The Charleston Battery hit the road for a full-tilt clash against Louisville City FC on Sat. Aug 17. Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET and the match will stream via ESPN+.
This weekend will be the second time the Battery and LouCity face each other this season. Charleston defeated Louisville at Patriots Point back in April on national television, a 3-2 comeback victory powered by goals from MD Myers and Nick Markanich (2).
Charleston (14W-3L-7D, 49pts) head to Kentucky following their second consecutive win, a 3-1 triumph over Memphis 901 FC. The Battery were led by goals from Markanich, Myers and Juan David Torres. Both Markanich and Torres recorded one goal and one assist, performances that landed them on the league’s Team of the Week.
Louisville (16W-4L-2D, 50pts) remain at home after a 4-3 victory over Sacramento Republic FC last weekend. The match was a back-and-forth affair with multiple lead changes and was decided on the last kick of the game with a goal by Wilson Harris.
Looking at the Eastern Conference standings, the Battery are in second and LouCity are in first.
Storylines of the Match
1 vs. 2 – Saturday’s match will see No. 1 Louisville face off No. 2 Charleston and the winner will take the top spot in the table after the final whistle. The result could also have heavy implications on determining the winners of the Players’ Shield as only one-third of the season remains, along with Charleston and Louisville having further separated themselves from the rest of the league.
1 vs. 2, Continued – Beyond the Eastern Conference standings, the Battery and LouCity are the top teams in various statistical categories. Louisville are first in overall goals and goals scored per match and Charleston are second in both. Louisville have the best home record in the conference, while Charleston are tied for the best away record in the conference. The Battery are also first in shutouts and LouCity are tied for fifth.
Entering Tough Confines – Charleston will be visiting a hostile environment with an expected crowd of over 11,500 on Saturday. Louisville have lost only once at home and won their other 10 home fixtures. This includes a victory over Sacramento Republic FC last week, who were unbeaten in their last 11 away matches prior to that game.
Eastern Conference Final Rematch, Part 2 – Saturday will be the second meeting between the sides since Charleston knocked out Louisville in last year’s Eastern Conference Final. The Battery won the first meeting this year, 3-2, at Patriots Point in a thrilling comeback effort that was powered by a Nick Markanich brace.
Torres Hitting His Stride – Juan David Torres has been one of the league’s top players recently after recording two goals and three assists in the past three matches. His performances earned him back-to-back selections to the Championship’s Team of the Week. Torres has five assists, tied for most on the team in league play.
Markanich Continues Chasing History – With 21 goals, Markanich takes sole possession of fourth place in the club’s all-time single-season goal record. The club record for goals scored in a single season (all competitions) is Paul Conway’s mark of 27 in 2001. The USL Championship’s single-season record is 25 goals. The Battery have 10 regular season matches remaining.
Pirmann Returns – Battery boss Ben Pirmann will be back on the touchline this weekend after serving a two-match red card suspension.
Milestone Watch – Two Battery players are nearing career milestones in the USL Championship regular season. Jackson Conway is approaching 100 regular season matches (99) and Graham Smith is nearing 150 regular season matches (149).
MATCH INFO
Louisville City FC vs. Charleston Battery
Saturday, August 17 – 8 p.m. ET Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally.