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USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery falls to DC

March 14, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, SC-The Charleston Battery closed out the 2009 Carolina Challenge Cup falling to Major League Soccer's D.C. United 2-0 Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium. Real Salt Lake claimed the tournament title in the night's opening match, topping Toronto FC 2-1.

"Overall, I'm pleased," said Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "We found out some good things, and found out some things we need to work on before we open the season in three weeks."

The Battery kicks off the season April 11 at defending USL-1 league champions Vancouver, opening league play at Blackbaud Stadium a week later, hosting Montreal April 18.

D.C. United, winless in CCC play and having scored only one goal going into Saturday's match, fielded a mixture of first team players and reserves versus the Battery. As he had done in the Battery's previous two tournament matches, Anhaeuser made wholesale changes to the lineup at halftime to allow the nearly dozen players fighting for roster spots the opportunity to prove themselves.

The two clubs traded innocuous shots in the opening minutes before the match fell into a midfield battle slowly won over with the experience of Christian Gomez and Clyde Simms, two probable starters for United when the season opens next weekend, giving United the run of play in the last quarter hour of the half.

The loss of experience and continuity cost the Battery in the 57th minute when Luciano Emilio opened scoring on the night, beating halftime substitute goalkeeper Keith Wiggans to the far post after running onto an Ange N'Silu flick at the top of the penalty area.

Nelson Akwari nearly put his name on the score sheet in the 67th minute getting on the end of a Tsuyoshi Yoshitake free kick, forcing halftime substitute goalkeeper Josh Wicks to make his first save in a D.C. United uniform.

The Battery came right back at Wicks. Again it was Yoshitake on the right flank, sending a cross into Pedro Faife in the six-yard box. Faife's was tipped by Wicks and slammed off the crossbar and back into play before it was cleared away.

Andrew Jacobson doubled United's lead in the 82nd minute with a right footed blast from 30-plus. The shot took a partial deflection as it went through a crowded penalty area, leaving a diving Wiggans helpless as the ball went the other way.

The win moved United ahead of the Battery on the CCC table for third place.

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