The Charleston Battery are set to host Loudoun United FC on Sat., Oct. 26, in the regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET and the match will stream on ESPN+, and air on local television on WCSC 5.7 (Charleston) and WIS 10.4 (Columbia).
Charleston and Loudoun meet for the second time this season after the Battery took a 1-2 road win in the midday match back in July. Nathan Dossantos and Nick Markanich scored that morning, while goalkeeper Adam Grinwis recorded five saves.
The Battery (17W-6L-10D, 61pts) head into Saturday looking to build momentum for the playoffs. Charleston are winless in their last three matches, however some adjustments and experimentation in the squads in recent weeks have seen more players get more minutes in the buildup to the postseason. Last game, the Battery played Rhode Island FC to a 1-1 home draw that featured late heroics from MD Myers with an equalizer and Grinwis with a PK save.
Loudoun (11W-13L-9D, 42pts) arrive in the Lowcountry hoping the stars will align to catapult them into the playoffs as they are on the outside looking in. Loudoun need a win and a combination of results involving the teams ahead of them in the standings to ascend to No. 8 in the table and make the playoffs. Loudoun’s last time out was a 0-2 home loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
Looking at the Eastern Conference standings, the Battery are in second and Loudoun are in 10th.
Storylines of the Match
The All-Time Series – Charleston are historically the more successful side in the head-to-head matchups and have a 7W-1L-3D record over Loudoun since 2019. The Battery are undefeated in the last nine meetings against Loudoun.
Turn the Tide – While the Battery are sitting strong in the No. 2 seed for the playoffs, they have 90 minutes remaining to build momentum for the postseason. Charleston were unlucky not to come away with three points against Rhode Island after a strong showing, but securing their first win since September 21 would set up the Battery with the boost they need going into the playoffs.
Looking for Defensive Answers – While Charleston’s defense has been solid for the majority of the year, they have not recorded a shutout in their last seven matches. The most recent clean sheet was on August 24, the 6-0 victory over Orange County SC. The Battery will aim to get a clean sheet tallied against a Loudoun side that are goalless in their last three contests.
Fauroux Revient – Returning this weekend will be former Battery shot-stopper Hugo Fauroux, who is in his second campaign with Loudoun. Fauroux will have a big role to play if he’s in the lineup to keep Loudoun’s playoff hopes alive.
M&M Boys Hit 50 G+A – With his 14th league goal of the season last match, MD Myers and Nick Markanich have a combined goal involvement (goals and assists) of 50, far and away the best duo in the USL Championship. Markanich ranks first in G+A and Myers is fourth.
Club Record on Horizon – With 17 wins in the regular season, the Battery have tied their club record for most wins in the regular season in their USL Championship era, a mark set just last season. Their final chance to set a new record is this weekend.
Golden Boot in Sights – With 28 goals to his name, Markanich is a shoo-in to win the league’s Golden Boot. He is on pace to become the club’s fifth all-time Golden Boot winner and the first in 14 years. In doing so, he will join Patrick Olalere (1996), Conway (2000 and 2001) and Lamar Neagle (2010) as the next Battery player to be crowned the league’s top goalscorer.
Playoff Projections – While the Battery’s match will be at the top of Charleston fans' minds on Saturday, the slate of games kicking off later in the night will be worth keeping an eye on. Charleston are locked in at No. 2 in the standings but the No. 7 spot is still up in the air. Any one of Hartford Athletic, North Carolina FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies could find themselves in that spot to travel to Charleston after the dust settles on Saturday.
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Loudoun United FC
Saturday, October 26 – 6 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will air on local television on WCSC channel 5.7 in Charleston and WIS channel 10.4 in Columbia. Check the local listing for the exact channel number with your television provider.
It will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally.
A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
