September 15, 2015 Toronto FC II--match preview Richmond Kickers vs Toronto FC II (from richmondkickers.com)
Kickers Aim For Vital Three Points Against TFC II Release: 09/15/2015 Richmond Kickers News Release - www.richmondkickers.com Tuesday, September 15, 2015 RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium on Wednesday night to host Toronto FC II at 7 p.m. ET in the regular season finale. Oktoberfest, presented by Draper Aden, starts at 5:30 p.m. with live music, authentic German food from Metzger Bar & Butchery and over a dozen craft beers on tap. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com. The Kickers host expansion side Toronto FC II at City Stadium for the first time in franchise history as Toronto made its USL debut in 2015 as one of eight MLS-owned and operated clubs. The two clubs opened the two-game series in Toronto on August 15 when the Kickers dropped a 2-1 loss on the road. The Kickers claimed a second-half advantage when Yudai Imura nodded home his first professional goal but Toronto’s Molham Babouli leveled the score before stoppage time heroics by Massimo Mirabelli lifted the home side to victory. With just one week remaining in the USL regular season, the tightly contested playoff race continues with four points separating four teams jockeying for the final two spots. Regular Season Champions Rochester Rhinos and Louisville City FC are locked into the first two berths with the Charleston Battery and New York Red Bulls II clinching playoff positions last weekend. Trailing fifth-place Charlotte by two points, the Kickers currently reside in the sixth and final playoff spot with a 9-7-11 record and 38 points following a 1-1 battle with the Harrisburg City Islanders last week. With a missed penalty and another goal annulled, Kickers’ midfielder George Davis IV avenged a second-half goal with a last-gasp equalizer to salvage a much-needed point. Just outside of the playoff race but with three games in hand, TFC II were also victims to inclement weather as their match in Rochester last Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Three days prior, TFC II’s four-game road swing began in Charlotte where they suffered a 4-1 loss. Conceding an early goal in the first half, Toronto quickly leveled the score after the break when Raheem Edwards notched his second tally of the season but the three unanswered goals that followed just past the hour-mark put the visitors away. Players To Watch Kickers: Midfielder George Davis IV avenged a missed penalty and a goal annulled due to an offside call and scored his seventh goal of the season with a heroic last-second header to level the score against Harrisburg last week. Second on the team with 15 points, the USL veteran is in his second season with Richmond after leading the team in scoring in 2014. In his second season with the Kickers on loan from D.C. United, Collin Martin contributed his first assist of the 2015 campaign when his outswinging cross picked out Davis for the stoppage-time equalizer in Harrisburg. Recently returning to the lineup after being sidelined through injury, D.C. United’s homegrown player has made 13 appearances with United’s First Team over three seasons. Defender Braeden Troyer anchored a Kickers’ backline that shut out the league-leading Rochester Rhinos two weeks ago, allowing just five shots during the game and earning USL Team of the Week honors for the first time in his debut season. TFC II: One of the first players signed by Toronto FC II, Molham Babouli joined the Kia Toronto FC Academy in 2014, leading the Senior Academy team in League1 Ontario where he earned 2014 League1 MVP and the Golden Boot awards. Adding a goal against Charlotte last week, the Canadian forward leads TFC II with four goals and four assists for 12 points on the season. On loan from the Toronto FC First Team, goalkeeper Quillan Roberts has made 14 appearances with the USL side this season, posting four shutouts. Becoming the seventh Academy player to graduate to the senior team in 2012, the Canadian goalkeeper made 17 appearances on loan with Wilmington Hammerheads FC last year. Forward Jordan Hamilton signed with MLS side Toronto FC in 2014 at the age of 17 and has since made three appearances in MLS. After a brief loan stint in Portugal, he joined TFC II on loan in 2015 where he has made 17 appearances and ranks second on the team in scoring with three goals.
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