Battery Host New York in Saturday Match at Patriots Point
September 2, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Charleston Battery News Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery return home to host New York Red Bulls II on Saturday, September 3. Kickoff at Patriots Point is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
Saturday will be the second meeting in less than a month between Charleston and New York. The two clubs met on August 12 in Montclair, New Jersey, a match won 1-3 by the Battery. Aidan Apodaca bagged a brace and Augustine Williams converted from the penalty spot in the triumph.
New York arrive in Charleston after drawing 3-3 with Hartford Athletic at home. The Baby Bulls held a 3-1 lead through the 90th minute but collapsed in stoppage time. Hartford bagged a pair of goals before the final whistle to share the spoils. Jonathan Filipe notched a brace for New York.
The Battery return home after battling Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in a 0-0 draw at Highmark Stadium. Neither side gave way in a match that was highlighted by defense. Battery goalkeeper Daniel Kuzemka tallied three saves while recording his first clean sheet as a professional in just the second start of his rookie season.
Charleston will be seeking their first-ever win at home against New York. Since 2015, the Battery have a 0W-4L-5D home record against Red Bulls II.
Saturday will also be the final meeting between Charleston and New York as Red Bulls II will be leaving the USL Championship for MLS NEXT Pro in 2023.
One to watch for the Battery is Enock Kwakwa. The midfielder missed three games in August due to a red card suspension and was an impact player during his return match against Pittsburgh. He tallied seven duels won, five recoveries, one clearance and one interception.
Filipe is one to keep an eye on for New York. In addition to the brace on Wednesday, he also had one chance created, three tackles won, six recoveries and nine duels won.
Defender Leland Archer is nearing the century mark of appearances with the Battery. The center-back currently has 94 caps for the club
FROM THE TRAINING GROUND
The Battery returned to training on Friday after a period of travel from Pittsburgh and recovery on Thursday.
Head Coach Conor Casey and defender Matt Sheldon discussed the upcoming match against New York, with key quotes below.
Coach Casey on the positivities against Pittsburgh to build on for this weekend…
The big positive from the Pittsburgh game was the zero, we didn’t get scored on. We want to keep clean sheets, we’ve set some short-term goals for the rest of the season and that was one of them. We weren’t best the best with the ball but I thought the mentality on the day going into that place, a very hard place to play, was very good.
Coach Casey on the loaded week with games and travel…
We’ve been handling it well. Travel is a bit tricky but we’ve got healthy bodies now, which is good, so we’ve been able to rotate. We got some fresh legs on the field for Pittsburgh and we’ll look to do that again in the match tomorrow.
Coach Casey on what to expect on Saturday against New York…
They’ve been pretty consistent in the way that they play. They’re very direct, the Red Bulls style, which is forward, fast, high line and high-paced. So, we’ll look to exploit the space behind them again, just like we did a few weeks back.
Sheldon on the mindset heading into the game against Red Bulls II…
Going up against Pittsburgh, we knew that was going to be a really tough game and we’re really fortunate to get a point on the road. That was a really good result from us. So, the mood overall has been pretty positive, we are focused and want to work on the little things to improve those results.
Sheldon on the importance of starting the new month on the right foot…
It’s really important to start off strong, especially going up against New York Red Bulls II. The last time we played them, we had a really good game, still not a complete 90 minutes. Having a full 90, being tuned in, sharp and focused is so important because you let go for a second, players at this level are going to be able to capitalize on that.
Sheldon on returning home to open the September schedule…
It’s the best, to come back home and play in front of the fans. They’ve been so great this season, I think even the last game showed just how amazing they are. We’re really excited to come back for the first game of September in front of the home fans and hopefully get a win.
As of posting, Joe Schmidt, Kyle Holcomb, Brett St. Martin and Joe Kuzminsky are out.
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. New York Red Bulls II
Saturday, September 3 – 7:00 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Tickets are available for Saturday’s match and can be purchased via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
All Battery matches will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally.
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