Jacks return to USL League One action Saturday
CHARLESTON S.C. (April 25, 2023) The Charlotte Independence’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run ended with a 1-0 loss to USL Championship side Charleston Battery on Wednesday night at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The Jacks return to USL League One play this Saturday, April 29 on the road at Forward Madison FC.
“We put everything we had into tonight,” Charlotte Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries said. “We played very well against a team that is top of the table in USL Championship. We certainly had good chances to win the match in regulation. So, a lot of credit to the guys, the mentality was fantastic.”
It was the Jacks who made the first strike against the Battery. Forward #9 Dane Kelly created the opportunity for the Independence in the 3rd minute. He ran down the left side of the box and earned the Jacks a corner kick, but the service went out of play to give Charleston back the possession.
Goalkeeper #1 Austin Pack was called into action early in the 5th minute. The Battery had possession on the left side of the box. It was #22 Jesse Randall who took the first shot on goal of the match. Pack collected it to keep the score 0-0.
“Our group can take a lot from tonight,” defender #17 Clay Dimick said. “We can take a lot of pride from this. Obviously, they’re top of the Championship and we hung with them for 120 minutes. This should be something that builds confidence in our group and not let our heads hang low because we have a quick turnaround in Madison.”
Both teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the first half looking for a go-ahead goal. Midfielder #8 Joel Johnson created an opportunity in the 40th minute with a dangerous cross to Kelly, but the Battery keeper contained the shot. Neither team found the back of the net in the first 45 minutes.
At the half: Charleston Battery 0 – Charlotte Independence 0
In the second half, the Jacks started on the front foot. Forward #90 Khori Bennett found space down the left hand side and got into a dangerous area for the shot. The Battery defense recovered quickly and blocked his shot which resulted in another corner kick for the Jacks.
The Battery looked to have taken the lead in the 54th minute, but the goal was called back for offside. At the end of regulation, the match remained tied: Charleston Battery 0 – Charlotte Independence 0. Next up were two 15-minute extra time periods.
“We battled well for 120 minutes against a top USL Championship side and we have plenty to be proud of,” midfielder #12 Brad Dunwell said. “However, we have a serious test on the road in Madison that we need to recover for and shift our focus towards very quickly. It’s obviously a super demanding stretch of games, but this group will be up for it.”
Charleston started the first period with the majority of chances, but the Jacks defense stayed strong. Both teams entered the second half with penalties looming if the match was still tied.
Seven minutes into the second extra time period, the Battery found the game-winning goal. Forward #13 Nick Markanich received a pass inside the box and settled it to his feet, firing the shot past Pack.
The Jacks pressed on in the attack to try and find the equalizer. Forward #14 Luis Alvarez got on the end of a cross from forward #11 Tresor Mbuyu, but the shot went just high. The final whistle blew with the Jacks dropping their first match of 2023.
Final from Charleston: Charleston Battery 1 – Charlotte Independence 0
“For tonight, we’ll process the loss,” Jeffries said. “I think we can take some confidence into the league after hanging with a very good team, but in the end it always hurts in the Open Cup and we’ll get back and get ready for our game on Saturday.”
Next on The Schedule: The Independence turn attention back to USL League One play looking to remain at the #1 spot. The Jacks next match is this Saturday, April 29 at Forward Madison FC at 6:00 p.m. Fans can watch for free at bahakelsports.com.
