MUSC Match Preview | USOC2026 | Charlotte vs. Charleston

Presented by MUSC Health

Matchday Preview

The Charleston Battery head north to take on Charlotte Independence in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tues., March 31. Kickoff at the Sportsplex at Matthews is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will stream exclusively on Paramount+.

Charleston and Charlotte have not clashed in an official competition since the 2023 edition of the tournament, which was won by the Battery, 1-0, thanks to Nick Markanich’s match-winner at the end of extra time.

The Battery punched their ticket to the Second Round after securing a 2-1 win over UPSL side Florida Badgers FC in the First Round, lifted by Colton Swan’s game-winning brace. The victory marked the Battery’s 43rd advance in the tournament (39 outright wins and four penalty shootout wins), which ranks fifth-most among all clubs since 1995, and is the most among active lower-division teams.

Charlotte advanced to the Second Round following their 4-1 triumph against UPSL club Ristozi FC. On the scoresheet for the Independence were Clay Dimick, Enzo Martinez, Fabrice Ngah and Christopher Jaime.

Looking at the respective league tables, Charleston are sixth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and Charlotte are sixth in USL League One.

Storylines of the Match

Southern Derby Rivalry Renewed – Among the main headlines for Tuesday’s contest is the rivalry between Southern Derby foes Charlotte and Charleston being renewed. While the Southern Derby has been put on pause following Charlotte’s move to USL League One and North Carolina FC’s hiatus, the historic rivalry is still set to be on the minds of fans and add an extra element to the action on the pitch.

Aiming to Rebound – Charleston will be looking to bounce back from their weekend’s league result, a 1-0 road loss to Detroit City FC. Despite posting 28 shots (10 on target) in the week before, the Battery’s attack was seemingly stuck in neutral in the Motor City, with only four shots attempted (two on target). It’s a quick chance for redemption with only a space of three days separating Saturday and Tuesday’s matches.

All-Time Record – Historically, Charleston and Charlotte have clashed 22 times since 2015 across all competitions, with the Battery holding an 11W-5L-6D record. However, the fixture is even at four wins apiece and three draws in the 11 contests played in North Carolina. The March 31 match will mark just the second time they faced each other in the U.S. Open Cup. Additionally, Charleston and Charlotte are due to clash again on July 11 at Patriots Point in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.

Suber Homecoming – Tuesday’s match will be a quick return for Charlotte native and Mallard Creek High School alumnus Sean Suber. The Battery No. 5 enjoyed a standout collegiate career at UNC Charlotte, where he garnered all-conference honors, and played for youth club Carolina Rapids, which merged with two other youth teams to become Independence’s academy setup.

Familiar Faces – Some familiar names could be lined up against their former clubs on Tuesday. For Charleston, goalkeeper John Berner played the majority of his career’s professional appearances during his two-year tenure in Charlotte from 2015-16. Berner made his Battery debut in the win over Badgers FC. For Charlotte, midfielder Viggo Ortiz turned pro with the Battery in 2025, scoring one goal in four professional games, after joining on a USL Academy deal in 2024. Ortiz was transferred to Charlotte on a permanent basis in January.

Round of 32 on Horizon – At stake in the Second Round will be a trip to the Round of 32, where the 16 teams that advance will face one of the 16 teams from Major League Soccer entering the tournament. A draw for the Round of 32 will be held live on April 2, when the matchups and subsequent round pairings will be determined, and the games will take place on April 14-15. MLS clubs in the region entering the U.S. Open Cup include Atlanta United, Charlotte FC and Orlando City SC.

Wayne Makes League Debut – USL Academy midfielder Jack Wayne, 17, made his first league appearance of 2026 on Saturday in Detroit. Wayne’s entrance marked his second professional appearance after earning his debut in the First Round of the U.S. Open Cup. The 17-year-old could be poised for more minutes on Tuesday as the squad navigates a congested road schedule that will carry into mid-April.

Swan Out for International Duty – Charleston will be without First Round hero Colton Swan after the 18-year-old was called up to the United States U-20 national team’s camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Swan scored a goal and an assist in his U.S. U-20 debut on March 27 against Argentina, a 3-0 win, and will have one more friendly on March 31 against the Club Atlético Independiente reserves. Among those in the audience for the USYNT’s victory were Argentina’s Leo Messi, Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul.