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USL Charleston Battery

10-Man Battery Earns Draw in Nashville

September 22, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Playing down a man for the final 30 minutes of the match, the Charleston Battery earned a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC Saturday night at a rain-soaked First Tennessee Park.

Nashville started well and opened the scoring in the 9th minute through Tucker Hume. Michael Reed served a long ball from a free kick on the right side past the back post. Matt LaGrassa nodded the serve down towards Hume who turned a bicycle kick on frame. Hume's effort skipped off Odisnel Cooper's chest and went in to give the hosts an early lead.

The Battery answered with an equally flukey goal of their own in the 24th minute. Gordon Wild served a dipping ball into the box from a free kick 30 yards from goal, forcing goalkeeper Matt Pickens to dive off his line and punch it away. Pickens' punch ricocheted off Tah Brian Anunga and into the goal to draw Charleston level. The goal was Anunga's fourth of the year.

Following the equalizer, the two sides traded possession, but the poor field conditions made it difficult to create quality scoring chances at either end. The left side of the Battery's attacking half in the first 45 minutes was unplayable due to standing water. The teams went into the halftime break deadlocked at one.

Patrick Okonkwo was shown a straight red card in the 60th minute for an off-the-ball incident. Down a man, the Battery fell back into its defensive shape for the final 30 minutes with Taylor Mueller organizing things at the back.

Despite playing a man down, Charleston looked comfortable defensively and forced Nashville to serve long hopeful balls into the box in search of a go-ahead goal to no avail. Mueller led the way for the Battery with eleven clearances. Neveal Hackshaw and Skylar Thomas were just behind him with ten and eight respectively.

Following the draw in Nashville, the Battery will return home for back-to-back matches at MUSC Health Stadium. Charleston will host North Carolina FC on Wednesday, September 26 and Toronto FC II on Saturday, September 29 in the final two home games of the regular season.

Box Score:

CHARLESTON - Odisnel Cooper, Skylar Thomas, Taylor Mueller, Neveal Hackshaw, Jay Bolt, Tah Brian Anunga (goal, 24), Vincenzo Candela, O'Brian Woodbine, Victor Mansaray (Angelo Kelly, 68), Gordon Wild (Ian Svantesson, 76), Patrick Okonkwo (red card, 60)

Substitutes - Joe Kuzminsky, Leland Archer, Ryan Arambula, Dante Marini, Kotaro Higashi

NASHVILLE - Matt Pickens, Kosuke Kimura, Liam Doyle, Justin Davis, Taylor Washington, Matt Lagrassa, Michael Reed (yellow card, 45), Lebo Moloto (Brandon Allen, 31), Alan Winn (Robin Shroot, 84), Tucker Hume (goal, 9), Ismaila Jome (Ropapa Mensah, 69)

Substitutes - CJ Cochran, Bradley Bourgeois, Ryan James, Bolu Akinyode

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 22, 2018


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