Match Preview | Charleston vs. Oakland
USL Charleston Battery

Match Preview | Charleston vs. Oakland

Published on September 11, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


The Charleston Battery are back home to host Oakland Roots SC on Sat., Sept. 13, in Week 28 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.

Charleston and Oakland clash for the first and only time in the regular season. It will be the third all-time meeting between the sides.

The Battery (16W-5L-2D, 50pts) are looking to build upon their 2-1 win last weekend against Indy Eleven. Charleston were propelled by a brace from Cal Jennings to clinch their spot in the playoffs in front of a sold-out Patriots Point crowd. The Battery also dominated the possession battle, retaining 77.7% possession, a mark which is the highest in a single game in the regular season this year and the third-highest on record in league history.

Oakland (7W-12L-3D, 24pts) arrive in the Lowcountry following a 0-2 home defeat against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The hosts fell victim to a brace in the first half by Augi Williams and were unable to stage a comeback in the second half.

Looking at the respective tables, Charleston are second in the Eastern Conference and Oakland are 11th in the Western Conference.

Storylines of the Match

Fortress at Patriots Point - The Battery recorded their 10th consecutive home victory in Championship play with their 2-1 win against Indy on Saturday. Charleston's home winning streak is now tied for the sixth-longest in league history, three shy of the regular season record set by Orlando City SC in 2014.

All-Time Series - This weekend marks just the third time Charleston and Oakland and have met. In the all-time series, Oakland hold a slight lead with a 1W-0L-1D record. Last year's fixture in California ended in a 1-1 draw, with Nick Markanich scoring the first of his record-setting 30 goals in 2024.

Physical Game Ahead - Something to keep an eye on will be how the physicality of the action on the pitch influences the result. Oakland have the second-most fouls per match in the league and Gagi Margvelashvili has the third-most interceptions per 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Charleston have the fourth-lowest fouls per match record, but Houssou Landry is among the league leaders in ground duels won and tackles won.

Charleston vs. Western Conference - This will be the Battery's fourth cross-conference game of 2025. Across the past three meetings, Charleston hold a 3W-0L-0D record against Western Conference sides, with the three wins coming at home against San Antonio FC (4-0) and Phoenix (4-1), and away against New Mexico (1-2).

Playoffs Secured, Top-Four Next - With a playoff spot secured last weekend, the Battery can take the next step and clinch a top-four finish on Saturday against Oakland, which would guarantee a home match in the opening round of the playoffs. A victory would be enough to secure their place - the Battery hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Hartford Athletic - and a draw could also be enough to push Charleston clear of the teams in fifth place and below.

If Charleston were to draw with Oakland to move to 51 points, they would also need Hartford to draw/lose at Monterey Bay FC, maximum drops to 51/50 points (Charleston hold head-to-head tiebreaker over Hartford on maximum of 51 points) and Pittsburgh draw/lose vs. Louisville City FC, maximum drops to 50/49 points, to secure a top-four finish.

Jennings Reclaims Golden Boot Lead - With his brace against Indy, Cal Jennings reclaimed his spot in the lead of the Championship Golden Boot race. Jennings' tally now sits at 14 goals, one ahead of Miami FC's Francisco Bonfiglio.

And Equals League Record - Jennings' double also marked his 15th career brace in the USL

Championship regular season, equaling the league record held by Dane Kelly. Jennings has recorded four two-goal performances this season, equaling his individual single-season high set with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 2023 season. The 28-year-old has recorded multiple two-goal games in four of his six seasons in the Championship, reaching the mark in his 146th regular season appearance.

Ycaza Milestone Watch - Emilio Ycaza is closing in on 150 appearances in the USL Championship regular season. Heading into Saturday, the midfielder has played in 149 regular season matches.

Welcome, Wesley - The Battery announced Thursday the addition of forward Wesley Leggett on a permanent transfer from Loudoun United FC. Since making his professional debut in 2023, Leggett has amassed 17 goals and eight assists in 90 games across all competitions. The move was completed prior to the league's Roster Freeze on Monday.

Rubio Returns - Rubio Rubín rejoined the team this week after competing in Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the Guatemala national team. Rubín featured in both of Guatemala's matches, a loss to El Salvador and draw with Panama, with two more matches set for October and the final two in November.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage - The Battery are recognizing Hispanic Heritage Night at Patriots Point on Saturday. Celebrating a few days before Hispanic Heritage Month officially begins, the team will be wearing special warmup kits that were selected by fans and designed by a local artist. The night will conclude with a bang - post-match fireworks. The fan-favorite theme game is set to be another one to remember.

From the Training Ground

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Oakland Roots SC

Saturday, September 13 - 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Saturday's match will stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league's YouTube channel for free internationally. It will also air on local television on Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network, channel WCSC 5.3 (SD) and WZCH-TV 35.3 (HD) in Charleston. Check with your TV provider for the exact channel number.

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

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 11, 2025


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