USL Charleston Battery

Short-Handed Battery Fall 2-3 at Charlotte

Published on April 16, 2016 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


CHARLOTTE - The visiting Battery gave up 0-3 lead, lost a player to a second-half ejection, and then came within a stoppage-time save of equalizing a sharp Independence unit, losing 3-2 at Ramblewood Soccer Complex Saturday night.

The Independence (2-2-0) jumped to the early 2-0 lead in a furious five minutes around the half-hour mark. First up: Midfielder David Estrada, making his first start of 2016, who earned a penalty kick off contact with Battery captain and center back Shawn Ferguson and then put it away in the 26th minute. It was the first time the Battery had trailed in the early season.

Then came center forward Brian Brown, who had time to settle a rebounded shot off the crossbar and punch it between Ferguson and center back partner Taylor Mueller to beat the diving Tambakis in the 31st minute.

The two Jacks' goals bookended a controversial moment in the 28th minute, when Justin Portillo delivered a well-placed free kick toward goalkeeper Cody Mizell's back post. Referee Mark Kadlecik immediately signaled that a foul had been committed against Ferguson and pointed to the penalty spot. But he waived off the call after listening to his assistant, who had determined Ferguson to be offside.

Charleston (2-1-1) limped to the break with its first 0-2 deficit, having surrendered its first penalty goal and first goal from the run-of-play. The score reflected the Independence's dominance in the first 45, when the Jacks out-shot the Battery 10-1 while winning every major statistical category.

The Battery returned to the pitch with the same injury-shuffled roster, but appeared to push attacking midfielder Ataullah Guerra a bit further up the pitch. Guerra, starting in the place of injured forward Ricky Garbanzo for the second consecutive week, put the team's first shot on frame in the 49th minute, and by the 55th the Battery were largely controlling possession.

In the 63rd minute, midfielder Zach Prince -- who switched to the left side to cover for injured midfield partner Maikel Chang -- snuck in at Mizell's near post, putting it around the keeper toward an undefended net. But fullback Joel Johnson, who got his first start in place of veteran Jack Metcalf, did a great job of shielding off the threat while he cleared the ball off the empty line.

Shortly afterward, both coaches went to their benches, with midfielder Dante Marini replacing Quinton Griffith and midfielder Jorge Hererra subbing Martinez. Both subs would have a hand in the outcome.

Hererra, 35, had started and been replaced by Martinez in all three of Charlotte's previous matches. This time the roles were reversed -- and within moments of entering the game, the old playmaker jumped on a 70th-minute mistake by Ferguson in Charleston's penalty area. Hererra created just enough space on fullback Emmanuel Adjetey with a jaw-dropping turn, then nailed the 3-0 lead with a perfectly placed back-post strike that left Tambakis clutching at air.

The Battery appeared visibly deflated for a few moments, yet managed to keep up the pressure. It paid off in the 76th minute when center forward Romario Williams used his speed and power to create a moment of daylight on the right. He smashed the ball in for his third goal of the year, and the Battery appeared to be back in business.

But Kadlecik would enter the drama again in the 83rd minute, when a 50-50 ball near midfield pitted veterans Prince and Hererra against each other. As they closed, Prince appeared to quasi-bail on the attempt, turning his back toward Hererra as they collided. Kadlecik went straight to his pocket for the red and Charleston was down to 10.

Yet the card only seemed to intensify the Battery attack. With substitute forward Austin Savage joining Marini in the frantic push ahead, the Battery made multiple forays, ultimately resulting in an 85th minute free kick by Justin Portillo. In the resulting scramble, a Charlotte player fouled Marini in the penalty area, and Portillo put away the resulting PK.

Though the Battery would out-shoot their hosts in the second half 11-8, Charlotte would threaten throughout, ultimately forcing Tambakis into a career-high seven saves. But the last big chance of the night came in four-minutes of stoppage, when the Battery once again worked the ball out to Williams. The Jamaican hustled himself into a chance for another moment of at-the-death dramatics, but couldn't beat Mizell for the equalizer.

The loss dumped Charleston into a tie for second in the Eastern Conference and ceded Charlotte a tie in the 2016 Southern Derby Cup table after two games.

Charleston visits Bethlehem Steel FC next Sunday, and return to MUSC Health Stadium against Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, April 30th. Tickets are onsale at charlestonbattery.com or over the phone at 843.971.GOAL (4625).

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 16, 2016


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