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The Battery were defeated by Hartford Athletic 2-1 Tuesday evening after the Connecticut side were lifted by goals from Derek Dodson (31’) and Danny Barrera (34’, penalty). Claudio Repetto scored his fifth goal of the season during stoppage time just before the break, but the Battery were unable to find an equalizer in the second half. The Black and Yellow will look to bounce back against New York Red Bulls II this Friday as they continue their Northeast road trip.

The first half-hour of play went scoreless but was not without opportunities for both sides. Hartford nearly broke open the game in the 3rd minute when Juan Carlos Obregón Jr sent in a shot that rattled off the crossbar and then cleared by AJ Paterson. Charleston loanee Frank Nodarse gave the Battery a pair of close chances off corner kicks in the 7th and 8th minutes, with the first attempt forcing goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell to make the save. Nicque Daley sent in a powerful strike from outside the box in the 22nd minute, but momentum took the ball high and wide of the goal. Hartford nearly took the lead in the 28th minute when Darwin Lom found the back of the net, but he was eventually flagged for offside in the build up.

The hosts struck first in the 31st minute when Derek Dodson scored from the center of the box, assisted by Danny Barrera. Goalkeeper Paul Lewis got a glove on the shot but his effort was not enough to stop the ball from going in. The Athletic doubled their lead minutes later after Temi Adesodun was called for a foul inside the box, allowing Barrera to convert from the penalty spot to make the score 2-0, despite Lewis correctly guessing Barrera’s placement and getting a hand on the shot. Obregón nearly tripled the lead in the 40th minute with a shot from the right side of the box, but Lewis was there to make the save. The Battery got one back in stoppage time when Zeiko Lewis connected with Claudio Repetto following a Robbie Crawford free kick, and Repetto sent in a no-look header into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

The second half started off promising for the Battery with a trio of corner kicks awarded to them but the Black and Yellow were unable to produce a goal. Robbie Crawford had a good look on goal in the 55th minute with a shot from outside the box, but his attempt too was high over the crossbar. Hartford had an opportunity to add a third goal in the 64th minute but Obregón was once again met by the crossbar which denied him. Barrera received the ricochet and quickly fired in a shot but it was wide left of the post. The Battery defense continued to firm up as the night progressed, Erik McCue had a productive evening on the Battery back line, registering match-highs in blocks (4) and interceptions (3). Paul Lewis had three saves, one punch and oen high claim between the sticks on the evening.

The Battery pressed on the latter minutes of the match and began to find rhythm while searching for an equalizer. Charleston won six set piece plays in the final 15 minutes of action. Geobel Perez had an opportunity from outside the box in the 86th minute for a shot but the Cuban forward’s shot was wide left of the net. Among the best chances for the Battery came following a foul by Hartford on Zarokostas just outside the box for a free kick. Burke Fahling sent the ball in towards the far post and in a dangerous spot, but his effort was unable to connect with a teammate to get a shot off. With the defeat, the Battery move into sixth in the Atlantic Division table, three points out of a playoff spot.

Battery Head Michael Anhaeuser gave his assessment on the team’s performance, recognizing the weight the first-half penalty carried.

“[Hartford] getting that second goal was really tough, because if we only give up the first one, we’re down 1-0, and then we score a great goal at the end of the half that would have made it 1-1,” said Anhaeuser. “[Hartford] get the penalty and it changes the complexion, they’re able to sit back in the second half and counter attack. When you give up two goals on the road, it’s always tough to come back from those deficits.”

The artificial turf field at Dillon Stadium looked to have an influence on the match, but Anhaeuser applauded his team’s performance on the unfamiliar surface. The Battery will be playing on artificial turf again against Red Bulls II this Friday.

“I thought we did well actually, playing on the turf,” said Anhaeuser. “Looking ahead to New York, it’s a surface we’ve played on already and we’ve played [New York] well. We’ve got a good group and there’s a lot of positivity in the locker room.”

Battery forward and goalscorer Claudio Repetto praised his teammates’ ability to not back down after going down 2-0.

“You always have a plan, but that might turn and you have to quickly figure out another way, I think we did well there, especially in the final moments,” said Repetto.

The team now shifts the focus to Red Bulls II, where they will look to secure three points against the divisional foe.

“Friday, we need to bounce back, we’ll wake up tomorrow morning only focused on Friday because we can get points there,” said Repetto. “Then next week, we go for another game, so it’s about always staying positive.”

Coach Anhaeuser said his team will aim to rebound with a victory to conclude the road trip.

“We were down early, but we had the ability to at least get a point here in Hartford, which would have put us in a good situation,” said Anhaeuser. “We just have to play each game individually and we have to come out and be ready for New York. Get ourselves ready physically and mentally because it’s going to be a high intensity game.”

The Battery will stay on the road without returning to Charleston before the Red Bulls II tie, training in New Jersey ahead of the match. As the team is away, the club is hosting a free watch party for Friday’s match at Patriots Point, inviting fans to the stadium to catch the game on the jumbotron.

Temi Adesodun, Paul Lewis earn their first USL Team of the Week honors for Week 17 performance in 1-0 victory over Loudoun United. Zeiko Lewis gets additional nod on TOTW bench.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 17 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Miami FC midfielder Speedy Williams voted Player of the Week after recording a pair of goals in his side’s comeback victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and helping Miami earn four points over its two games during the week overall.

A 2020 USL Championship All-League First Team selection, Williams has been a notable part of Miami FC’s turnaround in its second season in the Championship. The Jamaican international – who competed this summer at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup for his country – was at the center of a big road victory for Miami last Wednesday night, scoring twice. Williams scored the late game-winner from the penalty spot, helping the visitors rally from a two-goal deficit early in the second half to take a 3-2 victory. Miami is now only two points off top spot in the Atlantic Division while sitting undefeated in its past four games.

Williams earned 33 percent of the ballot to claim the honor, narrowly edging out Atlanta United 2 forward Phillip Goodrum on 27 percent, who had two goals and one assist after coming on as a halftime substitute in his side’s 4-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City II on Saturday evening. 

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship. 

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 17

GK – Paul Lewis, Charleston Battery: Making only his second professional start, Paul Lewis recorded a two-save shutout against Loudoun United FC, including a key first-half penalty kick save to keep the game scoreless. The Battery were able to secure three points with a late winner in their pursuit of a playoff place.

D – Caleb Wiley, Atlanta United 2: Caleb Wiley earned his second consecutive selection as he helped Atlanta to four points over two games, winning 15 of 24 duels and completing four tackles. He also recorded 16 recoveries, four interceptions and three key passes throughout the two matches.

D – Temi Adesodun, Charleston Battery: Temi Adesodun put in a strong two-way performance in the Battery’s 1-0 victory against Loudoun United FC on Friday night, winning 11 of 13 duels and making three interceptions while also completing 5 of 5 dribbles and two key passes.

D – Nick Hinds, Austin Bold FC: Nick Hinds helped Austin Bold FC’s back line contain Miami FC in a 0-0 draw on Saturday night. He won 6 of 7 duels and made six recoveries while completing 37 of 44 passes and recording a pair of shots as he joined the attack.

D – Aaron Guillen, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Aaron Guillen won 4 of 4 tackles and 7 of 7 duels while making four interceptions and completing 48 of 55 passes as the Rowdies held Hartford Athletic to only two shots in a 1-0 win at Al Lang Stadium on Friday night.

M – Speedy Williams, Miami FC: The Jamaican international helped his side to four points on the road over the week, including scoring two goals in Miami’s comeback 3-2 victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday night. He completed 111 of 130 passes, won 3 of 3 tackles and made 15 recoveries across two games.

M – Nicky Law, Indy Eleven: Nicky Law had a goal and assist to help lead Indy’s 2-1 victory against OKC Energy FC on Saturday night while also completing 36 of 40 passes, recording three key passes and making five recoveries.

M – Robbie Mertz, Atlanta United 2: Robbie Mertz had one goal and two assists across a pair of games as Atlanta took four points from its week of action, and additionally completed 62 of 73 passes overall while winning 9 of 15 duels.

F – Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC: Cameron Lancaster scored both goals as Louisville City FC extended its lead in the Central Division with a 2-1 win against FC Tulsa on Saturday, had six shots overall and won 7 of 7 duels and 2 of 2 tackles in an impressive all-around performance.

F – Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: The Championship’s Golden Boot leader scored three goals across two games, including a two-goal outing in the Switchback’s 5-2 win on Saturday against Rio Grande Valley FC, and completing 70 of 87 passes across the two games.

F – Phillip Goodrum, Atlanta United 2: Phillip Goodrum came on as a halftime substitute on Saturday against Sporting Kansas City II and made an immediate impact, notching a goal and assist inside 10 minutes before adding his second goal of the game to wrap up a 4-1 victory for the side.

Bench: Patrick Rakovsky (OC), Anderson Asiedu (BHM), Zeiko Lewis (CHS), Brandt Bronico (CLT), Junior Flemmings (BHM), Enzo Martinez (CLT), Cameron Iwasa (SAC)

The Charleston Battery pulled off a 1-0 win over Loudoun United FC Friday night for their fourth victory over the Virgina side this season. A defensive battle for nearly the full 90 minutes saw the home team come out victorious after a crucial penalty save by goalkeeper Paul Lewis and a late goal by Robbie Crawford. The Black and Yellow did not disappoint in front of a crowd over 3,000 strong celebrating Pride Night at Patriots Point.

The first half was a scoreless stalemate with neither side able to find a breakthrough. Charleston’s first opportunity came in the 7th minute via a Nicque Daley shot from the edge of the box, but his attempt was saved by Loudoun goalkeeper Jermaine Fordah in the bottom right corner. The Battery again had another chance in the 14th minute, a set piece play with a free kick sent in by Burke Fahling to Logan Gdula, but Gdula’s header was just wide of the net. Loudoun were quick on the counter attack throughout the half, with an opportunity coming just a minute later from a shot by Abdoul Amoustapha, but Battery goalkeeper Paul Lewis was there to make the diving save. Charleston outshot Loudoun 9-8 in the first 45 minutes of action.

The defining moment of the half came in the 38th minute when Lewis denied Robert Dambrot from the penalty spot. The concession was awarded following a foul by Gdula against Dambrot. Lewis correctly guessed Dambrot’s attempt to the right side of the net and got a pair paws on the ball to deny Loudoun from the scoresheet. Both Lewis and Fordah shined in the first half, notching two and three saves, respectively, to keep the match scoreless at the break.

The second half kicked off with the same tone as the half prior with both sides unwilling to give ground either way. DZ Harmon and Nicque Daley connected in the 56th minute to try to break the game open, but the Loudoun defense held firm and Harmon was shown a yellow for a foul on Fordah. Geobel Perez, Zeiko Lewis and Burke Fahling would all take shots across the next 22 minutes of action, but none could convert. Loudoun’s Theodore Ku-Dipietrio provided an opportunity for the visitors, but his left-footed shot missed wide left.

The match was decided in the 79th minute when Robbie Crawford, who came in 15 minutes earlier off the bench, scored from outside the box. The Scotsman was assisted by his former Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar (FH) teammate Zeiko Lewis before uncorking a driving shot that would rattle off the left post and head into the back of the net. The goal was Crawford’s first of the season in his first match back since July 7. The match would play out with the result unchanged, although tempers started to flare in the latter stages with Romario Piggott and Fordah both receiving a yellow card in the 84th minute. Piggott came close to doubling Charleston’s lead in the stoppage time but his attempt was saved. Charleston’s victory came in style as Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser celebrated his 51st birthday with three points won.

The night also featured a Battery and USL Championship debut for loanee defender Frank Nodarse. Nordarse checked into the match as a substitute in the 67th minute.

Coach Anhaeuser was proud of his squad’s ability to rally in the second half and win the match late.

“We came out a little sluggish which can be expected, you could see the guys were a little rusty,” said Anhaeuser. “You have to give Loudoun credit, they moved the ball and put us under pressure a little bit. We knew if we could get to half-time and regroup, we would win. We got the three points and that’s big.”

Anhaeuser applauded Paul Lewis’ performance tonight, which was the young goalkeeper’s second career professional start.

“[Loudoun] get the penalty, but wow Paul makes an unbelievable save, he got his hand on it last week and this week he saves it, he won the game for us,” said Anhaesuer. “It’s building confidence when you play, you got to play games and you got to play minutes. I’m very proud of him, very happy for him, we’ve got two very good goalkeepers.“

Paul Lewis was pleased with the day of work, which featured the first career clean sheet of his young professional career.

“It’s an important job to know when to be ready and I usually sit behind one of the best in the league [in Joe Kuzminsky], that gives me a great opportunity to learn,” said Lewis. “So to be able to come in, he leaves me big shoes to fill, but when there’s a result, that’s what I’m here for and I appreciate the coaches giving me the chance.”

On the penalty save, Paul Lewis recalled his first penalty situation last match against Pittsburgh.

“The first shot I ever really had on target was the penalty against Pittsburgh last week and I got a touch on that one, So the second one, I can’t let him have it and I always go with my gut,” said Lewis. “[The shot] sat down, I got the early jump and got two hands on it. Then I just needed to be loud afterwards and let them really know you saved it.”

Paul Lewis was proud of the squad’s resiliency to win the game late, no matter who was on the pitch.

“Charleston’s a place where we always fight, there’s a long history of fight in this team,” said Lewis. “Everyone here plays a critical role, no matter if they get zero minutes on the weekend or 90. When their number is called, they’re ready to go, and that’s what’s huge about this team.”

The Battery take the three points into a busy road trip that will see them play two matches in four days with contests against Hartford Athletic and New York Red Bulls II next week. The Black and Yellow will return to Patriots Point on Saturday, August 28, to take on Orange County SC. Tickets are available for the match via SeatGeek here.

The Charleston Battery announced Thursday the signing of defender Frank Nodarse from Fort Lauderdale on a short-term loan, pending league and federation approval. Nodarse, a 6-3 center back, joins the team for the next three matches only.

The 20-year-old Cuban has made 13 appearances with Fort Lauderdale across the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and re-links with fellow loanee Josh Penn who also played with the South Florida outfit.

Nodarse brings with him international experience, featuring for the U-20 Cuban national team during the 2018 U-20 Concacaf Championship. He made three appearances during the competition, tallying one goal and one assist. Nodarse additionally rejoins with former U-20 Cuba teammate and current Battery forward Geobel Perez, who also played during the tournament.

Ahead of the move, Battery Head Coach Michael Anheauser noted Nodarse’s international performances and his previous connection with Perez.

“Frank is a player I saw down in Florida after he played with the U-20 Cuban national team, he played with Geobel, he’s got a good resume for a young player and has the stature and skillset to be a real effective center back,” said Anhaeuser.

Nodarse will wear number 25 and joins the Black and Yellow ahead of the team’s home match against Loudoun United FC on Friday, August 13.

Get a closer look at the warm-up jerseys the Battery will wear Friday, August 13 for Pride Night!

The white jersey features the club’s classic Holy City FC mark on the front of the shirt with limited-edition Pride Night coloring, with an all-black name set  on the back.

The worn shirts will be washed, signed and auctioned off, with proceeds from each jersey sold directly benefiting Charleston Pride & We Are Family in their work promoting acceptance and inclusivity in the Charleston community. Bidding runs through Saturday, August 14, ending at 5 p.m. EST – place your bids here.

Check out the images below with the Battery defender AJ Paterson donning the limited-edition shirt!

The Battery return home to Patriots Point this week to face Loudoun United FC on Saturday, June 26. The match is the second meeting of four with Loudoun after the Battery won the first fixture in Virginia. The game will also be Loudoun’s first trip to Patriots Point.

Looking at the Atlantic Division table, Charleston are in sixth with a 2-2-2 record (8 pts) and Loudoun are in eighth with a 1-6-0 record (3 pts).

Loudoun will be seeking redemption in their second time facing Charleston after falling at home 0-1 in the first match. Loudoun took a majority of the night’s shots and maintained 63% of possession during the match, but Burke Fahling’s second-half goal was the difference-maker at Segra Field. Loudoun will also be looking to correct the four-match skid they are currently on, with Hartford Athletic handing them their most recent defeat, 2-1 in Connecticut.

The Black and Yellow are looking for a bounceback performance following Wednesday’s defeat in Charlotte. The Battery fell in the second match of the series against Charlotte. Charlotte scored early in the 6th minute via Dane Kelly, but the score remained the same during the next hour of the match. Charleston had a handful of chances to equalize but were unable to break through the Jacks’ defense. Stavros Zarokostas returned to the starting lineup and brought his speed back to the Battery offense. However, Charlotte would add two more to put the game out of reach.

Saturday’s match against Loudoun will be the fourth meeting between the two East Coast clubs. The Battery currently lead the series 2-1-0. The Battery will look to break the series trend of the visiting team winning in each match by a margin of one goal so far.

MATCH INFO:

Charleston Battery vs. Loudoun United FC

Saturday, June 26 – 7:00 p.m. EST Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Saturday’s match is almost sold out, get your tickets via SeatGeek here. All Battery matches will also stream on ESPN+.

The Charleston Battery fell 2-3 to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Patriots Point Friday night. Multiple goals in both halves were exchanged by the sides but Pittsburgh came out on top with an unanswered goal by Alex Dixon in the 65th minute. The night featured professional debuts for goalkeeper Paul Lewis and midfielder MJ Petry.

The first half was back and forth the whole way through, but was scoreless through the first 19 minutes. DZ Harmon and Stavros Zarokostas provided forward movement into the Pittsburgh 18-yard box but were unable to convert. The Battery struck first off a set piece play in the 20th minute. Logan Gdula headed home a Zeiko Lewis free kick to put the hosts up 1-0. The goal was Gdula’s first of the season.

Pittsburgh were quick to strike back and quickly pressed back into the Battery defensive third. The Hounds were awarded a penalty following a foul drawn by Kenardo Forbes inside the box in the 22nd minute. Russell Cicerone took the penalty and converted to even the score at 1-1. Battery goalkeeper Paul Lewis, making his first career professional start and appearance, got a paw on the ball in his dive, but the attempt managed to get through. Pittsburgh would take a 2-1 lead just before the end of the half when Alex Dixon powered home a shot from the center of the box, assisted by Dani Rovira. Possession was relatively even during the half, with the Riverhounds taking a slight majority of the ball at 55%.

Play resumed with a quick start as the Battery equalized in just the second minute of the half with Romario Piggott doing the honors. Piggott received a short through ball from Gdula and gave it a one touch pass into the box towards Nicque Daley and Zarokostas. Daley nudged the ball to Stavros and his shot was slowed down by Pittsburgh goalkeeper Danny Vitiello. Piggott won the race to the ball as it slowly rolled towards the net to leave no doubt and send it home. Pittsburgh were quick to counter again, driving into the Battery 18-yard box but Lewis was there to save the shot by Louis Perez.

Lewis produced another sensational save in the 58th minute following a well-placed headed shot by Cicerone, getting vertical to redirect the ball over the crossbar and out of harm’s way. The game remained 2-2 until the 65th minute when Dixon notched a brace from the right side of the box to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-3. The Battery were reduced to 10 men when Zarokostas was shown his second yellow card of the night in the 79th minute. Geobel Perez nearly equalized for the home side off the bench with a header towards the net in the 86th minute, but Vitiello was there to make the save. The Battery had a pair of corner kicks in stoppage time, but were unable to convert. Along with Lewis’ debut, the night featured a professional debut for 17-year-old midfielder MJ Petry, who entered the game as a substitute in stoppage time.

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

“[Pittsburgh] are a good team, but we did things pretty well, especially the beginning of the second half,” said Anhaeuser. “We came out, we put them under pressure and we found the ball. We worked it up very nice and got the second goal. But, [Pittsburgh] scored a great goal, you can’t knock them for that, it was a heck of a finish there.”

Coach Anhaeuser applauded Paul Lewis’ performance during his professional debut, which came against the Atlantic Division leaders.

“Every step is a learning moment and he learned from the beginning,” said Anhaeuser “I’m very proud of him. He did very well against a good team. He came out when we needed him to, it’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t get a result for him. But he’s going to get better every single day and that’s what he needs to do.”

Gdula was happy to score his first goal of the season but recognized adjustments to be made on defense.

“It’s always good to get on the scoresheet, Zeiko helped me come close,” said Gdula. “I wish I could have done better defensively and we could have kept more balls out of the net.”

On the match as a whole, Gdula found positives in the team’s possession and ability of all the players stepping up in their roles.

“Overall, I thought we started off strong, I thought we possessed the ball a lot more coming into the game,” said Gdula. “I thought we had some guys step up and I thought we could have had more chances to win that game, even being a man down at the end.”

Coach Anhaueser will now prepare his men for next week’s home match against Loudoun United FC on Friday, August 13.

“We just have to get back into it next week. It’s another home game so we’ve got to come out, we want to score and get forward,” said Anhaeuser.

The club will be celebrating Pride Night during the August 13 match against Loudoun, tickets are available for the Friday fixture via Seatgeek here.

The Battery return home to Patriots Point to face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST. The midweek fixture is the first meeting between the two black-and-yellow sides since 2019 and puts the supporter-led Old Guard Shield back in play.

Looking at the Atlantic Division table, Pittsburgh are in second with a 6-4-2 record (20 pts) and Charleston are in sixth with a 3-3-2 record (11 pts).

The clubs last met in the 2019 season, where the fixtures ended once in a draw and once in a Pittsburgh victory. The last Battery victory came on July 21, 2018, in Pittsburgh, when a match-winning goal in the 88th minute from Ataullah Guerra lifted Charleston, 0-1. Since 2014, the Battery lead the series with a 5-2-6 record.

The Hounds are coming off a 1-0 home victory over Charlotte Independence on July 3. Anthony Velarde scored the lone goal of the evening during stoppage time before the first half ended. Pittsburgh peppered the Independence with shots throughout the night, but Charlotte goalkeeper Brandon Miller kept the game close with eight saves during the contest. The hosts outshot the Jacks 15 to 6 and held the majority of the possession with 56% on the day.

The Battery are looking for a bounce-back performance at home following a hard-fought 1-0 road defeat against Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 2. The deciding moment in the match came in the 67th minute, when the Rowdies were awarded a penalty for a Battery foul inside the 18-yard box. Sebastian Guenzatti converted to give Tampa Bay the breakthrough goal a minute later. Charleston had a handful of chances during the match but were unable to produce an equalizer. 

Wednesday’s meeting will be a matchup of recent strengths; the Battery are 2-0-1 in their last three home matches, whereas the Riverhounds are 2-1-0 their last three away days.

Ones to Watch This Week

KENARDO FORBES

Kenardo Forbes has been a central part of the Pittsburgh midfield since the 2018 season. The experienced Jamaican currently leads the team in chances created with 22. He additionally has two assists on the year. During their last match, Forbes was among the top performers, completing 39 of 46 passes, with two key passes, and earned a rating of 7.6 (out of 10) by FotMob.com. Expect the midfielder to be a factor once again on Wednesday.

ROMARIO PIGGOTT

Romario Piggott makes his return to the Battery in 2021 after playing an important role with the club in the two years prior. The Panamanian midfielder made 11 starts in 2020, tallying two goals, one assist, and nine key passes, before his season was cut short due to injury. Piggott made his 2021 debut against Tampa Bay when substituting into the game during the 84th minute. The crafty midfielder has the ability to add an extra element of playmaking and energy into the Battery attack that could see him be a difference-maker on Wednesday.

From the Training Ground

The Battery returned to training on Sunday following a rest and travel day on Saturday. Charleston will play at Patriots Point for the first time since their 3-0 defeat of Loudoun United FC on June 26.

As of posting, Stavros Zarokostas is questionable and Logan Gdula, Jarad van Schaik, Mauro Cichero, and Nico Rittmeyer are out. AJ Paterson (Grenada) and Zeiko Lewis (Bermuda) are off on international duty with their national teams for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Wednesday, July 7 – 4 p.m. EST Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Wednesday’s match is will be played behind closed doors in an abundance of caution due to Tropical Storm Elsa. You can still catch the action via the broadcast on ESPN+.

The Charleston Battery announced Tuesday the club will celebrate inclusivity in the community with a Pride Night celebration at Patriots Point, scheduled for the Friday, August 13 match against Loudoun United FC. In partnership with Charleston Pride and youth advocacy organization We Are Family, the club is excited to celebrate and support the LGBTQI+ community and allies.

Leading up to the Pride Night celebration, the club will unveil special edition Pride supporters scarves with proceeds from each scarf benefiting both We Are Family, an youth advocacy organization that provides affirming spaces for LGBTQI+ and ally youth through direct support, leadership development and community engagement, and Charleston Pride, whose mission is to promote the visibility of the LGBTQI+ community in Charleston and the greater Southeast region through programming and events that educate society on, honor the heritage of, and celebrate the culture of the LGBTQI+ community.

Additionally, for the August 13 match, Battery players will wear special edition Holy City FC Pride jerseys during warmups that will then be signed and auctioned off with all proceeds benefiting both organizations.

“We set out from day one to create a welcoming and inclusive environment at Patriots Point for all to come unite around and celebrate a common love for both soccer and the Charleston community,” said Battery head of community Scott Krenitski. “We’re excited to work together with Charleston Pride and We Are Family to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community on August 13, and ongoing, to make Patriots Point an inclusive atmosphere every match.”

The special edition Battery pride supporters scarves and pregame Pride warmup jerseys will be unveiled leading up to the Pride Night celebration on August 13. Tickets are available through SeatGeek, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.