Using offensive depth as a springboard, the Richmond Kickers vaulted into the second round of U.S. Open Cup competition Tuesday night with a 4-1 over the Dayton Dutch Lions at City Stadium.
Backup forward David Bulow scored three goals, one on a penalty kick in the 65th minute, to lead the Kickers. Bulow hit the target with his penalty kick five minutes after a penalty kick by Dayton's Marvin van der Pluijm gave the Dutch Lions their only goal.
Richmond will play its second-round match next Tuesday. Foe and site have not been determined.
Kickers coach Leigh Cowlishaw prepared for Tuesday's match with one eye on the Dutch Lions and the other on Friday night's USL PRO home game against Harrisburg. He held two of his most dangerous scorers, Matthew Delicate and Edson Elcock, out of the starting lineup. In their places, he inserted Bulow and another capable reserve, Shaka Bangura.
The move produced immediate results. Stanley Nyazamba, whose 6-foot-1 frame conceals impressive leaping ability, won a contested air ball 40 yards from the goal in the eighth minute. He headed the ball in the direction of the Dayton goal. Bulow scooted past a pair of Dutch Lion defenders, ran onto the ball and punched a 15-yard shot past Dayton goalkeeper Brian Visser.
Soon thereafter, Bulow struck again. Bangura sustained a possession deep in the Dayton end. He turned, found Bulow prowling unattended at the top of the 18-yard box, and sent a deft drop pass toward the speedy Richmond attacker. Bulow met the pass in full stride and blasted a 16-yard rocket into the right-hand side of the goal.
Richmond spent much of the first half playing a possession game in the middle third of the field. The tactic was successful. Dayton, however, produced two high-quality chances. On the first, midfielder Joel Delass hit the left post with a 14-yard shot from the left side. On the second, forward George Davis pulled the trigger on a wicked shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale went airborne to push the shot wide of the right-hand post.
Bulow's goals were his ninth, 10th and 11th as a Kicker in Open Cup competition. Bangura scored for Richmond in the 89th minute.
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