Kickers find the win column for first time this season

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This article was published 27/06/2023 (740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been a long time since a Hanover Kickers team walked off the field with a victory, but all that changed the evening of June 20.

The Kickers prevailed against CSSE Juventus 3-1, marking their first points of the 2023 Manitoba Major Soccer League first division season. Hanover Soccer Club’s top team returned to action this year after taking three years off.

Both teams had to battle the sweltering heat and humidity which cancelled all minor soccer in Steinbach June 20. With only one substitute on the bench for Hanover, and two for Juventus, players were careful to stay hydrated, with the referee stopping each half for a water break.

It was a solid start from the Kickers, as Hanover looked to pressure Juventus whenever they had possession deep in their own end. Ngongo Bushiri took advantage, scoring immediately after a teammate forced a turnover.

While Juventus was able to even up the score before half-time, it was a solid start for a team searching for offensive answers. Through four games, the Kickers had managed only a goal per game.

That even scoreline allowed Hanover to thrive in transition, as the team looked to push the pace anytime they were able to force a turnover.

Norm Anderson is the technical director for Hanover Soccer, and is coaching the Kickers this season. He said while the goals may have come off transition chances, he loved how his team played to generate those chances.

“The players are slowly starting to buy in to how we want the shape of the team to look, and that gives us the platform to get into transition,” Anderson said.

“And we have players who will definitely do the business once we get forward.”

Jamal Khamlichi provided the go-ahead goal and Scanlon Weibe got the insurance marker.

Anderson specifically praised the work of Derek Bergen, who put in a solid spell for the Kickers.

“He knew his job, stuck to it, had the patience to do that, and it’s great to see that happening with young players,” he said.

It’s been a tough return to the MMSL for the kickers, who have had a game rained out, and took a forfeit loss earlier this season.

“We’ve had a lot of good performances, but we’ve been short staffed as it were,” Anderson said.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries to key players… Some of the stuff we’re working on in practice is starting to pay off.”

The Kickers have one more game in June, as they are set to play Jedinstvo FC on the 27th in Winnipeg.