By: Charleston Battery
The Charleston Battery return home this week to host Memphis 901 FC on Sat., August 26th. Kickoff at Patriots Point is set for 7:30 pm.
The Battery and 901 FC square off for the second time this year after meeting back in June in Tennessee. Memphis won the game 3-2 despite the Battery dominating much of the evening, with some self-inflicted errors helping the hosts secure the win. Beto Avila and Fidel Barajas scored for the Black and Yellow.
Charleston (12W-7L-7D, 43 pts) return home after a three-game road stand that concluded in a 2-0 defeat at Orange County SC. August has been a mixed bag of one win, two losses and one draw, but the Battery will be aiming to end the month on a high note at home. Sitting third in the Eastern Conference standings, the fight will start heating up for a top-four finish to guarantee a home playoff game in the first round.
Memphis (10W-6L-8D, 38 pts) arrive in the Lowcountry on a four-game undefeated run. The Tennessee outfit lat played on Wednesday to a scoreless draw at home against Indy Eleven. Heading into this weekend, 901 FC currently sit fourth in the conference standings, one spot below the Battery, but have two games in hand.
Derek Dodson is the player to watch for the Battery. The fullback has recorded two goals, three assists and 19 chances created, and is one of three players on the Battery to start all 26 league games this year.
Rodrigo da Costa is one to keep an eye on for 901 FC. The former Tulsa ace joined Memphis midway through the season and is the visitors' leading goalscorer in the league this year (nine).
There is plenty of familiarity with Saturday's opponents from the Battery's side. Head Coach Ben Pirmann, assistant coach Devin Rensing and players Trey Muse, Derek Dodson, Chris Allan, and Handwalla Bwana arrived in Charleston in the offseason after tenures at Memphis.
Trey Muse recorded his eighth clean sheet of the year on Saturday and his next will set a new career-high for shutouts in a season.
The Battery's next victory will be the 50th regular season win for Head Coach Ben Pirmann's career in the USL Championship. Pirmann currently has 49 wins in 95 regular season games.
Charleston will be without Jesse Randall, who is off on international duty with the New Zealand U-23 national team for Olympic qualifiers. If New Zealand win the qualification tournament, they'll punch their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Including Saturday, Charleston have eight regular season games remaining, five are at home and three are away.
