Presented by MUSC Health
Matchday Preview
The Charleston Battery return home to close out the month with back-to-back home games, first taking on Miami FC on Sat., July 19, in the USL Championship. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.
The Battery and Miami meet for the second time this year after the South Florida side claimed a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture in June.
Charleston (12W-3L-2D, 38pts) enter this weekend following a dramatic 1-2 road win over New Mexico United in Week 19. After a scoreless first half, the Battery and New Mexico traded punches early in the second half, with both teams scoring through the 63rd minute. Rubio Rubín then struck what proved to be the decisive blow in the 68th minute with his first Battery goal, lifting Charleston past the then-Western Conference leaders.
Miami (5W-7L-3D, 18pts) arrive in the Lowcountry after their second consecutive draw, sharing the points with Lexington SC in a 1-1 result. The Florida club appeared to be in line for a 1-0 win when stoppage time hit, but a late goal by Lexington’s Cory Burke in the 93rd minute forced the points to be split.
Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in first and Miami are in ninth.
Storylines of the Match
Round 2 with Miami – The Battery will be seeking retribution this weekend for June’s defeat in South Florida, a midweek result that came amid a travel-heavy period for Charleston. Now firmly back home, the Battery will look to use Patriots Point to their advantage, where they have captured the majority of their wins over Miami. Charleston hold a 4W-3L-0D record against Miami at home.
A Thorn in the Side – While Charleston have historically outperformed Miami in the league standings, the Florida club have been able to get the better of the Battery in the head-to-head meetings. Miami lead the all-time series with a 7W-5L-3D record, with the majority of those wins coming at Pitbull Stadium.
Opposite Trends – Since the last time Charleston and Miami met, the teams have gone in opposite directions. Charleston are undefeated across all competitions since then, including three wins and one draw in league play. Meanwhile, Miami have not won another game since that night, slipping with one loss and two draws in the Championship.
Top Attackers Clash – There will be ample attacking prowess on the pitch Saturday. For Charleston is co-Golden Boot leader Cal Jennings, with 11 league goals, and for Miami is Francisco Bonfiglio, right behind him in the race with 10 goals. Additionally, there will be MD Myers (eight goals) and Juan David Torres (four goals, seven assists) in the mix for the Battery.
Also, Top Goalkeepers on Display – Not to be outdone, Saturday will also have two of the league’s best shot-stoppers in action. Charleston’s Luis Zamudio has the third-most saves in the Championship (43), the second-best save percentage (75.4%) and has recorded two shutouts in his last three matches. Meanwhile, Miami’s Bill Hamid has the second-best saves per 90 minutes mark in the league (3.0), eighth-most saves (37) and was the first goalkeeper to hold the Battery scoreless in the Championship fixture this year.
Top of the Table Again – Charleston have reclaimed their spot atop the league standings and thus the USL Championship Players’ Shield race with 38 points, one ahead of Louisville City FC. However, the Battery have played one more match and will want to keep stringing together wins in order to maintain the pace. The gap between Charleston and Louisville from the rest of the conference continues to grow, with 10 points now separating second and third place.
Houssou the Enforcer – Midfielder, and occasional full-back, Houssou Landry has established himself as among the league’s elite defensive midfielders this year. Houssou currently leads the Championship with 30 tackles won and 98 duels won. Against New Mexico, Houssou led all players with three tackles won and 15 duels won.
Rubio Opens His Account – Forward Rubio Rubín opened his Battery account on Saturday and did so in sensational style. The Guatemala international brought his red-hot form from the Concacaf Gold Cup with him to Isotopes Park and scored the match-winner less than 10 minutes after entering the game. Rubín presents just the latest potent threat in Charleston’s league-leading attack.
Segbers Milestone Watch – Defender Mark Segbers has the potential to achieve two career milestones on Saturday. First, he is one match away from his 200th career USL Championship regular season appearance. Second, he is 43 minutes shy of 15,000 career minutes played in the league’s regular season.
Houssou Unavailable – After his Team of the Week performance in Week 19, Houssou Landry will be unavailable for selection on Saturday due to yellow card accumulation and will serve his one-game suspension this weekend.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Miami FC
Saturday, July 19 – 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally. It 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.
