Kickers vs Independence, Kickers Prediction Game of Awesome continues

Prior to every home game a panel of so-called experts will predict the outcome of the Richmond Kickers game. Each expert receives one point for each correct prediction. At the end of the season the winner gets a trophy and pack of gum.

June 5, 2015; 3:00 PM • by Richard Hayes

The Richmond Kickers (5-2-4) are preaching in the church of soccer on Sunday and their planned sermon is on the evils of the Charlotte Independence (2-3-3).

The last time these two teams met was in Charlotte, and the score was 3-0 in favor of the home team. Prior to that debacle, their score had also been 3-0 and again in favor of the home team, which, fortunately, was the Kickers.

Charlotte has only two wins but has played three fewer games than Richmond. Two threats from Charlotte come in the form of Tomasz Zahorski (#20) and Ben Newnam (#13) on loan from MLS team Colorado Rapids. Zahorski just joined the team and notched a hat trick in Open Cup play last week. Three seems to be a theme amongst these two teams.

For the second year in a row, one of the Kickers most effective offensive weapons has been George Davis IV (#11). Davis scored a goal and two assists last game bringing his season total goals to five. The true hero of last game against the Red Bulls II was goalkeeper Ryan Taylor (#1). Although he was denied a clean sheet, letting in two, it was the series of saves in this highlight reel that elevated him to legend status amongst Kicker faithfuls.

This is a rare Sunday game on June 7th with an early 5:00 PM kickoff. The gates will be opening a half hour early at 3:30 PM for Kickers Fiesta, featuring all you can eat tacos, beers, and music by Bio Ritmo. (Buy Chicken Fiesta Tickets for $20 (includes two beers, the tacos, and the Bio Ritmo))

Read the official game preview.

	Prediction	Reasoning	Score
RVANews Soccer Guru		If in the third game, two teams are playing and each team won once by three and lost by three, what equals X, where X is the final score of the game? I’ve whipped out my abacus, sextant, slide rule, centrifuge, and calculator. After all the data was entered, my calculator read 8008. Since there are two eights you divide eight by two which gives you four. Kickers win by four. Math is awesome.	4
Red Army		It’s late at night, I feel worse than Jacksonville looked last week, so I’m keeping this short. Screw Charlotte, I hate them and so should you. 2-1 win.	4
Richmond Kickers		This whole new Charlotte thing is something I do not like. I mean, I’m an independent kangaroo and all, but this whole Independence thing throws me off. Stick to Independence Day (both the holiday and the movie). Kickers will come out on top after that not so good game the last time these teams met.	5
Total Soccer Show		I bet against the Kickers last week and it cost me a point. I won’t be making that mistake again, especially not against a team the Kickers have already beaten 3-0 this season. Kickers to win this one, with Modelo and tacos for all and Brian Ownby’s name on the scoresheet.	5

RVANews Soccer Guru (Richard Hayes): All of Richard’s soccer knowledge comes from playing FIFA on the original Playstation and standing in bars, drinking, and yelling at the television. He also helps run RVA DCU and is a member of American Outlaws Richmond Chapter, which mainly involves drinking and yelling at televisions.

Red Army (Matt Myers) — Reigning Champion: Matt was sent off by Leigh Cowlishaw in a summer camp scrimmage as a pre-teen but has not held that against the team. He’s coming to grips with being a relatively old man now after seeing the youngsters in the Red Army and on the Kickers roster. He’s also attended way more matches than he should admit to, especially for having lived in Richmond a total of one out of the last 13 years.

Richmond Kickers (Kickeroo): The Kicker from down under. He doesn’t really like anyone who isn’t a fan of the Kickers. A daredevil who will pretty much try anything and everything but would rather not talk (on advice from the lawyers) about the incident with the scooter and the Flaming Hoop of Death, he’s also a sensitive marsupial who enjoys long walks on a dew-covered soccer field and watching the sun set behind the goal post. He also shares something with the new Kickers beer, Kick It Hunny hops.

Total Soccer Show (Daryl Grove): Daryl is English, so everything he says about footsoccerball naturally carries more weight because he says it in a British accent. He is also part of the excellent local radio show and podcast Total Soccer Show that keeps track of all soccer related things in an intelligent and fun way. If you’re not listening to the Total Soccer Show, you need to change that posthaste.

June 5, 2015 3:00 PM · in Fan of the Fan, Hills and Heights, and more 0