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Gameday Report: Vassell leads SD Loyal victory against Battery

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 04/10/22, 12:03AM EDT

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Northern Ireland forward notches pair of goals in 4-1 result at Torero Stadium

SAN DIEGO – Kyle Vassell scored a pair of goals as San Diego Loyal SC took a 4-1 victory against the Charleston Battery at Torero Stadium on Saturday night to maintain the club’s perfect record on home turf this season.

SD Loyal took the lead in the 11th minute when Vassell brought down a long pass upfield from Nick Moon sharply and quickly fed Thomas Amang, who controlled and then slipped a return pass that set up for the arriving Tumi Moshobane to sweep home first time into the right corner from 15 yards. The hosts went close again 10 minutes later only for Evan Conway shot over from the left side of the penalty area, but in the 22nd minute a moment of misfortune arrived for the visitors as a cross from the right was shot off the post by Amang, only for the rebound to deflect off Battery goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky and into the net for an own goal.

The Battery pulled a goal back in the 27th minute when Mauro Cichero bravely headed home a cross from the left by Geobel Perez into the left corner despite a clash of heads with a covering defender. The visitors then had a chance to level three minutes later when a cross from the right by Andrew Booth found Augustine Williams at the back post, but his header was blocked and cleared by SD Loyal’s Grant Stoneman. The hosts restored their two-goal lead as the game ticked into first-half stoppage time, however, when Vassell drove home at the second attempt after receiving a free kick from the left by Alejandro Guido at the near post.

Charleston created some half-chances early in the second half as they worked to get back into the game, including a half-volleyed effort by Cichero that flashed just over the crossbar in the 68th minute. SD Loyal tried to hit on the counterattack, meanwhile, and almost did three minutes later when Amang cut back after bursting toward the right side of the penalty area only to send his finish high. With 15 minutes to go, however, the hosts put the game away as Vassell notched his second goal of the game, receiving a pass from Jack Blake outside the penalty area and firing low into the bottom-right corner of the net.

USL Championship Player of the Match

Kyle Vassell, San Diego Loyal SC – Vassell recorded a pair of goals on four shots, completed 18 of 22 passes overall and won 6 of 12 duels to lead the hosts to a fifth victory this season.

Scoring Summary
SD
– Tumi Moshobane (Thomas Amang) 11’
SD – Joe Kuzminsky (own goal) 22’
CHS – Mauro Cichero (Geobel Perez) 27’
SD – Kyle Vassell (Alejandro Guido) 45+1’
SD – Kyle Vassell (Jack Blake) 75’

Full Box Score

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