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USL-1 Charleston Battery

Montreal advances past Charleston Battery

September 28, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLESTON, SC. Going into Sunday night's quarterfinal second leg the Battery needed to beat the Montreal Impact by two goals to advance in the post season. They didn't get them, falling to the Impact 2-1 at Blackbaud Stadium. Ian Fuller put the Battery in the lead in the 16th minute, heading home a Stephen Armstrong free kick.

"We needed to score some goals tonight and we didn't get them. That's about all there is to it," said Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser. "You have to give Montreal credit. They played a great series. They got the goals at home and forced us to have to play catch up from the opening whistle. That's they way it goes in the playoffs."

Knowing it needed two goals to push the series into extra time after falling 2-0 last Thursday at Montreal, the Battery pushed forward with numbers from the opening whistle. After two near misses by Randi Patterson and Tsuyoshi Yoshitake in the opening minutes, Fuller put the Battery in the lead just after the quarter-hour mark.

Yoshitake enabled the goal, earning a free kick on the right flank after a late challenge by Stephen deRoux. Armstrong's curling in-swinger found the head of Fuller for his second on the season.

The Impact took advantage of the Battery's continued pressure, springing Peter Byers onto goal off a quick counterattack in the 21st minute. Buyers beat the Battery's John Wilson-who started at center back in place of the suspended Matt Bob-to the ball and cut towards goal but could not put his shot on the goal.

Two minutes later Nevio Pizzolitto leveled the score to one in the match and back up to two aggregate goals nodding home a rebound off a Roberto Brown rebound. Battery goalkeeper Chris McClellan-filling in for the injured Keith Wiggans, making his third appearance for the Battery since joining the club from Wilmington-managed to get a hand to Brown's header, pushing it off the underside of the crossbar. The unmarked Pizzolitto had little difficulty cleaning up the rebound.

Seconds before the halftime whistle it was McClellen again saving spectacularly off a Byers drive to the far post after Brown got in behind the Battery defense and fed the streaking Byers. McClellen surrendered a corner kick from the play, but the Impact did not have the opportunity to get the set piece off before referee Mark Kadlecik blew the whistle for halftime.

Impact coach Marc Dos Santos' displeasure with the referee's timing was met with an immediate rejection, forcing him to watch the second half from the stands.

The Battery continued to search for the two goals it needed entering the second half. Halftime substitute Dan Antoniuk made an immediate impact on the game after replacing Darren Spicer, running onto a through ball in the 51st minute from Scott Buete and slotting the ball across the goalmouth, only narrowly missing the far post.

Three minutes later it was Antoniuk again, fighting off a defender to win a long clearance before putting his shot just over the crossbar.

In the 74th minute the Impact took advantage of a withering Battery side when Tony Donatelli notched the winner off a neatly played ball from Brown just outside the penalty area, putting the ball just past the outstretched McClellan.

With everything going forward for the Battery, it was Frankie Sanfilippo who had the best chance to level the match, forcing Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan to save spectacularly off a thirty-yard blast that found its way through a crowded penalty area.

The loss ends the Battery's season with a record of 16-8-12 in all competitions: 14-5-11 (53 points, fourth place) in league play, 2-0-1 in U.S. Open Cup play, and 0-2 in the post season.

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USL First Division Stories from September 28, 2009


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