The Charleston Battery beat Atlanta United, 3-0, Tuesday night at Coolray Field to earn their first road victory of the season.
Ian Svantesson opened the scoring against the run of play in the 33rd minute. Prior to Svantesson’s goal, Atlanta United 2 were in control of the game and had the Battery pinned back in their defensive third. Charleston’s back four thwarted several dangerous scoring opportunities before Svantesson broke the deadlock.
Svantesson took advantage of Charleston’s first quality scoring opportunity of the match. Svantesson knocked down a long goal kick to Jarad van Schaik who was advancing down the left flank. Van Schaik slipped a pass back to Svantesson. The 6-6 center forward turned his defender and struck a low shot from 25 yards out. The shot rung off the post three times, but crossed the line and the Battery took the 1-0 lead into the break.
Charleston carried the momentum from the opening goal into the second half. Atlanta United loanee Gordon Wild doubled the Battery’s lead in the 52nd minute after Svantesson played him through on goal. Svantesson rose up to flick on Tah Brian Anunga’s outlet pass, springing Wild in behind Atlanta’s back four. The rookie calmly tucked the ball in under pressure to put the visitors up 2-0. The goal was Wild’s first as a professional.
Wild doubled his talley in the 85th minute to put the game out of reach. The German forward collected a loose ball at midfield and drove towards goal, outmuscling a defender on his way into the penalty areal. After he broke free, Wild slotted the ball past the Atlanta goalkeeper to make it 3-0.
Joe Kuzminsky earned his first ever USL start in the match and was credited with the shutout. The win was the Battery’s first on the road this season and second overall, moving their record to 2-2-2.
Following Tuesday’s win over Atlanta, the Battery return home for six straight matches. Charleston will take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium at 7:00 PM.
CHARLESTON: Joe Kuzminsky, Skylar Thomas, Taylor Mueller, Neveal Hackshaw, Jay Bolt, Ryan Arambula, Tah Brian Anunga (yellow card, 81), Jarad van Schaik, Ataulla Guerra (Nico Rittmeyer, 61; yellow card, 71), Gordon Wild (goal, 52, 85), Ian Svantesson (goal, 33; Patrick Okonkwo, 87)
Substitutes: Odisnel Cooper, Angelo Kelly, Vincenzo Candela, Victor Mansaray, Kotaro Higashi
ATLANTA: Nicolas Caraux, Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, Miles Robinson, Kendall Edwards, Mikey Ambrose, Andrew Kendall-Moullin, Jack Metcalf, Jose Carranza, Andrew Carleton (Devon Sandoval, 78), Jackson Conway (Brandon Vazquez, 61) Lagos Kunga (Jon Gallagher, 71)
Substitutes: Oliver Shannon, A.J. Cochran, Paul Christensen, Christopher Goslin
