Miami FC Fall 3-0 on the Road to League Leaders
USL Miami FC

Miami FC Fall 3-0 on the Road to League Leaders

July 29, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Miami FC News Release


MIAMI Miami FC's tough road form continued as they were handed a 3-0 defeat by first-place Charleston Battery at Patriots Point on Saturday night. Despite a heroic effort by 21-year-old goalkeeper Felipe Rodríguez in the opening stages, Miami couldn't keep up with the league's top scorers. The loss drops Miami to a 5-8-3 record in the USL Championship, keeping them just outside of playoff position and tied with eighth-place Birmingham Legion.

Miami came into the match looking to sweep the season series after defeating Charleston 1-0 in June, but it was clear from the opening whistle that the Battery were intent on getting their revenge. Charleston entered the match top of the Eastern Conference and riding an unbeaten streak. Miami, meanwhile, hadn't won since that last meeting, drawing twice and losing once. With top goal scorers Francisco Bonfiglio and Cal Jennings headlining each side, the match promised plenty of attacking firepower, but sadly it was the home team that capitalized.

The opening 20 minutes were a showcase for Miami's young shot-stopper Rodríguez, who was tested early and often. His first major save came in the 8th minute, denying Golden Boot leader Cal Jennings with a quick dive. Another flurry of stops came as Charleston poured on the pressure, but the deadlock broke in the 19th minute. Charleston captain Aaron Molloy sent in a corner to the back post, where Joey Akpunonu outjumped his marker and headed the ball in to make it 1-0.

Barely ten minutes later, the Battery struck again. After withstanding a barrage of five shots in a ten-minute stretch, Rodríguez made a stunning double save to keep Miami in the game. But from the resulting corner, Charleston punished the visitors once more, this time Juan Torres floated a cross into the six-yard box that found Emilio Ycaza, who calmly redirected the ball into the far post in the 29th minute. Charleston took full control with that second goal, ending the half with 58% possession and 11 shots on target.

Rodríguez continued to be the bright spot for Miami, denying a curling free kick from Torres in the 43rd with a full-stretch save that drew applause even from the home fans. But the second half brought more problems for the visitors. Charleston's midfield took complete control, stringing together passes and creating space out wide. In the 53rd minute, Torres received a pass with a brilliant first touch, then sent a grounded through-ball into the box for Jennings, who squared it across to Arturo Rodríguez. The winger timed his run perfectly and tapped the ball into the bottom right corner to seal the 3-0 scoreline.

Miami struggled to generate any clear chances of their own. Despite registering nine shots, not a single one tested Charleston's goalkeeper, who went the full 90 minutes without making a save. Bonfiglio, the club's leading scorer, was largely neutralized by Charleston's backline. Miami's only consistent threat this season came from corners, but even those came up empty.

In the closing stages, Felipe Rodríguez continued to show his potential, keeping the scoreline from growing with a few more sharp saves. It was a night where the score could have been far worse without his interventions. Miami ended the match with 11 fouls and three yellow cards, but frustration never turned into recklessness.

With the loss, Miami remains ninth in the Eastern Conference, level on points with eighth-place Birmingham. As the playoff race tightens, Coach Maddoni will look to regroup his squad and reignite the spark that earned them the win over Charleston just a month ago.

Miami FC now switch gears back into the USL Jägermeister Cup, where they face off against South Georgia Tormenta Fc in their last group stage game. Kickoff will commence on Saturday, July 26th at 7:00 PM at Pitbull Stadium. For tickets and general information, please visit miamifc.com/tickets

Article written by Luis Reyes

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