Union Omaha is back on the road and find themselves in Richmond, Virginia for a Week 11 matchup against Richmond Kickers. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30P CST and the match will air on ESPN+, so make sure to tune in and watch this quality matchup.
These two clubs have only faced each other once in the past. That previous match was last year, when Richmond came to Werner Park and left with a 2-0 win. Today’s match will be the first time Union Omaha has played against Richmond in City Stadium.
So far in 2021, Richmond has equaled Union Omaha’s eight matches played, yet finds themselves six points behind the Owls. Entering Week 11, Richmond is in seventh place and on the outside of the playoff picture. With a quarter of the season completed, Richmond will need to pick up more points if they want to compete for the league title. That quest begins tonight when Union Omaha comes to town.
The Kickers have had a strong season so far in 2021, allowing only seven goals scored against them in eight matches. Goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald has the most clean sheets and is making a strong case for the Golden Glove award at the end of the season. On the other side of the field, Richmond has shown themselves to be a threatening chance-creator. Midfielders Zacarías Morán Correa and Nil Vinyals have been especially potent on offense. Forward Emiliano Terzaghi has taken a different stride this season. After scoring 10 of Richmond’s 22 goals last season, winning the Golden Boot, and USL Most Valuable Player of the year, Terzaghi has shown that he can be a prolific team player. He’s scored the most goals for the club this season and has an assist to his name (editors note: his first in League One), but he’s been sharing the ball a lot, creating a valuable partnership with teammates Oalex Anderson and Nil Vinyals. This effort has resulted in Richmond utilizing multiple weapons in their arsenal. Defenses have had a harder time covering all of the threats the Kickers have to offer. It’s a tall task for Union Omaha, but they’re riding a solid wave at the moment.
The Owls are coming off a historic performance from Greg Hurst, who earned his first hat trick of his career. The hat trick was also the first for Union Omaha. With Evan Conway injured, other players have had to step up a fill the void he leaves behind. The team has responded in the best way possible to Conway’s injury: as a team. Sure, individuals have stepped up and earned praise for their individual performances, but the team has gelled together, blending their talents, and manufacturing an offense that is multi-faceted and balanced. Missing Conway has sure affected the team, but the players united to make sure the team is still in a good place for whenever he is well enough to return. Greg Hurst has collaborated with Conor Doyle, Nick Firimino, Dami Viader, and Ferrety Sousa, among many others, to create a different style of offense. That style has paid off, as the team currently sits in first place, has only one loss this season, and has the largest goal differential. Though the team has changed their formula with each team they face, they’ve found a way to make the formula work and gain success. That success will be difficult to find against Richmond.
The Kickers are a defensively-sound team. No doubt about it. One key to success in Virginia is going to be isolating the midfield. Like Omaha, they have a strong midfield that connects well with the frontline. If Omaha can load the middle third of the field, disrupt the passing lanes, and prevent them from settling into a stream of possession, Omaha will have a much greater chance of winning three points at the end of the day. Possession will be a big factor because Richmond is a very creative team and their offense is cerebral. It’s dangerous to allow them time and space, so the Owls could do that by pressuring early and forcing them to play one and two-touch passes. It’s a lot more difficult to find that long through ball, cross-field switch, or the simple ball to the outside if you know there’s a defender that will be getting physical with you after your first touch.
This will be a defensive match, but both sides also have quality offenses to showcase, so look for quality soccer on both ends of the field. The match could be a low-scoring affair, but having Greg Hurst on your side certainly gives you confidence to continue littering the goal with shots. It would not be surprising to this match go to the wire. Both teams are hungry and want those three points. This could be one of those matches that the clubs will look back on and wish they had found a result. One of those matches where those three points would travel a lot farther at the end of the season. All in all, this will be a fun one to watch.
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