Ready for Fireworks
MD13 — Richmond Kickers vs Fort Wayne FC — 2026
Match Recap & Analysis
Fort Wayne FC beat the Richmond Kickers 2-0 in USL League One to extend its unbeaten run to 10 matches, a road win that vindicated the coaching staff’s lineup decisions and opened a real competition up front.
Richmond Kickers 0 – 2 Fort Wayne FC · USL League One 🏟 City Stadium, Richmond, Va. 📅 June 20, 2026 ⚽ Jack Thomas (17’), Taig Healy (39’) 📋 FWFC Record: 5-2-6 · 21 pts · Matchday 13
The Match
This had the makings of a tired road night. Fort Wayne came to Virginia three days after a draw in Madison, Wisconsin, legs heavy from travel, and gave up the ball for long stretches. Taig Healy and Jack Thomas were the difference makers on the night, while Fort Wayne’s defense continues to pose problems for this league.
In the 17th min., a long ranged shot from Taig Healy found the boot of Jack Thomas, who deflected the shot into the back of the net, his first USL League One goal of the season. The pair traded places before the break. In the 39th min., Thomas turned provider for Healy who put the ball past Richmond’s goalkeeper, his 7th goal in League One and 8th in all competitions. The 2-0 scoreline held the rest of the night.
Richmond, in its first match under interim coach Brian Ownby, controlled the ball and long stretches of the match, but failed to create chances. Fort Wayne’s goalkeeper, Bernd Schipmann, was rarely tested across the ninety. He finished with five saves and a clean sheet, the 32nd of his League One career, which now stands alone in third place in league history.
The Defender’s Verdict
This was the lineup I was hoping to see. Collecting points across a season is how you win trophies. In most leagues around the world, points are the only thing that decides the title, with the trophy going to whoever collects the most. Turning draws into wins, and of course not getting beat, is the fastest path to glory. That’s why coaching staffs study opponents, train their players weekly, and prepare the team to execute on matchday; to win. Yes, of course, it’s about the sport, but it’s a results business, and winning matters.
I was excited when I saw the lineup card on Saturday against the Richmond Kickers. We took a decision to keep Ryan Becher on the bench, and start Lilian Ricol as our lone forward, not because Ryan Becher doesn’t deserve to start, but because that decision improved how this team functions. This was similar to the decision made earlier this season to play JP Jordan at right back instead of Anthony Hernandez. JP Jordan is not a traditional wingback, whereas Anthony Hernandez is. While we gave up an attacking dimension from the right back position, we locked down that side of the defense. JP Jordan settled into his Fort Wayne role, and now his name is written in pen on the lineup card every week.
The answer to “where does Ryan Becher play?” was addressed last Saturday. He’s built to hold up the ball, to play with his back to goal, to connect with Taig Healy, Jack Thomas and the attacking midfielders with a quick 1-2 touch. He won’t beat you off the dribble, or be able to run the channels like Lilian Ricol, but can give you a different look. And like we saw recently with the US Men’s National Team against Australia in the World Cup, Fort Wayne FC could now legitimately play with two forwards for when the matchup demands it. That’s a strike partnership that will take some time to develop, but I absolutely love the options this gives the coaching staff.
Lilian Ricol has had a recent dip in form, which comes with the ebbs and flow of a long professional season. He missed our biggest chance on the night in the 12th min.; earlier in the season, he would have buried it. His position has been uncontested all season. Having healthy competition at all positions is important. And it’s the emergence of a healthy Ryan Becher who can finally create the type of competition at this position that will make this team better for the second half of this season. And as mentioned, it allows us to deploy two forwards, which can be a handful for centerbacks. For this to work, training sessions are important, so each knows their role in a two-forward system. How to open up space for each other, how to drag a CB out of position or occupy one. I would not want to play against a Ricol and Becher card, especially with Taig Healy free to roam. But, Ricol and Becher must learn how to form that partnership and that takes time. In the meantime, Mike Avery and staff can ride the hot hand whenever they go with one forward. And for as many times as I’ve seen Lilian Ricol pulling up with a hamstring cramp in the late stages of the match, it finally gives him a late match sub that keeps the tempo through the final whistle.
There’s definitely more we could break down from this match and with a win under our belt heading into a two-week break, we finally have some time to get healthy, rested and focused for the remainder of the season. The winning energy that Saturday night provided should give us confidence and clarity on what the best version of ourselves looks like from here. With a shutdown defense and an attack on the rise, Fort Wayne will be tough to beat. July is ready for fireworks.
Always FWD