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Battery forward Amaury Nunes
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3/13/2010 9:54:30 PM
Battery ties Toronto FC in Cup opener
Charleston, SC. The Charleston Battery tied Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC 0-0 at Blackbaud Stadium Saturday night in front of 3,316 on the opening night of the Carolina Challenge Cup. Both sides created scoring chances but after a strong start it was Toronto who had to hold on at the end after losing midfielder Gabe Gala to a second yellow card.
The draw will be encouraging to Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser whose squad have only had three days together coming into the tournament. Charleston looked a little ring-rusty at the opening whistle and Toronto created the first chance of the game in the 6th minute after earning a free kick twenty yards out.
Forward Ali Gerba drove a low shot around the wall but Charleston goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap saved well at the near post.
Toronto captain Jim Brennan came close in the 17th minute after creating some space through the middle. Brennan fired a shot from distance but Gilstrap watched it sail high.
Toronto continued to press as the half wore on and Gilstrap was called into action again in the 37th minute after the Battery conceded a corner. The ball was cleared initially but after being re-directed back into the middle defender Ty Harden snapped a header on goal. Gilstrap reacted well and palmed the ball wide before recovering possession just inside the six-yard box.
The Battery’s first offensive threat came minutes later after forward Amaury Nunes was brought down thirty yards out. Defender Yeniel Bermudez took the free-kick but his shot rose over the cross-bar.
Just before the break the Battery came close to breaking the deadlock with a sequence of corners. 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 sipped past the outside of the right post.
Toronto finished the game with ten men after midfielder Gabe Gala was sent off in the 83rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on defender Patrick Tate.
DC United 2 – Real Salt Lake 1
In the first match of the evening DC United came from behind to beat the MLS champions Real Salt Lake. RSL opened the scoring in the 40th minute after Ned Grabavoy was brought down in the box. US men’s national team forward Robbie Findley converted the penalty sending Troy Perkins the wrong way.
DC equalized in the 77th minute after Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando was caught out of position following a pair of saves leaving veteran forward Jaime Moreno with a simple chip in from just outside the box.
DC added a second in the 80th as Moreno tucked in a ball at the back post after a flick by Julius James.
Carolina Challenge Cup – Matchday 2
Wednesday, March 17
Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island
Charleston Battery vs Real Salt Lake (5PM)
DC United vs Toronto FC (7:15 PM)
$15 - $25, 843-971-4625 / charlestonbattery.com
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Don't let an injury hurt your game
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Official Yoga Teacher of the Battery ~
Sign up for Yoga
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Official Dentist of the Charleston Battery
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