MUSC Match Preview: USL Cup: Richmond vs. Charleston
USL Charleston Battery

MUSC Match Preview: USL Cup: Richmond vs. Charleston

Published on May 14, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


The Charleston Battery continue their journey in the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup against the Richmond Kickers on Sat., May 16. Kickoff for Round 2 of the Group Stage at City Stadium is set for 6 p.m. ET, and the match will air exclusively on national television on CBS Sports Network.

Charleston and Richmond are both part of Group 6 in the interleague cup tournament, along with Greenville Triumph SC, Charlotte Independence, Loudoun United and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Charleston (3pts in Group 6) return to Virginia after defeating Loudoun, 1-2, during Round 1 of group play. Miguel Berry netted the opener in the first half, but a Loudoun equalizer shortly after stood until stoppage time, as the teams neared a draw and penalty shootout. However, Graham Smith's winner at the death secured all three points for Charleston to start the tournament.

Richmond (0pts in Group 6) were dealt a 1-2 home loss against Charlotte Independence in their opening game. After going down 0-2 in the first half, Richmond appeared to be making a late bid for a comeback and to force a draw. However, Sam Layton's goal to cut the deficit was never followed up with an equalizer, sending all three points to Charlotte.

Looking at the Group 6 table, Charleston are in third and Richmond are in fourth.

Competition Structure

At A Glance - This year's Prinx Tires USL Cup kicked off on April 25, with teams split into seven regional groups. Six groups will include six teams and one will include seven teams, with each club set to play four Group Stage games in the opening phase of the tournament, which will conclude on Saturday, July 11.

The Lowdown - The 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup is the third edition of the USL's interleague cup competition, a World Cup-style tournament which features all 42 teams across the USL Championship and League One. Adding more meaningful matches to the annual calendar, this year's Prinx Tires USL Cup will see Hartford Athletic aim to defend its crown in the biggest edition of the competition to date.

How To Advance - Making it to the knockout stage is simple: Win your group. Scoring in the group table is similar to the regular season, wins earn three points, draws earn one, and losses earn none, and draws will have a penalty shootout immediately after the final whistle, with an additional bonus point up for grabs for the shootout winners. One wild-card team will also advance, and that slot is awarded to the second-placed team with the most points in group play, followed by the first tiebreaker of most goals scored. Last year's champions, Hartford, advanced to the knockout stage on a wild-card berth.

After the Group Stage - The seven group winners and one wild card will advance to create a field of eight teams in the knockout stage. The Quarterfinals will be held on August 13, followed by the Semifinals on September 9 and the Final on the weekend of October 2-4.

Storylines of the Match

Historic Rivalry Renewed - No two teams in the USL Championship and USL League One are older than Charleston and Richmond, respectively, who both played their inaugural seasons in 1993 as members of the USISL. In fact, the Battery's first regular season game that year was a 2-1 victory against Richmond. The all-time series between the sides narrowly favors Charleston, with 28 wins for the Battery, 27 for Richmond, and nine draws, since 1993.

First Clash Since 2018 - Despite the long-standing history, the two southeastern clubs have not met officially since 2018, prior to the teams going into different divisions. Charleston won that game, a 3-0 result in the Lowcountry on July 28, but the last contest at City Stadium was a 2-0 victory for the hosts on June 9. The Battery's last win in Richmond was on Sept. 17, 2016, a 1-2 triumph. In the USL's modern era (since 2011), Charleston's record against the Kickers is 10W-7L-5D.

Early Group Stage Implications - Margins for error are razor-thin in the USL Cup Group Stage, as only four games decide which clubs advance to the knockout rounds. A win for the Battery could distance them from the bottom half of the group, setting up the next two group games at Patriots Point nicely. For Richmond, a win would keep their hopes alive for the knockout stage, but a loss could create a deficit too deep to overcome with only two games remaining. The fixture between Charlotte and Pittsburgh, the group leaders, on Friday will also give guidance on the direction of the table.

New Kickoff Time - Fans should note the match was previously scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, but has since been moved up an hour to 6 p.m. ET since the initial schedule announcement.

Last Match Momentum - Both sides will be looking to ride the wave from the last contests going into Saturday. Charleston had a bye this past weekend, but dismantled Sporting Club Jacksonville, 4-0, in their last match the week prior. Richmond, meanwhile, will face the well-rested Battery after securing a 0-3 road win over Greenville on Saturday.

League Form - Concerning the clubs' respective league tables, Charleston are fourth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and Richmond are ninth in USL League One.

Swan in the Record Books - When Colton Swan tallied his first league brace against Jacksonville, at 18 years and 364 days old, he became the Battery's second-youngest player to record a two-goal game in Championship play, trailing only Fidel Barajas (17 years and 171 days). Swan also became the first teenager to score a brace in the Championship since 2024.

Kelly Takes Assists Lead - Following the win over Jacksonville, Jeremy Kelly took sole possession of the team lead for assists with four across all competitions. His three in Championship play also put him into a tie for second in the league's Golden Playmaker race.

From the Training Ground

MATCH INFO

Richmond Kickers vs. Charleston Battery

Prinx Tires USL Cup | Group Stage | Round 2

Saturday, May 16 - 6 p.m. ET Kickoff

City Stadium

HOW TO WATCH:

Saturday's match will air exclusively on national television on CBS Sports Network, which may be accessed through a typical cable or satellite TV subscription that includes CBSSN. Check your TV's guide for the exact channel number.

The match is exclusive to CBSSN and will not be accessible via a Paramount+ subscription, nor will it be available on local linear channels. Fans may use the CBS Sports App or website to stream the games by logging in with their TV subscription credentials.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 14, 2026


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