The Charleston Battery (5-2-4) enters their first ever meeting with Indy Eleven (4-4-2) Wednesday night riding a ten-game unbeaten streak. The match at Lucas Oil Stadium is the Battery’s first away from home since their 3-0 win over Atlanta United 2 on April 24.
Charleston finished up their seven game home stand with a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC last Saturday night. Ataulla Guerra scored an equalizer in the second half to keep the Battery’s unbeaten run alive. The goal was Guerra’s team-high sixth, which has him tied for third most in the league.
The draw brought the Battery’s point total to 11 of a possible 15 from the five straight USL games at home. The three wins and two draws during the home stretch moved the Battery up the table and into third place in the USL Eastern Conference, just three points off first place Louisville City FC.
Wednesday’s match will be the Battery’s sixth in eighteen days, but their first on the road since April. The match against Indy is Charleston’s first of four consecutive away games including the U.S. Open Cup match against Atlanta United (MLS) on June 6.
Indy also enters Wednesday’s match on short rest. The Eleven lost, 4-1, to New York Red Bulls II on Sunday at Red Bull Arena. Indy returns to Lucas Oil Stadium on Wednesday looking to improve their 2-3-0 home record.
Indy’s last win came on May 5, a 1-0 victory over Louisville City FC at home. The Eleven has earned just one point in the three matches following the win against the defending USL Champions.
Both the Battery and the Eleven have been impressive on the defensive side of the ball so far this season. Each side has five shutouts, which ranks them among the league’s best. The Battery have only given up four goals in the previous ten games and haven’t given up a goal in the run of play since April 21.
Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser has been platooning goalkeepers Joe Kuzminsky and Odisnel Cooper, while his counterpart, Martin Rennie, has elected to play Owain Fon Williams in all ten of Indy’s league matches. Williams has an experienced defense in front of him that includes Karl Ouimette, Ayoze Garcia, and Kevin Vengas. Ouimette helped the San Francisco Deltas to the 2017 NASL Championship, Garcia has over 300 professional appearances including 120 with the New York Cosmos, and Venegas spent five years with Minnesota United in the NASL and MLS.
Wednesday is shaping up to be another defensive battle where both sides will have to earn every attacking chance they get. The Battery will be hoping that Guerra can take his home scoring form on the road; the Trinidadian forward has scored five of his six goals this season at MUSC Health Stadium. The Eleven will turn to Soony Saad, who leads the team in goals with three, and Jack McInerney to produce in the attacking third.
Following Wednesday’s match, both sides will get a break in games. The Battery will take their off weekend to recover for their Open Cup match with Atlanta United on Wednesday, June 6, while Indy doesn’t play again until Saturday, June 9.
