SOUTHGATE QUITS ,,, KICKERS LOSE
You might as well add GARETH SOUTHGATE to the bulging list of potential candidates to replace GREGG BERHALTER (fired) as coach of the United States men’s soccer team … Southgate resigned Wednesday after eight years in charge of England’s national men’s side … There was some question whether he was forced to leave despite leading the Three Lions to more finals than all his
predecessors combined. While his players
reportedly were fiercely loyal to him, Southgate’s
conservative, sit-back style of play was the object of
much ongoing criticism … and he never could win a
championship, the latest near-miss a 2-1 loss to favored Spain in Europa 2024.
……. The USL League One posts a weekly power
rating, listing all 12 teams … and your Richmond
Kickers jumped from eighth to fifth … looking
more and more like the contender just about
everyone thought they could be .. rather than a team
fighting for its playoff life. So much for high hopes.
Back to reality … Saturday night, against the
league’s worst defense (2.23 goals allowed per
game), Richmond lost 3-1 to the host Chattanooga
Red Wolves … who scored in the first minute then
led 2-0 before the game was 10 minutes old. The
Kickers got one back before halftime thanks to the
scoring magic of three-times league scoring
champion and MVP EMILIANO TERZAGHI …
and had another apparent goal waived off by referee
JOE SURGAN in the 82nd minute … before the
Red Wolves (fittingly enough) took advantage of a
Kickers’ mistake at the defense end to ice the
decision with time running out … Hard as it might
be to believe, Richmond pretty much dominated …
leading in most of the tell-tale statistics – time of
possession (56%-to-44%), overall shots (17-11),
shots in the box (11-5), for example – but couldn’t
overcome two early breakdowns, a diving save by
Wolves’ keeper TJ BUSH on a wicked, curling shot
by ADRIAN BILLHARDT from just outside the
box, errant execution of at least half-a-dozen
potential goals … not to mention Surgan who
frustrated both teams with inconsistency unworthy
of the professional game. He handed out four yellow
cards, three to the home team including one to
Chattanooga coach SCOTT MACKENZIE, but
could/should have had many more. The Wolves
treated Terzaghi like he had a bulls-eye on his back,
knocking him to the ground over and over yet never
drawing caution … Falling from ninth-place to 10th,
the Kickers (3W-5T-4L) played their first game in
13 days … and they were behind exactly 40 seconds
in when keeper PABLO JARA’s momentary
indecision led to the first of back-to-back goals by
ROPAPA MENSAH … On the Wolves’ first
possession, LEO FOLLA launched a long ball from
his end that Jara was slow to respond to … and
Mensah beat him to the ball, heading it into the
vacant Kickers’ net before they collided … and Jara
got the worst of it … receiving a yellow card as well
… With two games in hand on Richmond,
Chattanooga (4-5-1) went from 10th to eighth place,
while the Kickers tumbled from ninth to 10th..
Mensah got the game winner
with 9:20 gone. Taking a pass from RICKY RUIZ
with too much space at the top of the box, catching
the Richmond defense uncertain as to who was
responsible for shadowing him, Mensah ripped a
high, hard shot for his sixth goal in as many games
… The Kickers appeared to have a tying goal on a
corner kick inadvertently headed in by a Wolves’
defender. However, Surgan ruled the ball never
crossed the line … despite a replay that indicated
Bush reached back to cover it … and without VAR
to validate the referee was in error … Then, with
time running out, midfielder ZACCA MORANlost
possession … and CHEVRONE MARSH quickly
beat Jara one-on-one for the clinching goal …
Kickers meet Greenville, S.C., Triumph Saturday
(July 20) at City Stadium, 7 p.m. Greenville is 7-1-4
and tied with Union Omaha for first place each with 22 points. Union, however, has two games in hand.
Until next time …
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