Richmond Kickers cruised to a 2–0 victory over New York Cosmos in USL League One action on Wednesday night, with Darwin Espinal scoring both goals to seal all three points for the hosts.

The first half started scrappily. Owen O'Malley picked up an early yellow card for Richmond in the 12th minute, and the Cosmos looked to take advantage of the hosts' caution. But it was Richmond who broke through in the 33rd minute when Espinal finished from a Hayden Anderson feed to put the Kickers ahead. The Cosmos pushed for a response before the break, though Philip Spengler's booking on the stroke of halftime summed up a frustrating opening 45 minutes for the visitors.

Espinal doubled his tally eight minutes into the second half, grabbing his second of the night in the 53rd minute to give Richmond a comfortable cushion. The goal seemed to knock the wind out of the Cosmos, who grew increasingly ragged as the half wore on. Anges Kader Bohui was cautioned in the 57th minute, and Davide Galazzini followed him into the referee's notebook in the 70th minute as New York's discipline frayed. Ali Sasankhah also picked up a yellow for Richmond in the 78th minute as both sides traded fouls in a tetchy final stretch, but the game was already well beyond the Cosmos' reach.

Richmond saw out the remaining minutes without serious alarm, keeping a clean sheet to cap a controlled performance. The win gives the Kickers valuable points in what is shaping up to be a tight USL League One season.