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The Charleston Battery extended their unbeaten streak at MUSC Health Stadium to ten games with a 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls II Saturday night.

After an even game through the majority of the first 45 minutes, the Battery opened the scoring just before the stroke of halftime when Justin Portillo sprang Ataulla Guerra in on goal with a threaded pass through the back four. Guerra drew goalkeeper Evan Louro to him and passed the ball to Romario Williams who tapped it in the empty net. The goal was Williams’ 15th of the year which has him tied for the league lead.

Chances were limited in the early part of the second half, with most of the play coming in the middle third of the field, but New York took advantage of one of their few opportunities found an equalizer in the 72nd minute through Stefano Bonomo.

Florian Valot’s deflected shot found the feet of Bonomo who instinctually knocked a first time shot on frame, beating Odisnel Cooper at the back post.

The Battery were reduced to ten men late in the second half when O’brian Woodbine was shown a second yellow in the 86th minute. Charleston did well to hold on defensively and see the game out down a man.

“In the end, playing with ten men when it’s this warm, you have to commend some of the guys on the defense and walk away with a point,” said Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser after the match.   

Following Saturday night’s draw at MUSC Health Stadium, the Battery will head out on the road for three straight matches away from home. Charleston will travel to Rochester, Richmond, and Louisville on three consecutive Saturdays before returning home on September 9th to play the Charlotte Independence.

CHARLESTON: Odisnel Cooper, Tah Brian Anunga, Taylor Mueller (yellow card, 59), Forrest Lasso, O’brian Woodbine (yellow card, 44, 86), Maikel Chang, Justin Portillo (yellow card, 79), Neveal Hackshaw (Skylar Thomas, 80), Kotaro Higashi (Heviel Cordoves, 86), Ataulla Guerra (Ricky Garbanzo, 69), Romario Williams (goal, 45)  

Unused substitutes: Joe Kuzminksy, Jeffery Otoo, Ryan Arambula, Nico Rittmeyer  

NEW YORK: Evan Louro, Ethan Kutler (yellow card, 40), Fidel Escobar, Jordan Scarlett, Hassan Ndam, David Najem, Dan Metzger, Andrew Tinari (Junior Flemmings, 40; yellow card 52), Dilly Duka (Zeiko Lewis, 46), Stefano Bonomo (goal, 72; Douglas Martinez, 82)

Unused substitutes: Rafeal Diaz, Noah Powder, Timothy Schmoll, Kaz Shigenobu

The Charleston Battery dropped a 1-0 result to Toronto FC II at Ontario Soccer Centre Saturday afternoon.

TFC II’s Shaan Hundal scored the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute, finishing a well-worked counterattack. Tsubasa Endoh, on loan from Toronto FC, sprang the counterattack after receiving a favorable bounce near the midfield stripe. Endoh hit a first time ball over the top, splitting the Battery center backs and finding Hundal. Hundal got on the end of the through ball and slotted it past Odisnel Cooper to put the hosts in front.

The Battery equalized in the dying minutes of the second half, but the referee waved the goal away. Desperate for a tying goal, Taylor Mueller launched a long ball into the penalty area. Goalkeeper Anthony Cavalluzzo got a fist to Mueller’s service and punched it into his own net, but the referee whistled Charleston for a foul and the match finished 1-0 in favor of TFC II.

The Battery will look to return to winning form next weekend at MUSC Health Stadium against New York Red Bulls II. Charleston take on the reigning USL Champions on Saturday, August 12th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.  

Charleston

The Charleston Battery enter Saturday’s match against last-place Toronto FC II in need of three points after going winless in their last five matches. Despite earning only three of a possible 15 points during that run, the Battery still sit in first place in the Eastern Conference.

With the Charlotte Independence and Louisville City FC within striking distance behind them, Charleston will need to return to winning form to keep their place at the top of the table. The Battery followed up two straight losses with a draw against Orlando City B in their previous match.

Odisnel Cooper earned his sixth shutout in goal in the 0-0 draw with Orlando, while Romario Williams returned to the lineup for the first time in five games. The Battery attack looked much more dangerous after Williams entered the match as a substitute in the 53rd minute, but Earl Edwards Jr. stood tall goal for OCB and Charleston were forced to split the points.

Toronto

Toronto enter Saturday’s match winless in their previous three matches. TFC II were shutout three consecutive times, losing back-to-back 2-0 results to Ottawa Fury FC and Tampa Bay Rowdies and losing 1-0 to New York Red Bulls II; all three matches were on the road.

Toronto will return home Saturday against the Battery looking for just their fourth win of the season. Despite being at the bottom of the table, TFC II have been strong defensively when playing at home this season, earning four shutouts in their eight matches at Ontario Soccer Centre. Mark Pais and Angelo Cavalluzzo have split time in goal for TFC II.  

Previous Meeting

The Battery’s attack was firing on all cylinders in the team’s previous meeting with TFC II at MUSC Health Stadium on June 24th. Romario Williams and Dante Marini led Charleston to a 6-1 win over Toronto. Williams and Marini each scored two goals and added an assist to help the Battery to their largest goal total in a match this season.

Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser expects Saturday’s match at Ontario Soccer Centre to be vastly different from the one played in Charleston last month. TFC II plays on an artificial surface and will likely have members of the MLS side with them, so the Battery could face an entirely different starting XI come Saturday.  

Game Notes

Records

• Charleston: 10-4-7; goals 39; goals against 24; GD +15
  • Home: 7-1-4; goals 26 ; goals against 11 ; GD +15
  • Away: 3-3-3; goals 13; goals against; 13; GD 0
• Toronto: 3-12-5; goals 10; goals against 31; GD -21
  • Home: 2-3-3; goals 7; goals against 9; GD -2
  • Away: 1-9-2; goals 3; goals against 22; GD -19

Form

• Charleston: D | L | L | D | D
• Toronto: L | W | D | D | D

Statistical Leaders

• Charleston
  • Goals: Romario Williams (14)
  • Assists: Justin Portillo (6)
  • Points: Romario Williams (30)
  • Minutes: Taylor Mueller, Justin Portillo (1,890)

• Toronto
  • Goals: Luca Uccello (3)
  • Assists: Ryan Telfer (2)
  • Points: Luca Uccello (7)
  • Minutes: Brian James (1,436)

Previous

• Charleston Battery vs. Orlando City B (D | 0-0)
  • Charleston goals: none
  • Orlando goals: none
• Toronto FC II vs. Ottawa Fury FC (L 0-2)
  • Toronto goals: none
  • Ottawa goals: Azake Luboyera (24’), Sito Seoane (76’)

The Charleston Battery drew, 0-0, with Orlando City B Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium. Goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper earned his sixth clean sheet of the season in the match.

Saturday’s match was the Battery’s third in seven days, while it was the first for Orlando in sixteen days. Tired legs slowed Charleston’s attack a bit, with the team failing to find the back of the net for the first time at home this season.

Despite the sluggish start, the Battery had two goals called back for offside and a ball cleared off the line in second half. In what was Charleston’s best scoring opportunity, Neveal Hackshaw flicked a header toward the back post from a corner kick, but an OCB defender did well to keep it out and preserve the clean sheet.

While the attack sputtered, Charleston’s back four earned the team’s eighth shutout of the season. Led by captain Taylor Mueller, the Battery defense did well to limit Orlando’s chances and cut out attacks before they became dangerous.

“We shifted really well tonight and dealt with tough conditions with the humidity and the delay,” said Mueller. “Obviously when you play at home you want three points, but we’ll always be happy with a shutout from a defensive standpoint. We had a few chances that didn’t go our way, so we were a bit unlucky, but the defensive effort from back to front is a positive we’ll take away from this match.”

Following Saturday’s draw at home, the Battery will head north for a match against Toronto FC II at Ontario Soccer Cetnre on August 5th. Charleston return home the following week on August 12th to play New York Red Bulls II.

CHARLESTON: Odisnel Cooper, Quinton Griffith (yellow card, 84), Taylor Mueller, Forrest Lasso (yellow card, 65), O’Brian Woodbine, Maikel Chang, Justin Portillo (yellow card, 90), Neveal Hackshaw, Jarad van Schaik (Lagos Kunga, 62), Kotaro Higashi, Heviel Cordoves (Romario Williams, 53)

Unused substitutes: Alex Tambakis, Skylar Thomas, Tah Brian Anunga, Ricky Garbanzo, Ataulla Guerra

ORLANDO: Earl Edwards Jr, Austin Martz, Seb Hines (yellow card, 6), Fernando Timbo, Zach Hayden (yellow card, 90), Tony Rocha, Lewis Neal (Jordan Schweitzer, 88), Paul Clowes (yellow card, 90), Scott Thomsen, Danny Deakin (Albert Dikwa, 69), Hadji Berry

Unused substitutes: Jake Fenlason, Conor Donovan, Zach Carroll, Jules Youmendi, Joe Gallardo

Charleston

The Battery return home to MUSC Health Stadium Saturday night to face Orlando City B for the first time this season after three straight matches on the road. Charleston finished the road swing with an 0-1-2 record, taking only one point from a possible nine.

Despite the tough stretch on the road, the Battery remain atop the USL Eastern Conference with a three point lead over second-place Charlotte Independence. Winless in their last four matches, Charleston were forced to scrap for a draw in Pittsburgh Wednesday night against the Riverhounds.

Atlanta United loanee, Miles Robinson, opened the scoring for the Battery in the 11th minute, nodding home a Justin Portillo corner kick. The goal was the first of Robinson’s career, while Portillo’s assist was his team-high sixth of the season.

Following Robinson’s opening goal, the Riverhounds scored two unanswered set piece goals, and held a 2-1 advantage for the majority of the second half. Maikel Chang equalized for the Battery in the dying minutes of the match, firing a low shot past goalkeeper Keasel Broome to earn a point his side.

Playing for the first time since July 1, Ataulla Guerra changed the game for the Battery Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. Guerra threaded the ball through to Chang for the equalizing goal and created several quality scoring chances in his 25 minute cameo.

In addition to Guerra, Battery fans will be happy to see leading goal-scorer Romario Williams return from international duty in time for Saturday’s match against Orlando. The Battery went 0-2-2 and were shutout twice during Williams’ absence.

Orlando

Saturday’s match against the Battery is Orlando’s game first since July 13th. Similar to the Battery, Orlando have only won one of their previous five matches, beating Rochester 1-0 at Capelli Sports Stadium in New York.

OCB have drawn three straight matches, including a 1-1 draw with the Tampa Bay Rowdies at home in their previous match. Danny Deakin scored a 96th minute penalty to salvage a point for Orlando and extend their unbeaten streak to three games.

Previous Meetings

The Battery only took two points from three matches with Orlando City B in 2016. Charleston drew, 0-0, and lost, 2-1, at MUSC Health Stadium against OCB last season. Justin Portillo scored the only goal against Orlando.

Game Notes

Records

• Charleston: 10-4-6; goals 39; goals against 24; GD +15
  • Home: 7-1-3; goals 26 ; goals against 11 ; GD +15
  • Away: 3-3-3; goals 13; goals against; 13; GD 0
• Orlando: 5-6-7; goals 18; goals against 19; GD -1
  • Home: 1-2-6; goals 9; goals against 11; GD -2
  • Away: 4-4-1; goals 9; goals against 8; GD +1

Form

• Charleston: W | D | L | L | D
• Orlando: L | W | D | D | D

Statistical Leaders

• Charleston
  • Goals: Romario Williams (14)
  • Assists: Justin Portillo (6)
  • Points: Romario Williams (30)
  • Minutes: Taylor Mueller, Justin Portillo (1,800)

• Orlando
  • Goals: Hadji Berry, Richie Laryea, Albert Dikwa (3)
  • Assists: Pierre Da Silva (6)
  • Points: Pierre Da Silva (8)
  • Minutes: Earl Edwards Jr. (1,440)

Previous

• Charleston Battery at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (D | 2-2)
  • Charleston goals: Miles Robinson (11’), Maikel Chang (84’)
  • Pittsburgh goals: Victor Souto (21’), Corey Hertzog (62’)
• Orlando City B vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (D | 1-1)
  • Orlando goals: Danny Deakin (96’)
  • Tampa goals: Martin Patterson (21’)

In his first game back from injury, Ataulla Guerra led the Battery back from a one goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw in Pittsburgh against the Riverhounds Wednesday night at Highmark Stadium.

The Battery broke a 180 minute scoreless run early on in the match against the Riverhounds when Skylar Thomas hustled after a loose ball in the corner to earn a set piece for the Battery. Justin Portillo hit an inswinging corner into the penalty area and Miles Robinson rose up to nod it in past Keasel Broome. The goal was Robinson’s first of his career, while Portillo recorded his team high sixth assist of the season.

Ten minutes after Robinson opened the scoring, the Riverhounds scored a set piece goal of their own. Kevin Kerr found Victor Souto unmarked at the back post with a long serve to the back post from a corner kick. Souto volleyed Kerr’s corner in past Alex Tambakis to level the score at one.

The Riverhounds came out on the front foot in the second half and caught the Battery sleeping on a set piece again in the 62nd minute. Corey Hertzog played a short corner, receiving the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box. With time and space in front of him, Hertzog took a touch and bent a shot that hit the back post and went in to give the hosts the lead.  

Desperate for an injection of energy and quality, Mike Anhaeuser brought on Ataulla Guerra in the 65th minute. In his first appearance since July 1, the Trinidadian playmaker rescued a point for the Battery in Pittsburgh.

As Charleston scrapped for an equalizer, Guerra found the cutting pass to open up the Riverhounds’ back four in the 84th minute, slotting Maikel Chang through on goal. Chang made no mistake after receiving Guerra’s pass and hit a driven shot on the turf that beat goalkeeper Keasel Broome and leveled the score at two. The goal was Chang’s fourth of the year.

Both teams searched for the game-winner after Chang’s equalizer, but neither could find the back of the net and the match ended in a 2-2 draw. The draw halts the Battery’s two game losing streak, but pushes their winless streak to four games.

The Battery will have a chance to break the winless run at home this Saturday. The team will return to MUSC Health Stadium following three tough matches on the road to take on Orlando City B. Charleston will enter the match in first place after second-place Charlotte Independence also dropped points Wednesday night, drawing 0-0 with the Richmond Kickers.  

CHARLESTON: Alex Tambakis, Skylar Thomas (yellow card, 91), Taylor Mueller (yellow card, 56), Miles Robinson (goal, 11), O’Brian Woodbine, Quinton Griffith, Tah Brian Anunga (Kotaro Higashi, 80), Justin Portillo, Maikel Chang, Neveal Hackshaw (Ataulla Guerra, 65), Ricky Garbanzo (Heviel Cordoves, 65)

Unused substitutes: Odisnel Cooper, Forrest Lasso, Lagos Kunga, Jarad van Schaik

PITTSBURGH: Keasel Broome, Taylor Washington, Jamal Jack, Tobi Adewole, Shannon Gomez (Michael Green, 86), Victor Souto (goal, 21), Stephen Okai, Romeo Parkes (Marshall Hollingsworth, 76), Kevin Kerr, Chevaughn Walsh (Kay Bajno, 82), Corey Hertzog (goal, 62)

Unused substitutes: Trey Mitchell, Gale Agbossoumonde, Abuchi Obinwa, Jack Thompson

Charleston

The Battery is looking for their first win in three matches Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. Charleston fell to 0-2-1 in their last three games Saturday night after dropping a 2-0 result to the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium. Saturday’s loss dropped the Battery’s overall record to 10-4-5 (3-3-2 on the road) and tightened the race at the top of the table. The Charlotte Independence and louisville City FC are now both just three points behind the Battery with two games in hand.

After scoring at least one goal in each of their first 17 USL matches, the Battery have been shutout it back to back games. Without leading goal-scorer Romario Williams, Charleston lost 1-0 to Saint Louis FC and 2-0 to Tampa Bay Rowdies in consecutive weeks. Williams will play in the Gold Cup final against the United States Wednesday night, meaning he will miss his fourth and final USL match.

Charleston will need to find goals elsewhere in order to stop the skid Wednesday night. Ataulla Guerra and Jarad van Schaik are working back from injury and could be available versus the Riverhounds. Atlanta United’s Lagos Kunga, Miles Robinson, and Alex Tambakis will all make the trip to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh

The Riverhounds return home to face the Battery Wednesday night after playing  three consecutive matches on the road. Pittsburgh drew all three road matches, the most recent being a 0-0 draw in Rochester. Like the Battery, the Riverhounds are searching for a positive result after hitting a streak of bad form.

Pittsburgh’s last win came on June 22nd against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Highmark Stadium. In their four matches since, the Riverhounds have been shutout twice.

Pittsburgh have been beaten five times in their nine home games this season, while only losing twice on the road. The Riverhounds have struggled to score at Highmark Stadium, only finding the back of the net ten times in nine matches.

Previous Meeting

The Riverhounds handed the Battery their only loss at home this season back in week three. Corey Hertzog’s 91st minute goal helped Pittsburgh steal three points at MUSC Health Stadium after Marshall Hollingsworth cancelled out Ataulla Guerra’s early opening goal.

The Charleston Battery and Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County have come together in an effort to raise money for a new community center on the corner of Cooper and Wall Streets in Moncks Corner.

Habitat has focused their Neighborhood Revitalization initiatives in the Wall Street community located in the heart of Moncks Corner. The 1,600 square foot building will serve as an after-school haven for under-resourced children in the area. The project will cost a total of $175,000; Lowes donated $70,000, leaving community members to raise over $100,000.

The Battery will help with the fundraising by taking part in the Habitat’s “Sponsor a Stud” program, which involves the 7 1/2 foot two-by-fours, also known as studs, that make up the foundation of every house. Each player has a stud that they’ve signed and personalized with drawings and good luck messages. The players will go to the site of the new community center and hammer the studs in place in mid-August.   

Battery fans can join the effort by choosing a player to support and donating money towards that stud. With a donation of any amount, fans can sign their names alongside the player’s and be a part of the community center’s foundation.

Habitat for Humanity will be at the Battery’s next two home games (7/29 and 8/12) collecting donations and signatures on the studs. If you cannot attend those matches, but wish to donate, visit bidr.co/events/batterystud and let us know what message you’d like written on the stud.

The Charleston Battery lost, 2-0, to the Tampa Bay Rowdies Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida. After scoring at least one goal in their first 17 matches, Charleston were shutout for the second straight game on Saturday.

Former Chelsea FC midfielder Joe Cole opened the scoring in the 40th minute after Alex Morrell wound his way through the Battery back four. Cole received the ball from Morell and toe-poked it past Alex Tambakis to put the hosts ahead in the dying minutes of the first half.

Tampa used the momentum from Cole’s opening goal to keep the pressure on the Battery following the halftime break. Martin Paterson doubled the Rowdies’ lead in the 70th minute with a stunning goal. Paterson received the ball from Marcel Schafer and did well to hold off his defender and turn before firing a shot into the upper left-hand corner of Tambakis’ goal.

The win improves Tampa’s record at Al Lang Stadium to 7-1-2, with their only loss coming to the Battery back in April. Charleston finished the three-game series with the Rowdies with a 2-1-0 record. The Battery remain in first place in the USL Eastern Conference despite suffering two straight losses for the first time this season.

Charleston will have the opportunity to rebound quickly from Saturday’s loss, with their next match coming Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The match against the Hounds will be Charleston’s last of three straight on the road, before returning home to take on Orlando City B on July 29th at MUSC Health Stadium.

CHARLESTON: Alex Tambakis, Quinton Griffith, Taylor Mueller, Forrest Lasso (Miles Robinson, 67), O’Brian Woodbine, Kotaro Higashi, Justin Portillo, Tah Brian Anunga (Nico Rittmeyer, 84), Lagos Kunga (Ricky Garbanzo, 64), Maikel Chang, Heviel Cordoves

Unused substitutes: Odisnel Cooper, Skylar Thomas, Jeffery Otoo, Neveal Hackshaw

TAMPA BAY: Matt Pickens, Kyle Porter, Tamika Mkandawire (yellow card, 25), Neill Collins, Zac Portillos, Joe Cole (goal, 40; Martin Vingaard) Justin Chavez, Marcel Schafer, Alex Morrell, Martin Paterson (goal; 70) Walter Restrepo, 77), Georgi Hristov

Unused substitutes: Akira Fitzgerald, Darnell King, Luke Boden Darwin Jones