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The Charleston Battery left for Pittsburgh Friday morning in preparation for a Week 11 match-up against the Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium Saturday night. The Battery enter the match against Pittsburgh in fourth place while the Riverhounds sit in second-to-last place.

Charleston is coming off its first USL loss at MUSC Health Stadium in over two years and an extra time loss that eliminated the team from the US Open Cup.

The Battery lost 2-0 to league-leaders Louisville City FC on 5/28. The visitors adjusted quickly to the harsh conditions brought on by Tropical Storm Bonnie and controlled the game from the outset. The result never looked in doubt for Louisville, George Davis IV and Kyle Smith scored in the first half and the team cruised to three points.

Romario Williams was sent off in the 51st minute of the match against LouCity after a mistimed tackle. Williams will serve a one-game suspension this Saturday vs Pittsburgh.

The Battery attempted to turn things around Wednesday night in the third round of the Open Cup against the Jacksonville Armada at Southern Oak Stadium, but an Alhassane Keita goal in the 107th minute ended Charleston’s run in the tournament.

Following Chris Tsonis’ equalizer in the 22nd minute, the score remained tied until Keita’s game-winner in extra time. Tsonis’ goal was created from a long ball over the top from Romario Williams. Tsonis brought the ball down well with his chest and slipped it past the onrushing goalkeeper. The goal was Tsonis’ second of the year, making him one of only three players with multiple goals this season.

Pittsburgh watched the Open Cup games from home Wednesday after being eliminated in the first round of the tournament on 5/18, meaning the Riverhounds will come into Saturday’s match with the fresher legs. Pittsburgh’s last match was a 1-0 loss to New York Red Bulls II in New York on 5/28. The Riverhounds’ fresh legs versus Charleston’s which are carrying 120 minutes from Wednesday and a long day of travel on Friday will be something to keep an eye on in Saturday’s match.

The week before the loss to NYRBII, the Riverhounds earned their first win of the season, defeating Toronto FC II 2-1 at home. Pittsburgh only has six points on the year (Charleston has 18) but has played two fewer games than most of the league.

When Pittsburgh visited MUSC Health Stadium on 4/30, the two teams split the points, drawing 1-1. Romeo Parkes and Justin Portillo scored in the match. Since Pittsburgh’s visit to Charleston, Parkes’ contract has been terminated. Despite no longer being on the active roster, Parkes is still the Riverhounds’ leading goal-scorer with five this season.

Williams is the Battery’s leading goal-scorer, meaning both teams will be without their biggest attacking threats Saturday. While Charleston will miss Williams’ physicality and pace up top, the team has a host of other dangerous attacking players and should still create plenty of opportunities going forward Saturday night.

With a win over the Riverhounds, the Battery can temporarily move back into second place, depending on results around the league.

Following the match in Pittsburgh, Charleston will return home to face Orlando City B at MUSC Health Stadium for the first time in history on 6/11. Tickets to that match can be purchased here. This Saturday’s match can be viewed via live stream here.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Charleston Battery were eliminated from the US Open Cup Wednesday night after falling to the Jacksonville Armada in extra time at Southern Oak Stadium.

Second half substitutes Alhassane Keita and Alex Dixon combined to score in the 107th minute to end the Battery’s run in the Open Cup. The goal came after an extended period of possession from the home side. Following the patient build-up, Dixon received the ball at the top of the penalty area and flicked it behind the Battery’s back four towards Keita who finished it calmly.

Despite the loss, goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper played perhaps his best game of the 2016 season. The Cuban goalkeeper made several big saves in both halves to keep the Battery in the game and was unlucky not to walk away with a result.

The game was tied at one for 85 minutes prior to Keita’s eventual game-winner. Patrick Otte opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a well-taken goal from inside the penalty area. The Battery battled back after falling behind and found an equalizer five minutes later.

Chris Tsonis scored his second goal of the season in the 22nd minute to bring the match back level. Romario Williams played a long ball into Tsonis near the top of the 18-yard box. The center forward brought the ball down well on his chest and slotted it under Jacksonville goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.

With the win, Jacksonville advances to the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup and will face Orlando City SC on June 15th, while the loss eliminates Charleston from the tournament. The Battery will travel to Pittsburgh this weekend and return to USL play Saturday night against the Riverhounds.

Box Score:

CHARLESTON BATTERY: Odisnel Cooper, Emmanuel Adjetey (yellow card, 47th), Forrest Lasso (Taylor Mueller, 103rd), Shawn Ferguson (c), O’Brian Woodbine, Maikel Chang, Neveal Hackshaw, Justin Portillo, Dante Marini, Chris Tsonis (goal, 22nd) (Ataulla Guerra, 69th), Romario Williams (assist) (Ricky Garbanzo, 88th)

Unused substitutes: Alex Tambakis, Jose Nazareno, Austin Savage,  Heviel Cordoves, Zach Prince

JACKSONVILLE ARMADA: Miguel Gallardo, Shawn Nicklas, Tyler Ruthann, Beto Navarro, Bryan Burke, Kevan George (c), Patrick Otte (goal, 17th), Junior Sandoval (yellow card, 36th), Danny Barrow (Derek Gebhard, 91st), Charles Eloundou (Alex Dixon, 73rd), Matt Fondy (assist) (Alhassane Keita, 79th; goal 107th) 

Unused substitutes: Sean Lewis, Garry Lewis, Jemal Johnson

Tickets to the Battery’s match against 54-time Scottish Premier League Champions Rangers Football Club are on sale now. The two teams will meet at MUSC Health Stadium on July 6th, kickoff is at 7:00pm and gates open at 5:00pm. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased here or by calling 843-971-4625. 

Rangers will participate in a 10-day preseason training camp in Charleston prior to the match with the Battery. The game is the only scheduled match that Rangers will play in the U.S.A. in 2016.

Traveling fans can find local hotel information, including special discounted rates, here.

With 54 league championships, 33 Scottish Cups, and 34 Scottish League Cups, Rangers have won more league titles and trebles than any club in the world. The Light Blues competed in Scotland’s first division every year from the date of the team’s inception in 1872 until 2012. Most recently, Rangers won the Scottish Championship, sealing the team’s return to top-flight football for the 2016-2017 season.  

Also of note for fans interested in attending the international friendly is the completion of a major project at MUSC Health Stadium: the 3,000 square foot video board is up and running. The jumbotron will offer fans a new, more interactive experience in the stadium and will be heavily utilized during RFC’s visit.

ATLANTA, GA – Wednesday, Jun. 1, 2016 –  Atlanta United announced the signing of 18-year- old striker Jeffrey Otoo this afternoon.

The 5’ 9” Otoo comes to Atlanta from Charity Stars FC, located in Accra, Ghana where he scored 21 goals in 13 games since December 2015 playing in Division 2. He will play the remainder of the 2016 season on loan with Charleston Battery, Atlanta United’s USL affiliate.

Otoo is a strong, powerful and quick young player whose style has been compared to that of former Everton F.C. and Nigerian international player Yakubu Aiyegbeni. He is naturally left footed with powerful shooting ability and is a high energy performer off the ball.

“Jeffrey is a talented young player who we identified through our international scouting network,” said Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra. “Having him signed with us at this time enables him to play with Charleston Battery and get familiar with US soccer ahead of our inaugural season in 2017.”

The signing of Otoo is in line with Atlanta United’s approach to building the roster by identifying strong individual contributors at each position.

“We really like Jeffrey’s natural technical ability and unselfish style of play,” said Bocanegra. “He’s a hard worker with an attacking, athletic approach to the game and a fantastic attitude both on and off the field. We’re excited to watch him develop.”

Otoo will arrive in the U.S. next week and will begin training with Charleston Battery soon after.

The Charleston Hope Lodge is an American Cancer Society hospitality house located on Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston. Established in 1970, Charleston Hope Lodge was the first facility of its kind and is currently one of 31 Hope Lodge locations in the United States.

The goal of American Cancer Society lodging programs is to ease the emotional, mental, and financial burdens patients and their families face during treatments. Many patients have to travel to receive the best care and facilities like the Charleston Hope Lodge offer comfortable accommodations for patients of all ages.

Hope Lodge facilities relieve cancer patients of the worry of finding places to stay when their best hope for effective treatment is in a city far from home, allowing them to focus on getting well. Guests have private rooms and an array of resources to help them fight disease. The lodging programs provide a home-like environment where patients have the opportunity to interact with others in similar situations.

To learn more about Charleston Hope Lodge, the Charleston Battery caught up with the manager of the Calhoun Street facility, Kelly Williams.

CB: What types of services does your facility provide? 

KW: American Cancer Society Hope Lodges offer a solution to cancer patients who must undergo treatment far from home.  Hope Lodges provide free, temporary housing for cancer patients and caregivers in an emotionally supportive “home away from home” environment.  Staying at the Lodge helps to alleviate some of the financial and emotional burden faced by these families.

CB: What types of patients stay at your facility? How do you decide which patients get to stay? Is there a cost? If not, how are the patients’ stays funded? 

KW: To stay at the Hope Lodge facility, you must be 18 or older, be in active cancer treatment, have a caregiver with you throughout your entire stay, and live 40 miles or further from your treatment center (15 miles for bone marrow transplant patients).

We do not charge our guests nor do we ask income levels, etc. If they meet the requirements above, they are selected on a first come, first serve basis.

We are funded primarily through donors of the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program. We also benefit from local ACS events such as Relay for Life, Bark for your Life, and the Charleston Hope Ball.

CB:  What sets your campus apart from others like it?

The Charleston Hope Lodge was the first ever Hope Lodge built with the origination of founder Margot Freudenberg. Our doors first opened to guests in 1970, where the first of many found their “home away from home” while undergoing treatment.

We are set apart by providing lodging at no cost, saving our guests a total of $780,000 in 2015 based on what guests would have had to pay for similar accommodations near their treatment centers. Last year alone the Hope Lodge provided over 5,200 nights of lodging to 311 guests.

CB:  How can Battery fans get involved with your organization?

KW: Donations are always accepted and appreciated! It costs roughly $1,800 dollars a night to keep the Hope Lodge facility running and we are funded primarily through supporters like you. We also have various programs to get involved in. From our “Dining with Hope” program that provides free dinners for our guests every Monday–Thursday night, to having a simple bingo night with prizes! Our door is always open to community support.

Join us this Saturday, May 28th, for Family Night at MUSC Health Stadium The Battery will take on league-leading Louisville City FC at 7:30pm, gates open at 6:00pm.

Purchase a Family 4 Pack for $40 and receive 4 West Bleacher Seats – a $28 savings! Each additional ticket (up to 10 tickets) is $10, compared to $17 for West Bleacher seats. Additional Family Pack tickets can be purchased for a $10 per ticket.

Purchase Family Packs here. *Family 4 Packs are available for online purchase only through 5/28 at 4pm, while supplies last.

Fans can purchase individual game tickets here.

Hendrick Lexus of Charleston will have a fan station at the match that will include a give away for the first 500 visitors and a faceprinting station. The Lexus Fan Station will be located close to the customer service table by the West gate.

During the match, enjoy craft beers from the following local breweries: Frothy Beard, Holy City Brewing, Lo-Fi Brewing and Cooper River Brewing Company. Food trucks will also be onsite.

CHARLESTON – Battery center back Shawn Ferguson was named to the USL Team of the Week for Week 9 after leading Charleston to a 1-0 win over Wilmington on Saturday. It’s Ferguson’s third appearance overall and second as a starter in 2016.

Ferguson scored the game’s only goal in the 33rd minute with a cheeky finish from a Justin Portillo corner kick. The 6-4 center back ran into the six-yard box unmarked as Portillo’s inswinging delivery dipped towards his feet. Ferguson back heeled the ball on target, catching Wilmington goalkeeper John Smits off guard. The goal was Ferguson’s first of the year, making him the 10th different Battery player to get on the scoresheet this season. 

Following Ferguson’s goal, the game became disconnected in part due to the surface at Legion Stadium. The Battery captain led Charleston’s defense to the shutout, cutting out most of Wilmington’s attacking moves before they became dangerous. Ferguson steadied the veteran Battery squad as it beat the Hammerheads at its own game for its fifth win of the season. 

The shutout was the Battery’s second straight and fifth overall in the league. Charleston’s third straight league win moved the team into a tie for second place with New York Red Bulls II, setting the stage for this week’s match-up against league-leading Louisville City FC. 

Ferguson’s Week 9 TOW honor is the ninth of his four year USL career. Charleston has had a representative on the Team of the Week five out of nine weeks this season, with four different players making at least one appearance.