Presented by MUSC Health
Matchday Preview
The Charleston Battery are back home to take on Hartford Athletic on Sat., May 3, in Week 9 of the USL Championship. It’s an afternoon kickoff at 5 p.m. ET at Patriots Point and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.
Charleston and Hartford have not previously met this season. The Battery won in Hartford’s last trip to the Lowcountry, a 1-0 triumph highlighted by Nick Markanich’s bicycle kick goal that landed No. 1 in the SportsCenter Top 10.
The Battery (4W-2L-0D, 12pts) head into Week 9 after a brief pause in the regular season to compete in their opening USL Jägermeister Cup match, a 0-1 defeat at FC Naples. In league play, Charleston are on a three-game winning streak and most recently defeated Indy Eleven on the road, 1-3.
Hartford (1W-4L-0D, 3pts) are winners of two in a row across all competitions going into this weekend. The Connecticut club won their Jägermeister Cup opener, 2-0 over Portland Hearts of Pine, and collected their first league win of the year, 1-0 over Birmingham Legion FC, the weekend before that.
Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in fourth and Hartford are in 11th.
Storylines of the Match
Looking to Bounce Back – Suffice it to say, last weekend’s result against Naples was not on par with expectations, as noted by Head Coach Ben Pirmann and defender Nathan Dossantos after the final whistle. The Battery’s four-game winning streak across all competitions came to an end, but the team will be motivated for a rebound performance at home to start another winning streak.
Head-to-Head with Hartford – Charleston have gotten the better of Hartford in recent history and hold the edge in the all-time record with an 8W-3L-1D record.
Dramatic Matches Lately – Despite the all-time record’s appearance, the matches between Charleston and Hartford have been hotly contested in recent history, as the past four meetings were decided by only one goal or ended in a draw. Both matches in 2023 featured last-minute winners for the Battery and the away fixture in 2024 saw Charleston erase a 2-0 deficit in the second half to salvage a point.
Akpunonu Faces Former Club – There will be some familiarity on the pitch for the Battery’s Joey Akponunu, who will be facing his former club for the first time this year. Akpunonu played for Hartford on loan from FC Cincinnati in 2024.
Big Chance Creator – Going into this weekend, Juan David Torres has affirmed himself as one of the league’s most potent threats in attack. The Colombian is currently tied for the league lead in big chances created (five) and is third in overall chances created (14).
Rubín Debuts – The Battery’s newest member, Rubio Rubín, officially made his debut with the club last weekend in the Jägermeister Cup. Rubín entered the match off the bench but could be slated for a larger role in the next 10 days, when the Battery play three games in the league and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Molloy Milestone Watch – Midfielder Aaron Molloy is nearing a milestone moment for minutes played in the USL Championship regular season. The Irish midfielder has played 9,933 career minutes in the regular season and is 67 away from eclipsing the 10,000 mark.
Myers Up for Player of the Month – MD Myers’ emphatic return to action in April earned him a spot on the USL Championship Player of the Month ballot. The striker recorded three goals and one assist across three league matches, averaging a goal every 66.7 minutes. Fans can vote for Myers now through Monday, May 5, at 12 p.m. ET, on the league website.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Hartford Athletic
Saturday, May 3 – 5 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally. It will also air on local television on Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network, channel WCSC 5.3 (SD) and WZCH-TV 35.3 (HD) in Charleston. Check with your TV provider for the exact channel number.
A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
