Presented by MUSC Health
Matchday Preview
The Charleston Battery return home following a two-game road stand to host San Antonio FC on Sat., May 17. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The match will stream for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network and air on local television on the Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network.
Saturday’s match is the first cross-conference fixture for the Battery, who heretofore have played exclusively Eastern Conference sides in league competition.
Charleston (6W-2L-0D, 18pts) enter this weekend on a five-game winning streak in Championship play, defeating the Tampa Bay Rowdies on the road, 1-3. MD Myers bagged another brace and Cal Jennings struck against his former team, all within the first 30 minutes of the match, to ultimately secure the three points.
San Antonio (5W-3L-1D, 16pts) arrive in the Lowcountry looking to bounce back from a 1-2 home defeat at the hands of Oakland Roots SC last weekend. An early goal from Jorge Hernandez got SAFC off to a good start, but an equalizer in the first half and a late goal by Oakland saw the Texas club drop the result at home. Mitchell Taintor also picked up a second caution and a subsequent red card in the final moments of the match.
Looking at the league standings, Charleston are third in the Eastern Conference and San Antonio are first in the Western Conference.
Storylines of the Match
Fourth Meeting All-Time – Charleston and San Antonio have only met on three previous occasions. The last match ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to Juan David Torres’ late equalizer off a free kick that stunned the crowd at Toyota Field. However, San Antonio won the two prior meetings, including the forgettable 0-7 result at Patriots Point that the Battery will be eager to avenge.
Top Creators Duel – Saturday’s contest will feature two of the league’s premier chance creators. SAFC’s Jorge Hernandez and the Battery’s Juan David Torres currently rank first and third in the Championship in chances created, respectively, while Torres also leads the league in big chances created.
League’s Best 1-2 Punch – Entering this weekend, the Battery once again sport the league’s top goalscoring tandem. Cal Jennings (seven) and MD Myers (five) lead the Championship as the top attacking duo with 12 combined goals. Last year, it was Myers and Golden Boot winner Nick Markanich leading as the league’s best tandem.
Jennings Leading the League – Cal Jennings’ first season in Charleston has been off to a soaring start. The striker currently leads the league in overall goal contributions (seven goals, two assists) and has gone seven consecutive league games with a goal contribution. His seven tallies also put him into a tie for the Championship Golden Boot.
Doc’s Doubles – MD Myers recorded his fourth two-goal performance in the Championship regular season since the start of the 2024 campaign in his side’s victory against the Rowdies,
giving him five multi-goal performances overall. Only 2024 Championship Player of the Year Nick Markanich and ex-Louisville striker Wilson Harris have recorded more multi-goal outings than Myers in that span.
Edwards Primed for Home Debut – Newcomer Michael Edwards will be looking to make his first appearance at Patriots Point since joining the Battery on loan from MLS side Colorado Rapids last week. The 6-4 center-back started both the D.C. United and Tampa Bay matches and showed poise with his new squad despite limited training sessions before the games.
TOTW Awards – The Battery against headlined the Week 10 Team of the Week, with MD Myers taking home his second Player of the Week award and Arturo Rodriguez and Cal Jennings joining him with TOTW selections. Chris Allan also earned an honorable mention to the Team of the Week Bench.
Military Appreciation Night – One of the fan-favorite theme nights each year, the Battery are celebrating Military Appreciation Night at Patriots Point, recognizing active-duty, retired, and veterans of the armed forces and Department of Defense. Military members and DoD employees are able to redeem complimentary tickets via vettix.org or by presenting their military ID at the box office on Saturday as a token of thanks and appreciation for their service to our country.
SAFC’s Taintor Unavailable – San Antonio’s Mitchell Taintor has been suspended for one game following his red card in his side’s contest against Oakland on May 10. Taintor, who has started seven matches for SAFC, will be unavailable for selection on Saturday.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. San Antonio FC
Saturday, May 17 – 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will stream for free on the CBS Sports Golazo Network! The Golazo Network can be accessed for free via the CBS Sports App (under the ‘Live TV’ section), Pluto TV, Roku TV, Paramount+ app (no subscription needed), the PlutoTV app or on the channel’s website: https://www.cbssports.com/watch/cbs-sports-golazo-network
The match will also air on local television on Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network, channel WCSC 5.3 (SD) and WZCH-TV 35.3 (HD) in Charleston. Check with your TV provider for the exact channel number.
A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
