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The Battery fell 3-2 to The Miami FC following three unanswered goals scored by the South Florida side. Nicque Daley (11’) and Zeiko Lewis (31’) put Charleston ahead 0-2 in the first half before being countered by goals from Miami’s Ariel Martinez (45’), Christiano François (61’), and Billy Forbes (78’). The away defeat snaps the Battery’s three-game win streak.

The first half got off to an active start with free kicks awarded to each side in the first 10 minutes of play. DZ Harmon and Stavros Zarokostas led the Battery’s press along the right side but were unable to convert. Nicque Daley put Charleston ahead in the 11th minute after the ball was headed twice before he put his own head on it to advance into the 18-yard box. From there, Daley had just Miami goalkeeper Connor Sparrow to beat and Nicque sent it past him to the center of the goal. Miami’s Lamar Walker thought to have equalized in the 21st minute, but he was flagged offside before appearing to score.

Charleston doubled their lead in the 31st minute on a counterattack that saw Daley find Zeiko Lewis for the goal. Nicque placed a perfect through ball and Lewis sent the ball home into the bottom left corner of the net. Miami pressed on to cut the Battery’s lead with a handful of dangerous runs later in the half, one notably that featured a tangle between goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky and forward Ariel Martinez that saw Martinez’s chance come up empty. The hosts managed to get one back in the 45th minute via Martinez from the center of the box to make it 1-2 before halftime. Miami handled 66.5% of the possession, but were outshot 3-to-5 by the Battery.

The second half continued much of the same trends, as Miami held more of the possession (60%), but the sides both traded shots. Zeiko Lewis narrowly missed in the 56th minute with an attempt from outside the box that went just wide right of the post. Miami equalized in the 61st minute via Christiano François, assisted by Robert Baggio, who worked his way around defender Patrick Hogan and then put the ball past Kuzminsky. Charleston found a one-man advantage in the 70th minute when Baggio was shown a red card for violent conduct and sent off. 

The defining moment on the scoreline came in the 78th minute when Miami’s Billy Forbes scored the go-ahead goal on a free kick from just outside the box. Forbes sent a left-footed curler into the top right corner of the net past Kuzminsky’s reach. The Battery threatened to regain a point in the result but were unable to convert. Among the best opportunities of the push came from a headed attempt by Romario Piggott on a cross by Burke Fahling, but the ball went just wide of the post. Ben Di Rosa registered a pair of shots inside the box during stoppage time but both were blocked before the final whistle eventually blew.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser recognized the team’s strong start but also Miami’s resilience to overcome the deficit to secure the win.

“We caught them early and got the early goal, caught them on the counter twice,” said Anhaeuser. “I don’t think much changed for Miami [in the second half], they were really moving the ball well, finding the hole in there. [Miami] were still getting it in the same spots. Unfortunately, they got that goal to tie it up.”

The match was the second straight away match played in high heat, which Anhaeuser attests did play a role down the stretch.

“It’s your second road game and you can see some of our legs,” said Anhaesuer. “It’s two difficult games from a physical standpoint, I do think it did affect us a little bit.”

Anhaeuser will look to rally his squad ahead of this Friday’s match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC by building on the positives and working to make improvements in front of the Patriots Point faithful.

“We’ve got to keep it rolling at home, obviously that’s where our focus is now,” said Anhaeuser. “Let’s leave this behind us now, we can’t do anything about it. It’s back home and I told these guys we can’t be disappointed, we have to get ourselves ready [for Friday] physically and mentally.

“We get back and then we regroup refreshed to get back on track Friday at home where we’ve been playing very well.”

Battery forward Zeiko Lewis said the squad will look to bounce back at home following two consecutive road matches.

“It was a tough game, but we will bounce back, we’ve played a lot of games in a short period of time,” said Lewis. “Two back-to-back turf fields away is tough, but we move on to the next one. We grow and bounce back, getting ready to play at home Friday.”

The night featured a Battery debut for Josh Penn, who signed with the club earlier in the week on a season-long loan from MLS side Inter Miami CF. Charleston will return home to take on Atlantic Division-leading Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Friday, August 6 at Patriots Point, tickets are still available and can be purchased here.

The Charleston Battery announced the addition of forward Josh Penn to the roster on loan from Inter Miami CF for the remainder of the 2021 season, pending league and federation approval. 

The 20-year-old was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Miami and has made two appearances for the Herons this season. Penn has also made 10 appearances with Miami’s USL League One affiliate Fort Lauderdale CF, registering two goals and one assist.

“I’m really excited to be in Charleston and to help this team win games,” said Penn. “The team has been on a good run of games so hopefully I can help them keep going with that, I’m just happy to get going with this club.”

Prior to Miami, Penn was Indy Eleven’s first USL Academy contract signing during the 2019 preseason before being signed to the senior team later that year, making five total appearances. Josh then moved to the college ranks, competing in a successful season at Indiana University in fall 2019. With the Hoosiers, Penn tallied six goals and two assists en route to the Big Ten regular season and postseason tournament titles. For his exceptional play during the campaign, Penn was named All-Big Ten Second Team and the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Penn returned to Indy Eleven in 2020 but did not feature for the side.

As a former Indiana Hoosier, Penn has an immediate tie to Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser.

“Having a connection, as fellow Hoosiers, with Coach Anhaeuser is something special and something I’m excited to be a part of,” said Penn.

The Illinois native has also competed on the international stage, representing the United States with the U-19 National Team in two appearances in 2018. Penn played against now-current teammate Nicque Daley on September 11, 2018 when his team took on the Jamaica U-20 squad. Penn scored his only international goal during a 4-1 victory over Jamaica.

Penn will wear number 24 and joins the Black and Yellow ahead of the team’s road match against The Miami FC on Sunday, August 1.

It was a high-scoring affair at Segra Field as the Battery claimed a 3-5 road victory for their third-consecutive win Wednesday night. The scoring came early and often with goals by Claudio Repetto (2), Stavros Zarokostas, DZ Harmon and Zeiko Lewis (penalty) to outlast the Virginia club’s persistence. The win required a full ninety-minute effort from the Black and Yellow after Loudoun were unwavering with three first-half goals.

The first half fireworks started early which proved to be the eventual theme of the night. Claudio Repetto started the show in the 4th minute with his third goal of the season after DZ Harmon moved the ball towards the net and had a deflection go towards Repetto for the score. The Battery struck again in the 9th minute via a Stavros Zarokostas strike from the left side of the 6-yard box, assisted by Nicque Daley. Loudoun returned fire in the 22nd minute when Theodore Ku-Dipietro sent home a ball that rolled into the open center of the 18-yard box before his strike.

The goal-scoring action continued when Repetto connected with his former Coastal Carolina teammate, Harmon, once again to put the Battery ahead 1-3. The goal was Repetto’s fourth and the assist was Harmon’s second of the season. Repetto would leave the match in the 40th minute due to an apparent injury. Loudoun, undeterred, worked to even the score before the half, with a goal scored by Abdoul Amoustapha on a narrow angle in the 41st minute and an own goal conceded by Patrick Hogan in the 45th minute making the score 3-3. The half featured 15 shots between the two clubs, eight by Charleston and seven by Loudoun.

The second half did not kick off with the same fireworks as the half prior, but it was not short of intensity as both sides looked to break the deadlock. Charleston found their fourth goal of the evening in the 56th minute when DZ Harmon buried a header following a perfectly-placed free kick from Burke Fahling, who notched the assist. Loudoun pressed on to equalize again, with shots from Ku-Dipietro in the 73rd minute and Samson Sergi in the 81st minute, but both were saved by Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky.

The match was settled in the 90th minute when Zeiko Lewis converted from the penalty spot following a foul on DZ Harmon inside the box minutes prior. The Bermudan striker delivered a calm and collected shot to the bottom left corner that put the game away. Loudoun attempted the grab another goal in the dying minutes of the match, but Battery defender Leland Archer was there to dismantle Ku-Dipietro’s threat. On the day, Kuzminsky had four saves, two punches and one high claim while holding Loudoun to a scoreless second half. Charleston’s victory was also the first of the Di Rosa Derby between brothers Ben Di Rosa and Matt Di Rosa, who played against each other for the first time as professionals after being teammates at the University of Maryland.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was proud of the fight in his team after Loudoun tied the match at halftime.

“We go up 3-1 and you’re thinking you’re going to win, but they come back to tie it up at halftime,” said Anhaesuer. “We win the second half 2-0, you have to commend the guys for really settling down and coming into the second half to put on a performance to win the game.”

Anhaeuser credited Loudoun’s persistence in giving opposing teams a hard fight at Segra Field.

“We win it 5-3 and get out of [Loudoun] with six points [this year], other teams are going to struggle against them,” said Anhaeuser. “Even though they’re at the bottom of the division, it’s just tough to play here.”

Di Rosa credited the halftime adjustments to make the difference in breaking the 3-3 deadlock and securing the three points.

“We knew that playing the ball over the top might be effective and we know that we’re good on the counter, so we felt like we didn’t have to play around the back into the middle as much,” said Di Rosa. “We were happy to just reset and act like it’s a zero-zero game, forget the mistake that we made in the first half and just take care of the second half and get the win.”

As a whole, Di Rosa said the team is happy with the bounce-back second half performance to notch the victory.

“We got off to a good start to start the game, and then we were kind of upset with ourselves that we allowed a couple of late goals and allowed them to climb back into the game,” said Di Rosa. “But, we’re very proud of our second half performance, getting those three points is huge.”

The match meant a little extra for Di Rosa as he competed against his brother for the first time professionally.

“There was definitely some family excitement, we’ve been looking forward to this game for a while now,” said Di Rosa. “It was kind of crazy playing against each other, it felt weird out there but I am excited to get the win.”

The Battery will remain on the road for their next match on Sunday, August 1, against The Miami FC at Riccardo Silva Stadium. The game will have heavy Atlantic Division implications as the clubs are separated by just two points in the standings.

Kuzminksy’s penalty save, assist and clean sheet earns 60 percent of the ballot to claim Week 14 top honors.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 14 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Charleston Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky voted Player of the Week after becoming the first goalkeeper in the Championship’s history to record a penalty save, an assist and a shutout in the same contest against the Charlotte Independence last Friday night.

A longtime standout for the Battery, Kuzminsky produced a unique performance against the Independence in the first edition of the Southern Derby this season at Patriots Point. The 27-year-old made a crucial play in the first half to deny Charlotte’s Sylvain Marveaux from the spot to keep the game scoreless, and after the Battery had taken an early second-half lead Kuzminsky notched an assist in stoppage time as his long ball upfield set up Joel Bunting for the cap on a 2-0 victory. Eight goalkeepers in the Championship have recorded an assist and a shutout since the start of the 2014 season, but none has also recorded a penalty kick save as part of their night’s work.

Kuzminsky earned 60 percent of the ballot to claim the honor. Birmingham Legion FC’s Jonathan Dean finished second on 27 percent as he scored a late game-winner and also had an assist in his side’s 2-1 road victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday night, while San Antonio FC’s Jose Gallegos finished third for his one goal, two assist performance to lead SAFC past New Mexico United last Wednesday.

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 14

GK – Joe Kuzminsky, Charleston Battery: Joe Kuzminsky achieved a Championship first in recording both a penalty-kick save and an assist in a shutout for his side as the Battery took a 2-0 victory against the Charlotte Independence on Friday night.

D – Jonathan Dean, Birmingham Legion FC: Jonathan Dean scored a stoppage-time winner to lift Birmingham to a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night, capping a performance that also saw him record one assist, six key passes and complete 43 of 51 passes.

D – Alex Lara, Hartford Athletic: Alex Lara scored the opening goal and defensively recorded six interceptions, eight recoveries and won 3 of 4 tackles in the Athletic’s 2-0 victory against Miami FC on Saturday night at Dillon Stadium.

D – Brent Richards, Orange County SC: Brent Richards had a goal and assist while recording two shots and three key passes in attack while also winning 7 of 12 duels, making two interceptions and completing 51 of 62 passes in OCSC’s 2-2 draw with Sacramento Republic FC.

M – Jose Gallegos, San Antonio FC: Jose Gallegos recorded one goal and two assists in a standout attacking display during San Antonio’s 3-0 victory against New Mexico United last Wednesday night, while also completing five key passes and five dribbles as well.

M – Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Kenardo Forbes recorded a pair of assists and had six key passes overall in Pittsburgh’s 3-1 victory against the New York Red Bulls II on Friday night while also winning 3 of 4 tackles.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera recorded both assists in Hartford’s 2-0 victory against Miami FC – moving into third place in the Championship all-time – and completed 43 of 53 passes and six key passes overall in helping his side to victory.

M – Josh Drack, LA Galaxy II: Josh Drack notched a goal and an assist to help lead Los Dos to a 3-0 win against Oakland Roots SC on Sunday afternoon and was sharp on the ball throughout, completing 27 of 29 passes and winning 9 of 12 duels defensively.

F – Nathan Fogaca, San Antonio FC: Nathan Fogaca recorded a second consecutive two-goal performance in SAFC’s 3-0 victory against New Mexico United last Wednesday night, recording four shots on goal and completing 11 of 13 passes at Toyota Field.

F – Alex Dixon, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Alex Dixon had a goal and assist in the Hounds’ 3-1 victory on the road against the New York Red Bulls II, and also won 7 of 11 duels and made 13 recoveries defensively in a fine two-way performance.

F – Sebastian Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Sebastian Guenzatti had a goal and assist, took nine shots overall including five on target and also won 3 of 4 aerial duels in the Rowdies’ 3-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night.

Bench: Jeff Caldwell (HFD), Jonathan Gomez (LOU), Joe Farrell (PHX), Lewis Hilton (TBR), Todd Wharton (PIT), Rodrigo Lopez (RGV), Jorge Hernandez (LA)

The Battery are back on the road to take on Loudoun United FC on Tuesday, June 8 at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST as Charleston make just their second road appearance since starting the season May 7 on the road against New York Red Bulls II.

The two sides have met twice before, in a home-and-home series in 2019, with the visiting team winning 1-2 each time. A 2020 out-of-group match was scheduled, but it was postponed and eventually abandoned. Tuesday’s match will be the first of four between the Atlantic Division foes this season.

Loudoun currently sit seventh in the Atlantic Division table with a record of 1-3-0 (3 pts). Their lone victory came on the road against New Mexico United. The Battery sit behind them in the Atlantic Division table at eighth with a record of 0-1-2 (2 points). A victory is essential for both sides to make up ground in the standings.

The Virginia side are coming off a 2-3 home defeat against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday, June 2, and will look to bounce back at Segra Field. Loudoun showed some fight against the Hounds after going down 0-3 early to then notch a pair of goals in the second half, but were unable to find the equalizer. Despite the result, Loudoun forward Jovanny Bolívar had a strong showing with one goal and one assist en route to FotMob.com Man of the Match honors.

Loudoun have been a tough opponent, falling by only one goal in each of their losses, meaning a meeting with them will be nothing other than gritty.

Charleston are coming off a postponed affair with LA Galaxy II on account of inclement weather on Friday at Patriots Point. The fixture was slated to be the first interconference match for both sides and the first meeting between the two since 2014. A rescheduled date for the match is to be determined.

The Battery are still early in their season with only three matches played so far. The Black and Yellow found some footing in the May 23 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.

Loudoun, the USL Championship reserve team for D.C. United, will be the third match against an MLS reserve club for the Battery so far this season after seeing New York Red Bulls II twice thus far.

Ones to Watch This Week

Jovanny BolívaR

Bolívar has been among the top performers so far in Loudoun’s campaign and has scored in their last two matches. The 19-year-old Venezuelan is on loan from Deportivo La Guaria of the Venezuelan Primera División and has been a regular starter. The youngster currently leads the club in scoring with two goals and one assist. Bolívar has taken 15 shots, also a team-high, and presents a threat from the left side.

Burke Fahling

Fahling has made three appearances and has been an immediate contributor to the squad with his gritty playing style. Last match against New York, Burke earned his first start with the club after solid performances in his first two games off the bench. FotMob.com had him as one of the top performers in the May 23 fixture with a rating of 7.4 (out of 10). The midfielder is currently second on the team in chances created and third in shots, despite being only 11th in minutes played. Expect the first-year player to continue making contributions to the squad, whether as a substitute or a starter.

From the Training Ground

The Battery were back at training on Sunday following Friday’s postponement and a rest day on Saturday.

Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser is confident in the squad’s ability to bounce back this week.

“It’s an adjustment in the mentality, so getting back in the swing of things and today becomes a big day in preparation for us,” said Anhaeuser. “The guys looked really sharp today in training.”

Tuesday’s match will be the first for the Black and Yellow in over two weeks, since the May 23 fixture against New York Red Bulls II.

“Now we’ve got fresh legs going into the game,” said Anhaeuser. “The only worry you might have is that you didn’t play a game, so now you’re coming into this game as your first game without actually playing in a real full 90-minute match, but I think our guys are ready and will be able to handle it.”

In the locker room, midfielder Angelo Kelly said the players are staying resolute despite Friday’s postponement.

“We were a little disappointed, we wanted to play after having a whole week off,” said Kelly. “We can’t control Mother Nature, so we move on and we put our heads straight and get ready to play against Loudoun. 

“As a professional, you have to deal with [the] adversity. It was out of our control, so we just got to switch on and get ready to play.”

Kelly is among the current players who were in the 2019 matchups with Loudoun and recalled playing against them.

“They like to play out of the back, they’re a crafty team,” said Kelly. “They got a few individuals here and there that can turn in the tight areas, it’s going to be more of a technical aspect, we’re preparing for that and we’re ready for it.”

“The big thing is we really got to get our focus back,” said Anhaeuser. “We didn’t have the game [against LA Galaxy II], I think our guys are ready, we were ready to play Friday night, and now it’s just getting back into the swing of things. We’re getting ready for a Tuesday and Saturday match this week and we want to win both of them.”

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

Loudoun United FC vs. Charleston Battery
Tuesday, June 8 – 7:00 p.m. EST Kickoff
Segra Field – Leesburg, Virginia

HOW TO WATCH:

The away match broadcast is available here via ESPN+, the streaming provider for all Charleston Battery matches this season.

The Battery will also be hosting a supporters watch party at Home Team BBQ in downtown Charleston, starting at 6 p.m. ahead of kickoff! Full event details can be found here.

The Battery blanked the Independence 2-0 Friday night in front of an electrified Patriots Point crowd of nearly 3,000 strong. An early penalty save by Joe Kuzminsky and goals from Nicque Daley and Joel Bunting proved to be the difference-maker in securing three points for the Black and Yellow. The victory is the second straight for the Battery at Patriots Point. The win pushes the Battery ahead of Charlotte in the Atlantic Division table and secures a three-point lead in the supporter-led Southern Derby Cup.

The first half ended in a scoreless stalemate, with two key moments of note preserving the level terms. The first arrived in the 26th minute when Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky saved a penalty kick awarded to Charlotte. The penalty came after Charlotte’s Adam Armour drew a foul inside the 18-yard box. Sylvain Marveaux took the shot for the Independence, but his left-footed strike from the spot was saved by Kuzminsky and the scoreless match was preserved.

The second moment came when the Battery caught Charlotte on the counter attack and Nicque Daley provided Charleston’s closest shot of the half. The build up started when Zeiko Lewis stopped Charlotte’s movement in the Battery defensive third. Lewis then found Claudio Repetto to progress the possession. Repetto hit Romario Piggott on the move before Piggott passed the ball off to a charging Daley. Nicque squared himself up to the ball, but his strike went right to the waiting arms of Charlotte goalkeeper Brandon Million. As a whole, both the Battery and Independence were even at three shots apiece through the first 45 minutes.

The second half started with Daley picking up where he left off, applying pressure against the Charlotte defense. Nicque broke the game open in the 53rd minute with a play he both started and finished. The progression began when Daley dispossessed the Independence in the Battery defensive third and then hit Lewis on a long through ball to the Battery’s attacking end. Zeiko won the race to the pass and returned the favor to Nicque, crossing it to Daley at the edge of the box. From there, the Jamaican forward powered home a shot that was too much for Miller’s to stop, giving the Battery a 1-0 lead.

Charlotte would remain resolute despite the deficit, as the visitors began to apply ample pressure to the Battery defense in search of an equalizer. Charlotte’s Valentín Sabella provided a shot from a dangerous spot in the 69th minute but was denied by Kuzminsky. Blake Pope provided another attempt in the 83rd minute but the shot went high and wide. The match was put away in stoppage time by Joel Bunting, who received a long and towering pass from Kuzminsky on a goal kick. Bunting was the quickest to the ball and giving it a perfect chip over Miller to double the Battery lead and effectively put the game out of reach.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was pleased with his team’s performance in securing the victory.

“We played a good team and had to battle,” said Anhaeuser. “[Charlotte] beat us three-nothing in the first two games, but [our] guys came back and did a tremendous job defending. Then Nicque [Daley] and Joel Bunting getting the goals they did to put it away was absolutely fantastic.”

The result helped avenge the previous two meetings against the Independence and provided a leg-up for the Battery in the Southern Derby, which will be decided in the fourth and final regular season Charleston-Charlotte match.

“[The Independence] kind of took us the first two games and the guys wanted to get even, this is the first step, and then we have to win the next one too,” said Anhaeuser. “The Cup makes it even more special, I know it adds something more. We’ll talk about it now because it’s a two-game series and obviously we have to go do the job [in Charlotte].”

Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, who earned the fan-voted Man of the Match, provided a key save on a Charlotte penalty in the first half that preserved the scoreless terms.

“You know I just go in and do what’s best for the team and if that requires saving a PK, then I’ll do that,” said Kuzminsky. “It was a chippy, sloppy game, but sometimes you just have to grind it out and that’s what we did to come away with the win.”

The team will now look to build on this home win and create momentum into the second half of the season.

“This was a big one, every game that we play from here on out is a big one,” said Kuzminsky. “To get back at these guys after what they did to us on our opening night and what they did to us on their field, it feels really good to get three points and a shutout.”

The Battery will hit the road for the next two matches, starting with a July 27 meeting with Loudoun United FC at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia. Charleston will return to Patriots Point on August 6 to take on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, tickets can be purchased through SeatGeek here.

The Charleston Battery kick off their home schedule against Charlotte Independence on Friday, May 14 at Patriots Point. This will be the first meeting between the two clubs since their clash in the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match.

The Battery return home after a 1-1 draw on the road against New York Red Bulls II, where a Zeiko Lewis equalizer in the second half earned the team a point in New Jersey. The score was set up by an AJ Paterson interception that found its way to Lewis via a ball into the box from Stavros Zarokostas. Three newcomers made their Charleston debuts: Ben Di Rosa, Geobel Perez and Burke Fahling. Last season, both matches against Charlotte were in North Carolina, meaning Friday’s fixture is the Independence’s first trip to Patriots Point.

Charlotte started their season a week earlier than Charleston but were off last week. The Jacks fell in their season opener 3-0 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in St. Petersburg. The result doesn’t tell the full picture, however, as the match was scoreless at the half and Tampa Bay didn’t score until the 59th minute, which was then followed by two more by the hosts. The Independence were without veterans Enzo Martinez and Joel Johnson, who could have shored up the squad’s offense and defense.

Head to head, the Battery lead the series with a 9-2-6 record and the two sides have met every year since the Independence’s inaugural season in 2015. The single 2020 regular season match ended in a 1-1 draw, where a Dane Kelly goal was nullified by an Independence own goal, which came off a ricochet from a Zeiko Lewis shot. The second meeting was in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, a dramatic 1-2 Battery victory that featured an Arthur Bosua goal at the 105th minute in extra time to see the Black and Yellow advance.

The Friday duel will be played in front of a sold-out Patriots Point crowd and will be the first of five home matches across the next six weeks for the Battery. The Black and Yellow host a match at Patriots Point for the first time since September 20, 2020, a 2-0 victory over The Miami FC.

Ones to Watch This Week

CHRISTIAN DEAN

Dean was the most involved for Charlotte and played a key role in their ball distribution. The veteran defender led the squad in successful passes (44), total passes in the opposition’s half (22) and key passes (2), while tallying two interceptions and three clearances. Dean’s efforts earned him the highest grading for Charlotte during the match from FotMob.com at 7.2 (out of 10). Dean had been retired since November 1, 2018, prior to this season, but expect him to play a key role once in his return to the game in setting up Charlotte’s scheme from the back line.

IRVIN PARRA

Parra was an offseason acquisition for the Independence, signing from San Diego Loyal SC, adding a new threat the Battery did not see in the previous two meetings with Charlotte. Parra played with Las Vegas Lights FC prior to the Loyal and he developed a penchant for scoring, amassing 15 goals across 31 matches. Prior, he had acquired experience in Germany for five years before returning to the United States. Parra was unable to open his Charlotte account against Tampa Bay in his two total shots, but expect him to be searching for his first goal on Friday.

ANGELO KELLY

Kelly played a key role in the Battery’s season opener and earned Heineken Man of the Match honors for his efforts. Angelo commanded a presence throughout the midfield, leading the team with 35 successful passes and four tackles in a full 90 minutes of action. FotMob.com graded Kelly’s performance with a 7.7 rating, tied for second-best among all players during the match. Look for Angelo to continue his strong play in front of the sold-out home crowd at Patriots Point.

BEN DI ROSA

Di Rosa made his professional debut against New York and made an instant impact on the lineup. He racked up an impressive stat line, completing 31 of 40 passes while tallying three clearances (team-high), three interceptions, 15 possessions gained (team-high) and two shots. Di Rosa’s efforts up and down the pitch earned him USLChampionship.com Man of the Match honors and attained the highest FotMob.com rating of the match at 8.1. Di Rosa showed capability on defense and offense that could keep things interesting in transition when Charlotte come to town.

From the Training Ground

The Battery returned from their first road trip on Saturday and were back on the training pitch Monday to prepare for the Independence.

“Charlotte for us, they could lose seven-nil, win five-nil, and then our game is going to be a battle. It’s a rivalry game,” Coach Mike Anhaueser said, looking ahead to the match against the Jacks. “We’ve got to be prepared. They play open and that’s what we’re hoping. If they do, we can really catch them on the counter-attack or with our play getting wide,” he continued.

Looking at Charlotte’s first match, a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay, Coach added, “defensively they looked pretty sound. Roberts in the back and Miller in the goal, they’re going to be sound defensively. We need to take the game to them because if we don’t, they have the quality pieces and some young players that can do some damage.”

As of posting, Nico Rittmeyer is out. Erik McCue and Mauro Cichero are both listed as questionable.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Charlotte Independence

Friday, May 14 – 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 be streaming on ESPN+ and the match is the featured broadcast on SiriusXM’s SiriusXM FC (channel 157) broadcast.

The Battery secured an important three points Saturday night in a 3-1 win over Hartford Athletic in front of a roaring crowd at Patriots Point. Over 3,500 fans were in attendance for the first match at full capacity in the new stadium, a Patriots Point record. Goals by Romario Piggott, Claudio Repetto, and Nicque Daley were too much for a Hartford side unable to capitalize on strong possession and a goal late in the second half.

A heated first 20 minutes of the match saw no ground given either way, but in the 21st minute Battery midfielder Romario Piggott changed that with his first goal of the season. The birthday boy was found by a Stavros Zarokostas cross at the edge of the 18-yard box before sending in a curling shot into the top right corner of the goal. The goal was Piggott’s sixth with the Black and Yellow.

The Battery defense held their own throughout the half, maintaining a rocky presence to thwart Hartford’s advances. Hartford’s Christian Gómez and Danny Barrera each had shots within the first 20 minutes, but both efforts went wide of the net. Looking to equalize, among Hartford’s best advances came in the 29th minute when Younes Boudadi sent a towering cross into the 18-yard box, but Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky advanced off his line to defuse the threat. The Battery countered with some advances of their own in the second part of the first half, but Hartford stayed true and preserved the 1-0 scoreline.

The second half opened with a pair of Zeiko Lewis shots, in the 47th and 50th minutes, but neither were able to convert. The Battery’s lead was doubled in the 58th minute. Lewis was there for the assist, finding Claudio Repetto with a perfectly-placed through ball on the right flank. Repetto then handled the rest, squaring up to the ball and delivering a strong strike with his left foot that blazed off the hands of Hartford goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell before landing in the back of the net. The goal is the second of the Italian’s professional career.

The match provided a trade of advances and defensive stops by both sides for the next 24 minutes, but neither club were able to find the back of the net. Hartford converted for the first time of the night in the 83rd minute when Tulu sent in a header from the back post, assisted by a cross from Barrera. The opposing side went to work for an equalizer by applying pressure to the Battery defense, but were countered with breakaways from Temi Adesodun and DZ Harmon, both taking shots but unable to get the third goal. Hartford continued trying to level the scoreline in the first minute of stoppage time via a Jeciel Cedeno shot, but the effort was wide of the net. Charleston’s two-goal lead was restored at 90’+4 by Nicque Daley, who willed his way into the box after dispossessing the ball from Hartford and then poked a shot past Caldwell for goal number three for the Battery and his third goal of the season.

The triumph was the Battery’s first home victory since winning 3-0 over Loudoun United FC on June 26. As of writing, the three points move the Black and Yellow up one spot in the Atlantic Division table and into sixth place.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was pleased with his team’s performance against Hartford.

“I’ll tell you what, these guys produced, we played birthday boy [Romario] tonight and got his first start since his injury last year,” said Anhaeuser. “These guys were tremendous tonight, what can you say about the resiliency in that final 10 minutes, [Hartford] score on the momentum that seems to swing, then Nicque finally breaks through.”

The Patriots Point crowd was an influence on the match, according to Anhaeuser, and was a positive one for the Black and Yellow.

“Over 3,000 fans, you know, I was sitting out watching warm ups and watching the crowd come in, we’re getting ready to go out and there’s still people walking down the street,” said Anhaeuser.  “I’ll tell you what, winning three-one at home with this many fans is incredible.”

Romario Piggott was happy to score his first goal of the season against a tough Hartford team.

“I was really happy for the opportunity to score a goal on my birthday,” said Piggott. “The most important thing is that we won, but we have to keep working, we have to keep improving and keep doing like we did tonight.”

Piggott’s first goal came in his first start of the season and was meaningful to him following a 2020 campaign that was cut short due to injury.

“I had a really bad injury last year and was out for a long time, I’m really happy to be back again with the guys and helping as much as I can,” said Piggott.

The Battery return to Patriots Point on Friday, July 23, to take on Charlotte Independence in the first leg of the supporter-led Southern Derby. Tickets are still available and can be purchased through SeatGeek here.

The Battery fell 2-1 on the road against New Mexico United in the first meeting between the two clubs on Monday night. Charleston forward Claudio Repetto scored his first career professional goal, but the hosts’ breakthrough in the second half proved to be the difference. 

The first edition of the Black and Yellow Derby, as it’s been dubbed, needed only 15 minutes to get the fireworks going. New Mexico struck first when Juan Guzman connected with Kalen Ryden and Ryden got around Claudio Repetto to head the ball home. New Mexico nearly doubled their lead in the 20th minute but Devon Sandoval’s attempt was saved.

The Battery struck back in the 38th minute when Repetto found redemption and his first career professional goal. The score was set up by Zeiko Lewis who found DZ Harmon on a switch to the right side of the field, Harmon then delivered a perfect cross to his old Coastal Carolina teammate, Repetto, who set the ball into the back of the net off his chest. Harmon had made threatening runs in the previous 15 minutes and finally broke through the United defense to produce on the score sheet.

The second half picked up right where the first half left off. New Mexico United were the first to threaten only two minutes after kickoff. The hosts did not have to wait too long for their chances to find the back of the net again as they found a breakthrough seven minutes into the half. The goal was set up when New Mexico’s counter attack capitalized from a cross in front of the Battery net. Kuzminsky did well to make the initial save, but the ball bounced back off New Mexico’s Devon Sandoval and rolled into the back of the net to make it 2-1. 

Charleston responded by putting more numbers forward in search of an equalizer. Harmon’s shot in the 61st minute was the Battery’s first real chance of the half. The Battery did well to keep New Mexico from adding a third goal that could put the game out of reach. Kuzminsky continued his form in front of goal, totaling six saves on the day. Among the Battery’s best chances to equalize came in the 84th minute when Logan Gdula found Romario Piggott in the center of the box, but Piggott’s shot ultimately went high over the crossbar.

Battery Head Coach Michael Anhaeuser was proud of his team’s ability to handle the environment on the road at Isotopes Park.

“We played with some composure on a tough field, even when we went down, we did a great job of coming back and got the goal to equalize,” said Anhaeuser. “We got caught on the counter and we went down, but after that, again, we came back and created enough chances to get that tying goal, and that was just disappointing we couldn’t do that because we did some good things.”

The night saw two first-year players connect for the Battery’s lone goal of the contest, Harmon to Repetto, who were teammates at Coastal Carolina University before joining Charleston.

“Very proud of the guys for their effort and their work and in a tough environment,” said Anhaeuser. “That’s great because Claudio is a number nine going into the box and DZ did fantastic, he’s grown every game and we told him to be aggressive on the wing.”

Harmon notched his first assist of the season and was a constant force on the right side of the Battery attack. Harmon said the service to Repetto was a play they had been crafting since their time in Conway, South Carolina.

“Since the college days we always talked about where, when I’m down the line, he has to get in a box, and he did that,” said Harmon. “It was a great pass from Zeiko [Lewis] as well. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the win, but there’s a lot of positives that we could take from the game today.”

“The most important thing is the intensity, I thought we played with a great deal of intensity tonight,” said Harmon. “We just need to finish our chances because we created a lot of chances, but we didn’t finish, so we can adjust in training come Hartford this Saturday.”

After the match, Burke Fahling was shown a red card for foul and abusive language. The Battery return to Patriots Point on Saturday, July 17, to take on Hartford Athletic in the club’s first meeting of the season with the Connecticut outfit.