Eagles Return Home to Host Battery
May 12, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charlotte Eagles News Release
Charlotte, NC --The Charlotte Eagles (2-0-3, 9 points) return home to face their 21-year rival, the Charleston Battery (5-1-0, 15 points), on Tuesday, May 14th at Queens Sports Complex. The Battery are the defending USL PRO Champions.
The Eagles took to the road for the first time this season last Saturday, May 4th against the Richmond Kickers and came away with a 3-3 draw. The Eagles were down 2-0 at the break but scored two minutes into the 2nd half when Christian Meza got on the end of a Shaun Francis cross. Charlotte would tie the game in the 79th minute as Stefan Smith got on the end of a cross and headed it home to knot the game at 2. Shaun Francis scored what looked to be the game winner in the 89th minute with a wonderful strike from just outside the penalty area but Richmond struck just at the end of injury time to make it 3-3.
Charlotte now sits in 8th place, with 9 points from it's first 5 games, in the 2013 USL PRO Standings.
Charleston comes into Tuesday's game on a 5-game winning streak. The Battery hosted a rematch of the 2012 USL PRO Championship game this past Saturday against the Wilmington Hammerheads. Charleston scored four goals in the first 30 minutes and then hung on to win 4-2 against Wilmington. The win gives the Battery 15 points on the season and moves them into a tie for 2nd place in the 2013 USL PRO Standings with the Harrisburg City Islanders.
The Battery are led by head coach and general manager Mike Anhaeuser. The former Battery player joined Charleston in 1999 after playing at Indiana University and played five seasons for the club before moving into an assistant coaching role with the club. Anhaeuser became the head coach in 2005 and has led the Battery to two USL Championships in his career.
Scottish midfielder Nicki Paterson is back for his third season in Charleston. So far in 2013, Paterson is leading the team in scoring with three goals and two assists for eight points. Paterson was named the team MVP for the 2012 season after scoring 10 goals and adding two assists for 22 points.
Ugandan midfielder Michael Azira is tied with Paterson in goal scoring with three, while former College of Charleston Cougar Zach Prince has two goals and two assists this season.
Last Season the Eagles were 2-1-0 against Charleston, splitting both games in Charlotte and coming away with a road victory against the Battery.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 12, 2013
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- Eagles Return Home to Host Battery - Charlotte Eagles
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