The Charleston Battery ran riot in their 4-0 victory over New Mexico United in the Battery’s 2024 home opener at Patriots Point on Saturday. Charleston set the tone early with their high pressure which paid dividends throughout the night. Nick Markanich (17’), Arturo Rodriguez (56’), Aaron Molloy (64’) and Jackson Conway (90’) found the back of the net to send Patriots Point into a frenzy.
Charleston started the night on the front foot and applied heavy pressure early on, a theme that would continue throughout the intense-filled first half.
Nick Markanich broke open the game in the 17th minute with a brilliant strike from just inside the box. Markanich was played on by MD Myers with a headed pass off Nathan Dossantos’ throw-in. Markanich hit Myers’ pass first time and tucked his shot inside the post and beyond the reach of Kristopher Shakes.
The goal was Markanich’s second in as many weeks and the assist was Myers’ first with the Battery. Markanich’s tally brings his Battery goal total to 15 since 2023.
Myers was a key driver of the Battery’s pressure up top and fired four shots on target and two chances created in the first half in addition to the assist.
Charleston took a 1-0 lead into the break after a dominant first 45 minutes where they could have grabbed another goal. The Battery out-shot New Mexico by a margin of eight-to-one.
The Battery entered the second half with the same momentum from before halftime. However, goalkeeper Adam Grinwis was tested early on to make a save in the 48th minute against New Mexico’s Greg Hurst. Moments later, Aaron Molloy made a crucial goal-line block to deny Dayonn Harris’ shot on target.
Arturo Rodriguez doubled Charleston’s lead in the 56th minute with a sublime curler from outside box, assisted by Nathan Dossantos. The Battery’s pressure again bore fruit after Molloy dispossessed New Mexico and initiated a counter from the final third. From there, Dossantos teed up Rodriguez, who struck the ball perfectly to the far corner.
The goal was Rodriguez’s first of 2024 and fifth overall with the Battery since 2023. Dossantos’ assist was his first with Charleston.
The rout was officially on after Aaron Molloy made his emphatic introduction to the Patriots Point faithful in the 64th minute to make the score 3-0. Charleston were awarded a free-kick from just outside the 18-yard box, and Molloy delivered a sensational strike into the top corner on the near side.
Molloy’s goal was his first in Battery colors.
With the game all but done, Jackson Conway came off the bench to put the fourth goal past Shakes and make the score 4-0 in the 90th minute. Conway collected a shot by Juan David Torres that hit off the woodwork and tucked the return shot perfectly inside the far post.
The goal was Conway’s first with the Battery.
Charleston collected all three points in dominant fashion in the 4-0 victory to open the club’s home schedule.
Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis notched his second shutout of the season, placing him tied for the league lead.
Head Coach Ben Pirmann and forward Nick Markanich discussed the victory after the final whistle, with key quotes to follow.
Coach Pirmann on what worked well with the squad tonight…
We improved from the last week in Oakland. I think the shots at halftime were [eight] to one and they didn’t get into our half. Our counter-press was great, we played a great game, start to finish. New Mexico are a good team, but we were on them. We’re appreciative of the effort from the boys. I think playing at home and just improving each week was really important. The boys played with courage, and then we scored some great goals.
Coach Pirmann on the team stepping up in the second half…
I think the biggest thing was learning from last week in Oakland. We played a dominant game in Oakland and were up 1-0 until we conceded in the first 15 minutes of the second half. We’ve got to keep our foot on the gas, we’ve got to keep doing our moments of the game.
New Mexico are good, they made us suffer and brought on some speed in the right channel. That caused us a problem at the start. If you look at that fourth goal, the togetherness the calmness, the breaking of lines was incredible. It was a great team goal.
Markanich on what contributed to the success tonight…
We knew coming in that [New Mexico] are going to be a good team. We worked on our tactics and game plan all throughout the week and we just put it all together. We had a great week of training. At the end of the day, we came out with a great big victory, three points and four goals at home and a shutout.
Markanich on winning the first game of the season at home for the fans…
Everyone’s loud. Looking out right now, they’re still loud and it’s been 30 minutes past the [end of the] game. It was great being at home for the first time this season. We hear [the fans] all throughout the game. They’re loud, both sides of the stadium. They’re awesome, it was exciting. It’s good to be at home and take our first three points. We’re ready for the next game in Miami.
Charleston hit the road again for two matches, the first on Sat., March 30, against Miami FC and the second on Sat., April 6, at Rhode Island FC. The Battery return to Patriots Point on Tues., April 9, to host Louisville City FC in their only midweek home game of the season. This match will air on CBS Sports Network, the first of four nationally broadcast games for Charleston. Tickets for the game are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
Lineups
CHS: Grinwis, Segbers, Smith, Palma, Dossantos, Molloy, Ycaza (LaCava, 65’), Markanich (Crawford, 84’), Rodriguez (Torres, 74’), Gutierrez (Allan, 65’), Myers (Conway, 74’)
NM: Shakes, Swartz, Seymour (Herbert, 85’), Maples, Astorga, Micaletto, Bailey (Flanagan, 72’), Rivas, Reyes (Hernandez, 57’), Akale (Harris, 45’), Hurst (Bruce, 72’)
Scoring Summary:
CHS – Markanich, 17’ (Myers)
CHS – Rodriguez, 56’ (Dossantos)
CHS – Molloy, 64’
CHS – Conway, 90’
