MUSC Match Preview | Hartford vs. Charleston

Presented by MUSC Health

Matchday Preview

The Charleston Battery have a quick turnaround to face Hartford Athletic on the road on Wed., Oct. 14, in Week 33 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Trinity Health Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+.

Charleston and Hartford clash for the second time this year. The Connecticut claimed a 1-2 road win in the first meeting on September 2, coming back from a 1-0 Battery lead after going up a man in the second half and subsequently scoring two goals.

The Battery (14W-9L-4D, 46pts) are aiming to rebound from a 0-2 home loss against Louisville City FC last Saturday. After a scoreless first half, the visitors struck twice in the second stanza to claim all three points. Charleston’s playoff spot is secure, but next on the postseason punch list is to lock in a top-four conference finish to guarantee hosting in the opening round.

Hartford (9W-6L-12D, 39pts) are also looking to rebound following a narrow 2-1 loss in the Steel City to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The game was tied 1-1 at halftime after Hartford’s Michee Ngalina scored an equalizer before the break, but a goal by Charles Ahl just past the hour mark secured the points for Pittsburgh.

Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in third and Hartford are in sixth.

Storylines of the Match

Round II vs. Hartford – The second meeting between Charleston and Hartford was originally slated for October 3 but was postponed to Wednesday due to Hartford’s participation in the Prinx Tires USL Cup Final that same weekend. Charleston will look to settle the score after Hartford’s 1-2 win in the first meeting back in September.

H2H Record – While the all-time series favors the Battery with a 10W-4L-1D record in the fixture, the results are more even when Hartford are hosting. Charleston and Hartford each have three wins, along with one draw, in the seven Connecticut meetings. The Battery won last year’s visit to Trinity Health Stadium, 1-2, with Houssou Landry’s goal being the winner.

Road Trip Week – Charleston have a rare week of two away matches in the space of four days with Hartford on Wednesday and Miami FC on Saturday. The Battery will head to South Florida after the Hartford match to wrap up the away slate for the regular season. Charleston’s road record in Championship play currently stands at 4W-7L-2D (14pts).

Aiming to Rebound – The Battery will be looking to bounce back after being shut out for the first time since the 2-0 road loss against Indy Eleven on July 4. Charleston appeared to have struck first on Saturday when Chris Allan fired in a curler from outside the box, but an offside call, contentious to those on the field, after the ball went into the net nullified the score. The Battery were unable to convert their scoring opportunities and were credited with three big chances missed, a correction they’ll look to make on Wednesday.

Players to Watch – Two players to keep an eye on this Wednesday are Charleston’s Jeremy Kelly and Hartford’s Michee Ngalina. Kelly is the team’s leader in assists with 10 across all competitions, and his nine in Championship play are tied for the league lead. Ngalina has been one of the hottest players in the league recently, amassing six goals and two assists since August 29, and was a nominee for the Championship’s September Player of the Month.

Familiar Faces – Some players will be facing their former club again on Wednesday for both sides. Joey Akpunonu and John Berner previously played for Hartford in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and Augi Williams called Charleston home from 2022 to 2023.

Final Stretch Before Playoffs – The Battery are set to take on their final three games of the regular season before the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs begin the weekend of October 30 – November 1. Playoff seeding is still up for grabs, and Charleston’s sights remain fixed on a top-four finish to close out the regular season and ensure home field advantage in the opening round of the postseason. However, the road ahead will not be easy, as the Battery’s next three opponents are all unclinched and fighting to stay above the playoff line: Hartford (sixth), Miami (eighth) and Indy (ninth).

Foster Milestone Nears – Maalique Foster enters this weekend 46 minutes shy of 10,000 career minutes played in the USL Championship regular season.