Richmond Host Charlotte For USL D-2 Title

The USL Second Division regular season champion Richmond Kickers have advanced to the Championship final after a 0-0 draw in Cincinnati, and will take on the #2 seeded Charlotte Eagles at the University of Richmond stadium in a single-game championship match on Saturday, Aug. 26. Kickoff is 7:00/.

After defeating the Kings 2-1 on in the first leg of the two-game, aggregate score series, the Kickers have advanced 2-1 on aggregate.

Eagles advanced to the USL-2 Championship for the third consecutive year and have earned the right to defend their 2005 Championship title. Charlotte defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-1 and won the series with a 6-1 aggregate goal advantage.

The game will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel.

David Flavius got the first goal in the 14th minute giving Pittsburgh the 1-0 lead. Jason Kutney set up the goal working down the right side and serving the ball into the middle for Flavius. Flavius volleyed it in from eight yards out with a one-timer.

Charlotte answered in the 42nd minute with a goal by Joseph Kabwe. Kabwe collected the ball in the midfield and pushed it through some congestion before touching it to Jacob Coggins. Coggins put a pass right back to Kabwe on the run, breaking through the defense. Kabwe touched the ball right and then beat McNelis to the right side of the net to tie up the match 1-1. The first half ended even at one goal a piece.

Andriy Budnyy scored the game-winning goal for Charlotte in the 76th minute of play. Dustin Swinehart served the ball from midfield, connecting with the run of Budnyy with a breakaway. Budnyy placed the shot in the lower right corner to beat McNelis.

Dan Benton had 5 saves for Charlotte, including a great diving save in the 58th minute to prevent Pittsburgh from taking back the lead.

Charlotte head coach Mark Steffens commented on the Eagles strategy tonight: “Our plan for tonight was to possess the ball in the attacking half to prevent Pittsburgh from getting many opportunities. We didn’t do a great job of that in the first half but we really cleaned it up a bit in the second.”

Richmond qualified for post-season play for the 11th time in their 14-year franchise history and will be making their fifth Championship appearance this Saturday. The Kickers’ four previous league Championship appearances (1995, 1996, 2002, 2005) include winning the Premier Development League title in 1995 and a penalty shoot-out loss to Seattle in last year’s USL First Division final.