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USL Charleston Battery

Battery Travel to Louisville for Saturday Night Match

August 5, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Battery hit the road for their first of three consecutive away matches to start August, squaring off against Louisville City FC on Saturday, August 6. Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET.

Saturday's match is the second meeting between the two sides this season. When Charleston and Louisville clashed on April 23, the evening ended in a 1-1 draw. Mauro Cichero got the Battery on the board early in the match, but LouCity managed to level the terms in the second half when Enoch Mushagalusa scored an equalizer.

Louisville enter Saturday's game as in-form as any team and are currently on a seven-match unbeaten streak. Most recently, LouCity defeated El Paso Locomotive FC on the road, 0-1. The match was scoreless at halftime but Jorge Gonzalez broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with what proved to be the match-winner. Goalkeeper Kyle Morton tallied four saves en route to his ninth clean sheet of the season, tied for most in the league. LouCity sit atop the Eastern Conference table following the victory.

Charleston arrive in Kentucky looking to rebound following a 2-4 home loss against Sacramento Republic FC. The Battery scored early via Enock Kwakwa after some strong build-up play led to him poking in his second goal of the season. Augustine Williams found the back of the net again in the first half, but Republic FC were able to respond to the Battery each time to secure the night's three points. Despite the defeat, the Black and Yellow achieved more progress in the performance and will look to steal points from Louisville in the reverse fixture.

This weekend will be Charleston's first visit to Lynn Family Stadium, which opened in 2020. Games prior to 2020 were played at Louisville Slugger Field, home of AAA baseball team Louisville Bats.

Forward Augustine Williams is nearing another personal milestone, this time it's 50 regular season USL Championship goals. The Sierra Leone international current has 48 to his name

Ones to Watch

Louisville - Enoch Mushagalusa

Mushagalusa has been an all-around contributor for Louisville all year. The forward scored against the Battery in the first meeting and currently has six goals, three assists and 13 chances created across 20 appearances. On the defensive side, Mushagalusa has tallied 75 duels won, 13 tackles won and 12 interceptions. Look for the 22-year-old to play another important role for Louisville this Saturday night.

Charleston - Geobel Perez Jr.

Geobel has continued to blossom in his second season with the Black and Yellow. Fresh off being named to the league's team of the week for Week 20, Geobel commanded a presence against Sacramento. He was accurate on 84% of his passes and recorded one chance created, five recoveries, and three duels won. The Cuban winger had a hand in both goals, making a crucial turn past three Sacramento players in the build-up of the first and the shot on target that rebounded for Williams to score the second.

From the Training Ground

The Battery returned to training on Tuesday following a period of recovery after the Sacramento match and will travel to Louisville on Friday.

Head Coach Conor Casey and defender Charlie Asensio discussed the upcoming match against Louisville before traveling, with key quotes below.

Coach Casey on the importance of starting the new month strong...

We're in the back third of the season now and there's still a lot to play for with the team. A lot of guys are fighting for positions and they're still looking for positive performances. We need to come out with the right energy, stay in the game and make a few more plays on the defensive end to keep us in games. I think we've been just one or two plays off in the last few games from getting a better result.

Coach Casey on the focus in training this week...

We've been working a lot in transition, being better with the ball and then defending in those transition moments. Those have been a point of emphasis for us all year and something that we're continuing to improve.

Coach Casey on what to expect from Louisville in the reverse fixture...

I think more of the same, they're a very good team, they've been one of the best teams in the league the last couple of years. They press well, they attack well, they have a lot of speed and they're very organized. So, it'll be a good challenge for us and I think our energy is going to be the big deciding factor.

Asensio on the team looking to bounce back this weekend...

Following the game from last weekend, we weren't necessarily too happy about our performance. So this week, we locked in, it's been intense, it's been good and I think the confidence and morale of the team are really high right now.

Asensio on defensive preparations to keep Louisville at bay...

We've watched the film on them, they have a lot of good players and they play a good style. Looking to press them high up the field and try to create chances from there and just fight from the beginning. We have to come out there and play the way that we know we can and put in a consistent 90 minutes. The key is just no lapses of focus or concentration and for 90 minutes putting in a solid performance.

Asensio on how he's adjusted to Charleston since joining the team last month...

It's been a smooth transition from Austin to here because the staff and players have all been super welcoming. I'm also familiar with South Carolina already, coming from Clemson, so it really hasn't been too much trouble for me. The fans are great, everybody here is great and the city is awesome, I am looking forward to the next few months.

As of posting, Brett St. Martin, Andrew Booth and Joe Kuzminsky are out.

MATCH INFO

Louisville City FC vs. Charleston Battery

Saturday, August 6 - 8:00 p.m. ET Kickoff

Lynn Family Stadium

HOW TO WATCH:

The club is hosting the two simultaneous Battery Watch Parties at Madra Rua Irish Pub - at both the Park Circle and Summerville locations! Join supporters and the staff cheer on the Black and Yellow from afar at either venue - fans in Battery merch can enjoy drink specials on Bud Light and Heineken (21+). Start time for the watch party is 7:30 p.m., a half-hour ahead of kickoff.

Can't make it to Madra Rua? All Battery matches will 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 August 5, 2022


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