‘The atmosphere was phenomenal’: Spokane Velocity start party early during 2-1 home-opening win over Richmond

It was the perfect storybook script for Spokane Velocity FC on Saturday at ONE Spokane Stadium, as many firsts were written in its short history book.

There was the first goal from open play, the first assist, the first yellow card and of course, the first win in club history.

In a monumental moment, the youngest USL League One side, Spokane Velocity FC (1-0-1), began the home season with a 2-1 win over the oldest side, the Richmond Kickers (0-0-1), in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,086 fans on the warmest day of 2024 so far.

The stadium’s capacity is 5,000 – which sold out earlier this week – but the club opened up standing room only tickets on Friday for the USL League One match.

“Everybody was phenomenal, the atmosphere was phenomenal,” Spokane head coach Leigh Veidman said. “It’s been a long road for this first home game, so I want to dedicate that win to, of course, the players, the staff, the club and the fans.”

Before the doors opened at noon, the lines were flooding west toward Howard Street and east toward Washington Street.

The seats began to fill as the clock ticked toward kickoff. The stadium was buzzing and as referee Yannick Rothfuss blew his whistle to signal the start of the match, it was met with a loud ovation as Spokane witnessed its new professional sports franchise.

Before everyone was seated in the fourth minute, right back Romain Mètanire galloped forward and sent in a cross from the right wing that found the far corner of the net.

Kickers goalie Pablo Jara was fooled by the ball as it floated above his outstretched hands.

The crowd erupted.

“In the beginning of the game, it was an amazing feeling,” Spokane FC keeper Carlos Merancio said. “This stadium was packed and the fans were loud.

“I have been in the USL championship and League One for five years and a there are a few places who can pack the place like this.”

Either way, the attempted pass registers as a goal on the scoresheet, but Mètanire admitted it was a cross.

“It was a good thing for the team, and I think it put us in a good way for the game,” Mètanire said.

“We’ll take it,” Javier Martin Gil chimed in.

“That was a goal, he meant it,” Veidman said, tongue in cheek.

Jack Denton supplied the assist, the first in club history, as it was his pass that set up Mètanire down the right wing.

Mètanire, a former Major League Soccer All-Star with Minnesota United in 2019, was given the starting nod over Gil, who started in the game against Greenville (South Carolina) a week ago.

Richmond almost answered back in the 12th minute as Merancio needed a kick save to keep Nil Vinyals’ attempt from finding the back of the net.

Spokane countered and found itself with a corner kick from the left side.

Gil’s perfectly weighted pass found the head of centerback Ahmed Longmire, who sent it back across goal, as Spokane doubled its lead in the 15th minute.

That made three goals in the first 15 minutes for Spokane it the first two matches.

“It was a beautiful ball by Luis, and I was able to beat my man on the inside, able to get it out to the right spot and flick it back in,” Longmire said.

It was the first professional goal for Longmire.

“That’s big time, especially when we need it,” Gil said. “To start off the game like that, it’s amazing, to be honest.”

Gil and Longmire said the set piece had been the product of a couple of weeks of training, something they were happy to see come through in the end.

Veidman said the design was a collective effort as the squad has worked through its plays.

Richmond was one of the worst teams in the league at defending set pieces in 2023, even though it was one of the best on attacking set pieces.

Goalkeeper Carlos Merancio had a strong game , as he punched away a handful of Kickers attempts around the goal in both halves.

He only had to face two shots on goal and his one concession came on a 20th-minute, right-footed strike by Adrian Billhardt, who found the bottom-right corner of the goal.

A throw-in from the right side was fumbled and fell to the feet of Billhardt, who didn’t hesitate as his half volley beat Merancio.

In the 31st minute, Gil almost added a goal as Kimarni Smith’s run gave him space on the right wing as his pass was swung in toward the U.S. International.

The header was just wide of the left post.

It was a theme from the afternoon as Spokane put itself in areas to score, making Richmond’s goalie, Pablo Jara, uncomfortable.

Velocity FC had 12 shots, with three on goal. Two of them were goals, so of the 10 shots that weren’t goals, only one forced a Jara save.

“It’s about creating the chances in the right areas, which is important for us, is usually the most difficult part,” Veidman said. “We’re doing the most difficult part right now. In the box, we’ll get there, we’ll execute we’ll start to do more work in that and feel comfortable in those moments. But I’m not too concerned about that right now.”

Gil also has noticed a hesitancy in front of goal, but chalked it up to the full squad having trained together for the better part of a month.

There also has been some disconnect in midfield as the ball is transitioning to the attack, which often goes through Gil.

“You can see a little bit more playmaking for me as well,” Gil said. “Getting to know certain guys and the type of runs and overlaps and stuff like that. But it has to come with games, we’ll get accustomed to that and get used other’s ideas.”

Gil and Smith seem to have their connection down as the latter was active up and down the right wing, putting pressure on the left back and combining with Métanire on overlaps.

As the second half began, Richmond put the clamps on possession, keeping Spokane pinned back for the first 10 minutes.

The middle part of the second half was more stretched as both teams had chances to score.

With the Kickers possessing the ball, Gil received the first yellow card in the stadium’s history in the 72nd minute as he was pressing Richmond’s Simon Fitch in the offensive half.

But it was the final 15 minutes, plus 7 minutes of stoppage time, that caused some uncomfortable moments as Spokane absorbed pressure from the Kickers.

The Kickers led the league in possession in 2023.

“As a coach, you’re always looking for a little bit more control,” Veidman said. “I want us to be a little bit more controlled in those moments and stop their pressure.”

Veidman was impressed with his team’s resolve as Richmond didn’t register a shot on target in the second half, even with the pressure being ramped up.

While it didn’t count as a shot on goal, Maxi Schenfeld took a loose ball, gathered and sent a ball off the goal.

“We know to win, you always have to suffer,” Merancio said. “It doesn’t matter if you play well, you’re going to suffer if you want to win. And it was the whole team that suffered.”

A few minutes later, after a Merancio clearance and the final whistle blew, the stands rumbled with joy and a collection of fans poured toward the sidelines after the win.

Velocity FC players clapped for their support and gave high-fives out for 15 minutes postmatch.

“We have to thank all the fans for being here,” Gil said. “Without them, they’re the ones who put us in position to do this, they’re the ones who give us the energy during the games. They had the energy throughout the whole game, which we love that, we love to feel it, It gets us going.”