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Charleston Battery

Resilient Saint Louis Shocks Battery with 3-2 Comeback Win

August 20, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


FENTON, MO - An inspired performance by a struggling Saint Louis FC club turned an 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 win as the Charleston Battery slumped to their fifth loss of 2015 Thursday at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.

In a storyine that seemed eerily parallel to Saturday's late draw at Charleston, Saint Louis substitute forward Aaron Horton scored off a set piece late in four minutes of stoppage time to give the hosts only their second home win of their inaugural season. Horton's chest-down-to-volley goal from inside the penalty area eluded both goalkeeper Kevin Corby and center back Forrest Lasso to curl the net on the back side, completing an improbable three-goal comeback.

Charleston, which had not previously surrendered a lead for a loss in 2015, opened the book in the 10th minute when forward Ricky Garbanzo sent a bouncing cross to forward Heviel Cordoves making a run at the back post. The tall Cuban - starting ahead of leading scorer Dane Kelly for the first time since April - settled the ball and put it past goalkeeper Alec Kann at close range for the 1-0 lead.

On Saturday it had been Cordoves who entered the match late to change the outcome. Thursday's goal was his second in two matches and his fifth USL goal of the season.

The quick score subdued the crowd, and depression seemed ready to settle over the stadium in the 17th minute when Battery midfielder Maikel Chang went down in the penalty area under light contact and the referee pointed to the spot. Midfielder Justin Portillo converted the penalty kick for the 2-0 lead.

But more light contact - this time at the opposite end - would soon erase that cushion. In the 33rd minute the official awarded a penalty to Saint Louis when midfielder Jamiel Hardware went down after being touched by center back Taylor Mueller. Forward Mike Ambersley tricked Battery goalkeeper Kevin Corby into committing early - before putting it straight down the middle.

With the Battery lead cut in half, the official would award the first half's third penalty kick three minutes when several players tangled on a Saint Louis corner kick. Though it was not obviously clear which bit of contact had earned the penalty, Ambersley again stepped to the spot.

This time Corby held his ground to the last moment, diving to his left to knock it back. In the ensuing scramble, St. Louis midfielder Charles Renken got off a second shot, with a second, point-blank save credited to Corby. He finished the first half with four saves and a 2-1 lead.

Yet Saint Louis' resurgence from about the 20th minute was undeniable. After opening the match in almost a fugue state, Coach Dale Schilly's men found their focus and energy after Portillo's penalty score and kept the Battery under pressure through three minutes of first-half stoppage.

There were moments of Battery quality, like in the 26th minute, when Navion Boyd forced Kann into a point-blank reaction save, but the visitors increasingly found themselves relying on Corby. At the break the hosts were already out-shooting Charleston 10-4, a dramatic reversal of Saturday's first-meeting between the clubs, when the Battery won the shots battle 22-4, yet needed a let equalizer to salvage a point.

The Battery came out with a more cautious approach in the second half, yet came within inches of extending their lead in the 52nd minute off a swift counter. With Charleston's midfield waiting just behind the midstripe, Boyd jumped a Saint Louis pass and burst forward with the ball, playing Cordoves through for a one-on-one with Kann. As the Chicago Fire (and former Battery) reserve came off his line, Cordoves took his shot deftly toward the left post from just above the penalty area. But the spin he needed to bend the ball in deserted him, and the shot sailed wide.

Saint Louis would ultimately out-shoot the Battery 7-5 in the second half (and 17-9 for the match), but it was a back-and-forth affair for much of the second stanza. SLFC had more of the initiative, with Charleston more satisfied to clear and reset. Once the speedy Kelly finally subbed on for Cordoves in the 60th minute, those longer resets began to take on a bit more menace.

But the short-handed hosts - down five players to suspension and three to injury - never broke. With less than eight minutes remaining in regulation, they threw everything they had at the Battery in a series of three wild set-piece restarts. Twice Corby and the Battery came through with big defensive stops. But the third one - one of several beautiful deliveries by defender Patrick Doody of the Chicago Fire - finally broke thorough.

Doody's free kick from the left side of the pitch fell perfectly between Battery defender Forrest Lasso, - who was marking Saint Louis center back Sam Fink above the six-yard box - and Corby's preferred position. Forced off his line, Corby wound up helpless when Fink won his battle and headed in the equalizer.

Now it was Charleston's turn to push forward. The best chance came in stoppage, when substitute midfielder Dante Marini, operating along the left touchline, burst past his mark and crossed to a teammate above the far post. But the final shot went wanting, and on the ensuing Saint Louis possession midfield sub Zach Prince committed a foul in a dangerous area above the penalty area.

The resulting free kick was initially broken up, but the ball fell to Horton, who had subbed on just moments before. The former Columbus Crew prospect chested the ball down to himself as Battery defenders filled in behind the play, and got off his game-winning quick strike before anyone could challenge him.

With the stunning loss, Charleston's dream of playing at Louisville on Saturday with a chance to take back a share of second place in the Eastern Conference evaporated. Instead, the collapse left the door open for both Richmond and New York to climb into a tie for third this weekend.

The Battery fell to 9-5-9. Saint Louis improved to 6-9-8.

Charleston plays at Louisville Saturday night at 7:30.

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