Nothing has separated the USL Eastern Conference’s top-two teams on the scoreboard through a pair of meetings this year.
Louisville City FC equalized in the 27th minute Saturday night and from there played to a 1-1 draw with the Charleston Battery at MUSC Health Stadium, also the site of a 4-4 result back on June 3.
The clubs will meet again — this time at Louisville Slugger Field — on Sept. 2. For now, it’s the Battery who hold a six-point advantage in the standings, though the boys in purple have games in hand.
“You’re standing there looking at the players having to work in that — just really humid conditions and 90-degree heat,” said Loucity coach James O’Connor. “I thought the players performed admirably. I just think at times our decision making and the quality of our final pass let us down.
“But in saying that, I thought we had the better chances to actually win the game. We had some good opportunities to go and actually win the game.”
Saturday’s draw can be considered an unlucky one for LouCity considering how it started. In just the second minute, George Davis IV won back possession and played an aerial ball into the box. Off a deflection, Kyle Smith fired, and the shot bounced off both posts before bounding back to the Battery.
LouCity continued looking like the better team until the halftime whistle, aside from a 22nd-minute exchange that awarded Charleston a penalty kick. Smith collided with Dante Marini in the box before Justin Portillo finished the chance to give his side the lead.
Just four minutes later, making his second straight start, LouCity striker Ilija Ilic evened the score with a rare goal off a corner kick. After Sean Reynolds’ header hit off the post, Ilic finished on a volley to draw even.
“I think we’ll take goals any way we can get them,” said midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo. “On a corner kick, run of play — it doesn’t really matter.”
Added DelPiccolo, LouCity’s captain: “We’re not too disappointed with the result. We’re just not satisfied with our performance. Of course, Charleston’s a first-place team — a great team — so to come here and get a point is always good.”
LouCity placed five of its 10 shots in the first half on goal. While the attack slowed over the final 45 minutes — O’Connor cited the heat and humidity — the club ultimately out-shot Charleston 15-7.
Both the Battery (forward Romario Williams) and LouCity (midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye) were missing key players on international duty at the CONCACAF Gold Up. In Charleston’s case, Williams leads the USL with 14 goals in 15 appearances, including two scoring strikes in the first meeting between these two teams.
Smith had another look on goal in the 30th minute, and Louisville native Richard Ballard, on as a substitute, shot between a defenders legs in the 79th for another chance. LouCity’s best look in the second half came in the 81st minute, but George Davis IV’s final touch let him down, flying over the bar.
LouCity and Charleston will now have to wait until September to settle their season series.
Game Summary
Match: Charleston Battery vs. Louisville City FC
Date: July 8, 2017
Venue: MUSC Health Stadium
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m.
Weather: 87 degrees, sunny
Man of the Match: Ilija Ilic
Scoring
Charleston Battery (1,0,1)
Louisville City FC (1,0,1)
Goals
Charleston Battery:
23’ – Justin Portillo sent in a penalty kick to the bottom left corner of the net.
Louisville City FC:
27’ – Ilija Ilic knocked in a rebound off the post from a corner kick.
Lineups
Charleston Battery: 23- Odisnel Cooper, 11- Quinton Griffith, 4- Taylor Mueller, 3- Forrest Lasso, 7- O’Brian Woodbine, 21- Maikel Chang (76’ 14- Jeffrey Obitey Otoo), 20- Justin Portillo, 22- Tah-Brian Anunga, 19- Dante Marini, 25- Kotaro Higashi (81’ 8- Neveal Hackshaw), 16- Heviel Cordoves
Subs not used: 1- Kuzminsky, 6- Skylar Thomas, 24- Nicholas Rittmeyer, 17- Ricky Garbanzo, 28- Ryan Arambula
Head coach: Mike Anhaeuser
Louisville City FC: 1- Greg Ranjitsingh, 26- Kyle Smith, 15- Sean Reynolds, 4- Sean Totsch (55’ 6- Tarek Morad), 18- Paco Craig, 19- Oscar Jimenez, 8- Guy Abend, 36- Paolo DelPiccolo, 10- Brian Ownby (63’ 23- Richard Ballard), 22- George Davis IV, 14- Ilija Ilic (74’ 9- Cameron Lancaster)
Subs not used: 28- Tim Dobrowolski, 80- Devon “Speedy” Williams, 11- Niall McCabe, 12- Luke Spencer
Head coach: James O’Connor
Discipline
Charleston Battery:
52’–Kotaro Higashi – Yellow Card
69’–O’Brian Woodbine – Yellow Card
85’– Tah- Brian Anunga – Yellow Card
Louisville City FC:
23’ – Kyle Smith – Yellow Card
71’– Tarek Morad – Yellow Card
86’– Paco Craig – Yellow Card
Officials
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistant Referee 1: Wilmer Soriano
Assistant Referee 2: James Boswell
4th Official: Michael Shealy
