Charleston, SC. Fresh off a hard-fought 0-0 tie with Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC on Saturday night the Battery now faces an even sterner test as they take on the current MLS champions Real Salt Lake at 5:00 PM Wednesday at Blackbaud Stadium ($15 - $25, 843-971-4625 / charlestonbattery.com). The game is the first of a Major League Soccer double-header with DC United facing Toronto FC in the night-cap at 7:15 PM.

The Battery began its 2010 pre-season with a gritty performance against the current Canadian champions Toronto FC on Saturday night holding the Reds to just eight shots. With only three days preparation Coach Anhaeuser’s players acquitted themselves well and had a couple of chances to win the game in the late going.

Former College of Charleston goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap played the first 45 minutes for the Battery and was tested several times at the start of the match saving well from a Ali Gerba free kick and then again from a Ty Harden header later in the half.

Charleston fought back and came close to breaking the deadlock with a sequence of corners just before half time. On the third set-piece Toronto scuffed the clearance but Bermudez saw his snap-shot from inside the box saved by goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

The Battery’s best chance of the game came in the 63rd minute after a weaving run through the middle from rookie midfielder Brandon Massie. Massie cut to the right of his defender but his shot from the edge of the box skipped past the outside of the right post.

Wednesday’s match versus Salt Lake is only the second meeting between the Charleston and Real Salt Lake. In the 2009 Challenge Cup RSL defeated the Battery 2-1 with a late goal from US men’s national team midfielder Kyle Beckerman.

Real Salt Lake opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to DC United on Saturday night. After taking the lead though a Robbie Findley PK, Salt Lake conceded two unanswered Jaime Moreno goals to lose for the first ever time in Charleston.

RSL head coach Jason Kreis started all three of his US national team players versus DC United, goalkeeper Nick Rimando, midfielder Kyle Beckerman and forward Robbie Findley.

In the second game on Wednesday night DC United take on Toronto FC at 7:15 PM. DC will be looking to build on the success of their 2-1 win versus Salt Lake while Toronto are still looking for their first goal and point of the tournament.

Carolina Challenge Cup Standings
Pos. Team Pts Pld W L T GF GA GD PPG
1 DC United 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3.00
2 Charleston Battery 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1.00
3 Toronto FC 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1.00
4 Real Salt Lake 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 -1 0.00

Carolina Challenge Cup and MLS success
There is a remarkable correlation between success in the Carolina Challenge Cup and success in Major League Soccer. Each year aside from 2008, the winner of the Carolina Challenge Cup has gone on to win either that season’s MLS Supporters Shield (regular season champions) or MLS Cup.

Despite not creating an MLS champion in 2008 two of that years participants came very close to winning a major trophy as the Charleston Battery lost to DC United in the final of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and the New York Red Bulls lost to the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup final.

Carolina Challenge Cup past winners
2004 - Columbus Crew (MLS)
2005 - San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2006 - Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2007 - Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2008 - San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2009 - Real Salt Lake (MLS)

Blackbaud and Charleston Battery Philanthropy Partnership
Battery and Blackbaud recognize Lowcountry Orphan Relief – Donate at the game
As part of an ongoing philanthropy partnership, Blackbaud and the Charleston Battery professional soccer team are incorporating a different philanthropic theme to every home match. Blackbaud and the Charleston Battery share the corporate value of “service to others makes the world a better place” and will bring that to life at 13 home matches by featuring a nonprofit-of-the-match, raising awareness for a local nonprofit organization.

The featured nonprofit-of-the-match on Wednesday, March 17 is Lowcountry Orphan Relief. Lowcountry Orphan Relief, Inc. (LOR) is a non-profit organization that provides goods and services to children who have been victim to abuse and/or neglect. We work directly with other non-profits, schools, foster parents, and government agencies to identify the individual needs of these and other children in low-income situations.

You can help by donating baby’s packaged diapers and packaged children’s underwear at the game on Wednesday night.