CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery became the first side to defeat the Tampa Bay Rowdies as a first-half goal by Stavros Zarokostas proved the difference in a 1-0 victory at the Patriots Point Soccer Complex that ran Charleston’s winning streak to four games and moved the Battery within a point of the Rowdies at the top of Group H.

Following the opening minutes of the contest, between 7:00 and 8:46 of the match, players from both sides came together at the center circle, united against racism, and in support of equality, diversity and compassion.

In the game, the Battery got out on the front foot and almost took the lead in the 17th minute when Angelo Kelly cut inside from the right to the top of the penalty area and sent a low shot just wide of the left post. Kelly had a role to play as the Battery opened the score five minutes later, however, as his curling pass with the outside of his right boot played Zarokostas into the left channel, and after he cut back onto his right foot the Greek forward curled home a powerful strike to the top-right corner for an emphatic strike.

Charleston almost added to its lead seven minutes before halftime as after Zarokostas circled back after running into a dead end and had a shot blocked. The rebound came to Kelly, who created space and snapped a shot from the left channel that Zeiko Lewis redirected near the penalty spot, but Lewis’ touch sent the ball wide of the left post.

After failing to record a goal in the opening half, the Rowdies quickly rectified that after the halftime break. A corner kick from the right found Juan Tejada for a header that saw Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky shielded on the goal line by Kyle Murphy, but Kuzminsky was able to still make the save. Sebastian Guenzatti then went close as a cross from the right by Malik Johnson reached Tampa Bay’s captain at the back post, only for his finish to go into the left side-netting.

Lewis almost found a second for the Battery on the hour-mark with a left-footed cross from the right that almost fooled everyone as it landed in the six yard area and didn’t quite spin hard enough to tuck into the far corner of the net. Rowdies goalkeeper Evan Louro then came up with two crucial saves, first making a one-handed denial of Zarokostas and then two minutes later a low diving save to keep out a shot by Nico Rittmeyer that was pegged for the bottom-left corner.

Tampa Bay tried to find a late equalizer, too, and Yann Ekra had a clean strike from 25 yards fly just over the crossbar with six minutes remaining. Lewis Hilton also had a late chance that flew high over the crossbar in second-half stoppage time, but that would prove the last chance of the night for the visitors as the Battery brought their undefeated run to an end.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Stavros Zarokostas, Charleston Battery – The Greek forward scored an outstanding finish for the game’s only goal and recorded three shots and one key pass while completing 11 of 14 passes overall.