USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery Back Home To Take On Islanders

Published on August 27, 2008 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, SC-The Charleston Battery returns home for a nationally televised game when it hosts the first-place Puerto Rico Islanders at Blackbaud Stadium on Friday. Kickoff is at 8 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. (tickets at 843-971-GOAL/www.charlestonbattery.com).

The match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, Comcast channel 728.

The Battery is looking to get its league campaign back on track after a disappointing five-game road swing that saw it pick up two points. On Sunday Charleston fell 3-0 to the Miami FC Blues.

Friday's matchup is the Battery's second-to-last regular season home fixture.

The Islanders visit Blackbaud Stadium as league leaders and own a 2-0-0 record over the Battery this season. In Puerto Rico last Friday Fabrice Noel led an Islanders rally, scoring two unanswered goals after Lazo Alavanja had put the Battery ahead. Noel was honored in the United Soccer Leagues' Team of the Week for his efforts.

Puerto Rico boasts the league's most potent offense, pouring in 38 goals from all over the field. Six players have at least three goals; Noel has a team-leading six.

On July 12 in Charleston, the Islanders forced another second-half comeback with Kendal Jadeosingh, Cristian Arietta and Johnny Steele all scoring in the 3-1 win. Alavanja again notched the Battery's opener in the first half.

Alavanja has five league goals this year, while Randi Patterson has a team-leading eight (10 in all competitions).

The Battery has lost just twice at home all season, and posts a 10-9-6 record for 36 points (third place). The Islanders lead the pack with a 13-6-5 record for 44 points.

With just a handful of games left in the regular season, both clubs remain in contention to receive a bye in the first round of the USL playoffs.

At the end of the regular season, the top seven teams will advance to the playoff tournament, with the Commissioner's Cup winner (regular season champion) receiving a bye into the semifinals. The first round will involve the #2 through #7 seeds competing in two-leg aggregate-score series with the three winners advancing to semifinals. The #1 seed is pitted against the lowest remaining seed. The semifinal winners advance to the USL-1 Championship set for Oct. 11.

Aside from strong league play, Puerto Rico has qualified for the 2008 CONCACAF Champions league by finishing as a semifinalist in the Caribbean Football Union's Club Championships. The Islanders play a two game play-in series with LD Alajuelense of Costa Rica with games scheduled for Aug. 27 and Sept. 3.

The Battery has also enjoyed a successful non-league campaign, earning a berth in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final against Major League Soccer's D.C. United, who will host the match on Sept. 3. En-route to the championship game, the Battery knocked off two MLS teams and is only the second USL team to reach the final since the inception of the MLS.

WHAT: The Charleston Battery's second-to-last regular season home game

WHO: Puerto Rico Islanders v Charleston Battery

WHEN: Friday Aug. 29, 2008. Kickoff at 8 p.m., gates at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island.

PROMOTIONS: LIVE ON FOX Soccer Channel / FIREWORKS / Free soccer ball for the first 500 children

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics

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USL First Division Stories from August 27, 2008


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