LEESBURG, Va. – The Charleston Battery defeated Loudoun United FC, 0-1, in Week 23 of the USL Championship regular season at Segra Field on Saturday. Second half substitute Langston Blackstock scored the winner on fellow substitute Douglas Martinez’s assist in the 64th minute to secure the victory over Loudoun. Charleston achieved their 200th all-time win in the USL Championship regular season. Additionally, by completing the season sweep of Loudoun, the Battery tied the league record for most consecutive games unbeaten against a single opponent (15).
Charleston kicked off looking to solve their road woes against a Loudoun side they had already defeated away from home.
Loudoun’s Abdellatif Aboukoura issued the first warning shot in the 4th minute with a strong attempt that rocked off the woodwork. However, the effort represented the only shot for either side in the first 15 minutes of play.
The Battery held roughly 64% possession through the half-hour mark but only had two shots recorded, an off-target header in the 20th minute by Sean Suber and a blocked attempt in the 23rd minute by Kirill Pakhomov.
Charleston and Loudoun went into the break scoreless after neither side recorded a shot on target in the first half.
Action resumed in the second half with all still to play for.
Loudoun nearly broke the game open in the 49th minute if not for a resolute defensive effort by the Battery on two moments in quick succession. First, goalkeeper Luis Zamudio saved Eddy Davis III’s shot from inside the box that wasn’t fully cleared away. Second, Joey Akpunonu expertly positioned himself on the goal line to block Richard Aman’s follow-up shot.
Zamudio made a clutch finger-tip save in the 54th minute to again deny Davis.
The Battery broke the game open in the 64th minute when Langston Blackstock found the back of the net for a 0-1 lead. Blackstock and Douglas Martinez both entered the match off the bench roughly seven minutes earlier and combined for the goal. Martinez played a cross into the box, and Blackstock made a timely run through the middle of the box for a routine finish.
Blackstock’s goal is his third of the year in USL competitions, and Martinez’s assist is his second.
As the game wore on in the final stages, Charleston looked to tighten their grip and see out the road triumph.
The Battery did just that and secured the 0-1 win over Loudoun for their 10th league victory, and third on the road, of the year.
Charleston secured their 200th all-time victory in the Championship’s regular season with the win, becoming the second team in league history to achieve the feat.
With the 15th consecutive unbeaten match against Loudoun, Charleston tied the USL Championship record for the longest undefeated run against a single opponent in USL competitions.
The Battery’s record advanced to 10W-6L-3D (33pts), placing them second in the Eastern Conference table.
Luis Zamudio made four saves, two clearances and nine recoveries en route to his fifth clean sheet of the year, and second in as many games.
Joey Akpunonu posted a match-high seven clearances in addition to his shutout-saving block on the goal line.
Charleston’s next match will be away, against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on August 15. The Battery’s next home game is Sat., Aug. 22, against Miami FC, as the club celebrates Back to School Night at Patriots Point. Tickets for the match are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
Lineups:
LDN: Bandré, Niyongabire, Erlandson, Mazzaferro (Souper, 76’), Awuah, Akinyode, Murphy (Dias, 76’), Torres (Santos, 17’), Aman, Aboukoura, Davis (Lomtadze, 62’)
CHS: Zamudio, Messer (Martinez, 57’), Akpunonu, Smith, Suber, Pakhomov (Houssou, 85’), Ycaza, Cabrera (Blackstock, 57’), Kelly (Hughes, 85’), Foster (Allan, 75’), Berry
Scoring Summary:
CHS – Langston Blackstock, 64’ (Douglas Martinez)