Sports stats

USL Charleston Battery

Battery Draw Short-Handed Orlando City B in Melbourne, Fla.

April 1, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston Battery vs. Orlando City B in the Rain
Charleston Battery vs. Orlando City B in the Rain
(Charleston Battery)

MELBOURNE, FLA - The Battery took repeated advantage of its young hosts and played up a man from the 50th minute, yet couldn't close the deal in a scoreless draw at Orlando City B Friday night.

Charleston out-shot the new team from Melbourne 21-3, including a 15-1 advantage in the second half. But OCB goalkeeper Mark Ridgers turned in a Goalkeeper of the Week performance, making six saves in sloppy conditions to hold his team level - at two moments, quite literally single-handed.

With the draw, the Battery (1-0-1, 4 points) kept pace - temporarily, at least - with the top of the USL Eastern Conference. OCB (0-1-1, 1 point) earned its first USL result.

For the second week in a row, the Battery faced a first-half lightning delay, this one coming just before the National Anthem. The team took the fight to OCB from the moment play began, out-shooting the Lions 6-2 in the first half.

But what looked like strikers finding their range in the first 45 turned into a raging case of the yips at times in the second, as multiple Battery men missed shots they certainly wanted back. Interspersed between the ones that sailed were several that brought out the best in Ridger. But no man in Charleston's bright, new, yellow third-kits could have felt more hard-done than forward Ricky Garbanzo.

Garbanzo led all players with five shots, and the two he put on goal were heart-breaking.

In the 9th minute, Garbanzo's crisp, quick blast forced a save that Maikel Chang couldn't put back on frame. Then in the 54th, a brilliant build-up between fullback Obi Woodbine and Chang resulted in a spin-and-shoot by Charleston's second-year forward, who fired low and hard between the center backs - yet couldn't sneak it past Ridger's diving right hand.

Despite the wet conditions, the Lions attempted to play possession soccer for the first 20 minutes, but eventually rocked back into a defensive crouch before halftime.

Less than five minutes after play resumed, the game really changed.

In the 50th minute, midfielder Tony Rocha picked up his second yellow of the night when he appeared to run into Zach Prince out of bounds, sending the Battery midfielder sprawling through the USL field board. Down a man, Coach Anthony Pulis put his young Lions into a bunkered position for the rest of the match.

Charleston chipped away at it, bringing both fullbacks - and eventually, everyone but goalkeeper Alex Tambakis - well up beyond the mid-stripe.

Tambakis finished the night with two saves and his second clean sheet of the 2016 USL season. After a frightening moment on a clearance that was nearly - or partially - blocked in the third minute, his night was largely uneventful. He stopped both balls that came his way in the first 45, and was mostly a spectator in the second - except for taking a hit while snatching out a near-post cross.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics




Images from this story

Charleston Battery vs. Orlando City B in the Rain
Charleston Battery vs. Orlando City B in the Rain
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 1, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Charleston Battery Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central