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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Host Southeastern Rivals Atlanta on Wednesday

June 28, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Battery return home for a midweek matchup against Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday, June 29. Kickoff at Patriots Point is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be the Battery's only midweek league fixture at home in 2022.

The Black and Yellow are seeking revenge against Atlanta after the Georgia club won the first meeting, 4-1 in Kennesaw. Charleston opened the scoring early via Aidan Apodaca but the hosts rallied in the second half to claim the three points. Wednesday is also the first time Atlanta visit the Lowcountry since the 2020 season, when the Battery defeated United twice at Patriots Point by a combined score of 6-2 across the two matches.

Atlanta will arrive in Charleston after going coast to coast in their games. United faced Oakland Roots SC on Saturday in California and the hosts won 3-1. The contest was tied 1-1 at the hour mark when Tristan Trager scored an equalizer to get Atlanta back into the game. Oakland, however, would find the back of the net twice in the time that remained to seal the victory at Laney Football Stadium. The result is Atlanta's second-straight loss, however the team is not one to be overlooked considering the last time the Battery faced them.

Charleston are aiming for a rebound in their return home after completing a brief away stand that ended in a 2-1 loss to FC Tulsa. Despite the Battery going down 2-0 early, Romario Piggott cut into the deficit just before halftime with his second goal of the season, assisted by Mauro Cichero. The Black and Yellow pressed hard late for an equalizer but they were unable to get the final touch for a second goal. Charleston created many chances against Tulsa and will look to keep that productivity going against Atlanta.

Wednesday will be the final regular season match between Charleston and Atlanta in the USL Championship, as United are due to move to MLS Next Pro after 2022.

The matchday is also a special one for Battery defender Tristan Weber, whose birthday is on June 29. Tristan turns 22 on Wednesday.

Battery midfielder Enock Kwakwa will be poised for a Patriots Point debut this week. Kwakwa has made three appearances so far this season, but all three have been on the road.

Since 2018, Charleston lead the series against Atlanta with a 5W-3L-3D record against the Georgia outfit.

Ones to Watch

Atlanta - Jackson Conway

Conway had a breakout match in the first meeting between Charleston and Atlanta. He was involved in every goal scored, tallying a hat trick in the second half and an assist. Since then, however, Conway has only scored one goal across nine appearances for both Atlanta's first team and reserve squad. Should Conway be in the lineup for United when they arrive in the Lowcountry, look for him to aim for a similar impact and get back to his productive ways on the scoresheet.

Charleston - Mauro Cichero

Cichero is coming off a productive match against Tulsa, where he tallied one assist, four chances created and a passing accuracy of 83%. The forward has seen more action in the midfield lately as his versatility is further utilized in creating opportunities for the Battery. Cichero's assist against Tulsa highlighted this when he delivered a perfect through ball from near the center circle that Romario Piggott turned into a goal. Look for Cichero, who is tied for second most on the team in chances created (18), to play an important role for Charleston on Wednesday.

From the Training Ground

The Battery are operating on a quick schedule and returned to training this week following the Saturday away match in Oklahoma. They will play three league matches in one week and Wednesday is the second of those three.

Head Coach Conor Casey said the team will look to use the short timeline to their advantage by rebounding quickly on Wednesday.

"It's good to have a quick turnaround," said Coach Casey. "We had a good performance [against Tulsa], not the result we wanted, but overall some good play."

On the relatively strong form in June, the squad is aiming to cap the month on a positive note with a win at home.

"We'll carry this past month of improvement with us and really look forward to tomorrow night to get a win at home," said Coach Casey.

Battery forward Aidan Apodaca echoed the head coach and said the team is eager to get back on the pitch for the next match.

"We dust ourselves off and get ready for Wednesday night, it's a good opportunity to bounce back," said Apodaca.

After a brief away stand, Apodaca and the team are excited to return to the home crowd at Patriots Point.

"We feel the team behind us, we're excited to perform in front of them and put in a good showing," said Apodaca. "It's a midweek game and a huge opportunity to get another three points."

As of posting, Brett St. Martin and Tristan Weber are questionable, and Andrew Booth, Joe Kuzminsky, Patrick Hogan and Kyle Holcomb are out.

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Atlanta United 2

Wednesday, June 29 - 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Tickets are available for Wednesday'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

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