STATESBORO, Ga. – The Charleston Battery played South Georgia Tormenta FC to a 3-3 draw, winning the penalty shootout for the bonus point, in Round 3 of the USL Jägermeister Cup group stage on Saturday at Tormenta Stadium. Charleston’s goals by Leland Archer, Cal Jennings and Emilio Ycaza were matched by the hosts’ late push for penalties. Goalkeeper Christian Garner recorded a penalty save during regulation, then delivered again in the shootout to secure the bonus point.
The night kicked off in 90 degrees Fahrenheit and with the Battery making six changes to their starting lineup from a week ago. Among the most notable of these changes was 17-year-old Viggo Ortiz slotting in for his first career professional start.
Leland Archer rose to the occasion in the 8th minute to fire the Battery ahead 0-1 with a towering header off Arturo Rodriguez’s corner kick. The chance materialized after Ortiz’s slicing advance into the box led to a corner kick, which Rodriguez delivered perfectly into the box. Archer leapt highest and redirected the ball into the net for the opening tally, Charleston’s first in the Jägermeister Cup.
Archer’s goal was his first of the season, and the fourth of his career. Rodriguez’s assist was his third of the year.
Tormenta looked to score an equalizer minutes later, but Yaniv Bazini’s shot hit off the woodwork.
Houssou Landry nearly notched his second goal in as many games in the 29th minute with a thundering shot from close range, but the attempt was saved by goalkeeper Samuel Jones. On the opposite end, goalkeeper Christian Garner made his first save of the night in the 30th minute, denying Taylor Gray.
In the 32nd minute, Mark Segbers made a crucial intervention against an advance into the box by Tormenta’s Niall Reid-Stephen, denying a promising chance for an equalizer with the incisive tackle.
Tormenta managed to level the score at 1-1 in the 44th minute via Gabriel Cabral off a free kick.
Garner came up big in stoppage time to save Reid-Stephen’s one-on-one opportunity after a defensive error led to the opportunity.
The game went into the break all square at 1-1. Charleston held a whopping 72% possession, but Tormenta had the majority of shots (eight to four).
Play resumed for the second half with both sides pushing for a breakthrough goal early. Tormenta had a pair of shots in the opening 10 minutes of the new half, but neither went on target.
Cal Jennings was the one who delivered just before the hour mark, slotting home a tricky finish in the 58th minute to give the Battery a 1-2 lead. Rodriguez took on three defenders in the box and provided the service with a cross to the Georgia native. From there, Jennings took a touch and turned to open the space for the goal that went between defender Jackson Kasanzu’s legs.
The goal was Jennings’ 12th of the year across all competitions, and the assist was Rodríguez’s fourth.
Tormenta were eager to level the score again immediately after Jennings’ goal and Garner was called to save another Reid-Stephen shot in the 60th minute, this time a diving stop that went off the crossbar.
Another noteworthy moment occurred in the 62nd minute when newcomer Jeremy Kelly came off the bench to make his Battery debut.
Kelly’s impact was immediately felt on the pitch, as he set up Emilio Ycaza to extend the Battery’s lead to 1-3 in the 64th minute. Kelly made the initial advance into the box from a pass by Ycaza before returning the ball to its original sender, and Ycaza fired a first-time strike to the far post.
Ycaza’s goal and Kelly’s assist were their first of the season, respectively.
Diego Rodríguez was the next debutant of the night, as he came off the bench in the 72nd minute to make his professional debut. The 18-year-old Rodriguez, and younger brother of Arturo, is signed to a USL Academy contract.
Tormenta, fighting for a wild card spot, began to apply heavy pressure in the latter stages of the game, with Sebastián Vivas hitting the post in the 74th minute, followed by Jonathan Nyandjo doing the same two minutes later. Vivas managed to score in the 83rd minute to make the score 2-3.
Nearing stoppage time, Tormenta were awarded a penalty after Segbers was deemed to have fouled Reid-Stephen in the box. However, Garner rose to the occasion again, making the penalty save against Vivas to preserve the 2-3 score.
Despite his heroics, Tormenta found the equalizer via Reid-Stephen in stoppage time to force the penalty shootout.
The match ended in a 3-3 draw, sharing a point apiece, with a bonus point up for grabs in the shootout.
Both Charleston and Tormenta were perfect through the first four rounds. Jackson Conway, Arturo Rodríguez, MD Myers and Ycaza all converted for the Battery, and Kelly delivered in the fifth round to add pressure to Tormenta. This time, Garner came up clutch and denied Gabriel Alves with a diving save, securing the bonus point for the Battery.
The points earned are the first for the Battery in the tournament, but Charleston remain in sixth in Group 6.