The Charleston Battery return to league action to host Sporting Club Jacksonville on Sat., May 2, in Week 9 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will stream on ESPN+ and air locally on Palmetto Sports Network.
Charleston and expansion side Jacksonville clash for the first time this season.
The Battery (3W-3L-1D) will be aiming to ride the momentum from their 1-2 road win against Loudoun United FC on Saturday in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Miguel Berry netted his first goal of the season, and Graham Smith secured the victory with a late goal in stoppage time. Last league game, the Battery fell 4-0 away to Rhode Island FC.
Jacksonville (0W-6L-1D) currently find themselves a five-game losing skid in Championship play. The expansion side’s last league contest was a 1-0 road loss at Louisville City FC, however they were destined to come away with a point until a Jansen Wilson goal at the death tipped the spoils to the hosts. Sporting Jax were narrowly defeated by Miami FC, 0-1, in the USL Cup on Saturday.
Looking at the Eastern Conference table, Charleston are in fifth and Jacksonville are in 13th.
Storylines of the Match
Inaugural Meeting – This weekend will mark the first official meeting between Charleston and Jacksonville, with the latter making their debut in the Championship this season. The sides previously met in a preseason exhibition in Florida, a 2-1 win for Sporting Jax, with Laurent Kissiedou scoring for Charleston.
Past CHS-JAX History – However, it’s not the first fixture between the cities, who have clashed since the Battery’s beginning. Charleston’s first home preseason game prior to their inaugural 1993 campaign was against the Jacksonville Arsenal (later ‘Fury’) for the Port City Cup on April 3 that year, a month prior to the start of their USISL campaign. As Andrew Miller stated in The Post and Courier’s recap of the game, Charleston battered the Arsenal, 3-0, at Stoney Field. Goalscorers included ex-College of Charleston star Rya Kurtz and former Charleston Southern standout Nigel James. Mario Lone, who was the Battery’s top goalscorer in 1993, added the third tally that night.
Seize the Momentum – Charleston received a big boost with the win over the weekend, their first across all competitions since the April 4 win over Louisville. It’s been a relatively turbulent start to the year for the Black and Yellow, but their home form remains strong. At Patriots Point, the Battery are undefeated in four games across all competitions (3W-0L-1D), and they will look to carry that form and ride the momentum in their return to league play.
Berry Opens His Account – Among the main notable developments from the weekend was Battery newcomer Miguel Berry scoring his first goal for the club. Berry had powered his way through Loudoun’s defense following a long ball over the top by Nathan Messer, beating two defenders and the goalkeeper for an open strike on the net. Berry has the team’s highest Expected Goals rating (2.84 xG) by Opta in USL play, signaling it was only a matter of time until his efforts yielded a tally for Charleston.
Familiar Face Returns – One name Charleston fans may recognize on the opposition is Zeke Soto, who joined Sporting Jax during the offseason as a free agent. Soto played in five matches for the Battery from 2024-25 but has regularly featured for his new club this year, making four appearances (three starts) in league play to date.
Houssou Leads League – Houssou Landry currently paces the league with 3.0 interceptions per 90 minutes, and his 12 total interceptions are one off the lead in the Championship.
Smith Cracks Top 10 – In Championship play, Graham Smith finds himself tied for the seventh-most clearances with 43. The league’s 2024 Defender of the Year currently averages 6.6 clearances per 90 minutes.
Zamudio Milestone Watch – Heading into this weekend, goalkeeper Luis Zamudio is closing in on 200 career saves in the USL Championship regular season. He currently has 198 to his name.
First of the May Slate – Charleston will kick off and conclude the month of May at Patriots Point with the games on May 2 against Jacksonville and on May 30 against Detroit City. However, there will be a bye week following this Saturday, followed by a pair of away days against the Richmond Kickers (May 16) and New Mexico United (May 23).
Cinco de Mayo Celebration – The Battery are also hosting their first theme night of the year as they celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend at Patriots Point. Fans can expect numerous festivities to mark the holiday, including live music, face painting for kids, contests, Spanish public address announcements, drink specials and more.
MATCH INFO
- Charleston Battery vs. Sporting Club Jacksonville
- Saturday, May 2 – 7 p.m. ET Kickoff
- Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally. The match will also air on local television on Palmetto Sports and Entertainment Network, channel WCSC 5.3 (SD) and WZCH-TV 35.3 (HD) in Charleston. Check with your TV provider for the exact channel number.
A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.