USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery heads West for crucial road games

Published on August 21, 2007 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston, SC. The Charleston Battery heads to the Pacific North-West this week for three road fixtures that could have a large impact on Charleston's 2007 playoff ambitions. The Battery (8-10-5, 29 pts, 8th) takes on the Portland Timbers (11-4-8, 41 pts, 2nd) on Thursday night (10 PM) then plays the Vancouver Whitecaps (7-7-10, 31 pts, 7th) on Saturday evening (10 PM). The three game road swing concludes on Sunday evening with an 8 PM match versus the first place Seattle Sounders (12-5-6, 42 pts).

Charleston was originally scheduled to play the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night and the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday but the fixtures were reversed due to Seattle stadium conflicts at Quest Field. All three games are available in Charleston on REAL 1340 AM and on the web at www.usllive.com.

The top eight teams make the playoffs in the USL First Division. Charleston enters the weekend in 8th position with five games remaining. The Battery is one point ahead of Miami FC (two games remaining) and three points clear of the Carolina RailHawks (four games remaining). The Minnesota Thunder are nine points back, also with five games left to play.

The Battery has played all three of this weekend's opponents already this season. Charleston lost 2-1 to the Seattle Sounders on June 7, tied Vancouver 1-1 on June 30 and defeated Portland by a score of 2-0 on July 22. All three matches were played at Blackbaud Stadium.

Thursday's game against the Timbers will be the first return visit to Portland for forward Byron Alvarez since his off-season switch to Charleston. Alvarez is the all time leading goal scorer for the Timbers; he is currently ranked second in the USL First Division with 8 goals.

The Battery will be without the services of winger Stephen Armstrong for both the Portland and the Vancouver games. Armstrong serves a two-game suspension for caution accumulation but will be available for selection for the Sunday evening game in Seattle.

Following the games this weekend Charleston has one more road fixture, Sunday September 2 versus Miami FC. The Battery returns home to Blackbaud Stadium for its final regular season match on Friday, September 7 versus the Puerto Rico Islanders (8 PM, $8 - $15 - 971-GOAL / www.charlestonbattery.com). The game versus Puerto Rico will be broadcast live ON FOX Soccer Channel and will feature Fireworks immediately following the game.

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USL First Division Stories from August 21, 2007


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