The Charleston Battery fell 1-0 on the road to Miami FC at Pitbull Stadium on Wednesday. After a scoreless first half, Miami’s goal via Marias Romero in the 51st minute the break proved to be the difference after the Battery were unable to find an equalizer in the second half. The loss snaps Charleston’s nine-game unbeaten run and their 17-game streak with a goal in USL Championship play.
Despite only a few days’ rest for both teams, the attacks each made advances in the early proceedings of the night. Cal Jennings’ shot in the 9th minute was saved, while Jonathan Ricketts’ shot in the 11th minute was also saved.
Juan David Torres tested goalkeeper Bill Hamid in the 21st minute with a strong strike from outside the box that was saved.
The tempo of the game began to slow as halftime drew closer, but picked up again in the 41st minute when MD Myers nearly broke the deadlock. Myers’ run came after some effective building out of the back, but the shot was kick-saved by Hamid.
The sides went into the break scoreless, with Charleston holding roughly 63% possession at the end of the first half.
Play resumed in the second half with the hosts out on the front foot. Miami managed to take a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute via Marias Romero’s opener.
Charleston found themselves in a difficult position after going down. The Battery tried to get back into the game but recorded only one shot in the second half through the 75th minute, an attempt on target by Torres in the 57th minute that was saved.
Aaron Molloy almost leveled the score in the 86th minute with a near-perfect free kick that hit off the crossbar.
The Battery threw numbers forward in search of a late equalizer, but were met with stern resistance. Molloy looked to find the back of the net again in stoppage time, but his shot off the volley, which appeared to be on target, in the 98th minute was blocked.
Miami held off to secure the 1-0 win, ending the Battery’s league runs of nine consecutive games undefeated and 17 consecutive games with a goal.
Head Coach Ben Pirmann and defender Leland Archer discussed the match after the final whistle, with key quotes to follow.
Coach Pirmann on his assessment of the match…
Difficult night is a good way to describe it. Full credit to Miami, they made the big play, and scored a great goal, and they deserved to win the game, which is disappointing for us, internally.
You can’t control the result, but you can control your performances. I thought we learned from Saturday to have a stronger performance, but we just weren’t good enough tonight. I thought our attention to detail was too loose, we tried to overcomplicate things. We knew going in that they were a well-organized defensive team, and we knew going in it would probably be 0-0 at halftime, and that we’d have to manufacture some things. I don’t think we were willing enough to win ugly, which was the positive at Hartford, we found a way to win ugly.
Tonight, I didn’t think we made the right runs, were selfless enough with our passing and had too many turnovers. Like I said, I feel we overcomplicated things in possession. We’re good when we’re simple, moving the ball and creating overloads, and then having better reactions on the counter-press when we lose it.
So, it’s disappointing. We knew going into this month that there would be very tough games. We knew this week was probably going to be our toughest week of the year, and I thought we had set up the team for success tonight, but we didn’t. We didn’t perform, a good team beat us on the road and we took a step back tonight.
Coach Pirmann on the changes to the game from the first half to the second half…
I thought for the tilt of the game, things were almost identical. We had the ball for two-thirds of the game. We had the ball in areas that maybe we need to be a little bit stronger in because they’re organized, and they covered the gaps well. But, still, you can go around them and be brave in your one-on-ones with the ball at your feet.
A bad turnover in the build-up to give them possession up high, and they won the ball and made a nice attack, and the guy put one in the top corner. But, that was the difference in the game. I don’t think they really had many other chances, but we also didn’t create anywhere near enough, especially on the road. MD had a breakaway, Molloy hit the crossbar, a couple of shots here and there, but just nowhere near enough where you want to be threatening.
So, it’s disappointing. There’s no other way to describe it besides that. We took a step back in terms of making improvements each week. We took a step back in some of our goals for the year, but it’s one 90-minute performance, and we’re just going to have to get better for a really tough game on Saturday.
Archer on the difficulties faced on the night…
They made it tough on us a lot tonight. They defended space really well, which was their approach to the game. Unfortunately, they outworked us tonight. We are a bit disappointed, they made it difficult for us tonight, and we’ve just got to regroup.
Archer on making his first start since April 26…
It was good to get the start. I would have wanted it to be a win, but it’s good to get some of this back again and hopefully keep pushing my minutes up. I felt good out there. Some fatigue kicked in towards the second half, but other than that, good, I feel ready.
Archer on the team’s outlook going forward into Saturday’s game…
The mindset is to win on Saturday at home. That’s always the mindset we have as a team, to win every game possible. That’s going to continue going into Saturday, especially after a loss like tonight, which will give some extra motivation.
Charleston’s next match will be home vs. Phoenix Rising FC on Sat., June 21. Tickets for the rematch of the 2023 USL Championship Final are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
Lineups and Scoring Summary
Lineups
MIA: Hamid, Cardona, Akinyode, Knutson, Ricketts, Mercado, Romero, Melano (Zárate, 88’), Blanco (Veron, 75’), Vázquez (Celeste, 75’), Bonfiglio
CHS: Zamudio, Dossantos (Allan, 61’), Akpunonu, Archer (Edwards, 69’), Segbers (Blackstock, 61)’, Molloy, Houssou, Rodríguez (Ycaza, 69’), Myers, Torres, Jennings
Scoring Summary
MIA – Matías Romero, 51’
