North Texas Soccer Club faced the Richmond Kickers in the last home game of the season on Tuesday, defeating the team from Virginia 4-0. With that result, the Richmond Kickers are the only team in the league to not have scored on NTSC during the whole season.

The Game

The first half started off extremely quickly. 19 seconds in, Richard Danso beat the defender on the wing and crossed it into Ronaldo Damus who headed it passed Akira Fitzgerald

1' WHAT. A. START. ?
Ronaldo Damus opens the scoring 17 seconds into the match!
That's his league-leading 14th goal of the season!
1-0 | #NTXvRIC pic.twitter.com/pUHCR6XyuX
— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) September 11, 2019

North Texas SC kept Richmond in their own half for much of the first 30 minutes, as the Kickers failed to get a shot off during that time period. North Texas SC’s dominance would be rewarded in the 30th minute, when Ronaldo Damus got on the scoresheet again, beating the entire Richmond defense with a touch and slotting it past the goalkeeper.

30' RONALDO AGAIN! ??
Ronaldo Damus scores his 2nd of the game after a great find from @aartur98!
That's 15 goals on the season for the Haitian sensation! ??
2-0 | #NTXvRIC pic.twitter.com/gQwaMHuxhp
— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) September 11, 2019

For the last section of the first half and much of the second half, both teams got chances, including an opportunity for the Richmond Kickers that captain Brecc Evans cleared off the line in the 62nd minute.

North Texas scored their third goal of the game in the 70th minute, effectively sealing any chance of a comeback from the opposing team. After some passing in the box, Ronaldo Damus chested the ball to Arturo Rodriguez, who then blasted it past the goalkeeper.

71' ARTURO!! ?
Ronaldo Damus returns to favor and assists @aartur98 for his 6th goal of the season!
3-0 | #NTXvRIC pic.twitter.com/Ypv2hGOqOJ
— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) September 11, 2019

Ronaldo Damus, who had been looking for his hat trick, got it in the 77th minute. After a failed clearance by the Richmond defense, the ball fell kindly to the Haitian, who calmly slotted it into the net for his league-leading 19th of the season.

77' RONAAAAALLDDOOO!!! ?
Ronaldo Damus scores his 2nd hat trick of the season to bring his total to 16 goals on the year!@USLLeagueOne Golden Boot winner elect? ?
4-0 | #NTXvRIC pic.twitter.com/YgTqb5rRbE
— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) September 11, 2019

The match ended 4-0, which sealed for North Texas a home playoff game

Thoughts & Takeaways

Defensive Solidity

In a team like this one, where scoring goals has been the prime directive, it is important to remember that the defensive partnership of captain Brecc Evans and 2019 Draft Pick Callum Montgomery has stayed constant for most of North Texas SC. When they’ve played, the team has only lost twice this season, and in both of those matches North Texas SC earned a red card.

Their defensive shaped has solidified since the start of the season, but it has been consistently the same game in and game out. Montgomery usually pushes higher up the field, and pass the ball forward more. Both, however, are instrumental in possession, as they both have a passing accuracy above 85% over the last three matches.

Callum Montgomery’s passing map vs Richmond Kickers

Brecc Evans’ passing map vs Richmond Kickers

“I think that the results speak for themselves,” Evans told FCDallas.com. “It has evolved throughout the season, figuring out the little grooves, the problems that used to happen to us, they aren’t really happening anymore. As the season has progressed, we have developed a much better relationship for sure.”

Throughout the entire season, the defense has rotated quite a bit, whether it was due to FC Dallas players being available for selection, academy players being unavailable, or injuries that have hit certain players. However, when Evans and Montgomery have played together, the results have been good, and this will be important as the team enters the playoffs

A New Goalscorer

When Ricardo Pepi got the contract with the first team, there were questions on whether Haitian attacker Ronaldo Damus had what it took to fill the void left by the young Homegrown. Damus has silenced all doubters in the second half of the season, scoring 10 goals since June 22nd.

Damus has also given the team aspects that Pepi didn’t. Damus has scored many goals this season with runs behind the defenders, which either allows him to receive the ball going to a goal or it creates space for other players around him. With his inclusion at striker and with the signing of Richard Danso, North Texas SC gained an element of speed and athleticism that didn’t exist at the beginning of the season.

His goalscoring streak comes at the perfect time, as the playoffs continue to get closer. If he continues his goalscoring run, the club should be in a prime position to make a run for the USL League 1 final.

With no more home games left during the regular season, North Texas SC ends with three away matches, facing off against teams that are currently in playoff contention. The team will be looking to continue their winning streak into the playoffs, as that momentum will help them in the postseason.