Kickers Score Three Unanswered in 3-1 Comeback to Retake First Place

September 8, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Richmond Kickers News Release

RICHMOND, Va. – – The Richmond Kickers (12-7-5, 41 pts) moved back into first place in USL League One after having the weekend off as they defeated South Georgia Tormenta FC (9-9-6, 33 pts) with three unanswered goals in a 3-1 comeback. Jonathan Bolanos scored two goals and recorded one assist and Emiliano Terzaghi scored one goal. Stuart Ritchie also recorded an assist.

Both teams started off very physical with the visitors taking the edge after drawing a penalty in the ninth minute. Adrian Billhardt was able to convert the penalty, giving Tormenta the lead early in the match.

The Kickers pushed for the equalizer but entered the locker room trailing. Tapping into the resilience that pushed the team to earn 14 points from a losing position previously, the Kickers went to work out of the break.

The determination was rewarded in the 55th minute as Bolanos received the ball from a throw-in out wide, made the turn, and found Terzaghi making the run in between two defenders. Terzaghi was then able to take a touch, look up, and calmly put the ball into the back of the net, curling it out of the keeper’s reach.

In the 70th minute, Owayne Gordon found Nil Vinyals at the top of the box to create a play. Vinyals then found Bolanos on the outside run and Bolanos took the opportunity to shoot, however, the shot was saved by the Tormenta keeper, TJ Bush.

In the 72nd minute, Ritchie took the ball up the wing and found Bolanos making a delayed run into the box. The forward slotted the ball with a one-touch shot into the lower far post corner to give the Kickers the 2-1 lead.

Akira Fitzgerald helped the Kickers maintain the 2-1 lead by keeping the ball out of the net after a Tormenta free kick just outside the 18-yard box.

Bolanos was not ready to call it a night after one goal and one assist.

In the fourth minute of seven minutes of stoppage time, Bolanos was able to collect the ball with the help of Gordon. He then dribbled the ball in between two defenders, forced the keeper to come off his line for a 1v1, beat the keeper, and then put the ball into an open goal to secure the Kickers a 3-1 win and increase the team’s season goal differential to 17.

Bolanos now leads the league with 10 assists – tying the league’s single-season assist record with six matches remaining in the season – and Terzaghi leads the Golden Boot race with 15 goals.

The Kickers return to the road to take on defending…