The Charleston Battery (USL Championship) defeated the visiting Savannah Clovers (NISA) 4-1 in the Second Round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tuesday night in the Lowcountry.
The storylines were numerous in this first-ever meeting between these two coastal franchises and at the final whistle it was the history of Battery that defeated the destiny of the Clovers.
Charleston is one of the most successful lower-division professional teams in the nation when it comes to the US Open Cup and the Battery have appeared in the tournament 22 times since 1999 finishing as Runners-up in 2008. Dozens of home victories including several of the magical “Cupset” variety over a visiting MLS franchise have entertained the Palmetto state faithful throughout the years. With the win on Tuesday night, the Battery earn the club’s 35th all-time win, which ranks fifth among all teams in the Modern Era (1995-present).
Savannah, on the other end of their Open Cup journey, was making their tournament debut after making the jump into the professional ranks this season. A brand-new roster with just one professional match of experience on their resume would be put to the test by the homestanding Battery.
Charleston debuted a new orange third kit with the rebrand of Holy City Football Club in a nod to the church steeple filled skyline just across the Cooper River from Patriots Point stadium in downtown Charleston.
The weather at kickoff was a perfect 70 degrees with light winds coming off the harbor under partly cloud skies. In 2019 and 2022 the weather had not cooperated with the US Open Cup schedule and the delays didn’t favor the Battery as they were bounced from the Cup on both occasions.
The first 30 minutes saw Savannah absorb the Charleston pressure but only bend as much to allow a corner kick. Savannah would then look to spring their attack on a counter but the Battery defensive line were quick to put out any fires the Clovers could create.
Goal in Charleston. 1-0 @Chas_Battery in 36th minute. @usopencup @opencup pic.twitter.com/x6Xw5wVdS1
— TheSoccerForrest (@soccer_forrest) April 5, 2023
The breakthrough occurred in the 36th minute for the Battery as a poorly cleared corner kick was ripped by midfielder Robbie Crawford from the top of the box through a maze of players inside the penalty area beating the Savannah goalkeeper. The two teams went to the intermission with Charleston ahead 1-0. For Crawford, it was his second career US Open Cup goal. Last year, he scored one for Monterey Bay FC.
Just five minutes into the second half the Battery struck again as Augi Williams collected an AJ Patterson pass from the left side of the box to double the advantage to 2-0. The third Battery goal was in the 62nd minute as Tristan Trager and Dekland Wynne played a series of quick passes inside the penalty area to open up the near post before Trager ripped a shot past the scrambling Clovers defense.
Savannah did pull a goal back in the 75th minute against the run of play as Andres Sanchez slipped a ball past the Battery keeper to narrow the score to 3-1. Charleston didn’t waste anytime in answering the Clovers’ goal as forward Nick Markanich took a little dibble inside the area from a Wynne pass before roofing the ball for the fourth and final goal of the evening for the Battery.
2-0 @Chas_Battery in the 50th. Williams with the goal. @opencup @usopencup pic.twitter.com/57kViF7zyL
— TheSoccerForrest (@soccer_forrest) April 5, 2023
Battery head coach Ben Pirmann was pleased with the win as he looked at the big picture of how his team has opened the 2023 league and cup campaigns.
“The biggest thing right now for games this season is making sure we’re improving,” said Pirmann. “I thought our ball speed was pretty good, we did a good job of creating a lot of chances. Whether it was restarts, run of play, slip passes, this selflessness was pretty good.”
The win comes a year after an opening round loss to the South Georgia Tormenta in an empty stadium. That win snapped a 14-game opening round advance streak for Charleston. Prior to that, they hadn’t gone one-and-done since 2005. Now the Battery can begin another streak. Charleston will now await the Third Round draw and the next chapter of their US Open Cup story.
