2024 Richmond Kickers season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 2024 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kickers vs Fuego in April 2024 | ||||
| Owner | 22 Holdings, LLC | |||
| Head coach | Darren Sawatzky | |||
| Stadium | City Stadium | |||
| USL League One | 8th | |||
| USL1 Playoffs | Quarterfinals | |||
| U.S. Open Cup | Third round | |||
| Jägermeister Cup | Group stage | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Chandler O'Dwyer (6) All: Chandler O'Dwyer (9) | |||
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The 2024 Richmond Kickers season was the club's 32nd season in existence, their sixth season in USL League One, and their 20th season in the third tier of American soccer. The Kickers are led by fifth-year head coach, Darren Sawatzky.
The Kickers improved on their regular season fortunes, finishing 8th in League One, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Transfers in
| Date | Position | No. | Name | From | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2023 | GK | 1 |  Pablo Jara |  Tormenta | Free | [1] |
| January 4, 2024 | DF | 14 |  Guilherme França | Dalton State Roadrunners | Free | [2] |
| January 9, 2024 | MF | 17 |  James Vaughan | Welling United | Free | [3] |
| January 16, 2024 | FW | 9 |  Arthur Bosua | Tormenta | Free | [4] |
| January 18, 2024 | DF | 5 | Maxi Schenfeld | Harrisburg Heat | Free | [5] |
| January 23, 2024 | DF | 15 | Toni Pineda | High Point Panthers | Free | [6] |
| February 1, 2024 | GK | 13 | Ryan Shellow | Detroit City | Free | [7] |
| February 20, 2024 | MF | 20 |  Adrian Billhardt | Detroit City | Free | [8] |
| March 13, 2024 | MF | 38 | Griffin Garnett | Richmond Strikers | Academy contract | [9] |
| March 13, 2024 | DF | 39 | Noah Hiort-Wright | Richmond Strikers | Academy contract | [9] |
| August 13, 2024 | DF | 16 |  Klaidi Cela |
 Liria Prizren |
Free | [10] |
| September 12, 2024 | FW | 45 | Josh Kirkland |
Free Agent | Free | [11] |
Transfers out
| Date | Position | No. | Name | To | Fee/notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 4, 2023 | FW | 7 | Ethan Vanacore-Decker | Jackson Lions | Free | [12] |
| December 4, 2023 | FW | 9 | Matt Bentley | Maidstone United | Free | [12] |
| December 4, 2023 | FW | 11 | David Olsen | None | Free | [12] |
| December 4, 2023 | DF | 14 | Luke Pavone |  Phuket Andaman | Free | [12] |
| December 4, 2023 | DF | 16 | Jake Mecham | None | Free | [12] |
| December 20, 2023 | GK | 1 |  Akira Fitzgerald | North Carolina FC | Free | [13] |
| January 16, 2024 | FW | 91 |  Owayne Gordon | Montego Bay United | Free | [12] |
| March 4, 2024 | DF | 25 | Michael Hornsby |  Christchurch United | Free | [14] |
| March 13, 2024 | FW | 99 |  Kharlton Belmar | Charlotte Independence | Free | [15] |
| March 15, 2024 | DF | 31 | Otavio Zerbini | Charlotte Independence |
Non-competitive
Preseason exhibitions
| February 10 | Richmond Kickers | 1–0 | VCU Rams | Glen Allen, Virginia |
| 11:00 EST | Sierakowski  37' |
Report | Stadium: VACU Field Attendance: 0 |
| February 14 | Richmond Kickers | 5–1 | Alexandria Reds | Bensley, Virginia |
| 20:00 EST | Bosua 14' Billhardt 28', 51'Vaughan 34'Sukow 84' |
Report | Hayes III 64' |
Stadium: Ukrop Park Attendance: 0 |
| February 17 | Loudoun United | 2–2 | Richmond Kickers | Leesburg, Virginia |
| 12:00 EST | Valot 56' Erlandson 72' |
Report | Gomiero 61' Cox 68' |
Stadium: Segra Field Attendance: 100 |
| February 21 | Richmond Kickers | 4–1 | Chowan Hawks | Glen Allen, Virginia |
| 19:00 EST | Vinyals 23', 64' Sierakowski 36', 75' |
Report | Binns 14' |
Stadium: VACU Field Attendance: 140 |
| February 24 | Richmond Kickers | 1–1 | James Madison Dukes | Glen Allen, Virginia |
| 14:00 EST | O'Dwyer 37' |
Krakowiak 56' |
Stadium: VACU Field Attendance: 0 |
| February 28 | Richmond Kickers | 2–3 | Loudoun United | Glen Allen, Virginia |
| 12:00 EST | Stadium: VACU Field Attendance: 200 |
| March 2 | Richmond Kickers | 2–0 | George Mason Patriots | Richmond, Virginia |
| 14:00 EST | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 1,133 |
| March 9 | Crown Legacy | 1–1 | Richmond Kickers | Matthews, North Carolina |
| 14:00 EST | Stadium: Mecklenburg County Sportsplex Attendance: 452 |
Midseason exhibitions
Competitions
USL League One
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 |  Charlotte Independence |
22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 37 | 31 | +6 | 34 | Playoffs |
| 7 |  Spokane Velocity FC |
22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 26 | 35 | −9 | 27 | |
| 8 |  Richmond Kickers |
22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 25 | 34 | −9 | 24 | |
| 9 |  Lexington SC |
22 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 21 | |
| 10 |  South Georgia Tormenta FC |
22 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 20 |
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.
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.
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 |
Last updated: April 28, 2024.
Source: USL League One
Match results
| March 16 1 | Spokane Velocity | 2–1 | Richmond Kickers | Spokane, WA |
| 5:00 p.m. EDT | Métanire 4' Longmire 15' |
Report | Billhardt 20' |
Stadium: One Spokane Stadium Attendance: 5,086 Referee: Yannick Rothfuss |
| March 23 2 | Richmond Kickers | 1–3 | Tormenta | Richmond, VA |
| 5:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,523 Referee: Luis Arroyo |
| April 6 3 | Richmond Kickers | 3–2 | Central Valley Fuego | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 3,551 Referee: Izlen Peksenar |
| April 13 4 | Forward Madison | 2–2 | Richmond Kickers | Madison, WI |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Breese Stevens Field Attendance: 3,821 Referee: Alex Beehler |
| April 20 5 | Richmond Kickers | 0–2 | Spokane Velocity | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,368 Referee: Stearne Briem |
| May 3 6 | Richmond Kickers | 1–1 | One Knoxville | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,730 Referee: Wesley Costa |
| May 18 7 | Richmond Kickers | 0–1 | Greenville Triumph | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 3,790 Referee: Rafael Santos |
| June 1 8 | One Knoxville | 1–2 | Richmond Kickers | Knoxville, TN |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Regal Stadium Attendance: 1,788 Referee: Stearne Briem |
| June 15 9 | Central Valley Fuego | 1–1 | Richmond Kickers | Fresno, CA |
| 10:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Fresno State Soccer Stadium Attendance: 643 Referee: Rafael Bonilla |
| June 22 10 | Richmond Kickers | 0–2 | Northern Colorado Hailstorm | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 3,647 Referee: DeShun Beard |
| July 3 11 | Richmond Kickers | 2–1 | Forward Madison | Richmond, VA |
| 8:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,574 Referee: Rafael Santos |
| July 13 12 | Chattanooga Red Wolves | 3–1 | Richmond Kickers | Chattanooga, TN |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium Attendance: 2,107 Referee: Joe Surgan |
| July 27 13 | Lexington SC | 2–1 | Richmond Kickers | Georgetown, KY |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Toyota Stadium Attendance: 1,143 Referee: Edson Carvajal |
| August 3 14 | Northern Colorado Hailstorm | 3–1 | Richmond Kickers | Windsor, CO |
| 9:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: 4Rivers Equipment Stadium Attendance: 1,123 Referee: Michael Zapata |
| August 16 15 | Greenville Triumph | 1–1 | Richmond Kickers | Greenville, SC |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Paladin Stadium Attendance: 1,251 Referee: Stearne Briem |
| August 24 16 | Union Omaha | 3–0 | Richmond Kickers | Papillion, NE |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Werner Park Attendance: 3,752 Referee: Wesley Costa |
| September 14 17 | Charlotte Independence | 0–1 | Richmond Kickers | Charlotte, NC |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: American Legion Memorial Stadium Attendance: 1,404 Referee: Stearne Briem |
| September 21 18 | Richmond Kickers | 3–0 | Lexington SC | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,067 Referee: Luis Arroyo |
| October 5 19 | Richmond Kickers | 0–0 | Union Omaha | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,448 Referee: Atahan Yaya |
| October 11 20 | Tormenta | 2–2 | Richmond Kickers | Statesboro, GA |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Tormenta Stadium Attendance: 944 Referee: Wesley Costa |
| October 19 21 | Richmond Kickers | 2–1 | Chattanooga Red Wolves | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,303 Referee: Nickrod Fateh |
| October 26 22 | Richmond Kickers | 0–1 | Charlotte Independence | Richmond, VA |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 5,386 Referee: John Matto |
USL-1 Playoffs
| November 3 Quarterfinals | Union Omaha | 1–0 | Richmond Kickers | Papillion, Nebraska |
| 15:30 EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: Werner Park Attendance: 2,245 Referee: Jeremy Scheer |
U.S. Open Cup
| March 20 First round | Richmond Kickers (USL1) | 1–0 |  Christos (MSSL) | Richmond, VA |
| 6:30 p.m. EDT | Billhardt 45+1' |
Report | St. Martin  90' |
Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 1,876 Referee: Brendan O'Neill |
| April 2 Second round | Richmond Kickers (USL1) | 5–2 | Maryland Bobcats (NISA) | Richmond, VA |
| 6:30 p.m. EDT |
|
Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 2,219 Referee: David Elliott |
| April 17 Third round | Richmond Kickers (USL1) | 0–0 (4–5 p) | Loudoun United (USLC) | Richmond, VA |
| EDT | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 1,439 | |||
| Penalties | ||||
Jägermeister Cup
Group stage
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PKW | PKL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte Independence | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 14 | Advanced to knockout stage |
| 2 | Greenville Triumph SC | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 12 | |
| 3 | Richmond Kickers | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 12 | |
| 4 | South Georgia Tormenta FC | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 13 | −5 | 6 |
Source: USL League One
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goals for in cup match play (only for determining wild card); 3) head-to-head points earned in small group play; 4) total wins in small group play; 5) total wins in all cup matches; 6) goals for in small group play; 7) goals for in cup match play; 8) goals assisted in cup match play; 9) goal differential in cup match play; 10) disciplinary points; 11) coin toss.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goals for in cup match play (only for determining wild card); 3) head-to-head points earned in small group play; 4) total wins in small group play; 5) total wins in all cup matches; 6) goals for in small group play; 7) goals for in cup match play; 8) goals assisted in cup match play; 9) goal differential in cup match play; 10) disciplinary points; 11) coin toss.
Results
| April 27 1 | Greenville Triumph | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–5 p) | Richmond Kickers | Greenville, SC |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Polak  24'Herrera 32'Lee 89' |
Report | Vinyals  20', 55'Schenfeld 32'Sierakowski 70'França 77'Vaughan 78'O'Dwyer 90+3' |
Stadium: Paladin Stadium Attendance: 4,041 Referee: Jonathan Bilinski |
| Penalties | ||||
Smith  MacKinnon Zakowski Polak |
Vinyals Fitch Gomiero Morán O'Dwyer |
|||
| May 11 2 | Chattanooga Red Wolves | 1–0 | Richmond Kickers | East Ridge, TN |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium Attendance: 2,467 Referee: Aleksandar Zhelyazkov |
| May 25 3 | Tormenta | 1–2 | Richmond Kickers | Statesboro, GA |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: Tormenta Stadium Attendance: 1,721 Referee: Mario Maric |
| June 8 4 | Richmond Kickers | 0–1 | Charlotte Independence | Richmond, VA |
| 4:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,156 Referee: Amin Hadzic |
| June 29 5 | Charlotte Independence | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | Richmond Kickers | Charlotte, NC |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: American Legion Memorial Stadium Attendance: 821 Referee: Olvin Oliva |
| July 20 6 | Richmond Kickers | 0–2 | Greenville Triumph | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,384 Referee: Josiah Parke |
| August 10 7 | Richmond Kickers | 1–1 (6–5 p) | Tormenta | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 4,221 Referee: Erick Lezama |
| August 29 8 | Richmond Kickers | 3–2 | Spokane Velocity | Richmond, VA |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Report | Stadium: City Stadium Attendance: 3,579 Referee: Rafael Santos |
