Next Up D.C. United In Open Cup
When the Richmond Kickers signed midfielder Joseph Ngwenya, they knew what he could do. He could score goals.
And he’s done just that. After beating Icon FC from New Jersey 4-1 in the second round of the US Open Cup, the former Coastal Carolina University All-American had scored eight goals. Best on the team.
Four came in the last four USL PRO matches, including a hat trick in 4-1 rout over Antigua. Two were scored against Icon FC, which advanced the Kickers to a meeting with D.C. United in the third round of Open Cup play.
That game is set for Tuesday, May 28 in Richmond.
The Kickers are unbeaten at 4-0-3 in league play and sit on top of the USL PRO standings.
The emmergence of Ngwenya as Richmond’s leading scorer has filled a void that was once the stat sheet of the Kickers’ all-time scorer, Matthew Delicate.
The 31-year old veteran striker has 65 goals in 164 appearances with Richmond. Forty-one of those came between 2009-2011.
A nagging groin injury in 2012 hampered his productivity as his goal production fell to only five goals in 21 appearances.
This season he has seen limited action in three games, and has attempted only one shot. His last goal was Aug. 3 of last summer.
The remedy for the type of injury that Delecate has dealt with is rest. At this point of his career there isn’t time for a lot of rest.
“I’ve made a lot of progress in the past few weeks,” Delicate said to the Richmond TimesDispatch. “The injury itself, I think, is completely gone.
“Physically, I feel good. I feel like the problems I had last season are in the past. Now it’s just a matter of regaining my match fitness and getting sharper.”
His return to form is likely to be a continuing process, but having a healthy Matthew Delecate would deepen the Kickers’ offensive arsenal.
The Kickers are one win away from a U.S. Open Cup game against D.C. United. Ngwenya is one of several players on the Richmond roster who have also worn the D.C. United colors.
Even without Delicate, the Kickers have shown they can score goals as evidenced in the four-goal output against Antigua and three in a 3-3 tie with the Charlotte Eagles.