The Charleston Battery drew 1-1 with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in a hotly contested stalemate at Patriots Point on Saturday. After going scoreless for the majority of the game, a pair of goals in quick succession in the final 10 minutes of regulation spelled the fate of the afternoon. Tampa Bay’s goal in the 80th minute was immediately responded to by Douglas Martinez’s header in the 82nd minute to see the points shared.
Saturday’s matinee kicked off amid pitch-perfect conditions with temperatures in the 80s between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Tampa Bay recorded the day’s first two shots in the 6th minute, a blocked attempt by Russell Cicerone and another off-target by Charlie Ostrem. However, after Jeremy Kelly’s blocked attempt in the 12th minute, the game would go on without a shot registered for roughly 20 minutes.
Wilmer Cabrera nearly opened the scoring in the 34th minute with the best chance of the afternoon to that point. However, Cabrera’s low curler went just wide of the post.
On the other end, Graham Smith made a crucial tackle against Cicerone in the 36th minute to thwart Tampa Bay’s counterattack.
Emilio Ycaza recorded the first shot on target of the game in the 43rd minute, a strong strike that forced a diving save from goalkeeper Jahmali Waite.
The game went into the break tied and scoreless. Charleston outshot Tampa Bay, five to three, and retained just under 56% possession in the first half.
Saturday’s second stanza began with all still to play for in the game.
Entering the game just moments prior, Laurent Kissiedou nearly broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when his header rattled off the base of the post but went out. The threat was initiated by Nathan Messer, who found Kissiedou unmarked inside the box, as the Battery ramped up pressure on the visitors.
Tampa Bay’s first shot on target came in the 74th minute, a strike by Louis Perez that required a routine save by goalkeeper Luis Zamudio.
The Rowdies managed to break the deadlock in the 80th minute via Sebastian Cruz, going ahead 0-1.
However, Charleston issued an immediate response with Douglas Martinez scoring the equalizer in the 82nd minute off a corner kick, leveling the score at 1-1. The service was provided by Messer, and Martinez contacted the ball with a glancing header that went right into the net.
The goal marked Martinez’s first tally with the Battery since joining in 2025, and Messer’s assist was his second of the year.
Both sides ramped up the pressure in the remaining moments of the match to try to steal the three points. Zamudio recorded the final save of the game, denying Perez again in stoppage time.
Saturday’s No Quarter Derby ended in a 1-1 draw, splitting the points.
The result advanced Charleston’s record to 3W-2L-1 (10pts) and was their first draw of the season, placing them fourth in the Eastern Conference, as of writing. It also moved the Battery’s all-time record against Tampa Bay to 15W-9L-4D.
Nathan Messer had a productive day on both sides of the ball, with one assist, four chances created (match-high), four clearances (co-team-high), six duels won and four recoveries.
Head Coach Ben Pirmann, and defenders Nathan Messer and Douglas Martinez addressed the media after the match, with key quotes to follow.
Coach Pirmann on the team’s overall performance…
I felt the boys played brilliantly. We were on them for 75, 80% of the game. We leaked another goal, so credit to them, they made the play, and we didn’t. But the response was immediate. We battered them in the first half. They changed shape to a five [at the back] in the second half, so we weren’t as thorough getting in behind them. But, I still thought we had loads of opportunities, lots of box arrivals, Laurent [Kissiedou] hit the post, we were there at the back post, we forced saves, and Jeremy [Kelly] hit a shot over. So I can’t really ask for much more.
We got to produce a little bit more in the run of play and finish the attack, but that’s football. What a performance. What courage, what belief. Great work at training. The staff did a great job, and the boys worked their socks off. Everybody was bought in to get better. It feels disappointing to drop the two points, but Tampa is a good team. I felt we controlled the game and did a great job coming back, so we have to settle for a point.
Coach Pirmann on scoring an equalizer two minutes after going down…
That’s just them being tough. That’s them being courageous. We’ve been up and down this season, in terms of performances, so to play so well and still be down a goal can be demoralizing. And they just got on with it.
Great ball [movement]. We did a really good job on our right side getting behind them. I thought we were really dominating those phases, to work them, it creates the corner. It was a great ball from Nate [Messer] and a great finish by Douglas [Martínez].
That was courage, that was strong belief, that was strong togetherness. We told the team that whether you slip, the ref gives a yellow card, or you go up a goal or down a goal, you just have to focus on the next play. So that was brilliant from the boys.
Like you said, it’s disappointing to drop as many points as we’ve dropped this season, but it’s a process. We’re getting better. If the boys play like that week in and week out, we'll win a lot of football matches.
Messer on his immediate takeaways from the game…
Honestly, a little frustrated that we didn't come through with three points, but that's just because we played so well. I thought we dominated the whole game. I think that performance deserves the win, against one of the top teams in the USL so far. I think we outplayed them and I think we should have walked away with three points, but at the very least, we can walk away being proud of the performance.
Messer on his performance after leading the match in chances created…
The guys around me are really good at feeding me the ball in high positions. I think I got some great looks at some great crossing opportunities. So, if we can convert a few more, that'd be great. I was really happy with the amount of times I could get the ball in the final third, that's something I've been really looking to increase as much as possible and get the most of it.
Martínez on scoring his first Battery goal with the equalizer…
I think we needed it, that was a set piece that we've been training during practice, and that was my job. I just tried to flick it, just in case some other teammate could score. But thank God I got the goal for the team.
[I was] pretty excited. I miss playing as a striker, but going to the corner kicks, I am always trying to be that striker that I used to be, but I'm enjoying [the new position]. I'm glad that we took this point, but a little bit disappointed, because we deserved to win, but football is like that, and hopefully next game we get the three points.
Charleston will hit the road again for their next two matches: Rhode Island FC (April 22) and Loudoun United FC (April 25). The Battery’s next home game will be on Sat., May 2, against the Sporting Club Jacksonville at Patriots Point. Tickets for the match are on sale now via SeatGeek.com, the club’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
Lineups:
CHS: Zamudio, Messer, Smith, Akpunonu, Houssou (Martínez, 67’), Pakhomov (Suber, 83’), Foster (Kissiedou, 67’), Kelly, Ycaza, Cabrera (Berry, 56’), Swan
TBR: Waite, Ostrem, Dossantos, Schaefer, Cruz, Schneider, Conway (Leerman, 46’), Cicerone, Micaletto (Mattheus, 60’), Dolabella (Hilton, 60’), Myers (Henderlong, 90’)
Scoring Summary:
TBR – Sebastian Cruz, 80’ (Mattheus Oliveira)
CHS – Douglas Martínez, 82’ (Nathan Messer)