ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Richmond Kickers rallied to earn a 1-1 draw with the Rochester Rhinos on Sunday evening at Capelli Sport Stadium. The Rhinos had the first big chance to take the lead, but Richmond goalkeeper Matt Turner made a good save to deny Kenardo Forbes before the rebound finish by Stefan Defregger was ruled offside. Forbes gave the hosts the lead in the 32nd minute as he put home a second effort from close range after his initial finish had got through Turner following a give-and-go with Darius Madison at the top of the penalty area. Richmond didn’t threaten much offensively in the first half, but pulled even in the final minute of the half as Raul Gonzalez fired home a free kick just inside the right post from 30 yards. Gonzalez tried to repeat the feat in the 60th minute, only for Rhinos goalkeeper Tomas Gomez to make the save, as the second half began more evenly. Rochester threatened with 17 minutes to go as Antonio Correia forced a good save by Turner, and a cross off the rebound was cleared to safety, and honors ended even as neither side was able to find a late winner.

Scoring: 
32’ – ROC – Kenardo Forbes
45’ – RIC – Raul Gonzalez

• #ROCvRIC: Full Match and Opta Box Score

Three Things That Matter:

• 1. The Rhinos had the better of the play in the first half, and will have been disappointed to not have held a greater advantage before the Kickers hit back to level the score. At the center of the Rhinos creativity was Kenardo Forbes, who has followed up an All-League season in 2016 with another good start to the 2017 campaign. Forbes has been deployed as a deep-lying playmaker for the Rhinos, but has the ideal sense as to when to move into attack, and it resulted in the opening goal of the game as his persistence paid off after a good piece of interplay with Darius Madison.

• 2. The Kickers didn’t register a shot on goal until Raul Gonzalez’s free kick found the back of the net in the final minute of the first half, with the rookie’s use of surprise catching out a good goalkeeper in Tomas Gomez. Gonzalez’s first goal as a professional seemed to give the Kickers the boost they needed, and Richmond opened the second half looking sharper and able to hold more possession. Opening a three-game trip that will take them north of the border to Toronto and Ottawa in Week 10, the Kickers might have wanted more from the game, but will settle for a second consecutive draw.

• 3. Rochester threw attacking players on in search of the win midway through the second half, but weren’t able to find the winner thanks to a good performance by Kickers goalkeeper Matt Turner and his back line, which bent but didn’t break when the Rhinos created half-chances. In the midst of a five-game home stand that continues on Wednesday night, the Rhinos are looking to maximize their games in hand on the teams above them in the Eastern Conference. A draw with the Kickers was OK, but puts added pressure on the side with the second-placed Tampa Bay Rowdies coming to town for the USL Game of the Week next.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Kenardo Forbes, Rochester Rhinos – Forbes had the opening goal of the game, and was the source of much of the Rhinos’ attacking endeavor throughout the contest.

Upcoming Games:
Rochester Rhinos vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies – May 24, 7:05 p.m. ET, Capelli Sport Stadium (ESPN3)
Richmond Kickers at Toronto FC II – May 24, 12 p.m. ET, Ontario Soccer Centre