba wasn’t the beneficiary of his work, but in the 78th minute, Johnny Menyonger dropped a perfect ball from 40 yards out to Johnny Torres inside the penalty area. Between two defenders, Torres blasted a shot to the upper-left corner. A mere two minutes later, the world went into an instant reply, and the same combination, by the same people, to the same location, produced the same result, and the score was knotted at two-apiece.
Minnesota continued to pound-away with a ground-attack (air-balls to the sound end of the stadium were almost useless because of the winds), but were unable to create another result.
--- Overtime 1 and 2 ---
By the time overtime hit, Minnesota was exhausted. They retreated to a bunker defense, leaving everyone on the back line except for Thaigo Martins and Johnny Menyonger, who were left to make an end-run on their own following a defensive clear. Richmond, as you can expect, attempted to breach the blockade, and had several good chances. One, where Thunder goalkeeper Jon Lowery, misread the ball’s tracking (because of the wind), and had to turn around and dive toward his own net to smother the ball and prevent a goal. Minnesota's dump-and-run strategy almost paid off in the 110th minute, with a Johnny Menyonger breakaway, that was stopped by a fingertip save.
MINNESOTA THUNDER GAME REPORT
Participants: Minnesota vs. Richmond
Competition: A-League
Venue: National Sports Center, Blaine, MN
Date: Saturday, June 15 - kickoff 3 p.m. (CT)
Attendance: 3,915
Weather: 72 degrees; sunny.
Scoring Summary: F
Minnesota: 0-2-0-0--2
Richmond: 0-2-0-0--2
Richmond – Kevin Jeffrey (Mike Burke) 56th minute
Richmond – David Hayes (Marco Ferruzzi) 62nd minute
Minnesota – Johnny Torres (Johnny Menyongar) 78th minute
Minnesota – Johnny Torres (Johnny Menyongar) 80th minute
LINEUPS:
Minnesota: 22-Jon Lowery; 13-Mark Schulte; 20-Chris Gores; 12-Adam Eyre; 21-Don Gramenz;
7-Amos Magee (2-Zafer Kilickan, 100); 17-Hugo Llamas (6-Matt Schmidt, 97); 5-Mike Gentile;
10-Johnny Menyongar; 11-Jakob Fenger (27-Thiago Martins, 61); 8-Johnny Torres
Richmond: 27-Michael Ueltschey; 16-Josh McKay (8-Khary Stockton, 63) ; 25-Peter Luzak;
9-Paul Lekics; 4-Ray Goodlett; 3-Kevin Knight; 20-Marco Ferruzzi (6-Rob Ukrop, 100);
23-David Hayes; 19-Mike Burke (11-Tony Willaims, 72); 10-Kevin Jeffrey;
14-Josh Henderson (21-Ihor Dotsenko, 69)
Statistical Summary: Minnesota Richmond
Shots: 15 16
Saves: 5 8
Corner Kicks: 6 7
Fouls: 7 9
Offside: 5 4
Misconduct Summary:
Minnesota – Don Gramenz (caution for reckless foul), 27th minute
Richmond – Josh McKay (caution for reckless foul), 61st minute
Minnesota – Mike Gentile (caution for reckless foul), 96th minute
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referee #1: Sia Rahimi
Assistant Referee #2: Bob Petersen
Fourth Official: Troy Cohrs
