SPORTS FOLDEROL

  Your offense-challenged Richmond Kickers got two first-half goals from  NIL VINYALS ... and still had to settle for a 2-2 standoff with homestanding Charlotte Saturday night in a USL Jagermeister Cup match … A foul just outside the 18-yard box in the 90 th  minute gave Vinyals opportunity for a hat trick and game-winning goal … but his ensuing shot for the upper left-hand corner barely missed, going wide and high … The game did not count in the regular-season standings ... unfortunately for the Kickers which went a perfect 5-for-5 in the ensuing shootout that gave them an extra point in Jagermeister group play ... The PK final was 5-4, the only miss by Charlotte’s  TRESOR MBUYU  in the second round. In his fifth season with the Independence and team leading scorer each of the last two, the 5-10 striker from the Republic of Congo got too much foot under the ball, sending it so high over the goal that Kickers’ keeper  PABLO PARA  simply stood and watch...

  Talk about being in disarray! The U.S. Men’s Soccer team is unraveling (cliche alert) right before our eyes … dropping a listless 5-1 decision to Colombia (the country). Four goals were the direct result of blunders by the back four … and now the heat is on coach  GREGG BERHALTER  (again) … You’ll recall he was suspended after a run-in with  CLAUDIO REYNA  and wife over son  GIO REYNA  … who was at odds with Berhalter over lack of playing time at the 2022 World Cup … Let’s see … how did that go? … ahh, Berhalter told the world G. Reyna didn’t work hard enough … mom and pop Reyna thought the coach betrayed their son by going public … and lowered the bar even further by telling the U.S. Soccer Federation that Berhalter once physically abused his girlfriend-now-wife, who didn’t press charges. After a thorough investigation (so it was reported), the USSF reinstated Berhalter and gave him his old job back which was not a popular decision … Now, judging fr...