Referee: Alan Schechtman
Assistant Referees: Abbas Piran, Howard Ash, Wayne Pavilscheck
Weather: Clear

Team Summary - Charleston Battery

Players

Tim Melia, Obrian Woodbine (Nigel Marples), Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Mike Zaher, Rudolph Mayard (Zach Prince 81'), Alioune Gueye, Kevin Jackson (Josh Bolton 79'), Amaury Nunes (Brandon Massie 66'), Lamar Neagle (Levi Coleman 89'), Tom Heinemann

Players not used - Yeniel Bermudez

Shots: 13
Saves: 0
Fouls: 13
Offsides: 6
Corners: 2
Cautions: Woodbine (14' - UB), Prince (90' - UB)

Team Summary - Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Players

Hunter Gilstrap,  Nathan Salsi, Sterling Flunder, Louie Rolko, Ryan Pierce, Tommy Gray, Shintaro Harada, Adam Gazda (Matt Baker 45'), Mike Seth (Jason Kutney 63'), Jeremey Deighton (Nikola Katic 75'), Chad Severs (Lee Kouadio-Tubey 45')

Players not used - Eddie Hayden

Charleston, SC - The Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-2-3) gave up a late goal to the Charleston Battery (5-0-1) to fall 2-1. The Battery honored the Nation’s Armed Forces on the evening in front of a crowd of 4,236.

From the start of the match, the Riverhounds focused on simple possession of the ball.  For the first twenty minutes the Hounds maintained the majority of the possession, but created limited opportunities to open the scoring.

In the 28^th minute the Battery took advantage of a turnover in the middle third of the field. The Battery, winning a tackle, transitioned quickly into the Riverhounds defensive third with numbers.  A Battery service was headed out of danger but the Riverhounds clearance was collected by Alioune Gueye on top of the penalty area. Gueye brought the ball down out of the air and volleyed a low, hard shot through the traffic and into the lower left side of the goal to take a 1-0 lead.

With the lead, the Battery picked up its offensive pressure and nearly led 2-0 a minute later, but were called offside.  In the 39^th minute, Riverhounds goalkeeper, Hunter Gilstrap prevented another quality opportunity for the Battery by shutting down Rudolph Mayard’s attempt to break the game open.

At the half, the Riverhounds brought in midfielder, Matt Baker and Forward, Lee Kouadio-Tobey to jump start the Hounds attack.  Both Baker and Kouadio-Tobey impacted the match immediately with their creativity and pace by creating multiple corners and dangerous set pieces.

In the 69^th minute, the Riverhounds converted on a set piece provided by a Battery foul.  Tommy Gray took a quick set piece from 40 yards out before the Battery could get organized.  Gray’s quick service was played behind the Battery’s defense and just wide of the back post to find Jeremy Deighton unmarked.  Deighton sharply headed the ball past the Battery’s goalkeeper, Tim Melia to level the match at one.

Ten minutes later the Riverhounds provided the Battery with a dangerous set piece from 35 yards out.  The Battery’s Mike Zaher played a driven ball to the top of the penalty area to pick out Tom Heinemann leaping above the scrum.  Heinemann’s connection with the ball sped off his head and put the Battery up 2-1 and secure the win for the Battery.

The two Clubs are slated to play again on Friday in Pittsburgh with a 7 PM Kick-Off at Chartiers Valley Stadium.  Tickets can be purchased at www.riverhounds.com or by calling the Riverhounds office at 412.539.1191.  (Youth-$6 Adult-$9)