IRVINE, Calif. - The Charleston Battery clawed back to earn a point in a 2-2 draw against Orange County SC on Saturday at Championship Soccer Stadium. After a spirited, but scoreless, first half, the hosts pulled ahead to a 2-0 lead through the 76th minute. However, a conversion from the penalty spot by MD Myers and a goal by Rubio Rubín in the final minutes of the match leveled the score at 2-2 to force the draw.
Saturday kicked off with Charleston unbeaten against the Western Conference, and Orange County winless against the Eastern Conference.
It was a relatively cagey start to the night. Only three shots were recorded through the first 20 minutes, all by the Battery; an attempt by MD Myers that went adrift in the 2nd minute, and a pair of blocked strikes by Juan David Torres and Aaron Molloy in the 6th minute.
Tempers began to boil over around the half-hour mark as the intensity of the match ramped up. Five yellow cards would be issued in the first half, three to Charleston and two to Orange County.
In stoppage time, Houssou Landry connected with Cal Jennings, who was making a run into the box, for the first shot on target of the night, but Jennings’ attempt on the run was saved by goalkeeper Colin Shutler.
The match went into halftime scoreless, 0-0. Charleston recorded eight shots while Orange County failed to register any shots.
Play resumed for the second half with all still to play for on either side.
Pedro Guimaraes attempted Orange County’s first shot of the match in the 49th minute, drawing a clutch block by Langston Blackstock, who then cleared the ball away while on the ground.
Orange County managed to open the scoring in the 63rd minute via Ethan Zubak to take a 1-0 lead.
Charleston were eager to respond after incurring the 1-0 deficit. Myers, Jennings and Blackstock registered shots on targets in the minutes that shortly followed Zubak’s goal, but Shutler saved each shot.
The hosts were granted an opportunity to double their lead in the 75th minute when Bryce Jamison won a foul in the box, conceded by Houssou. Zubak converted from the spot a minute later to make the score 2-0.
Charleston remained resolute in their efforts to find a way back into the match despite the 2-0 scoreline.
A noteworthy moment occurred in the 82nd minute when Wesley Leggett checked into the match off the bench to help provide a spark on offense, officially marking Leggett’s Battery debut after joining the club earlier in the month.
The Battery’s sustained pressure paid off in the 83rd minute when Myers was brought down in the box by Ashton Miles to win a penalty. Myers then stepped up to the spot and converted the penalty a minute later, cutting the score to 1-2 and giving Charleston some late momentum.
The goal was Myers’ 13th of the league campaign, and his 17th of the year, tied for most on the team with Jennings.
Charleston continued to press forward with less than 10 minutes, plus stoppage time, remaining in the match.
The Battery did not have to wait long to level the score, as Rubio Rubín headed home the equalizer in the 86th minute to make it 2-2. In the set-piece play, Aaron Molloy delivered a sublime free kick from just outside of the 18-yard box, and Rubín perfectly timed his run to the edge of the six-yard box for the goal.
Rubín’s goal was his fourth of the season, scoring after entering the game off the bench in the 64th minute. Molloy’s assist was his fourth of the year across all competitions.
Charleston were reduced to 10 men in the 98th minute when Torres was shown a straight red card.
The points were shared in the end as the match finished at 2-2.
With the result, the Battery’s record moves to 17W-5L-4D (55pts), placing them second in the Eastern Conference. It also extends Charleston’s unbeaten run against Western Conference sides to five games.
After scoring his 13th league goal, MD Myers moved into a tie for second in the USL Championship Golden Boot race, three behind teammate Cal Jennings.
Juan David Torres led the game with six chances created, along with four duels won and five recoveries.
Aaron Molloy totaled the most accurate passes in the match, in addition to tallying three duels won, three recoveries, two chances created and one assist.
The pairing of Joey Akpunonu and Leland Archer co-led the game in clearances with six apiece.
Charleston’s next match will be home vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Sat., Oct. 11. Tickets for Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Patriots Point are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
Lineups:
OC: Shutler, Doghman, Latinovich, Miles, Guimaraes, Hegardt (Kone, 90+1’), Pinto (Partida, 82’), Kelly, Benalcazar, Zubak (Trager, 78’), Jamison (War, 77’)
CHS: Zamudio, Blackstock (Segbers, 77’), Akpunonu, Archer (Smith, 82’), Martínez, Rodríguez (Rubín, 64’), Houssou (Ycaza, 77’), Molloy, Torres, Myers, Jennings (Leggett, 82’)
Scoring Summary:
OC – Ethan Zubak, 63’ (Bryce Jamison)
OC – Ethan Zubak, 76’
CHS – MD Myers, 84’
CHS – Rubio Rubín, 86’ (Aaron Molloy)