Stoppage-time goal lifts Eagles past Kickers in weather-delayed game

The last of many lightning bolts was delivered by the Charlotte Eagles.

Defender Brady Bryant scored from point-blank range in stoppage time to lift the Eagles to a stunning 2-1 victory over the Richmond Kickers early Saturday morning in a USL PRO soccer match that was delayed for more than two hours by thunderstorms and heavy rain. Bryant's goal occurred after Kickers' goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale appeared to handle Jorge Herrera's long free kick. Bryant scored at the end of a short sequence during which the Eagles swirled around Pascale like hungry dobermans in pursuit of a pork chop.

Charlotte, which trailed 1-0 at the break, shifted into an attacking mode in the second half and began to bring consistent pressure to bear on the Richmond goal. The Kickers withstood several precarious situations but were too often playing in the defensive third of the of the field. The Eagles capitalized, finally, in the 69th minute.

Sallieu Bundu, slicing through the center of Richmond's defense, met a crossing pass from Mark Bloom and deflected it past Pascale. The goal was Bundu's fifth of the season. Bundu's goal came 11 minutes after the Kickers' best offensive chance of the half. Charlotte goalkeeper Eric Reed smothered a short-range shot by Richmond's Matthew Delicate at the end of a two-on-one break.The Kickers created another good chance in the 86th minute, but Shaka Bangura missed from 10 yards after capturing a rebound.

The weather and the clock left an indelible impression on this contest. As a rainy Friday night raced toward a rainy Saturday morning, unusual issues arose. Among them: The second half was played without a public address system out of deference to City Stadium's neighbors.

Lightning and heavy rain delayed the scheduled 8 p.m. for an hour and 47 minutes. The field, though saturated by rain that fell for much of the afternoon and virtually all of the evening, help up well. Slips and splashdowns did not affect play.

Charlotte (7-5-3) dominated the very early going, forcing three quick corner kicks, but soon the Kickers (8-5-3) turned the game's momentum in their direction. Richmond created three good -- but ultimately futile -- scoring opportunities near the midpoint of the half. Delicate, the Kickers' most dangerous scorer, narrowly missed making connection with a sliding header from the doorstep in the 15th minute, Three minutes later, Reed pounced on a low crossing pass from Sascha Gorres an instant before Delicate arrived. In the 25th minute, Richmond defender William Yomby was unable to finish a header from the left side of the six-yard box.

Yomby, however, was persistent. He broke the scoreless tie in the 38th minute with his first goal of the season. Richmond midfielder Luke Vercollone played a long ball into the box on a free kick from the left side. A Charlotte defender tried to head the ball out of danger but failed to make contact. The ball dropped to the spongy turf to the right of the Eagles' cage. Yomby was the first to arrive. He punched an eight-yard shot into the left side of the net.

The Eagles' best chance of the first half occurred in the 33rd minute. A nicely-organized thrust by the visitors produced nothing when forward Darren Toby barely missed a sliding attempt at a tap-in from 12 feet.

The rain, which diminished toward the end of the first half, regained its intensity during the break. Several random lightning flashes added an additional 30 minutes to the 15-minute halftime break. 

The Kickers have scant time to rest as they trudge through a rugged strech of five matches in 12 days. Richmond and Charlotte will play tonight at 8 on the Eagles' home field. Charlotte has been a formidable opponent when playing at home in 2011 (4-2-1 and only three goals allowed). Richmond will step out of its league, literally, when it travels to the midwest for Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal against Sporting Kansas City, the fourth-place team in MLS' Eastern Conference. Sporting Kansas City will carry a five-match unbeaten streak into tonight's date with MLS foe Chivas USA.

Friday's game included a tribute to Avery Spence, the Manchester High School and Kickers youth player who died following a May 1 traffic accident. The Kickers organization presented its inaugural Avery Spence Community Service Award at halftime. Spence's family was the recipient. Bright red Kickers t-shirts, each bearing Spence's name and number, were given to early-arriving fans. Many donned them immediately.  

CHARLOTTE           0          2    --     2

RICHMOND             1          0    --      1  

RIC: Yomby (1), Vercollone, 38th minute  

CHA: Bundu (5), Bloom, 69th minute; Bryant (1), Herrera, 90th minute  

Shots: Richmond 12-9    Saves: Reed (Cha) 5; Pascale (Ric) 4    A: 743