USL Charleston Battery

Two Battery Players Called to National Duty Will Miss September 5 Match at Pittsburgh

Published on August 27, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston Battery Fullback Quinton Griffith and Midfielder Sebastien Thuriere
Charleston Battery Fullback Quinton Griffith and Midfielder Sebastien Thuriere
(Charleston Battery)

CHARLESTON -- Battery fullback Quinton Griffith and midfielder Sebastien Thuriere will miss Charleston's match at Pittsburgh on Sept. 5 to join their respective national teams for home-and-away World Cup qualifiers.

Both are expected to depart after returning from Saturday's Virginia showdown with Richmond and will spend the week training with their national teams in preparation for qualifying matches the following weekend and on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

CONCACAF Qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, to be held in Russia, began with first-round matches in March. Antigua entered in the second round in June, advancing past St. Lucia. Haiti's earlier performances gave it a bye through to the third round.

Quinton Griffith figures prominently in Antigua and Barbuda's National Team marketing efforts.

Griffith, the captain of the Antiqua and Barbuda "Benna Boys," will lead his team into third-round action against Guatemala at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in St. John's, Antigua, on Sept. 4. The return leg will be played at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City the following Wednesday. As captain of the team, the call-up was no surprise.

Griffith is looking forward to the match-up, and believes the Benna Boys got a good draw with Guatemala. "They've got some good players, even some great big ones, too," Griffith said. "But they might be a little soft."

Thuriere, a U.S. native who figured as a quality substitute for Haiti's Les Grenadiers during this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, will again represent his mother's home country on the international stage.

For Haiti the quest begins on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Grenada National Stadium in St. George, Grenada. Les Grenadiers will host the second leg on Sept. 9 in Port-au-Prince at Stade Sylvio Cator, a rebuilt 10,000-seat stadium that Thuriere has come to love.

Sebastien "Seba" Thuriere holds up the ball during the Aug. 15 match with Saint Louis FC. Vin Duffy photo.

"It's just a great place to play," he said. "The fans are so loud, and it's like they're almost on top of you."

Thuriere expected the call based on comments his coach made after Gold Cup.

For the Battery, which will be losing two players from a roster that counts only 16 healthy field players at the moment, the timing is difficult.

"Obviously it's a tough time because we're losing two quality players, but it's a great honor to get to go and play," said Battery Coach Mike Anhaeuser. "Hopefully they do well and they go and qualify.

"We looked at it before the season, and it's not that big an issue because it's just one game, But now that you have injuries and you're maybe a couple players short here or there, it can put a little pressure on the squad. Hopefully a couple guys get healthy. (Fullback Obi Woodbine) is doing really well, and if he can get back from his knee injury, he could be back next week (for Pittsburgh)."

With the August international transfer window drawing to an end, the Battery has been working to add players -- either on loan or as new signings -- before the USL roster freeze on Tuesday. After Saturday's match at Richmond, the Battery season will be down to just three regular season games -- Sept. 5 at Pittsburgh, and then at home on Sept. 12 vs. Louisville and Sept. 19 vs. Charlotte.

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Charleston Battery Fullback Quinton Griffith and Midfielder Sebastien Thuriere
Charleston Battery Fullback Quinton Griffith and Midfielder Sebastien Thuriere
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 27, 2015


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