Posted on August 18, 2012
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua Barracuda FC could not play spoiler as it dropped a 1-0 decision to the Richmond Kickers in a USL PRO league encounter at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday night.
The win clinched a berth in the USL PRO playoffs.
The Kickers (11-7-5) are tied with the Rochester Rhinos with 38 points apiece while the Barracudas (14) fell to 4-18-1.
Keeping Richmond’s hopes of finishing second in the USL PRO standings alive, David Bulow and Nozomi Hiroyama teamed up for the lone goal in the 61st minute, four minutes after entering the match. Holding his own deep in Barracudas territory, Hiroyama turned his defender and fed the ball to a surging Sascha Görres. With one touch, he sliced a cross through the penalty area, finding Luke Vercollone at the right edge of the box but the midfielder’s ambitious strike was deflected wide.
Hiroyama stepped up for the ensuing corner kick and played a short ball to Görres, who again delivered a perfectly placed left-footed cross into the mix. Bulow rose above the crowd and nodded home the ball just inside the right post.
The Kickers nearly broke the ice 45 minutes earlier when Philippe Davies served a corner kick into traffic. The ball fell to Matthew Delicâte at the penalty spot but his header was cleared off the line. Shane Johnson attempted to volley home the loose ball but his shot was blocked by the Antigua defense.
The Barracudas saw their best chance of the half fall by the wayside in the 28th minute. Orlando Mitchum collected the ball in the midfield and fed it to Randolph Burton on the left wing. Beating his mark, he slotted a low ball on target but Kickers veteran goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale dove to the near post to smother his effort.
Following Bulow’s goal, the Kickers continued to pepper the Barracudas’ goal with shots throughout the second half but nearly squandered their lead in the 83rd minute. Antigua attempted to capitalize on a missed clearance when Mitchum gathered the ball on the left side of the penalty area and found an unmarked Lawson Robinson behind the defense. One-on-one with Pascale, he fired from 18 yards but was denied by the post.
Antigua will host the Kickers in their season finale at 7 p.m. Sunday. It will be available on USLNation.com.
Categories: Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean
Tags: Antigua Barracuda FC, David Bulow, Orlando Mitchum, Richmond Kickers, USL PRO
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