2023 Richmond Kickers season

Richmond Kickers
2023 season
Owner22 Holdings, LLC
Head coachDarren Sawatzky
StadiumCity Stadium
USL League One11th
U.S. Open CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Emiliano Terzaghi (10 goals)
All: Emiliano Terzaghi (12)
Highest home attendance6,000 (vs. Charlotte Independence – April 1)
6,000 (vs. Tormenta FC – September 30)
Lowest home attendance3,143 (vs. North Carolina FC – August 9)
Average home league attendance4,786
← 2022
2024 →

The 2023 Richmond Kickers season was the club's 31st season in existence, their fifth season in USL League One, and their 19th season in the third tier of American soccer. The Kickers will be led by fourth-year head coach, Darren Sawatzky. The USL League One season started on March 18, 2023.

Background

Main article: 2022 Richmond Kickers season

The 2022 season was the club's 30th season of existence, their fourth season in USL League One, and third year under head coach Darren Sawatzky. The Kickers had their strongest regular season showing since 2013 and won the USL League One regular season title with 51 points; they amassed a record of 14 wins, seven losses, and nine draws. Striker Emiliano Terzaghi led the Kickers and USL League One in scoring with 18 goals.

Outside of USL League One, the Kickers participated in the U.S. Open Cup, and the league playoffs, which they qualified for with their first-place finish during the regular season. The Kickers reached the fourth round of the Open Cup, before losing to Major League Soccer expansion side Charlotte FC. The Kickers began the Playoffs in the semifinal round on October 29, where they were eliminated.

Transfers

Transfers in

Date Position No. Name From Fee/notes Ref.
December 13, 2022 FW 8 Brazil João Gomiero United States North Carolina Fusion Free [1]
December 15, 2022 DF 25 Germany Michael Hornsby United States Central Valley Fuego Free [2]
January 31, 2023 FW 19 United States Justin Sukow United States Forward Madison Free [3]
February 2, 2023 DF 34 United States Beckett Howell United States Richmond Kickers Academy Free [4]
MF 33 United States Gabe Cox United States Richmond Kickers Academy Free [4]
February 7, 2023 DF 16 United States Jake Mecham United States Denver Pioneers Free [5]
February 9, 2023 FW 99 Grenada Kharlton Belmar United States Colorado Springs Switchbacks Free [6]

Transfers out

Date Position No. Name To Fee/notes Ref.
December 7, 2021 MF 7 United States Matt Bolduc Option declined [7]
MF 11 Argentina Leonardo Baima Option declined [7]
GK 13 United States Austin Causey United States Lexington SC Option declined [7]
MF 20 El Salvador Christian Molina Option declined [7]
December 13, 2022 MF 8 United States Ethan Bryant United States Sporting Kansas City Undisclosed [8]
January 4, 2023 DF 5 United States Stuart Ritchie United States Columbus Crew Free [9]
February 6, 2023 MF 17 United States Jonathan Bolanos United States Huntsville City Free [10]

Non-competitive

Preseason exhibitions

February 11, 2023 (2023-02-11) 1 Richmond Kickers 1–1 Loudoun United FC Midlothian, Virginia
1:00 p.m. EDT Gomiero 62' Report Williamson 54' Stadium: River City Sportsplex
Attendance: 100
February 15, 2023 (2023-02-15) 2 Richmond Kickers 3–3 VCU Rams Glen Allen, Virginia
1:00 p.m. EDT Terzaghi
Pavone
Gomiero 		Report White
Gallegos
Toure 		Stadium: Strikers Soccer Complex
Attendance: 50
February 18, 2023 (2023-02-18) 3 VCU Rams 2–3 Richmond Kickers Richmond, Virginia
1:00 p.m. EDT Stadium: Sports Backers Stadium
February 25, 2023 (2023-02-25) 4 Richmond Kickers 3–1 Old Dominion Monarchs Richmond, Virginia
11:00 a.m. EDT Stadium: City Stadium
February 25, 2023 (2023-02-25) 5 Richmond Kickers 4–2 VCU Rams Richmond, Virginia
2:00 p.m. EDT Report Stadium: City Stadium
March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) 6 Richmond Kickers 2–0 James Madison Dukes Richmond, Virginia
11:00 a.m. EDT Sukow 21'
Gomiero 41'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 350
March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) 7 Richmond Kickers 2–2 Old Dominion Monarchs Richmond, Virginia
2:00 p.m. EDT Belmar 32', 54' Jenkins 45'
Gallaway 68'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 350
March 11, 2023 (2023-03-11) 8 Crown Legacy FC 1–1 Richmond Kickers Matthews, North Carolina
Stadium: Mecklenburg County Sportsplex

Midseason friendly

July 18, 2023 (2023-07-18) Richmond Kickers 2–4 Guatemala Comunicaciones Richmond, Virginia
7:30 p.m. EDT
Stadium: City Stadium

Competitions

USL League One

Main article: 2023 USL League One season

Table

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
8 One Knoxville SC 32 9 12 11 36 39 −3 38
9 Lexington SC 32 7 14 11 46 57 −11 32
10 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 32 8 17 7 46 65 −19 31
11 Richmond Kickers 32 6 15 11 42 55 −13 29
12 Central Valley Fuego FC 32 6 21 5 36 61 −25 23
Source: USL League One
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 6) disciplinary points; 7) drawing of lots.

Regular season

All times in Eastern Time Zone.

March 18, 2023 (2023-03-18) 1 Charlotte Independence 0–0 Richmond Kickers Charlotte, North Carolina
5:00 p.m. Dutey Yellow card 43' Report Morán Yellow card 7'
Hornsby Yellow card 31'
Sukow Yellow card 75'
Terzaghi Yellow card 90+5'		 Stadium: American Legion Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,947
Referee: Danielle Chesky
March 25, 2023 (2023-03-25) 2 Greenville Triumph SC 0–1 Richmond Kickers Greenville, South Carolina
7:00 p.m. Labovitz Yellow card 90+5' Report Belmar 12'
Fitch Yellow card 46'
Vinyals Yellow card 82'
Pavone Yellow card 90+4'		 Stadium: Paladin Stadium
Attendance: 2,879
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
April 1, 2023 (2023-04-01) 3 Richmond Kickers 1–2 Charlotte Independence Richmond, Virginia
6:00 p.m. Gordon 25' Yellow card 90+7'
Belmar Yellow card 58'
Vinyals Yellow card 75'		 Report Dimick 13'
Ciss Yellow card 51'
Hornsby 62' (o.g.)
Spielman Yellow card 77'
Johnson Yellow card 79'
Bennett Yellow card 88'
Pack Yellow card 90+2'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: John Matto
April 15, 2023 (2023-04-15) 4 Richmond Kickers 0–0 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Richmond, Virginia
6:00 p.m. Aune Yellow card 81' Report Lukić Yellow card 18'
Rendón Yellow card 65'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,024
Referee: Gary Gutierrez
April 29, 2023 (2023-04-29) 5 Tormenta FC 1–3 Richmond Kickers Statesboro, Georgia
7:30 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Tormenta Stadium
Attendance: 1,263
Referee: Luis Arroyo
May 5, 2023 (2023-05-05) 6 Richmond Kickers 0–0 Union Omaha Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m. Report Dos Santos Yellow card 67' Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,418
Referee: John Matto
May 13, 2023 (2023-05-13) 7 Greenville Triumph SC 2–2 Richmond Kickers Greenville, South Carolina
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Paladin Stadium
Attendance: 2,023
Referee: Olvin Oliva
May 17, 2023 (2023-05-17) 8 North Carolina FC 3–2 Richmond Kickers Cary, North Carolina
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,377
Referee: José Carlos Rivero
May 20, 2023 (2023-05-20) 9 Richmond Kickers 2–1 Lexington SC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,252
Referee: Adam Brzozowiec
May 27, 2023 (2023-05-27) 10 Tormenta FC 1–1 Richmond Kickers Statesboro, Georgia
7:30 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Optim Sports Medicine Field
Attendance: 1,104
Referee: Aleksandar Zhelyazkov
June 3, 2023 (2023-06-03) 11 Richmond Kickers 1–0 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,276
Referee: Gabriele Ciampi
June 7, 2023 (2023-06-07) 12 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 2–0 Richmond Kickers Windsor, Colorado
9:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Future Legends Complex
Referee: Velimir Stefanovic
June 10, 2023 (2023-06-10) 13 Central Valley Fuego FC 1–2 Richmond Kickers Fresno, California
10:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Fresno State Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 810
Referee: Turan Ozdemir
June 17, 2023 (2023-06-17) 14 Richmond Kickers 0–1 Forward Madison FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 4,902
Referee: Donovan Eubank
June 24, 2023 (2023-06-24) 15 Richmond Kickers 2–2 One Knoxville SC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 3,863
Referee: Madzid Coric
July 1, 2023 (2023-07-01) 16 Richmond Kickers 2–0 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,858
Referee: Edgar Garcia
July 8, 2023 (2023-07-08) 17 Union Omaha 4–1 Richmond Kickers Papillion, Nebraska
8:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,524
Referee: Kevin Fikar
July 15, 2023 (2023-07-15) 18 Richmond Kickers 2–2 Charlotte Independence Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 4,951
Referee: Olvin Oliva
July 22, 2023 (2023-07-22) 19 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 3–1 Richmond Kickers Windsor, Colorado
9:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Future Legends Complex
Attendance: 1,511
Referee: Turan Ozdemir
July 29, 2023 (2023-07-29) 20 Lexington SC 2–2 Richmond Kickers Georgetown, Kentucky
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 2,105
Referee: Drew Klemp
August 5, 2023 (2023-08-05) 21 Richmond Kickers 1–2 Forward Madison FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m. Barnathan 87' (pen.) Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 4,336
Referee: Cristian Campo
August 9, 2023 (2023-08-09) 22 Richmond Kickers 2–2 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 3,143
Referee: Gary Gutierrez
August 12, 2023 (2023-08-12) 23 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 3–2 Richmond Kickers East Ridge, Tennessee
7:30 p.m.
Report
Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,433
Referee: Alejo Calume
August 19, 2023 (2023-08-19) 24 Richmond Kickers 1–3 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,570
Referee: Gabriele Ciampi
August 26, 2023 (2023-08-26) 25 Lexington SC 1–0 Richmond Kickers Georgetown, Kentucky
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 2,145
Referee: Richonne Clark
August 30, 2023 (2023-08-30) 26 Richmond Kickers 3–3 Central Valley Fuego FC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 3,479
Referee: Gabriele Giusti
September 9, 2023 (2023-09-09) 27 Union Omaha 2–1 Richmond Kickers Papillion, Nebraska
8:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 4,046
Referee: Velimir Stefanovic
September 14, 2023 (2023-09-14) 28 Forward Madison FC 2–0 Richmond Kickers Madison, Wisconsin
8:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Breese Stevens Field
Attendance: 3,878
Referee: Olvin Oliva
September 24, 2023 (2023-09-24) 29 Richmond Kickers 1–2 Greenville Triumph SC Richmond, Virginia
6:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 3,470
Referee: Gary Gutierrez
September 30, 2023 (2023-09-30) 30 Richmond Kickers 0–1 Tormenta FC Richmond, Virginia
6:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Richonne Clark
October 6, 2023 (2023-10-06) 31 One Knoxville SC 2–2 Richmond Kickers Knoxville, Tennessee
7:30 p.m.
Report
Stadium: Regal Stadium
Attendance: 1,925
Referee: Cristian Campo
October 14, 2023 (2023-10-14) 32 Richmond Kickers 4–5 Central Valley Fuego FC Richmond, Virginia
6:00 p.m.
Report
Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 4,035
Referee: Amin Hadzic

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2023 U.S. Open Cup
April 6, 2023 (2023-04-06) Second round Richmond Kickers Virginia 3–2 Ohio Cleveland SC Richmond, Virginia
7:00 p.m. Barnathan Yellow card 11' 79'
Terzaghi 31', 59'
Gomiero Yellow card 34'
Fitch Yellow card 55'		 Report Beck 80'
Harter 86'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 1,013
Referee: Christian Centeno
April 26, 2023 (2023-04-26) Third round D.C. United Washington, D.C. 1–0 Virginia Richmond Kickers Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m.
Report Stadium: Audi Field
Attendance: 8,686
Referee: John Griggs

Statistics

Appearances and goals

As of October 14, 2023. Numbers after plus–sign (+) denote appearances as a substitute.[11]
No. Pos Nat Player Total USL1 USL1 Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Japan JPN Akira Fitzgerald 22 0 22+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
2 DF United States USA Dakota Barnathan 23 2 21+1 1 0+0 0 1+0 1
3 DF United States USA Chris Cole 15 0 8+7 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
4 DF United States USA Simon Fitch 32 2 32+0 2 0+0 0 0+0 0
6 MF Argentina ARG Zacarías Morán 31 0 30+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
7 FW United States USA Ethan Vanacore-Decker 3 0 0+3 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
8 FW Brazil BRA João Gomiero 28 4 21+6 4 0+0 0 1+0 0
9 FW England ENG Matt Bentley 30 1 17+12 1 0+0 0 1+0 0
10 MF Spain ESP Nil Vinyals 28 6 26+1 6 0+0 0 1+0 0
11 FW United States USA David Olsen 5 0 0+5 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
14 DF United States USA Luke Pavone 13 1 2+10 1 0+0 0 1+0 0
16 DF United States USA Jake Mecham 22 0 4+17 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
17 FW United States USA Ryan Sierakowski 21 4 16+5 4 0+0 0 0+0 0
19 FW United States USA Justin Sukow 31 2 26+4 2 0+0 0 0+1 0
24 DF United States USA Nathan Aune 32 2 31+0 2 0+0 0 1+0 0
25 DF Germany GER Michael Hornsby 28 1 28+0 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
27 MF England ENG Chandler O'Dwyer 24 2 10+14 2 0+0 0 0+0 0
29 GK United States USA Will Palmquist 12 0 10+1 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
30 GK United States USA Eli Mumford 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
31 DF United States USA Otavio Zerbini 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
32 FW Argentina ARG Emiliano Terzaghi 24 12 23+0 10 0+0 0 1+0 2
33 MF United States USA Gabe Cox 6 0 0+6 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
34 DF United States USA Beckett Howell 13 0 4+8 0 0+0 0 0+1 0
36 MF United States USA Landon Johnson 11 0 3+8 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
37 MF Jamaica JAM Nicholas Simmonds 7 1 0+7 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
91 FW Jamaica JAM Owayne Gordon 19 1 4+15 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
99 FW Grenada GRN Kharlton Belmar 21 2 17+4 2 0+0 0 0+0 0

References

  1. ^ Heintschel, Nathan (December 13, 2022). "Kickers Sign Standout USL League Two Midfielder João Gomiero". Richmond Kickers. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Kickers Sign Versatile German Defender Michael Hornsby". richmondkickers.com. December 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Heintschel, Nathan (January 31, 2023). "Creative Forward Justin Sukow Joins the Kickers". richmondkickers.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Heintschel, Nathan (February 2, 2023). "Kickers Announce 4 Academy Signings for the 2023 Season". richmondkickers.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Dynamic Fullback Jake Mecham Begins His Professional Career On The Richmond Backline". richmondkickers.com. February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  6. ^ "Former VCU Standout and Virginia Beach Native Kharlton Belmar Joins the Kickers".
  7. ^ a b c d "Kickers Announce Initial Contract Decisions for 2023". Richmond Kickers. December 7, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  8. ^ Heintschel, Nathan (December 13, 2022). "Kickers transfer USL League One Young Player of the Year Ethan Bryant to Sporting Kansas City". Richmond Kickers. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  9. ^ "Columbus Crew signs defender Stuart Ritchie". columbuscrew.com. January 24, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  10. ^ Turner, Scott (February 6, 2023). "Huntsville City Football Club a mixture of pro league, college players". The Huntsville Times. al.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  11. ^ "Richmond Kickers Player Stats". USL League One. October 18, 2023. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.