Battery and Independence Play to 2-2 Draw in USL Cup Group Finale
- Forrest Wimberly
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 15 hours ago
Charlotte Earns the Extra Point in the Shootout to Win Group
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The Charleston Battery and Charlotte Independence played to a 2-2 draw Saturday night at Patriots Point to wrap up Prinx Tires USL Cup Group 6 action. The Independence won the shootout 4-2 to earn the extra point and to claim the top spot in the group to advance to the quarterfinals.
The Battery would take an early lead only to see Charlotte level the score before the halftime break and then go ahead early in the second half. Charleston would find the equalizer but not the game-winner and the match went straight to penalty kicks to determine who would advance. Charlotte converted all four attempts while their keeper Matt Levy made two saves to send the Independence through 4-2 in penalties.
Heavy storms rolled through the Lowcountry late in the afternoon and the match originally scheduled for 7:30 PM didn’t kickoff until 9:30 PM under the lights on a muggy, warm evening at the Point. Both teams made minor changes to their usual starting XI and the match didn’t disappoint as two of the top teams from USL1 and USLC knew that the winner of this match would advance to the knockout stages.
The Battery had the opening chance in the match in the 11th minute as Maalique Foster picked the ball off the Charlotte defender and then went on a solo run into the box. Foster’s cross was cut out by Levy in the Charlotte goal, but the dangerous moment was just a preview of more attacks to come.
The 15th minute saw the Battery in on goal again this time as Colton Swan collected a ball up the left channel and then rifled a ball across the Independence area that was just out of reach of the crashing Foster run inside the box.
The Independence saw their best chance of the opening half hour when a ball was served in from the right flank, but their big man’s header inside the box just couldn’t stay down under the bar in the 19th minute.
Charlotte thought they had a penalty kick in the 20th minute after a scramble and foul inside the Charleston area caused confusion with the referee crew but after a short conference later the officials correctly changed the call and the Battery avoided the spot kick.
The Battery would take the lead in the 28th minute as Miguel Berry slipped a ball into the feet of Foster just inside the area where he collected the ball and then buried the ball low into the far post to send the hosts into the lead.
The Independence defense played a very high line in the match that the Battery would exploit with numerous through balls that caused numerous headaches for the visitors. The Independence goalkeeper and defense would rally after each Battery attacking wave and survive the moment and remain in the match.
The Independence keeper Levy would be forced into a 1v1 save in the 31st as Foster was played in on goal with another through ball. Then in the 35th minute, the entire Charlotte defense was called on as a quick ball played in deep by the Battery after a sudden change of possession created a shooting gallery inside the Charlotte area that was ultimately scrambled away after several defensive blocks and last-ditch defending all around the goal mouth.
The Independence would get just their second quality chance of the half in the 37th minute and converted the chance totally against the run of play. The Charlotte keeper Levy quickly put the ball back in play after another Battery attacking wave and based on the keeper’s reaction, he thought it was a poor distribution off his foot as the ball sliced away from his intended target. Much to the Levy’s surprise, the mis-played ball actually fooled the Battery defense allowing the Charlotte player to find the ball in a pocket of space where he dribbled to the top of the box before squaring the ball to waiting Jon Bakero. Bakero rocketed a shot high to the far post that rang off the post and into the net to shock the crowd and level the match before the half.
Charleston returned for the second half and created several quality scoring chances in the opening minutes with a clever combination sequence that created a shot in the 48th minute but just couldn’t find the final touch needed to break the tie. Charlotte would weather the Battery’s renewed attacking waves and for a second time against the run of play, score another goal.
A cross from the left flank in the 54th minute was served to the big target man Souaibou Marou inside the box where he headed the ball down and into the net for the 2-1 advantage for Charlotte. Despite not having many clear-cut chances in front of the goal, the visitors were clinical in their best looks as they made the most of the opportunities.
Charleston almost scored on the very next sequence of play after the kickoff, forcing a diving save from Charlotte’s Levy in the 55th minute. The Battery kept on pressing the attack and finally got their second goal in the 59th minute as Colton Swan forced a save by Levy on his initial shot only to see Swan pounce on the rebound to guide the ball past the Charlotte keeper to square things at 2-2.
The game had become pretty frantic around the goals and the Battery looked to take the air out of the game in the 67th minute and noticeably slowed down their passing rhythm and speed of play. This allowed the Battery to control the last portion of the match with the Independence only once in the final 20 minutes creating any real threat to score. A wild sequence of passes and clearances rattled around the Charleston area in the 74th minute as neither the Battery defense or the Independence attack could latch onto the ball and finish their intended actions.
The Battery had excellent chances to score a third goal in the 82nd minute on numerous shots that were blocked and defected all around the area, the 83rd minute on some clever combination play, and the 85th minute off a hustle play to keep the ball alive inside the box that a forced shot through traffic. One final look on goal for the Battery in the 90th minute was blocked by a defender and turned aside for a corner kick. The Independence defense celebrated each defensive intervention like scoring a goal and the match finished knotted 2-2 at full time and went straight to penalties per the USL Cup tiebreaking rules.
The Independence converted their first kick and the Battery answered. The Independence scored their second kick while the Battery’s second attempt was saved by the Levy in the Charlotte nets. Both teams converted their third kicks and the score stood 3-2 Charlotte after three rounds. The Independence poured on the pressure converting their fourth kick and then won the penalty shootout in the fourth round as Levy got a slight touch to the Battery shot to see the ball clanged off the left post to end the shootout and send the Independence into the knockout rounds at the Battery’s expense.
“Look, it was an unbelievably resilient effort from the group,” said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. “We fought and fought together well and managed a very strong Championship club defensively fairly well, so credit to the guys on that end. Then, I thought we found a way to manufacture some chances and score. The second goal was a fantastic team effort. In the end, we hung on, and clearly Matt (Levy) was huge for us throughout the game. He made incredible saves during the game and then, obviously, the penalty saves at the end.”
“It's disappointing to go out just because we were right there,” said Battery Head Coach Ben Pirmann. “But I think, firstly, you've got to give credit to Charlotte and Mike [Jeffries], he's a great coach. There's a reason they've gone 14 in a row without losing. I think when you step back and look at it, we did more than enough, creating chances, scoring two goals. Anytime you score two goals at home, you should be advancing.”
The Battery will now turn all their attention to the USL Championship season while the Independence will find out their opponent in the USL Cup quarterfinals during the official draw to be held July 13.
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