Match Preview: Charleston vs. Detroit
USL Charleston Battery

Match Preview: Charleston vs. Detroit

Published on October 16, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


The Charleston Battery are back home this weekend to face Detroit City FC on Sat., Oct. 18, in Week 33 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 6 p.m. ET, and the match will stream for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network and air on local television on the Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network.

Charleston and Detroit clash for the second time this year after the Battery claimed a 1-3 victory at Keyworth Stadium in May. The Battery were led by Cal Jennings' brace in the first half and a goal by Juan David Torres in the second half to seal the win.

The Battery (18W-5L-4D, 58pts) are back home after a five-star performance against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Monday, where they triumphed 5-0 over the league's defending champions. Charleston scored early and often and featured five different goalscorers; Aaron Molloy, MD Myers, and Emilio Ycaza in the first half, and Nathan Dossantos and Viggo Ortiz in the second half. It was the Battery's largest victory and most goals scored in a game this year.

Detroit (9W-11L-8D, 35pts) arrive in the Lowcountry amid a playoff spot battle following a 0-1 home loss to Loudoun United FC last Saturday. The match was nearing a draw after being 0-0 at the 90th minute, but a goal by Riley Bidois in stoppage time made the difference for Loudoun. Detroit did not record a shot on target during the game.

Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in second and Detroit are in eighth.

Storylines of the Match

Round 2 with Motown - Charleston and Detroit clash again after the Battery handed the Michigan club a 1-3 defeat in their own home back in May. Detroit scored in just the 2nd minute that day, but an immediate response led by Cal Jennings and Juan David Torres lifted the Battery to victory.

Past History - The all-time series between the sides is relatively even, with Detroit holding a slim advantage with a 3W-2L-2D record against Charleston since 2022. Both of the Battery's wins in the series have come at Keyworth Stadium, meaning they're still looking for their first home triumph against Detroit. Last year's meeting in the Lowcountry ended in a 2-2 draw, forced by a stoppage-time equalizer by Detroit.

Opposite Ends of Playoff Hunt - Heading into the weekend, Charleston and Detroit find themselves on opposite ends of the playoff hunt spectrum. The Battery are locked in at the No. 2 seed and will be aiming to maintain form before postseason play. Meanwhile, Detroit are amid a four-team fight for the remaining two playoff spots and currently hold the last spot.

Chapman Returns - A familiar face will be back at Patriots Point when former Battery midfielder Jay Chapman arrives with Detroit this weekend. The midfielder joined Charleston on loan from Hartford Athletic last year and was a key player in the Battery's run to the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.

Short Week for the Hosts - Charleston are operating under unusual circumstances due to their Saturday clash with Colorado Springs being delayed to Monday. This leaves the Battery just four days of rest and preparations between playing 135 minutes on Saturday/Monday and this coming Saturday. The Battery will then have a cross-country trip to Sacramento the following Wednesday.

More Notable Returns - The Battery are set to get a boost this weekend with a pair of players returning to Ben Pirmann's disposal. Juan David Torres is available again after serving his one-game red card suspension, and Rubio Rubín returns from international duty with Guatemala. Rubín featured in both of Guatemala's matches in Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping Los Chapines come within just one point of the top spot in Group A. Two qualifiers remain in November and winning the group secures a spot in the World Cup.

Battery Fly High - Charleston, despite the delayed match, were flying against Colorado Springs and delivered their best offensive performance of the year. Five different goalscorers contributed to the win, led largely by Aaron Molloy, who opened the scoring in the 7th minute and then chipped in two assists. It's the most goals the Battery have scored in a game this year and they now lead the league with 59 goals with a game in hand. Charleston have scored 14 goals in their last five contests, while Detroit have scored two in their last five.

Ortiz Opens His Account, Makes History - Among the storylines of the night on Monday was Viggo Ortiz scoring his first career professional goal, just one minute after entering the match off the bench. At 17 years, four months and 18 days old, Ortiz became the second-youngest goalscorer in club history, behind only fellow Mexican youth international Fidel Barajas (16 years, 11 months and 20 days).

Jennings-Myers Maintain Form - Cal Jennings and MD Myers, the league's top goalscoring duo, continued their hot streak into last weekend. Jennings has recorded four goals and two assists in his last five home league games, and Myers has tallied four goals in his last four league contests. Additionally, Jennings currently leads the Golden Boot race with 16 goals and Myers is in third with 14.

Charleston Eye Record - With their 18th victory of the regular season on Monday, the Battery tied the club's single-season wins record in their Championship era. Their 19th win will reset the record for the third consecutive season, after the 2023 and 2024 teams also set new win records during their respective seasons.

Pink Out at Patriots Point - The Battery will be recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Night 2.0 at Patriots Point on Saturday, after the originally scheduled edition of the fan-favorite theme game washed out due to rain. The team will be wearing special pink warmup kits that are currently available for purchase and available to bid on in the online auction. Proceeds from the sales and auction will benefit the club's Men Wear Pink campaign with the American Cancer Society. Additionally, the first 250 fans at the stadium will receive a free special pink t-shirt, courtesy of MUSC Health, Fix-It 24/7 and Gildan.

From the Training Ground

MATCH INFO

Charleston Battery vs. Detroit City FC

Saturday, October 18 - 6 p.m. ET Kickoff

Patriots Point

HOW TO WATCH:

Saturday's match will stream for free on the CBS Sports Golazo Network! The Golazo Network can be accessed for free via the CBS Sports App (under the 'Live TV' section), Pluto TV, Roku TV, Paramount+ app (no subscription needed), the PlutoTV app or on the channel's website: https://www.cbssports.com/watch/cbs-sports-golazo-network

The match 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 October 16, 2025


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