CHARLESTON, SC – After two weeks on the road, the Charleston Battery returns home to play Charlotte Independence at MUSC Health Stadium Wednesday night.
The match against the Independence is the Battery’s first at home since the 0-0 draw with Orlando City B on July 13th. Charleston just completed its toughest stretch of USL games this season, facing the top three teams in the East away from home in a four week timespan.
The Battery ended a brutal month on a good note last Saturday, coming from behind to draw, 1-1, with FC Cincinnati in front of a massive crowd at Nippert Stadium. The draw capped off a run of five straight matches against teams currently in the playoffs. Charleston finished the month of July with a 2-0-3 record. Nine points through those five matches was enough to keep Charleston in fourth place and firmly in the race for a first-round playoff game at home.
Heviel Cordoves scored the equalizing goal in 70th minute to earn a point for the Battery in Cincinnati. The center forward connected with a ball delivered by Maikel Chang for the second time in as many games to bring the two teams level. Cordoves has done well since returning from a long stint in the sidelines due to injury earlier in the season, scoring three goals in his last five matches.
Charlotte (9-6-4) enters Wednesday’s match in seventh place, only six points off Charleston with a game in hand. The match against the Battery is Charlotte’s third of a four-game road stretch, winning convincingly in Pittsburgh and squeaking by FC Montreal in the first two. The Independence will conclude the road swing in Pennsylvania against Bethlehem Steel FC this Sunday.
The Battery lost, 3-2, in the last meeting between the Carolina rivals on April 16h at Ramblewood Soccer Complex. Charlotte jumped out to an early two-goal lead, then added a third early in the second half before Romario Williams got on the scoresheet for Charleston. Justin Portillo converted a penalty five minutes before the final whistle to bring the Battery within a goal, but the Independence held on, stinging Charleston with its first loss of 2016.
The Battery will be looking to avenge the early season loss and extend its unbeaten streak to eight games Wednesday night. Charlotte will return to MUSC Health Stadium on August 27th for the final regular-season match between the teams.