The Charleston Battery hit the road to start the new month, facing Loudoun United FC on Sat., June 7, in Week 14 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Segra Field is set for 6 p.m. ET and the match will stream on ESPN+.
Saturday’s contest will be the first between Charleston and Loudoun this season.
The Battery (8W-2L-0D, 24pts) enter Virginia on a seven-game win streak in league play. Their last foray in the Championship ended in a 1-3 road win over Detroit City FC, with Cal Jennings finding the back of the net twice in the first half and a Goal of the Week-winning strike from Juan David Torres in the second half. Charleston’s most recent outing was a 0-1 home defeat in the USL Jägermeister Cup against Greenville Triumph SC.
Loudoun (7W-3L-0D, 21pts) are off to their best season in the club’s seven-year history. They head into this weekend looking to bounce back in league play after being dealt defeat on the road against Miami FC, 2-1. The Virginia club’s latest match was a 2-1 home victory over Louisville City FC in the Jägermeister Cup last Saturday.
Looking at the Eastern Conference standings, Charleston are in first and Loudoun are in third.
Storylines of the Match
Top-3 Duel – Saturday’s contest will be appointment viewing as two of the league’s top sides clash after their respective flying starts. Charleston recently took over the No. 1 spot in the league, but Loudoun had set the pace for most of the campaign. Now the sides are even at 10 games played with only three points separating them, meaning Saturday could be an early, and possibly decisive, fixture in the Players’ Shield race.
Golden Boot Contenders – Both clubs’ talismen are among the best in the Championship. While the teams have been competing at the top of the table, Cal Jennings and Abdellatif Aboukoura have been competing in the Golden Boot race. The two have been neck-and-neck all year, and Jennings currently leads the league with 11 goals in the regular season, just ahead of Aboukoura’s total of eight.
Tough Confines – Loudoun have heretofore been among the strongest teams when playing at home in the Eastern Conference. They currently have a perfect 4W-0L-0D record at Segra Field and their 12 points won at home are the second-most in the conference, behind only Charleston’s 15 won at Patriots Point.
All-Time Series – Historically, the Battery have held the edge in the series between the two sides. Charleston hold an 8W-1L-3D record against Loudoun since 2019. The Battery swept last year’s series with a pair of 2-1 wins, with Nathan Dossantos and Nick Markanich scoring in the match at Segra Field.
Familiar Faces Return – Two familiar faces will return to Loudoun as members of the Battery in Luis Zamudio and Houssou Landry. Both Zamudio and Houssou starred for Loudoun during their respective tenures in Leesburg. Zamudio and Houssou were teammates during the 2022 season at Loudoun before reuniting in Charleston this past offseason.
Virginia Homecoming – It will be a bit of a homecoming for Virginia-native Michael Edwards this weekend. Edwards hails from Woodbridge, Va., which is roughly 40 miles southeast of Segra Field in Leesburg. The center-back has impressed since arriving on loan from Colorado Rapids in May and will look to keep that form going in his return to his home state.
Jennings Chasing History – Last league match, Cal Jennings tied the Championship record for most consecutive games with a goal contribution, nine. The span dates back to the March 15 win over Rhode Island, when Jennings bagged a brace to introduce himself to the Lowcountry faithful. A goal or assist for Jennings would set a new league record.
Torres Hunting for Golden Playmaker – Along with Jennings leading the Championship in goals, Juan David Torres is tied for the lead in the Championship Golden Playmaker race with five assists. He also has the second-most chances created in the league (23, tied).
Upcoming Milestones – A trio of Battery players are nearing personal milestones for their careers in the USL Championship regular season. Mark Segbers is approaching 15,000 minutes player (14,815); Cal Jennings is working toward 10,000 minutes played (9,748); Douglas Martinez is closing in on 150 appearances (148).
Rubín on International Duty – Rubio Rubín is off on international duty after being called up to represent Guatemala during the June FIFA International Window. Los Chapines will compete in World Cup qualification June 6-10 and then kick off their Gold Cup campaign on June 16. Rubín has been a fixture for Guatemala since his debut in 2022, recording 11 goals and 30 caps for Los Chapines.
MATCH INFO
Loudoun United FC vs. Charleston Battery
Saturday, June 7 – 6 p.m. ET Kickoff
Segra Field
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally.