USL Charleston Battery

Match Preview: Charleston Battery vs. Louisville City FC

August 30, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston Battery (11-4-11) faces another tough test this weekend when they travel to Slugger Field to take on Louisville City FC (13-5-7) Friday night at 7:30 PM.

The Battery earned a point in a bizzare match against New York Red Bulls II last time out. Ataulla Guerra scored his 13th and 14th goals in the 4-4 draw, leaving him two behind leaders Cameron Lancaster of Louisville City and Thomas Enevoldsen of Orange County in the Golden Boot Race. Patrick Okonkwo also found the back of the net twice against Red Bulls II, scoring his first USL goals of this career.

Tah Brian Anunga was shown a straight red card in the 61st minute of the match against New York and will miss Friday's clash with Louisville. Anunga has been an integral part of the Battery's success at both ends of the field this season. The Cameroonian midfielder leads the team in tackles and interceptions and has been one of the stand-out players for Mike Anhaeuser's fourth-place Battery.

Louisville enters the match against the Battery coming off of a 4-1 loss to last-place Toronto FC Tuesday night at Slugger Field. The loss was just Louisville's second at home this season and the first of newly appointed coach John Hackworth's tenure. Prior to Tuesday's match against Toronto, Hackworth's LouCity hadn't conceded a goal in the three matches he managed.

Ilija Ilic scored Louisville's only goal in the midweek game, bringing his season total to ten. He and Lancaster have accounted for 26 of LouCity's 50 goals scored this season. As the league's leading goal-scorer, Lancaster has garnered a lot of attention this season, but Ilic has been equally as impressive. His ten goals have come on just 21 shots in 20 appearances. The Serbian forward also leads the team in assists with seven. Ilic did not play in the Battery's 2-1 win over Louisville at MUSC Health Stadium earlier this season.

That victory in July was the Battery's second over Louisville City since they joined the USL in 2015. Charleston is 2-5-3 all-time against LouCity and have never won at Slugger Field.

A first-ever win at Slugger Field on Friday night would give the Battery a major boost in the race for a top four spot and a home playoff game. Louisville's midweek loss to Toronto gives Charleston an opportunity to move above them in the table with a win. Second-place Louisville currently has a two-point lead on the fourth-place Battery with a game in hand. Following the clash with the Battery, Louisville hosts first-place FC Cincinnati then travels to third-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

After the trip to Kentucky, the Battery will return home to MUSC Health Stadium for back-to-back Saturday night home games against Tampa Bay Rowdies and Charlotte Independence.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 30, 2018


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