September 29, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Charleston Battery vs Toronto FC II game review (from charlestonbattery.com)
Battery beaten in final regular season home game By Sarah Cardamone , 09/29/18, 9:30PM EDT The Charleston Battery lost, 2-1, to Toronto FC II Saturday night in their final game at MUSC Health Stadium this season. The Battery finished the regular season with a 10-2-5 record at home. Charleston started brightly, creating two quality scoring chances in the first five minutes of the match. A bouncing ball in the penalty area fell to Victor Mansaray in the third minute, He struck a stinging volley on frame, but goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Senell punched it out for a corner kick. Neveal Hackshaw rose up and flicked the ensuing corner on frame at the near post, but his effort was cleared off the line. As the half wore on, the Battery continued to create dangerous scoring chances, but couldn’t convert. Patrick Okonkwo came close to scoring twice in the final minutes of the first half, but both of his headers floated just over the goal and the two sides went into the break tied at zero. The Battery found a breakthrough just after halftime. Ataulla Guerra received the ball at midfield, held his defender off, and ran at the Toronto back line before playing Okonkwo through. Okonkwo collected the pass and calmly tucked the ball in at the back post to put the hosts ahead. Toronto answered almost immediately when Matt Srbely found space down the right flank. Srbely dribbled towards the endline before cutting the ball back through the six yard box. Ayo Akinola slipped behind his defender and finished Srbely’s cross to equalize. The visitors scored the eventual game-winner in the 65th minute as the Battery threw numbers forward in search of a go-ahead goal of their own. Terique Mohammed collected a pass out wide on the left before serving a cross into the penalty area. Jordan Hamilton beat his defender to the ball and slipped a header in at the near post to put Toronto in front. The Battery continued to press and create chances as time wound down, but couldn’t convert. The best chance came from a corner kick in the 85th minute. Hackshaw rose up and met Gordon Wild’s driven delivery at the near post, but his header fell just wide. “In the end, we had a great regular season here at home,” said Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser. “It’s disappointing to lose, but we have to regain our focus and try to pick up maximum points on our next two road games.” Despite the loss, the Battery still has a chance of earning a home game in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. They remain in fourth place and hold a five point advantage over fifth-place Indy Eleven with two games left to play. The Battery will travel to play Atlanta United 2 on October 7 and Ottawa Fury FC on October 13 to finish the season. Box Score: CHARLESTON - Joe Kuzminsky, Leland Archer, Skylar Thomas, Neveal Hackshaw, O’Brian Woodbine (yellow card, 37;Nico Rittmeyer, 74), Tah Brian Anunga, Vincenzo Candela (Kotaro Higashi, 85), Victor Mansaray, Patrick Okonkwo (goal, 52), Ian Svantesson (Gordon Wild, 74), Ataulla Guerra Substitutes - Odisnel Cooper, Taylor Mueller, Jarad van Schaik, Jay Bolt, Kotaro Higashi TORONTO - Caleb Patterson-Senell, Tim Kubel (Nobel Okello, 63), Kyle Bjornethun, Robert Boskovic, Terique Mohammed (yellow card, 81), Dante Campbell (yellow card, , Liam Fraser, Tsubasa Endoh, Matt Srbely, Malik Johnson, Ayo Akinola (goal, 56; Jordan Hamilton, 63; goal, 65) Substitutes - Borja Angoitla, Malyk Hamilton, Aidan Daniels, Luca Petrasso, Shaan Hundal
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