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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Midfielder Maikel Chang Earns USL Team of the Week Honors

September 8, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston Battery Midfielder Maikel Chang
Charleston Battery Midfielder Maikel Chang
(Charleston Battery)

CHARLESTON -- The smoothest operator on the pitch came up with the most dramatic moment of Week 25, and USL beat writers rewarded Battery midfielder Maikel Chang Tuesday for the highlight with a starting spot on the league's Team of the Week.

Though the Battery's assist leader (six in league play) hasn't gotten credit for a helper since Week 15, Chang has actually been on a run of good form in recent weeks, scoring two goals during Charleston's just-ended four-game stretch of away-matches. He's also been instrumental in earning penalty kicks and initiating much of the attack.

But no one moment from Chang's breakout 2015 campaign is likely to be remembered more clearly than his clever equalizer in the dying moments of Saturday's critical showdown with playoff contenders Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Despite out-shooting Pittsburgh 15-7 and producing four times as many corner kicks as their hosts, Battery players found themselves down 1-0 in the third minute of second-half stoppage, thanks to five saves by goalkeeper Calle Brown and one moment of brilliance by clever playmaker Kevin Kerr, who slipped through Charleston's set-piece defense unnoticed on a free kick in the 52nd minute.

But while previous quality performances in places like Toronto and Charlotte have gone unrewarded, this time the Battery took home at least a share of the spoils.

With just seconds remaining, a throw-in in the attacking third made its way back to rookie forward Ricky Garbanzo, positioned directly in front of goal around the edge of the penalty area, with a thicket of legs and boots between him and an equalizer. He did his part, putting a low shot toward goal, as Brown and the Pittsburgh defense reacted.

That's when Chang -- who had drifted into the box -- seized the moment. The 24-year-old former Cuban international deftly redirected the path of the shot with his heel, shocking a local television audience and silencing almost 3,000 fans at Highmark Stadium. It was only his second shot of the night, and his only one on target, but his nonchalant finish capped a gritty performance that showcased his development as a complete player. In his third season as a professional, Chang has progressed from a skilled but one-dimensional rookie in 2013 to a multi-threat attacker with the intelligence and focus to contribute both on and off the ball.

His selection marked Chang's second appearance on the USL Team of the Week this season. He joins teammates Shawn Ferguson (3), Dane Kelly (3) Odisnel Cooper (2), Taylor Mueller (2), Quinton Griffith (2) and Emmanuel Adjetey (2) on the list of Battery men with multiple starts on 2015 Teams of the Week. Eleven Battery players have been named as USL TotW starters this season. A 12th player, Garbanzo, has made the team twice as a reserve, but has yet to receive starting honors.

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Charleston Battery Midfielder Maikel Chang
Charleston Battery Midfielder Maikel Chang
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 8, 2015


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