Presented by MUSC Health
Matchday Preview
The Charleston Battery are back home to host Rhode Island FC on Sat., Sept. 26, in Week 30 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.
The Battery and RIFC clash for the second time this year after the New Englanders claimed a 4-0 victory in the first meeting back in April.
Charleston (13W-8L-4D, 43pts) were back to winning ways in Week 29 with their 1-0 triumph over Monterey Bay FC last Saturday. After a rather cagey game through the hour mark, Camilo Sánchez went from the bench and onto the scoresheet to bag the winner in the 78th minute. Daniel Kuzemka notched the shutout in his first appearance since May 2024.
Rhode Island (9W-9L-5D, 32pts) were dealt a 1-2 home loss against Miami FC this past weekend. The visitors pulled ahead in the 74th minute via Denilson Milanés to win the game. It could prove to be a crucial result down the stretch as Miami are just behind RIFC in the table, and the victory kept them within five points in the playoff hunt.
Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in second and Rhode Island are in eighth.
Storylines of the Match
Seeking Revenge – The Battery are aiming to avenge both their regular season loss from back in April and the playoff defeat from last November, the latter being Rhode Island’s last visit to the Lowcountry. Charleston are winless in the last three meetings with Rhode Island, with the most recent victory coming on March 15, 2025, which is also the lone Battery win in the all-time series.
Active Attacks – Fans can expect ample offense on Saturday, since Charleston and Rhode Island both rank top-three in the league in shots on target per match. The Battery are in third with 5.3 per game, while posting a Championship-best 50 goals scored, and RIFC are first with 5.5 per game. Charleston also boast the league’s best goals per match (2.0), average possession (56.4%), big chances created (72) and accurate long balls per match (30.9).
Playoffs Secured – Charleston officially punched their ticket to the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs following their 1-0 victory over Monterey Bay, becoming the second team in the league to achieve the feat. It’s the fourth consecutive year the Battery have made the postseason, all during Ben Pirmann’s tenure as the club’s head coach.
Top-Four Next – While the postseason is clinched, the job still isn’t done. Charleston are still in the hunt for the USL Championship Players’ Shield, currently led by the Tampa Bay Rowdies at 51 points. Next on the list, however, is to secure a top-four Eastern Conference finish, which would guarantee a home game in at least the opening round of the playoffs. The Battery are in a tight race for the top four, with just five points separating second place from fifth place.
Home Dominance – Charleston will look to harness their home strength again this weekend while facing a team that has been a thorn in their side the past three seasons. The Battery rank first in the league in: Home wins (nine), home points won (29), home goals scored (34) and home goal differential (+25).
Kelly Takes Golden Playmaker Lead – With his assist against Monterey Bay, Jeremy Kelly took sole possession of the lead in the Championship Golden Playmaker race with nine assists. His 10 helpers across all competitions additionally matched the career high he previously set in 2022. Additionally, he is one assist away from matching the single-season club record of 11, held jointly by Fidel Barajas (2023) and Temoc Suarez (2000).
Sánchez’s Instant Impact – Camilo Sánchez made a grand introduction at Patriots Point on Saturday by opening his account with the match-winner in just his second appearance for the Battery. Sánchez’s goal brings the Battery’s total number of different scorers to 15 players, highlighting depth in attack and contributions across the whole squad.
Milestone Watch – Three Battery players are approaching career milestones in the USL Championship regular season entering this weekend. Laurent Kissiedou is 91 minutes away from 10,000 minutes played, Langston Blackstock is two appearances away from 150 matches played and Maalique Foster is 148 minutes away from 10,000 minutes played.
Breeze Cup Friendly Rivalry – Charleston and Rhode Island will also be competing in a friendly competition, the Breeze Cup, as both clubs are partners with Breeze Airways. A two-leg contest, RIFC have a 0-4 lead going into this weekend, meaning the Battery have their work cut out for them in terms of the cup. Breeze representatives will present the winning team with a glass trophy after the match.
RIFC Unavailabilities – Rhode Island will be without two key midfielders on Saturday: Jojea Kwizera and Dwayne Atkinson. Both players scored in the first meeting between the clubs, and both will miss the reverse fixture while out on international duty. Similarly, JJ Williams, who scored the other two goals in the first game, departed the club for Scotland this past summer.
From the Training Ground
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Rhode Island FC
Saturday, September 26 – 7 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.
