June 30, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Richmond Kickers (1-2-2, 6 pts) earned a comeback draw to force penalty kicks in their USL Jägermeister Cup Round 5 match-up at Charlotte Independence (1-1-3, 7 pts) and earned a 5-4 penalty shootout victory to secure an extra point.
Nil Vinyals notched a first-half brace, scoring two separate equalizers to give Richmond an opportunity to earn the result.
The penalty shootout victory marked the team’s second-straight penalty shootout victory after the club defeated Greenville Triumph SC back in Round 1 of the tournament. Chandler O’Dwyer netted the shoot-winning penalty kick in Charlotte like he did in Greenville.
The hosts struck first in the sixth minute. Joel Johnson and Gabriel Obertan played a one-two at the top of the Kickers’ penalty area before Obertan found enough space to take a shot. The former Manchester United and Newcastle United midfielder hit a left-footed shot that found the upper 90 and broke the deadlock.
The Kickers created an opportunity as the clock changed to the 19th minute. Nil Vinyals drove the ball up the middle and laced a cross toward the far post to Arthur Bosua who was separating from his defensive marker. However, the cross would go just over the forward’s head and out for a goal kick.
One minute later, Adrian Billhardt received the ball on the left wing and cut inside toward the top of the penalty area. The forward quickly hit a low-driven shot that went on target but was scooped by the keeper.
The Kickers found their first equalizer in the 22nd minute. Billhardt carried the ball up the left wing before laying the ball off to Vinyals near the top of the box. The midfielder took a couple of touches to the inside before lacing a low-driven shot that hopped through the box and beat the keeper to the back of the net.
Independence retook the lead 15 minutes later after Obertan created space on the left wing and found the head of Johnson with an inswinging cross.
The second equalizer of the night came in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Following an overload on the left wing and cross into the box that was half-cleared by Charlotte, Simon Fitch scooped up the ball at the top of the box. The defender faked a pass out to the right wing to create space before squaring the ball to Vinyals in the middle. He took two touches and pinged a low shot through traffic that beat the keeper to the inside of the far post.
The…