League contraction alters Kickers' slate
The apparent failure of USL PRO's Puerto Rican experiment will enable the Richmond Kickers to avoid perhaps the most savage road trip in club history.
USL PRO announced Tuesday that the three Puerto Rican members of its International Division — Puerto Rico United, River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico — are incapable of completing the season and will be removed immediately from the league schedule. Among the reasons cited in a statement released by the United Soccer Leagues office: "severe economic difficulties."
The decision means the Kickers will not be required to travel to Puerto Rico in early June to run a three-matches-in-four-days gantlet.
"Selfishly, from a competitive standpoint, in some ways we're relieved" that the 3,000-mile round trip won't be necessary, said Kickers coach Leigh Cowlishaw.
Cowlishaw said he believes the decision is "in the best interests of the remaining USL PRO teams and the long-term growth and stability" of soccer in the United States. The announcement said the three Puerto Rican teams did not satisfy "league standards and obligations."
The league said its master schedule will be adjusted by week's end to guarantee each remaining team 24 regular-season games. In addition to their June road trip to the Caribbean, the Kickers were scheduled to play host to Puerto Rico United on July 4.
Kickers win reserve match
Forwards Shaka Bangura and Edson Elcock each scored twice as the Kickers rang up a 4-1 victory over an amateur team from the Raleigh-based Capital Area Soccer League in Sunday's reserve match at Ukrop Park.
Richmond's starting lineup included 19-year-old backup goalkeeper Ryan Jones and four members of the Kickers' youth soccer academy (U16s Chris Spates and Finnlay Wyatt, and U18s Dan Lauretano and Hayden Bennett).
Moment of silence salutes Spence
The Kickers remembered former Manchester High School defender Avery Spence with a moment of silence before Saturday's home match against the Wilmington Hammerheads. Spence, a member of the Kickers' U-17 girls elite program, died following a May 1 car crash in Nottoway County.
"She was just a great kid. She was the heart and soul of our team," said Andy McIntosh, Spence's U-17 elite coach. "She had a nice set of skills, needless to say, but her main talent was the way she always gave 100 percent, whether in practice or competition, every time she stepped onto the field."
Corner kicks
Midfielder Michael Callahan is doubtful for Saturday's road match with the Harrisburg City Islanders because of a lingering groin injury. . . . Former Kickers W-League defender and University of Virginia standout Becky Sauerbrunn was named Tuesday to the 21-player United States roster for this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Former U.Va. midfielder Lori Lindsey also was named.
Vic Dorr Jr.
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