In the 61st meeting between the two teams, the Charleston Battery lost, 3-1, to the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium Saturday night.
Heviel Cordoves opened the scoring early after latching onto a loose ball in the penalty area. Cordoves, who got the start up front in place of the suspended Romario Williams, turned and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Travis Worra in the second minute.
The hosts found an equalizer 15 minutes later through a great individual effort by Sunny Jane. Jane brought the ball down on his chest and struck a volley on frame, beating Odisnel Cooper at the near post.
The Kickers kept the pressure on the Battery following Jane’s equalizer and found the back of the net again in the 36th minute. Oliver Minatel put Richmond ahead with a low strike to the bottom corner of Cooper’s goal.
The Battery had their best chance to equalize when Cordoves went clean through on goal in the 53rd minute. Cordoves beat the goalkeeper, but his left-footed strike hit the post and stayed out and the Cuban striker was denied his second of the match.
Uidai Imura added a third goal in stoppage time of the second half. Imura curled a free kick around the wall and in at Cooper’s near post to double Richmond’s advantage and kill the Battery’s hopes of salvaging points from the rivalry match.
Charleston will finish their three game road stretch next weekend in Louisville. Following the match at Slugger Field, the Battery will return home to face the Charlotte Independence on September 9th.
CHARLESTON – Odisnel Cooper, Skylar Thomas (yellow card, 38), Taylor Mueller, Forrest Lasso, O’Brian Woodbine (Laurent Kissiedou, 82), Maikel Chang, Justin Portillo, Tah Brian Anunga (Patrick Okonkwo, 78), Jarad van Schaik (yellow card, 53; Kotaro Higashi, 67) Ataulla Guerra, Heviel Cordoves (goal, 2)
Unused substitutes: Joe Kuzminsky, Jeffery Otoo, Nico Rittmeyer, Neveal Hackshaw
RICHMOND – Travis Worra, Alex Lee, William Yomby, Mallan Roberts, braeden Troyer, Oscar Umar, Uidai Imura (goal, 90), Matt Bolduc, Luiz Fernando (Fred Owusu Sekyere, 87), Sunny Jane (goal, 17; Jackson Eskay, 64; yellow card, 89), Oliver Minatel (yellow card, 32; goal, 36; Mikey Minutillo, 64)
Unused substitutes: Evan Lee, Franck Tayou, Marcel DeBellis, Raul Gonzalez
