May 23, 2017 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Richmond Kickers game preview (from richmondkickers.com)
KICKERS TRAVEL TO TORONTO WEDNESDAY Watch Live from Ontario Soccer Centre at 12PM on the USL Matchcenter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RICHMOND, VA – (Tuesday, May 23, 2017) – The Richmond Kickers (2-4-3) continue their three-match road trip as they travel to face Toronto FC II (1-5-3) Wednesday, May 24 at 12PM. The match will be streamed live on the USL Matchcenter at USLsoccer.com/match-center. Wednesday’s match marks the sixth meeting between Richmond and Toronto with the Kickers holding a slight 3-2-0 edge. Both teams met on three occasions in 2016, twice in Richmond and once in Toronto. Richmond won both home meetings by a combined 4-0 score line, while they fell on the road at Toronto 0-1. Both of Richmond’s losses to Toronto have come on the road at the Ontario Soccer Centre. RELATED: ROCHESTER 1, RICHMOND 1 The Kickers enter Wednesday’s match coming off a 1-1 draw Sunday evening on the road at the Rochester Rhinos. A 32nd minute Rochester goal was negated in the 45th minute as Raul Gonzalez stepped up and found the inside of the near post on a free kick for his first professional goal. With the draw, the Kickers take an unbeaten streak of three league matches into Wednesday’s match against Toronto. This will be the second of three matches in six days for the Kickers, all on the road. Toronto FC II is looking to bounce back following a 1-3 home defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 19. Luca Uccello gave the home side a 1-0 lead from a Sergio Camargo assist in the 10th minute. It would not be enough as the Rowdies scored three unanswered second half goals. Wednesday’s match against the Kickers will only be the fourth match played at home for Toronto in 2017, having played six games on the road. Richmond will conclude their road trip Saturday as they travel to take on Ottawa Fury FC Saturday, May 27 at 2pm. This match will be shown live on the main CBS 6 channel in the Richmond metro area found on Comcast 9 and 212 and Verizon FiOS 6 and 506 and DirecTV. It will also be streamed live on the USL Matchcenter at USLsoccer.com/match-center. The Kickers return to City Stadium to host the defending USL Cup Champions New York Red Bulls II June 3 at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now at RichmondKickers.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAYERS TO WATCH Richmond: Midfielder Raul Gonzalez (#27) is coming off scoring his first professional goal Sunday at the Rochester Rhinos, after adding an assist earlier in the season against Pittsburgh. Signing just after the start of the 2017 season, Gonzalez comes to Richmond after a successful collegiate career at the University of Memphis, making 65 appearances, scoring 13 goals and adding 13 assists. Defender Mallan Roberts (#15) enters Wednesday’s match the only Kickers player to play every minute so far in the 2017 season, making nine appearances. The Canadian international signed with Richmond after spending the 2016 season on loan to the then-NASL Ottawa Fury FC where he made 22 appearances. Returning to the lineup after missing much of the beginning of the season due to injury, Yudai Imura (#14) made his third start of the season at Rochester. After signing with the team following a successful tryout performance in 2015, Imura burst onto the scene in 2016 scoring a team-high 11 goals and adding two assists in 30 appearances. Toronto: Midfielder Luca Uccello (#45) returns for his second season with Toronto FC II. Uccello notched his first goal of the season in the club’s last outing against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Signing his first professional contract with TFCII in March 2015, the former Toronto Academy player made 20 appearances in 2016 scoring on three occasions. Goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo (#80) has played in all but two matches for Toronto in 2017, making 26 saves on 34 shots faced. Cavalluzzo extended his contract with Toronto after making five appearances in 2016. Defender Mitchell Taintor (#42) is in his second season with Toronto having played in seven matches during the beginning of the 2017 season. Selected by Toronto FC in the third round of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, ]the Rutgers product signed with TFCII scoring one goal and assisting on another in 22 matches during his rookie season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2017 Richmond Kickers, 2001 Maywill Street, Suite 203, Richmond, VA 23230 Phone: 804 644-5425 Fax: 804-591-2680 Email: publicrelations@richmondkickers.com
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