Sarasota Paradise Battles Richmond Kickers to Scoreless Draw on the Road
The Sarasota Paradise earned a hard-fought point Friday night, July 3, after playing the Richmond Kickers to a 0-0 draw at City Stadium in Richmond.
Coming off a week of rest and recovery, Sarasota entered the match looking to build on recent momentum after winning three of its previous five league matches, including victories over AC Boise, Union Omaha and the New York Cosmos. Instead, the Paradise and Kickers played a defensive battle that ended with neither side finding the back of the net.
The match marked a homecoming for several members of the Sarasota organization with strong ties to Richmond. Head Coach Mika Elovaara returned to City Stadium after serving as an assistant coach with the Kickers from 2018 through 2025. Players Chandler O’Dwyer, Jonathan Bolanos, Ethan Bryant and Emiliano Terzaghi also faced their former club.
Elovaara and the returning players were part of Richmond’s memorable 2022 season, when the Kickers finished atop the league standings and captured the Players’ Shield for the league’s best regular-season record.
Terzaghi, one of the league’s most decorated forwards, previously won three consecutive league MVP and Golden Boot awards while playing in Richmond from 2020 through 2022. Bolanos remains the league’s single-season assists leader after recording 11 assists during the 2022 campaign. Bryant earned the league’s Young Player of the Year honor in 2022, while O’Dwyer spent three seasons with the Kickers, contributing 12 goals from the midfield.
Before the match, Sarasota defender Anderson Rosa received Midseason Defender of the Year honors in a USL League One fan vote. The Brazilian has been one of the club’s standout performers this season, contributing on both ends of the field while leading the team in goals and earning three consecutive Team of the Week selections.
Despite entering the contest with an attack bolstered by the recent addition of Emiliano Terzaghi and facing a Richmond side that had struggled defensively in recent weeks, Sarasota was unable to capitalize on its opportunities. The Paradise defense, however, responded with a clean sheet to secure a valuable road point.
The draw keeps Sarasota moving forward in league play as the club continues its push for positioning in the standings.
