The Charleston Battery defeated the Charlotte Independence 2-0 Sunday afternoon in the second straight Southern Derby Cup match for the Battery.
Ian Svantesson scored his third goal of the season to put the Battery up 1-0 in the 21st minute. It’s his third goal in four matches this season as the Swedish forward looks ahead to a double-digit scoring season. Forward Romario Piggott created the chance at the edge of the box as he danced around two Charlotte defenders before getting off a low shot into traffic. The ball took a favorable bounce forward and Svantesson pulled a defender with him in lunging to the ball. Svantesson got just enough on it to slip it past the goalkeeper for the first goal of the match.
Zeiko Lewis sealed the win for the Battery in the 71st minute. The play started from the touch line and an O’Brian Woodbine throw in would lead to the goal. Lewis controlled the throw nicely holding off a Charlotte defender before using his quickness to create space at the top of the box. The Bermuda forward hit a brilliant curling shot from 16 yards out that found the top corner of the goal.
The forward pair have been directly involved in five of the six Battery goals this season and are becoming a dangerous attacking duo. “What are they at right now? Two and three goals already? They are both capable of scoring ten-plus goals this season”, said coach Mike Anhaeuser after the match.
The Battery picked up their first shutout of the season led by goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, and center backs Taylor Mueller and Leland Archer. The shutout win comes a week after the Battery conceded a late goal in stoppage time to North Carolina FC in Cary. “It feels great to get the shutout and Joe deserves the clean sheet. We felt like we’ve been robbed the past few weeks with the late goal against North Carolina and the late penalty against Hartford”, Mueller said after the match. “I was proud of how organized we stayed after the first goal, it’s a rivalry game and I’m very proud of the guys.”
The Battery will travel to Pennsylvania next week to take on Bethlehem Steel FC before returning home to take on Nashville SC on April 20th. Tickets are available for purchase at tickets.https://www.www.charlestonbattery.com or by calling (843) 971-GOAL.
BOXSCORE
CHARLESTON: Kuzminsky, Bolt (Kelly 81’), Archer, Mueller, Woodbine (Assist 71’), van Schaik, Candela, Higashi, Lewis (Goal 71’), Piggott, Svantesson (Goal 21’, Bosua 61’)
Substitutes: Breno, Bosua, Rittmeyer, Kelly, Marini, Mason, Paterson, Nelson
CHARLOTTE: Miller, Roberts, Gutman, Maund (Thicot 72’), Johnson, Areman (Mansally62’), George, Hill (YC 27’), Oduro, E. Martinez (YC 18’), A. Martinez (Taku 55’)
Substitutes: Anderson, Thicot, Taku, Mansally, Kivutuka
