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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Host Las Vegas in 4pm Matinée Match

April 26, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Battery return to Patriots Point to kick off a three-game home stand on Sat., April 27, against Las Vegas Lights FC. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET and the match will air on WCSC (Charleston) and WIS (Columbia) on local TV, and stream via ESPN+.

The Holy City and Sin City have only met twice before, with each side claiming one win. Charleston won last year's meeting, a 0-1 result in Nevada, highlighted by Augi Williams' late goal and Trey Muse's penalty save.

Charleston (5W-0L-3D, 18pts) enter Saturday after a 1-4 road victory over FC Tulsa in Week 7, the Battery's third consecutive victory. MD Myers bagged a brace alongside goals from Juan David Torres and Nick Markanich. The Battery concluded a road-heavy period of their schedule where six of their first eight matches were away from home.

Las Vegas (3W-4L-0D, 9pts) head to the Lowcountry following a 1-2 home loss against Rhode Island FC last weekend. Lights FC looked to spring a comeback in the second half after scoring within the first 10 minutes via Valentin Noel, but their efforts came up short in the end. Las Vegas have been strong under first-year head coach Dennis Sanchez and appear poised to make a run for their first playoff appearance.

Looking at the conference standings, Charleston are first in the Eastern Conference and Las Vegas are sixth in the Western Conference.

Storylines of the Match

M&M Boys Lead the Way - MD Myers and Nick Markanich have been key to the Battery's successful start to the year. Markanich is tied for the Golden Boot race lead with seven goals and Myers is tied for third with five. With 15 combined goals and assists, Markanich and Myers are the league's best attacking duo.

Battery Outpacing 2023 - With the Battery's victory over Tulsa, the team extended their undefeated streak to eight games in Championship play. This mark surpasses Charleston's seven-game unbeaten run to start the 2023 league season.

Strong in Attack - The Battery's offense has been firing on all cylinders through the first two months of action. Charleston have recorded the most goals (18) and attempted the most shots (134) in the league so far. Aaron Molloy's 22 chances created have been responsible for much of the Battery's offensive production, which ranks second-most in the league.

And Steady in Defense - Charleston's defense has been equally productive. Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis is tied for the second-most shutouts with three. Defender Graham Smith leads the Championship in clearances with 51.

Familiar Face Leading Las Vegas - Battery fans will recognize Las Vegas boss Dennis Sanchez from his time in the Lowcountry as assistant coach, and briefly interim head coach, in 2022. Sanchez departed for Austin FC II in 2023 and helped lead them to the MLS NEXT Pro title.

New Look Lights - Of Las Vegas' 24 players currently on their roster, 23 are new. The lone returner is Alexander Romero, whose single appearance this year came in the U.S. Open Cup.

Homestand Kicks Off - Charleston have played away from home in six of their first eight matches but that changes soon. The Battery will look to defend their home soil on three consecutive occasions: April 27 vs. Las Vegas; May 4 vs. Hartford; May 8 vs. Tormenta FC (U.S. Open Cup).

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Las Vegas Lights FC

Saturday, April 27 - 4 p.m. ET Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Saturday's match will air on local television on WCSC channel 5.3 in Charleston and WIS channel 10.4 in Columbia.

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

A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery's exclusive digital ticketing provider.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 26, 2024


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.

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