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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Host Hartford in Saturday Night Clash

July 15, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Battery host Hartford Athletic on Saturday, July 16, in the first meeting between the clubs of the season. Kickoff at Patriots Point is slated for 8 p.m. ET.

The Battery lead the all-series with a 4W-2L-0D record against Hartford. Charleston and Hartford became familiar adversaries in 2021 with four fixtures as part of the Atlantic Division. Across the four games, the home team won each time. At Patriots Point, Charleston beat Hartford 3-1 and 4-3 in front of some of the year's highest attendance matches.

Hartford arrive in the Lowcountry following a 2-3 loss at home against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Athletic were down 0-1 at halftime but came out of the break with some gusto, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Danny Barrera and Rashawn Dally both found the back of the net for the hosts. Tampa Bay, however, leveled the score in the 73rd minute when Leo Fernandes converted from the penalty spot. He would do the same from the spot in stoppage time to lift the Rowdies past Hartford at Dillon stadium.

The Battery return to Patriots Point following a 1-0 defeat on the road against Miami. The hosts took the lead in the 4th minute via Romeo Parkes and that goal proved to be the match-winner. Charleston had a handful of close opportunities throughout the first half, including two shots off the woodwork by Augustine Williams, but couldn't find an equalizer. The Black and Yellow will look to build off the positives from the match, particularly in the strong build-up play along the flanks, this weekend.

Battery forward Augustine Williams is nearing the sesquicentennial mark in regular season USL Championship appearances. He currently has 148 to his name.

The Athletic are one of the newer clubs in the USL Championship and played their inaugural season in 2019. They faced the Battery twice that year, losing both times.

Charleston will face off against a trio of familiar faces on Hartford in Andre Lewis, Ariel Martinez and Logan Gdula. Lewis spent part of the 2014 season with the Battery, featuring in 14 matches on loan from MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Martinez was with the Battery in 2015 after defecting from Cuba, making his debut in the USL Playoffs. Gdula is the most recent former Charleston player, appearing in 36 matches from 2020 to 2021.

Ones to Watch

Hartford - Danny Barrera

Barrera has been a mainstay for Hartford since his arrival in 2019. The midfielder is one of five players on the squad to appear in all 18 matches for the side and has logged the third-most minutes played with 1,448. Barrera currently leads Hartford in chances created with 31, he additionally has one goal and one assist on the year. Look for the experienced playmaker to have another key role on Saturday when he takes the field.

Charleston - Charlie Asensio

Asensio was a mid-season addition on loan from MLS side Austin FC and Wednesday's match was his second with the Battery. Asensio was a regular contributor down the left side, leading the team with two chances created and 88% passing accuracy. The Austin loanee came up big on the defensive side in the 40th minute with a sliding block to deny Miami a promising chance on goal. Asensio will aim to keep that impactful form going as he sees the field more for Charleston.

From the Training Ground

The Battery returned to training on Friday after a day of travel and recovery from the Miami match.

"We got back late Thursday night, [so the priority now is] making sure everybody is getting good sleep and preparing their bodies to be able to go out and perform tomorrow night," said Battery Head Coach Conor Casey.

Following a series of reverse fixtures recently, the Battery will face Hartford for the first time in 2022 after four meetings in the previous season.

"It's the first time we're going against Hartford this year, they're a good team," said Coach Casey. "I don't think their record reflects their season much and they have played quite well over the last month. We played them a lot last year, but they have some new faces and we have some new faces, and we're focusing on what we've seen over the last few games from them and how we can affect them on both sides of the ball."

Batter midfielder Joe Schmidt said the squad will look to use the quick timeline between games to their advantage.

"Since it's so many games in such a short period of time, you can't dwell on the last result," said Schmidt. "You have to be ready to move onto the next one and that's what we're doing, the focus is on Saturday."

It'll be a welcome return home for the team following the road trip to Miami.

"It's another opportunity to get points, and we're back home, which we're excited about," said Schmidt. "We've appreciated the support all season, it means a lot whenever we come home and get to play in front of [the fans]. So, we're excited to see them again on Saturday."

As of posting, Mauro Cichero, Andrew Booth, Joe Kuzminsky and Kyle Holcomb are out. Patrick Hogan returned to training in full and will be available for selection on Saturday.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Hartford Athletic

Saturday, July 16 - 8:00 p.m. ET Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Tickets are available for Saturday's match, but sections are starting to sell out. Buy tickets for the game via SeatGeek.com, the club's exclusive digital ticketing provider.

All Battery matches will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league's YouTube channel for free internationally.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 15, 2022


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