The Charleston Battery fell 1-2 to Rhode Island FC in the Eastern Conference Final of the USL Championship Playoffs in front of a sold-out crowd of over 5,000 at Patriots Point on Saturday. Rhode Island scored shortly before and after halftime and Juan David Torres pulled a goal back for the Battery in the 61st minute, but Charleston’s comeback bid fell short this round, ending their 2024 season as Eastern Conference Finalists.
Charleston started the night on the front foot, eager to take the game to the Rhode Island side they previously drew against twice. The Battery nearly broke open the game off a counterattack in the 5th minute when Chris Allan picked out Jackson Conway with a cross into the box, but Conway was unable to direct the ball cleanly toward goal.
Juan David Torres came within inches of scoring in the 17th minute when his long-range strike went just wide of the top corner.
Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis made a pair of crucial saves after the half-hour mark, once in the 35th minute and again in the 42nd minute.
Rhode Island, however, managed to score first via Karifa Yao in the 43rd minute to take a 0-1 lead just before halftime.
The visitors took the 0-1 lead into the break, despite the Battery having the majority of possession (66.3%) and passes in the opposition’s half (129 to 63).
After the Battery appeared to come out of the break with some momentum, Rhode Island added to their lead in the 53rd minute via Noah Fuson.
Charleston pulled one back in the 61st minute with a sensational free-kick goal by Torres in the 61st minute to cut the score to 1-2. Torres struck the ball from roughly 25 yards out and went bar down to beat goalkeeper Koke Vegas.
On the opposite end, Leland Archer made a crucial block inside the box in the 65th minute, just moments after entering the game from the bench and inheriting the captain’s armband from Aaron Molloy.
The Battery began to press forward more after Torres’ goal, searching for an equalizer with their season on the line. Nick Markanich almost tied the game in the 70th minute but his attempt went wide of the goal.
Grinwis came up big again in stoppage time to deny Rhode Island in the 93rd minute.
The Battery threw all numbers forward in the final minutes of the match to grab an equalizer and force extra-time, but the comeback bid fell short as Charleston were unable to record a shot in stoppage time. Rhode Island held on to win, 1-2, and claim the Eastern Conference title.
