Presented by MUSC Health
Matchday Preview
The Charleston Battery shift back to the Prinx Tires USL Cup to host Charlotte Independence on Sat., July 11. The decisive Group Stage Round 4 clash will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.
Charleston and Charlotte meet for the second time this season after the sides duked it out in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup back in April, which Charlotte won after extra time, 3-2.
The Battery (8pts) sit atop Group 6 via tiebreakers following their penalty shootout win over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in Round 3, after playing to a scoreless draw at Patriots Point. Charleston were a perfect four-for-four on their spot attempts, and goalkeeper John Berner delivered a crucial save to win the shootout and secure the bonus point.
Charlotte (8pts) played their Round 3 tie a few weeks after the Charleston-Pittsburgh match and subsequently defeated Greenville Triumph SC, 1-0, to stay in contention for the group. The match appeared to be nearing a penalty shootout too until Charlotte pulled ahead in the 77th minute via Reudd Manin and never relinquished the lead.
Looking at the Group 6 table, Charleston are in first and Charlotte are in second due to the goals-for tiebreaker.
Competition Structure
At A Glance – This year’s Prinx Tires USL Cup kicked off on April 25, with teams split into seven regional groups. Six groups include six teams, and one includes seven teams, with each club set to play four Group Stage games in the opening phase of the tournament, which will conclude this Saturday.
Group 6 Members – Charleston and Charlotte are part of Group 6, along with Pittsburgh, Greenville, Loudoun United FC and the Richmond Kickers.
The Lowdown – The 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup is the third edition of the USL’s interleague cup competition, a World Cup-style tournament which features all 42 teams across the USL Championship and League One. Hartford Athletic are the defending champions of the tournament.
How To Advance – Winning your group is the main method to advance to the knockout phase. Scoring in the group table is similar to the regular season standings: Wins earn three points, draws earn one, and losses earn none, and draws will have a penalty shootout immediately after the final whistle, with an additional bonus point up for grabs for the shootout winners. One wild card will also advance, and that slot is awarded to the second-placed team with the most points in group play, followed by the first tiebreaker of most goals scored. Last year’s USL Cup winners, Hartford, advanced on the wild card.
After the Group Stage – The seven group winners and one wild card will advance to create a field of eight teams in the knockout stage. The Quarterfinals will be held on August 13, followed by the Semifinals on September 9 and the Final on the weekend of October 2-4.
Storylines of the Match
Win and You’re In – Advancing to the knockout stage out of Group 6 is simple: win and you’re in. Since both teams are level on points, a victory in normal time or in a penalty shootout will make the difference to win the group and thereby advance. Third-place Pittsburgh, meanwhile, are unable to overcome either side, which makes Group 6 just a two-horse race at this point.
Wild Card Potential – One additional route available for all teams will be advancing via the one wild card slot, which is awarded to the second place team ending group play with the most points. Advancing by this means is unpredictable and uncertain, as virtually every team will be playing their final game on Saturday and the second place standings will fluctuate throughout the entirety of the day. Charleston, however, are in good standing with their points total, should the stars need to align to advance on the wild card.
Southern Derby Rivalry Renewed – While not an official Southern Derby due to the match being a cup fixture, there’s likely no love lost between the pair of Carolina rivals this weekend. The Battery will certainly look to avenge their April loss at Charlotte and return the favor by knocking the Independence out of the USL Cup. The two sides have met 23 times since 2015 across all competitions, with Charleston holding an 11W-6L-6D record against Charlotte.
Red-Hot Visitors – Head Coach Ben Pirmann previewed Charlotte briefly, but accurately, following Saturday’s game against Indy, stating that Charlotte were one of the hottest teams in America currently. The Independence are amid a 13-game unbeaten run across all competitions that dates back to April and includes 10 wins and three draws (with one penalty shootout win). Their form, coupled with the weight of the game, is bound to make Saturday a hotly contested occasion at Patriots Point.
Equally Hot at Home – Equally impressive has been Charleston’s record at home this year, where the side is currently undefeated in nine games across all competitions (seven wins and two draws). In regular season play, in fact, the Battery are amid a 21-game unbeaten run at Patriots Point. The Battery will be looking to leverage their home-field advantage to push them to the knockout phase.
Aiming to Get Back on Track – Entering this weekend, Charleston will be looking to bounce back in their return home following last Saturday’s shorthanded 2-nil loss at Indy Eleven. The Battery were unable to capitalize on their momentum before being reduced to 10 men when Graham Smith was shown a red card, which was then followed by a pair of Indy goals. Maalique Foster and Colton Swan’s goal involvement streaks were both snapped, and the Battery’s scorching run in attack was abruptly halted.
Familiar Faces – A pair of familiar faces could face their former sides again on Saturday in Charleston’s John Berner and Charlotte’s Viggo Ortiz. Berner has been the Battery’s de facto cup goalkeeper as all five of his appearances have come in U.S. Open Cup and USL Cup play. The shot-stopper played the majority of his career’s professional appearances during his two-year tenure in Charlotte from 2015-16. Ortiz, meanwhile, has scored four goals for Charlotte since his permanent move from Charleston in the offseason, including one at the Battery’s expense in the U.S. Open Cup.
Pirmann, Ycaza Claim League Honors – Congratulations are in order for Head Coach Ben Pirmann and midfielder Emilio Ycaza for winning the Championship Coach of the Month and Player of the Month awards, respectively. The accolades are deserved honors for the duo’s role in the Battery’s undefeated and record-setting run in June.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Charlotte Independence
Prinx Tires USL Cup | Group Stage | Round 4
Saturday, July 11 – 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally. 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.
