LOUISVILLE, KY – The Charleston Battery tied league-leading Louisville City FC, 1-1, at Slugger Field Saturday night.
Charleston looked the better team through the first 45 minutes and carried a 4-0 shot advantage over the hosts into the break. Louisville struggled to cope with the Battery’s pressure in the first half. The league leaders were careless in possession, which led to counter attack opportunities for Charleston, but the visitors could not take advantage.
Louisville broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute through a Taylor Mueller own goal. Forward Cameron Lancaster received the ball out wide down the right flank and played a teasing ball on the ground through the Battery’s penalty area. A race to the cross between Louisville’s Chandler Hoffman and Mueller ended with a tangle of legs and the ball in the back of Charleston’s net.
Coach Anhaeuser made a host of second half substitutions to try to get back into the match. Forwards Chris Tsonis and Romario Williams entered the game midway through the second period and kept Louisville’s back four under constant pressure.
Tsonis’ work rate led to the equalizing goal in the 84th minute. Justin Portillo played a quick free kick down the right flank to Quinton Griffith who swung a dangerous cross into Louisville’s penalty area. Greg Ranjitsingh appeared to get to the ball first, but Tsonis forced the goalkeeper into a mistake and capitalized, scoring his first league goal of the season.
The draw extended both teams’ unbeaten streaks, Louisville’s to 16 games and Charleston’s to four. The Battery returns to MUSC Health Stadium on Wednesday for a midweek match with Orlando City B.
Box Score:
CHARLESTON BATTERY: Alex Tambakis, Quinton Griffith, Shawn Ferguson, Taylor Mueller, O’Brian Woodbine, Maikel Chang, Justin Portillo, Ataulla Guerra (Forrest Lasso, 83rd), Zach Prince (yellow card, 78th); Emmanuel Adjetey, 78th), Ricky Garbanzo (Chris Tsonis, 70th; goal, 84th), Heviel Cordoves (yellow card, 59th) (Romario Williams, 65th)
Unused subs: Odisnel Cooper, Neveal Hackshaw
LOUISVILLE CITY FC: Greg Ranjiitsingh, Kyle Smith, Paco Craig, Torek Morad, Ben Newnam (yellow card, 69th), Paulo Del Piccolo (Guy Abend, 65th), Aodhan Quinn, Andrew Lubhan, Niall McCabe, George Davis IV, John Chandler Hoffman (goal, 62nd)
Unused subs: Tim Dobrowolski, Ilija Ilic, Conor Shanosky, Magnus Rasmussen, Kadeem Dacres
