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The Charleston Battery’s season came to a close Saturday night as the Black and Yellow fell 0-4 to The Miami FC at Patriots Point. The Battery faithful were out in full force through a blustery fall evening supporting the club to the final minute. Charleston would see several chances, but were unable to find the back of the net as the visitors put the game out of reach.

The Battery kicked off their season finale starting with pressure from the first minute when Zeiko Lewis tested goalkeeper Connor Sparrow with a shot from the center of the box that was saved. Romario Piggott took a shot a minute later, however the attempt was wide right of the post. Miami forced goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky to make a fine fingertip save in the 14th minute when Christiano Francois had a shot on target. Kuzminsky showed his quick reflexes again to make a save on Callum Chapman-Page’s header following a corner kick. Miami managed to strike first moments later when Ariel Martinez found the back of the net in the 17th minute.

Martinez looked to add a second goal in the 21st minute, but was unable to bend his shot inside the far post. Kuzminsky came up big again when Devon Williams sent in a shot that saw the keeper make an impressive diving save. Miami were able to break through the Battery defense again in the 34th minute when Joshua Perez found the back of the net. Stavros Zarokostas looked to counter on the other end with a shot from long range, only to see Sparrow save the attempt. The visitors headed into the break with the 0-2 advantage.

The second half began with MJ Petry substituting out of the match as the 18-year-old made his first career professional start during the night.

Both sides looked to size each other up in the first 15 minutes of the second half without a shot being taken until Ariel Martinez sent one in at the hour mark that was blocked. The Battery pushed ahead to level when Lewis forced Sparrow to make a save following a shot from the center of the box. Zeiko was Charleston’s top shot taker with four attempts on the night. Another notable moment came in the 68th minute when Roman Perez made his first career professional appearance, entering the game off the bench for Romario Piggott.

Among the Battery’s best looks on the night came in the 71st minute when Robbie Crawford sent a strong shot from just outside the box that rocked the right post. Angelo Kelly helped orchestrate another opportunity with a flash of skill to get through Miami’s defense initially, but the visitors ended up defusing the threat as the Battery entered the box. Miami added two more goals in quick succession in the 81st and 83rd minute to put the game away. The visitors 0-4 lead held through the end of the match as the Battery saw their 2021 campaign come to a close.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser gave his assessment on the night’s showing.

“Well, it’s kind of been this way all season you know, we start the game well and make a little miscue, make a slip and go down one zero,” said Anhaeuser. “The second half we came out, started playing well, created some great chances, but [Miami] just seemed to bounce against us. All the best to Miami, you got to give them credit for putting chances away. It’s unfortunate for us.”

Anhaeuser applauded the fans for their passion one more time in the season finale at Patriots Point.

“The fans and the support has been tremendous throughout the whole season,” said Anhaeuser. “They showed you what they want and this great atmosphere here at Patriots Point is only going to get better.

“You have to commend them and thank them for coming out this whole season.”

Battery forward Zeiko Lewis said the team felt the energy from the crowd during the night.

“It’s always good to have the support of the fans,” said Lewis. “Without them, there really wouldn’t be any of us here. Every day we go out there, we play for them, we play for the badge on the front.”

The Battery wrapped up their season with a 10-15-7 record (37 pts), placing sixth in the Atlantic Division table.

After a commanding 3-0 Southern Derby win away against North Carolina FC, the Battery return home Wednesday to host The Miami FC for the first time in both clubs’ histories. Charleston takes to the pitch in front of a limited number of fans for the first time this season and will look to put in an impressive performance for the returning, albeit smaller, home crowd. The Battery have scored six goals in their last two matches, a feat not accomplished since October of 2019, and with a clean eight points ahead of third-place Atlanta in Group H, the Black and Yellow seek a win against Miami to set sights on group leader Tampa Bay Rowdies, who they face on Saturday.

For two consecutive matches, Charleston showed their dominance in the attack with three second-half goals against both Atlanta and North Carolina. Home again, the Battery will look to come out early putting pressure on the Miami side. While the second-half attack remains strong for Charleston, Coach Mike Anhaeuser plans for his squad to make an impact in the first 45’ for the returning home crowd.

Miami may have imagined a better inaugural USL Championship season, but they’ve recognized their ground to cover in Group H and head to Charleston coming off an impressive 2-1 win over Charlotte Independence. The Battery plan to capitalize on a Miami side that has conceded 15 goals this season and has seen 5 of their 9 goals coming from one player, former Battery forward Romario Williams. Building on successive defensive performances, Charleston plans to hold off a Miami squad looking to build on the momentum from their first win last Sunday.

Ones to Watch this Week

Romario Williams

With a team-leading five goals in six games, the former Battery favorite has contributed the majority of Miami’s 9 goals this year. Additionally, Williams is averaging 1 goal for every 3 shots taken with his 15 shots on the year. As a heavy threat on the attack, the Charleston back line will look to crowd the middle of the box and keep Williams at bay. 

Mauro Cichero

Cichero has now scored in 2 of his 3 starts and comes off a solid outing against North Carolina FC which saw him moving up into the attacking role and creating four chances, three of which were converted by the Battery in the 3-0 shutout away. Reaffirming what we’ve said before, Mauro has definitely found his footing and comfort in a transitional role. With Miami’s 15 goals conceded so far, keep an eye on Cichero as he looks to expose an experienced Miami back line that is still coming together.

From the Training Ground

The boys returned off the Southern Derby win with hardware in tow Thursday for a day off before back to training, including a scrimmage on the main pitch last Saturday.

When considering the week between games and focus on 2 home games in 4 days, Coach Mike Anhaeuser beamed about the team’s focus and resolve. “I don’t think the focus is really something we have to worry about. These players look at the standings, they know exactly what’s going on. We know Miami and Tampa Bay are both very good teams. We’re going to take one game at a time with Miami in our first game and not worry about Saturday until we take care of this one Wednesday.”

“The focus has been great, the training was great yesterday, today and even the scrimmage on Saturday. I’m feeling pretty good and I think the guys are feeling very good,” he added.

As of posting, midfielder Kierron Mason is unavailable.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. The Miami FC
Wednesday, August 26 – 7:30 PM EST Kickoff
Patriots Point Soccer Complex

HOW TO WATCH:
All Battery matches will be streaming on the ESPN+ platform. Wednesday’s match will be live HERE.

The Charleston Battery were defeated 2-0 against Hartford Athletic on Tuesday as they closed out their 2021 away schedule in Connecticut. It was a rainy and windy affair at Dillon Stadium and was level through much of the first half until Hartford took a 1-0 lead via Walmer Martinez in the 40th minute. The Battery fought to equalize but the Athletic found a second goal to put the game away. Battery goalkeeper Paul Lewis tallied a career-high four saves during the match.

The weather made its presence felt from the very start as both sides used the early minutes to adjust to the rainy conditions. Charleston had the first opportunity in the 7th minute following a cross from Logan Gdula that found Joel Bunting after a few ricochets. Bunting’s attempt for goal, on a tight angle, was too tall for the crossbar. The Battery applied the initial pressure through the first 15 minutes of play via DZ Harmon and Stavros Zarokostas, although the Hartford defense stood up to the task. Jarad van Schaik took a free kick from a dangerous spot outside the box in the 23rd minute that went to Patrick Hogan, with Hartford’s defense denying again.

Hartford began finding momentum midway through the half as the rain became priced into their efforts, with Conor McGlynn taking a shot from outside the box that was blocked in the 26th minute. The Athletic broke through in the 40th minute on a second effort shot to go up 1-0. Goalkeeper Paul Lewis made an impressive diving save to initially deny Danny Barrera, but Walmer Martinez was the quickest man to the ball off the deflection and sent it to the back of the net. The Battery won a pair of free kicks in the waning minutes of the half, however Hartford’s 1-0 advantage held to the break.

The rain lessened as second-half play resumed and the Battery were eager to level the scoreline. Angelo Kelly worked the ball towards the edge of the box in the 49th minute that was ultimately blocked. Lewis showed more comfort between the sticks as the match progressed, making a pair of saves in the 58th minute to stop Martinez and Derek Dodson from adding to Hartford’s lead. The Athletic continued to press for additional shots, but Lewis and the back line made chances difficult forcing Hartford’s shots wide of the net. The Battery looked to counter, but were unable to test goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Martinez caught Lewis off his line. Lewis got a hand on the ball and gave a good effort to make the save, but the shot managed to find the top left corner. Hartford thought they scored a third goal minutes later when Arthur Rogers found the back of the net, however the offside flag was raised. Trying to get momentum back on the Battery’s side, Zarokostas countered with a shot on target in the 77th minute from outside the box that went right to Cladwell. Both sides began forcing the opposing keepers into saves as the game moved into the latter stages. Charleston looked to press on for a goal with their substitutions leading the way, however they were unable to convert before the final whistle as Hartford secured the three points.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser gave his verdict on the night.

“It was a tough one because I thought we played really well in the first half, the guys came out and we defended, we moved, we pressured them,” said Anhaeuser. “We picked the ball up in some good spots, but [Hartford] got the one-time and they crossed it, the ball hit the bar, it bounces back out and they score.”

Although the rain and wind were present throughout the match, Anhaeuser commended his players for handling the conditions well.

“The wind was really an issue tonight, but I don’t think it affected the guys, they handled it well, wet turf and all,” said Anhaeuser.

Midfielder Angelo Kelly credited the squad’s high press in giving Hartford issues early on but recognized the counter from the Athletic helped give the hosts the edge.

“Playing up high and making it an open game, I think we were very successful at that, keeping numbers high and opening up the game,” said Kelly. “The bad thing was when we started sitting back, we let [Hartford] build up, get more confident, get more touches, and I think that’s what hurt us a lot.”

The team will look to rebound from the result in the final match of their season, back home this weekend.

“The way we move past this result is to put our heads down and just get back to work when we return home,” said Kelly. “It’s the last game for the fans and they deserve a good performance from us, it’d be a nice way to show fan appreciation during the night and end the season on a positive note.”

The Battery return home for the season finale on Saturday, October 30, when they host The Miami FC for Hispanic Heritage Night at Patriots Point. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s finale via SeatGeek, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.

The Battery hit the road this week for the first of two away matches across four days, facing Hartford Athletic on Tuesday, August 17. Kickoff at Dillon Stadium is set for 7 p.m. EST and will be the second meeting between the two sides this season. 

Charleston came away victorious in the first match, defeating Hartford 3-1 at Patriots Point. The match featured goals from Romario Piggott, Claudio Repetto and Nicque Daley to secure the three points. Hartford’s Tulu scored in the 83rd minute of the match to get the Connecticut outfit back into the match in an attempt to salvage a point. Daley, however, put any worries to rest in the 90th minute with a goal to seal the victory.

Looking at the Atlantic Division table, it could not be any closer as the teams are virtually tied. Hartford are in fifth with a record of 7-6-3 (24 pts) and Charleston are in sixth with a 7-6-3 record (24 pts). Tuesday’s match carries with it immense playoff implications as both teams fight for a spot inside the top four.

Hartford return home after a pair of road matches, both losses, most recently falling 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The lone goal of the night came from Jordan Adebayo-Smith, who featured off the bench, in the 85th minute following a corner kick. The match was heavily dominated by the Rowdies’ offense, who outshot Hartford 22-2, despite only having one goal to show for it. Goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell produced five saves for Hartford to keep Tampa scoreless for as long as he could. The Connecticut club will look to bounce back at home.

Charleston are coming off a gritty 1-0 home victory over a stingy Loudoun United FC side that were determined to give the Battery their all in the final regular season meeting between the two. The match was scoreless through the first hour and a quarter, goalkeeper Paul Lewis rose to the occasion to prevent Loudoun from scoring with a penalty save in the 37th minute. Charleston broke ahead in the 79th minute when Robbie Crawford scored from the edge of the box, assisted by Zeiko Lewis, in his first match since July 7. The Black and Yellow will aim to build on that momentum heading into Dillon Stadium. 

With both sides sporting the same record and points total, a victory by either will ascend the winners in the top four of the division. 

Ones to Watch This Week

Danny Barrera

Barrera is among Hartford’s most dangerous threats on offense. The seasoned midfielder leads the club in chances created, shots, assists and goals (tied with two others). During the first match against Charleston, Barrera registered four shots, two key passes, three recoveries and completed 44 of 56 passes. Barrera is also just one of three players on Hartford to start all 16 of the club’s matches. Watch for Barrera to play a key role again in Hartford’s offensive pursuits.

Robbie Crawford 

Crawford provided the late-game heroics against Loudoun while coming off the bench, scoring in the 79th minute to lift the Battery 1-0. The goal was his first of the season and second with the Black and Yellow. The Scottish midfielder had been absent from the pitch since the July 7 match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Prior to landing on the injury report, Crawford had been a regular in the lineup and a key presence in the Battery midfield with 10 starts. As Crawford works his way back into matches, expect his presence to enhance the Battery game plan, whether in the starting lineup or off the bench.

From the Training Ground

The Battery had a quick turnaround between matches following Friday’s victory as they prepare for Tuesday’s away fixture. The Black and Yellow trained at Patriots Point on Sunday prior to heading North.

“You start with the recovery, and [Sunday] was more getting in and seeing where we are, we have a couple knocks, a couple players that have been out that are hopefully are coming back in,” said Anhaeuser. “The guys looked pretty good, the ones that played in the game, looked very good [Sunday], so we should be in a good spot.”

The away trip will be the furthest up north for the Black and Yellow since the season opener against New York Red Bulls II on May 7, presenting a different climate from the Lowcountry. Coach Anhaeuser expects the players to enjoy the milder climate.

“When the guys go out for training when we get up there [Monday], they’re going to be feeling great when they run and warm up,” said Anhaeuser.

Battery midfielder Robbie Crawford said the team will look to build on Friday’s victory for the road trip.

“It was a positive result, so we just want to keep that going,” said Crawford. “We had some things we were happy with, some other things we think we can improve on. The clean sheet was a positive, created a few chances and got the win in the end, but we all know we can do better.”

Crawford did not play in the first meeting with Hartford, but the Black and Yellow know they will have a strong side opposite them this Tuesday.

“[Hartford] started off the season really well, they’ve got some players that can be a real threat, just have to be aware of that,” said Crawford. “We need to be ready for the challenge they will bring.”

As of posting, Angelo Kelly, Joel Bunting and Logan Gdula are questionable, and Jarad van Schaik, Ben Di Rosa, Joe Kuzminsky, Leland Archer, Patrick Hogan, Nico Rittmeyer, and Mauro Cichero are out.

MATCH INFO

Hartford Athletic vs. Charleston Battery

Tuesday, August 17 – 7:00 p.m. EST Kickoff

Dillon Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut 

HOW TO WATCH:

All Battery matches will stream domestically on ESPN+, you can tune in Tuesday here. International viewers can catch the action via the USL YouTube channel for free. 

The Battery will also be hosting a supporters watch party at Uptown Social in downtown Charleston, starting at 6 p.m. ahead of kickoff! Full details on the event can be found in the linked image below.

The Charleston Battery fell 2-1 to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium. Nicque Daley scored midway through the second half to level the score 1-1, but Pittsburgh’s Russell Cicerone goal in the 79th minute proved to make the difference. The match concludes the regular season series between the black-and-yellow clubs.

The final leg of the supporter-led Old Guard Shield saw the hosts open the match as the more aggressive side. The Battery were able to subdue their early advances with Pat Hogan making a smart clearance in the 6th minute to halt the Hounds. Pittsburgh’s Kenardo Forbes appeared to give his side a 1-0 lead when he found the back of the net in the 12th minute, but the offside flag had been raised. Goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky rose to the occasion minutes later to make a fingertip save on a dangerous header by Jelani Peters. Pittsburgh continued to threaten in the 22nd minute, this time Angelo Kelly made the disruptive intervention on a sliding block to stop a shot on goal. 

Pittsburgh managed to strike first in the 27th minute when Todd Wharton scored from close range after Kuzminsky was forced off his line. Charleston nearly responded moments later following a corner kick by Zeiko Lewis that bounced around the box and wasn’t able to be sent towards the net. Nicque Daley had a promising opportunity inside the box for a shot on goal, however goalkeeper Danny Vitiello made the save. Pittsburgh almost doubled their advantage towards the end of the half via a strong shot off the volley by Alex Dixon with Kuzminsky making an equally-strong save to deny the attempt.

Play resumed with the Battery pressing more in search of an equalizer. Robbie Crawford registered a shot that was blocked in the 50th minute while Charleston continued to work upfield despite Pittsburgh’s stringent defense. The Riverhounds had a dangerous look in the 55th minute when they were awarded a free kick outside the edge of the box. Thomas Williamson took the shot which went wide of the post, Kuzminsky got a hand on the ball to ensure it did not have a chance. Russell Cicerone had another good opportunity for the hosts minutes later inside the 18-yard box, however his shot skied over the net while his teammates unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty.

The Battery equalized in the 65th minute when Lewis found Daley, who then sent in a missile from outside the box to the bottom left corner of the net. The goal was Daley’s eighth of the season, the assist was Zeiko’s tenth. Aside from a few errant shots, both sides began to settle down following the equalizer as they surveyed the scene in search for a breakthrough. The Hounds regained the lead in the 79th minute when Cicerone connected on a left-footed shot inside the box to the bottom right corner. Charleston looked to respond with a wave of substitutions to add energy against the Hounds. The Battery pressed on to level the terms again, but each time Vitiello was able to make a stop. The final whistle blew that saw the hosts win a gritty, but yellow card free, match.

Battery Head Coach commended his team for bouncing back from the 1-0 deficit while recognizing Pittsburgh’s similar resolve.

“It was another one of those games where we got behind and we did really well to get back in,” said Anhaeuser. “A nice goal by Nicque to get us level at 1-1 and I thought we were really playing well and handling the game. Then they just caught us, they got a simple ball in and played it across. We tried to throw everything forward, but defensively, [Pittsburgh] was very strong and solid.”

Adjustments for the second half allowed the Battery to open up more opportunities like Daley’s equalizer.

“I thought we really settled down at the end of the first half, made a couple little adjustments in the second half, and the guys did great to get back in the game,” said Anhaeuser. “I thought we took control even with them sitting in a little bit.”

Battery forward Zeiko Lewis tallied his 10th assist of the 2021 season when Daley converted.

“It’s always a good feeling helping the team, no matter if I’m the one scoring, assisting or defending,” said Lewis. “Whatever I can do to help the team, I will try to do that.”

The team will look to conclude their road trip strong when they travel to Connecticut.

“We had good moments that led to good attacking opportunities but we could’ve been better at other times, we have to refocus for the next game and push on,” said Lewis.

The Battery will stay on the road to close out their away schedule when they face Hartford Athletic on Tuesday, before returning to Patriots Point for the season finale against The Miami FC on Saturday, October 30. 

The Battery are back on the road to take on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday, September 25. The away day is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EST kickoff at Highmark Stadium.

This will be the third meeting between the two sides, the Hounds have an edge on the season series with a 1-0-1 record, with both played at Patriots Point. Geoebel Perez scored his first professional goal in the July 7 draw, and Logan Gdula and Romario Piggott scored in the 2-3 defeat on August 6. Charleston will look to return the favor when they visit the Pennsylvania outfit’s home turf.

Looking at the Atlantic Division table, Pittsburgh are in second with a 14-7-5 record (47 pts) and Charleston are in fifth with a 8-9-6 record (30 pts). 

The Riverhounds are coming off a 1-0 away defeat at the hands of Charlotte Independence. The game was trending towards a draw until Irvin Parra broke the deadlock with a goal in the 81st minute to secure a victory for the hosts. Danny Vitiello turned in an admirable showing for Pittsburgh with six saves, four high claims and three punches. The Hounds nearly took an advantage at the start of the second half when Russell Cicerone had the ball near the goal against a relatively open net, but he mishit the shot and Charlotte defender Joel intervened to stop the sparsely-powered attempt at the 6-yard line. Pittsburgh will look to bounce back as they return home.

The Battery will aim to rebound in Pittsburgh following a hard-fought 2-3 home defeat against New York Red Bulls II. New York scored early to go up 2-0 before Joel Bunting got on the scoresheet midway through the first half. The goal was the Charleston native’s third of his rookie campaign. Leland Archer also got on the scoresheet for the first time in his career, sending a diving header that rattled off the crossbar and past the goalline. The Black and Yellow pushed for an equalizer after Archer’s goal in the 80th minute, but were unable to convert. Charleston faces a tough road challenge next against the Riverhounds but could be poised for a breakout performance after the way the Red Bulls II match concluded. 

Charleston’s trip to Highmark Stadium will be the first for the team since September 14, 2019.

Ones to Watch This Week

Danny Vitiello 

Vitiello has led a commanding Pittsburgh defense all season and will look to maintain that form Saturday. Despite Pittsburgh’s defeat to Charlotte, Vitiello had himself a night – tallying six saves, one catch, four high claims and three punches. With the Battery having 15 different goal scorers on their roster, Vitiello will need a similar performance to keep Pittsburgh fighting for the top spot of the Atlantic Division.

Leland Archer

Since returning to the Battery lineup on August 20, Archer has been a key asset to Charleston’s squad. While staying a stalwart defender at center back, Archer contributed to the offensive efforts with his late goal against New York. Elsewhere, Leland led the team in clearances (3), interceptions (5) and recoveries (6, tied with Robbie Crawford). For his exceptional performance on the pitch, he was the highest rated player for the Battery at 7.7 (out of 10). Expect Archer to remain a central figure in the Battery game plan as they look to make a run for a playoff spot.

From the Training Ground

The Battery trained Thursday at Patriots Point following the New York match and will head to Pittsburgh on Friday.

As of posting, Ben Di Rosa and Temi Adesodun are questionable, Romario Piggott, Zeiko Lewis, Logan Gdula, Nico Rittmeyer, and Mauro Cichero are out.

MATCH INFO

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Charleston Battery

Saturday, September 22 – 7 p.m. EST Kickoff

Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

HOW TO WATCH:

All Battery matches will stream domestically on ESPN+, you can tune in Saturday here. International viewers can catch the action via the USL YouTube channel for free. 

The Charleston Battery delivered an electric performance Wednesday night, defeating LA Galaxy II 3-1 at Patriots Point. In front of a ‘pinked out’ crowd for Breast Cancer Awareness Night, the Battery got out to an early lead off a Geobel Perez goal. Second-half goals by Romario Piggot and Zeiko Lewis and a strong performance by the Battery back line would put the game out of reach for the visitors in just the second meeting between the two sides.

It took Charleston less than two minutes to get on the board when Geobel Perez scored. Stavros Zarokostas carried a pass up the right side, breaking through the Galaxy II defense, to serve the ball to Perez for the finish on the far post. The goal was the Cuban’s second of his rookie campaign. The Battery continued to threaten following the initial goal with Zarokostas, DZ Harmon and Josh Penn leading to forward movement. 

The visitors looked to respond in the 23rd minute when Jorge Hernandez and Daniel Aguirre combined for an attempt that only yielded an easy save by goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky. Much of the half would cool off following the run as the sides continued to size each other up. Galaxy II looked to turn up the pressure in the waning minutes when they were awarded a pair of free kicks just outside the 18-yard box. Both opportunities looked promising, however the visitors were unable to capitalize on the chances. Angelo Kelly and Patrick Hogan registered shots of their own just before the halftime whistle blew.

As play resumed for the second half, it was clear Los Angeles were looking for an equalizer, firing four shots in the opening eight minutes. None of the four, however, found the back of Kuzminsky’s net. Harmon and Perez nearly doubled the Battery’s lead in the 57th minute on a dangerous, but unsuccessful, run inside the box that nearly led to a Galaxy II own goal. Los Angeles countered quickly and were in an equally-dangerous position inside the Battery’s defensive third until Jarad van Schaik raced in for a clinical slide tackle that ended all threats. The visitors eventually broke through Charleston’s defense in the 71st minute when Aguirre leveled the teams.

The Battery were undeterred and regained the lead just a minute later when Romario Piggott headed home his fourth goal of the season, assisted by a stellar cross from Temi Adesodun. The intensity continued from there as the two teams traded movements in each other’s defensive halves. Among the most dramatic sequences came in the 79th minute when Logan Gdula put on a masterclass performance on the goalline by making a double save. Kuzminsky was up in the box, leaving Gdula to man the line, as Jonathan Perez and Preston Judd took shots that Logan stopped while preserving the Battery’s lead. Charleston put the game away in the 89th minute when Joel Bunting and Zeiko Lewis combined for the late goal, securing the three points for the Black and Yellow.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was pleased with his squad’s strong execution of the game plan.

“We wanted to bring DZ Harmon and Stavros Zarokostas in to bring a little energy, and then Josh Penn and Geobel Perez, just wanted to get some fresh guys in there,” said Anhaeuser. “We got down there, got the ball across the back post to Geobel for a great goal. That really helped us out. [LA Galaxy II] are a very technical team, so putting them behind was a big start for us.”

The amped up audience on hand for Breast Cancer Awareness Night played a role in helping the Battery secure the three points.

“It’s electric, what a great crowd for pink night,” said Anhaeuser. “To get three goals for these fans, and now trying to get a third win in a row at home [on October 30]. The jerseys supporting breast cancer awareness, they’re beautiful, and the guys were fantastic getting behind the cause and also putting on a good show at home for the fans.”

Stavros Zarokostas said the team felt the energy the Patriots Point faithful were producing.

“There was definitely a lot of energy tonight, and it was something special seeing everyone wear pink and be united,” said Zarokostas. “They really are a 12th man and helped us a lot. I really felt the energy and you could see it really help the team pull through.

Zarokostas said an emphasis on applying pressure helped the team get off to a strong start.

“I wanted to be aggressive out there on the attack, but tried not to get a yellow, in the end I succeeded,” said Zarokostas. “I really just tried to stay focused in the game and be aggressive when I needed to be. I think the team did the same thing and you can see that from the result.”

The victory is the first of the final four matches for the Battery this season as the team looks to conclude the campaign strong.

“We have one more home game to get a win, but we have two more [on the road] before that,” said Anhaeuser. “We’ll get ready for a quick turnaround Saturday night against a very good Pittsburgh team.”

The Battery hit the road for two away matches across the next six days to face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Hartford Athletic before returning home to take on The Miami FC on October 30 for the season finale.

The Battery host LA Galaxy II on Friday, June 4, for the Black and Yellow’s first interconference match of the season. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EST. The meeting is the first between the two clubs since 2014 and thus LA’s first trip to the new stadium at Patriots Point.

The previous game ended in a 3-0 victory for the Black and Yellow, on June 14, 2014, with goals scored by Colin Falvey, Dane Kelly and Heviel Cordoves. Kelly’s goal, in particular, was assisted by a young up-and-comer named Jarad van Schaik, whose perfectly-placed pass to Kelly helped Charleston double its lead. The Battery defense held strong that evening, preventing a single shot on goal from the visitors en route to a clean sheet. Jarad, who first signed with the Battery in 2013, will be the lone player on the pitch for both matches between the clubs.

Los Dos are currently second place in the Pacific Division with a record of 3-2-2 and 11 points, although they have played the most matches (7) in their division. The club is coming off a 3-4 victory over Orange County SC, where a game-winning goal from Jorge Hernandez in the 88th minute lifted them on the road. Galaxy II have been among the most dangerous offensive sides around with a league-leading 15 goals so far. The club hasn’t traveled far yet this year, however, and Friday will be the furthest from home Los Dos will play this season. 

“We’re playing an LA Galaxy II team from the West Coast and these West Coast teams, they really throw things forward,” said Battery Head Coach Michael Anheauser of Friday’s visitors. “They have some great young talent with forwards like Preston Judd and Augustine Williams, they can really throw some things at you.”

The Battery are still early in their season with only three matches played so far. The Black and Yellow found some footing in their last match against New York Red Bulls II with a pair of early goals, but had to settle for a draw when New York clawed back to even the score 2-2. Stavros Zarokostas earned his first goal of the year in the third minute and Erik McCue scored his first career professional goal in the 24th minute after receiving a perfectly-placed Zeiko Lewis corner kick. Now with an extra week of rest, Charleston will look to build on that momentum at Patriots Point in front of another electric crowd.

Friday’s fixture will be just the second-ever meeting between the two sides, with the Battery hosting both matches.

Ones to Watch This Week

JORGE HeRNANDEZ

Hernandez is among Galaxy II’s most potent threats. The midfielder has tallied four goals and two assists in seven matches, and leads the club in chances created (11). In their last game, he had a goal and an assist in a 3-4 victory over Orange County SC, which earned him USLChampionship.com Man of the Match honors. FotMob.com also named him Man of the Match from for his performances against Tacoma Defiance and Real Monarchs SLC earlier this year. The academy product has made plenty of noise so far and will look to maintain that pace on the cross-country journey.

JOE KUZMINSKY

Kuzminsky played a key role in preserving a point for Charleston in their last match, notching five saves on the day. The most notable of those saves were a trio of stops against Roald Mitchell inside the box that kept the terms level. FotMob.com graded him as among the Battery’s top performers against New York (7.3 out of 10) and he was named Heineken Man of the Match by the fans. The veteran shot-stopper will have his work cut out for him on Friday to keep Galaxy II in check, along with the back line led by van Schaik and Leland Archer.

From the Training Ground

Charleston did not play a match during Memorial Day weekend but have been training since the May 23 game against New York.

Considering the last match against New York and training ahead of LA on Friday, Coach added, “We kind of let our foot off the gas, defensively a little, and we were caught by New York, so we got to make sure we don’t do that again.

“We started the game great. We came out, we had a wonderful first half and really started the second half well, we’ve just talked about really completing the game defensively and offensively, and if we can do that, we’re going to win.”

As of posting, Stavros Zarokostas is questionable, Mauro Cichero and Nico Rittmeyer are out, and AJ Paterson is off on international duty with the Grenada national team for the first round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. LA Galaxy II
Friday, June 4 – 7:00 p.m. EST Kickoff
Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Fans with tickets will be the only ones able to enter the stadium on matchday as the game is sold out! All Battery matches will also stream on ESPN+.

The Charleston Battery fell 5-1 to Charlotte Independence on Saturday at American Legion Memorial Stadium, effectively ending the Battery’s playoff hopes. Romario Piggott got on the scoresheet for the Black and Yellow just before the end of the first half, but goals from Sylvain Marveaux, Dane Kelly, Gabriel Obertan, Enzo Martinez proved too much to overcome. Charleston return home Wednesday for an East Coast-West Coast showdown against LA Galaxy II on October 20 as the club “Pinks Out” Patriots Point for Breast Cancer Awareness Night in support of the American Cancer Society and Real Men Wear Pink.

The Battery took the field at American Legion Memorial Stadium for the first time since the venue’s recent renovations were completed. Battery goalkeeper Paul Lewis deputized for Joe Kuzminsky and would be tested early, breaking up a cross with a diving effort in the 6th minute. Charlotte struck first in the 12th minute when Sylvain Marveaux found the back of the net, despite Lewis getting a hand on the ball. Lewis made another strong diving effort in the 19th minute with a save to deny Enzo Martinez.

The Independence added to their lead when Dane Kelly headed the ball into the back of the net after a corner kick in the 24th minute. Zeiko Lewis registered Charleston’s first shot just before the half-hour mark, however the attempt was too tall for the net. The Battery looked to pick up the pace as the half progressed while trying to eat into Charlotte’s lead. Charleston did just that during stoppage time when Romario Piggott scored following a set piece situation. Zeiko sent in the free kick from roughly 40 yards out which then went off the heads of Leland Archer and Claudio Repetto before finding Piggott for the goal. The assist was Repetto’s third in as many games to set up Piggott’s third goal of the season.

Play resumed in the second half with Charleston eager to equalize as Nicque Daley sent in a shot in the 46th minute that was ultimately blocked. Zeiko sent in a header minutes later that forced a save from goalkeeper Austin Pack. The 2-1 score held until the hour mark when Angelo Kelly was called for a foul in the box against Jake Areman, rewarding Charlotte a penalty kick that was converted by Martinez. Dane Kelly looked to add another goal shortly after the penalty conversion, but Paul Lewis was there for the save. 

The Battery’s substitutions signaled an emphasis on offensive movement as the Black and Yellow attempted to apply pressure and get back into the game. Newly-subbed Geobel Perez fired a shot in the 75th minute from outside the box that was just wide of the post. The Independence added to their lead from the penalty spot again. The penalty followed a foul on Paul Lewis who charged out to make a save, but missed the ball making contact with an advancing Marveaux; Dane Kelly converted from the spot for Charlotte’s fourth goal. The Battery aimed to battle back again with decent movement inside Charlotte’s defensive third. Josh Penn and Angelo Kelly would register shots, but neither player could convert. The Independence scored their fifth in the 89th minute when Gabriel Obertan found the back of the net from the center of the box. Perez would send in another promising shot in the 92nd minute that required a save from Pack. 

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser gave his assessment on the night’s performance.

“We’ve been in this situation before, but the guys picked up the goal at the end of the first half,” said Anhaeuser. “I thought the guys battled and we could come back, but Charlotte seems to catch us on the counter. We tried to open it up, the guys did a great job towards the second half.

With the postseason no longer in play for the Battery, Anhaeuser said the team’s focus will shift to finishing the season out strong, starting on Wednesday.

“We know where we are now, we want to make sure that we go out in the last four games and perform, especially for our last two home games,” said Anhaeuser.

Battery goalkeeper Paul Lewis said the team knows they have one thing left to play for: pride.

“No matter where we sit in the standings, no matter what our playoff chances are, we represent Charleston and we’re proud to do it,” said Lewis. “We play for experience, we play for pride. We still have pride on the line, so we’re going to keep going out and make sure we finish the season out strong.

“We want to make sure that we play out there to the best of our abilities every time we can with these games left.”

Anhaeuser believes his team will be able to bounce back Wednesday night when the club returns to Patriots Point.

“We have a big game on Wednesday and a big crowd, so we want to come out and make sure we showcase what we can do because I don’t think tonight’s performance was indicative of what we can do,” said Anhaeuser.

The Battery will return to the Lowcountry this week to take on LA Galaxy II on Wednesday, October 20, for Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Patriots Point.