Spokane Velocity climb USL League One rankings with consecutive home wins
The Spokane Velocity secured six points during their two-game homestand this week and climbed the USL League One rankings, leaping to second place after a 3-1 victory over the Richmond Kickers at ONE Spokane Stadium on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Spokane cracked the top five following a 3-1 win over AV Alta and clawed into the top three thanks to goals from left winger Medgy Alexandre, Jack Denton, and Shavon John-Brown against Richmond.
The Velocity, ranked fourth in goals per match (1.8), opened the scoring with two goals in quick succession and outshot the Kickers 4-0 in the first 20 minutes.
It took until the 27th minute for the Kickers, last in goals per match (0.5), to get their first quality shot opportunity when Darwin Espinal launched an attempt outside the penalty box that fell into Carlos Merancio’s hands.
In the 11th minute, Alexandre volleyed a short-range shot off a cross from Lucky Opara. It was Alexandre’s first score for Spokane and Opara’s first assist of the season.
Five minutes later, Denton doubled the Velocity’s lead with his second goal of the year on a rebound following a deflection by keeper Yann-Alexandre Fillion.
The Kickers pulled one back in the 33rd. Midfielder Tarik Pannholzer took a cross and blasted the shot past Merancio to the center of the frame and Spokane found themselves with a narrow 2-1 lead at intermission.
At the end of the half, Andre Lewis fired a missile from the top of the penalty area but it was too high and flew straight over the cross bar.
Defense dominated the second period for both sides but it was Spokane’s attack that controlled the momentum. The Velocity and Kickers mustered four combined shots and notched 10 clearances apiece. But Spokane had 12 touches in Richmond’s box while the Kickers’ offense struggled to penetrate the Velocity’s back line, notching just one touch in Spokane’s penalty area. The Velocity finished with 30 touches in the opposition box, while Kickers only had eight.
Spokane held Richmond to just one second-half attempt in the 46th minute by Joshua Kirkland. But Merancio, sixth in League One in saves (14), denied Kirkland in the bottom left corner of the frame.
Then John-Brown netted Spokane’s first shot of the second period in the 57th minute following a one-on-three fastbreak. John-Brown received a lob, and booted the ball downfield in a sprint beating multiple defenders to it, and scored his second goal of the season.
Spokane controlled possession at a 58% rate and outshot Richmond 10-6.
Camron Miller led the Velocity’s defense with three clearances and two interceptions. He also led all players with 78 touches. Alexandre finished with a team-leading six touches in the opposition box.
Spokane will travel to California to take on USL Championship Club Sacramento Republic FC in the opening round of group play for the PrinX Tires USL Cup on April 25 at Heart Health Park at 7 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.