After ten days off due to Hurricane Florence, the Charleston Battery earned a 1-1 draw with the Charlotte Independence Wednesday night at MUSC Health Stadium.
The Battery showed no signs of rust from their long time off and opened the scoring in the 9th minute. Neveal Hackshaw played a 50-yard pass into Ian Svantesson at the top of the 18-yard box. Svantesson flicked the ball on to Nico Rittmeyer who was making a run down the right side. Rittmeyer controlled the flick-on with his first touch and smashed a half volley past goalkeeper Brandon Miller with his second to put the hosts in front.
Charleston remained in control following the opening goal, limiting Charlotte’s scoring opportunities. The Independence found a way through the Battery back three in the 28th minute, but goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper calmly collected Yann Ekra’s first-time shot.
The Battery had a chance to double the lead in the 38th minute when Patrick Okonkwo drew a penalty. Okonkwo broke free in behind Charlotte’s defense, forcing Henry Kalungi to make a lunging tackle that resulted in the penalty, but Miller denied Svantesson from the spot to keep the deficit at one heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break Charleston created several quality chances to extend the lead, but couldn’t oconvert. Charlotte drew themselves level in the 69th minute after earning a penalty of their own.
The penalty came after Caleb Calvert knocked down Alex Martinez’s looping cross for Conor O’Brien. O’Brian struck a volley on frame, forcing Cooper to punch the rebound back into traffic. Derek Gebhard got to the rebound first and was brought down from behind to earn the penalty. Jorge Herrera converted from the spot, slotting the ball in to his right.
The Battery earned a dangerous free kick in the 83rd minute, giving them an opportunity to put themselves back in front. Gordon Wild served a teasing ball toward the penalty spot from 35 yards out, but Neveal Hackshaw couldn’t get a touch on it and the ball floated out of bounds for a goal kick.
Following the draw, the Battery will travel to Tennessee to take on Nashville SC before returning home for back-to-back matches against North Carolina FC and Toronto FC II.
BOX SCORE:
CHARLESTON: Odisnel Cooper, Leland Archer, Taylor Mueller, Neveal Hackshaw, Nico Rittmeyer (goal, 9; O’Brian Woodbine, 46; yellow card 80), Tah Brian Anunga, Angelo Kelly, Jay Bolt (Gordon Wild, 81), Kotaro Higashi, Patrick Okonkwo, Ian Svantesson (Victor Mansaray, 74)
Substitutes: Robert Beebe, Skylar Thomas, Ryan Arambula, Vincenzo Candela
CHARLOTTE: Brandon Miller, Bilal Duckett, James Kiffe (Sam Vines, 77), Joel Johnson, Henry Kalungi, Conor O’Brien, Yann Ekra (Jorge Herrera, 64; goal, 69), Kay Voser (Derek Gebhard, 64), Kevan George, Alex Martinez (yellow card, 89), Caleb Calvert
Substitutes: Andrew Dykstra, Jake Areman, Greg Jordan, Bertrand Owundi Eko’o
