The Charleston Battery return home to face the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sat., Sept. 21, for Hispanic Heritage Night at Patriots Point. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the match will stream on ESPN+, and air on local television on WCSC 5.3 (Charleston) and WIS 10.4 (Columbia).
Charleston and Tampa Bay meet again after the Florida outfit won the first fixture, 4-2, in St. Petersburg. Juan David Torres and Graham Smith scored the Battery’s goals that evening.
The Battery (16W-5L-8D, 56pts) return home looking to bounce back after falling 2-0 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Charleston’s offense was held in check over a mile above sea level and will be aiming to get back on track at Patriots Point. The silver lining of the night was the Battery punching their ticket to the 2024 playoffs thanks to favorable results around the league that secured their spot.
Tampa Bay (13W-8L-7D, 46pts) were back in the win column last weekend after snapping a two-game losing streak. The Rowdies beat Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 2-1, in comeback fashion on Saturday, erasing a 0-1 deficit at halftime by scoring two goals in the second half.
Looking at the Eastern Conference standings, the Battery are in second and Tampa Bay are in third.
Storylines of the Match
Rivalry Renewed – A new chapter will be written in the Charleston-Tampa Bay rivalry this weekend, dubbed the No Quarter Derby by the clubs’ respective supporter groups. The Battery lead the all-time series with a 10W-9L-3D record over Tampa Bay and will be eager to avenge July’s defeat.
Home Field Advantage on the Table – After Charleston punched their ticket to the playoffs last weekend, the next goal in the crosshairs is securing a top-four finish, and thus a home playoff game in the opening round. To do this, the Battery will need:
- Win vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies to move to 59pts
- AND – Indy Eleven fails to take victory vs. North Carolina FC; Battery hold head-to-head tiebreaker
- OR – Detroit City FC fails to take victory against Louisville City FC
Markanich Eyes League Record – Nick Markanich is one goal away from setting the new USL Championship single-season goal record. The Golden Boot leader has 25 goals so far, which ties the current record. Additionally, Markanich is within two goals of tying the club’s all-time single-season record for overall goals, 27 set in 2001 by Paul Conway (all competitions).
M&M Boys Chase History – Nick Markanich and MD Myers have a combined 38 goals this year in Championship play. The duo is two goals away from setting a new record for the most goals scored by an attacking partnership in a Championship regular season.
League’s Top Scorers Meet – Four of the Championship’s top-five goalscorers will meet at Patriots Point this weekend. Charleston’s Markanich (No. 1) and Myers (No. 5) will be opposite Tampa Bay’s Manuel Arteaga (No. 3) and Cal Jennings (No. 4). Markanich and Myers have a combined 38 goals while Arteaga and Jennings have 28 combined.
Top Defenses Stand in the Way – On the flip side, both Charleston and Tampa Bay boast formidable defensive units. Charleston are tied for the league lead in shutouts (13) and Tampa Bay are tied for fifth with (10).
Closing Out September – This Saturday’s match will be the Battery’s final contest in September. Charleston will have a bye in Week 30, giving the side an opportunity to rest and recover before the final month of the regular season and playoffs.
Hispanic Heritage Night Celebrations – A fan-favorite theme night, the Battery will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Night at Patriots Point on Saturday. The festivities include numerous in-stadium activations, Hispanic food vendors, latin music with DJ Luigi Bravo, face painting and temporary tattoos for kids and more. Charleston’s roster includes plenty of Hispanic influence with representation from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Chile.
MATCH INFO
Charleston Battery vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Saturday, September 21 – 7:30 p.m. ET Kickoff
Patriots Point
HOW TO WATCH:
Saturday’s match will air on local television on WCSC channel 5.3 in Charleston and WIS channel 10.4 in Columbia. Check the local listing for the exact channel number with your television provider.
It will also stream on ESPN+ domestically and through the league’s YouTube channel for free internationally.
A limited amount of tickets for Saturday are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery’s exclusive digital ticketing provider.
