USL Game Report

Saturday, September 26, 2015

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery rallied from an early deficit in overtime to take a dramatic 2-1 victory against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2015 USL Playoffs at MUSC Health Stadium. Rookie center back Forrest Lasso, brought on as an emergency forward in overtime, scored his first professional goal with seven minutes to go to give the Battery the victory, and a little revenge for the Kickers’ overtime victory by the same score in last season’s playoffs.

With the win, the Battery will now face Louisville City FC in the conference semifinals next Saturday night at Slugger Field.

After neither side found the net in the opening 90 minutes, the Kickers took the lead 48 seconds into overtime as a massive piece of misfortune befell Charleston defender Taylor Mueller. The center back tried to clear a cross into the penalty area, only for the ball to carom off his leg and loop over Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper and into the right side of the net.

Matt Delicâte almost made it two for Richmond three minutes later as his turning shot forced a good save from Cooper. The Battery then regained their composure, and went in search of an equalizer. Heviel Cordoves went close as he clipped a first-time finish off Navion Boyd’s low cross from the right, but Richmond goalkeeper Ryan Taylor saved.

Mueller came agonizingly close to redemption just before the end of the first overtime period, as he rose to head a deep corner kick just inside the right post, but Richmond’s George Davis IV headed the effort off the line and over the crossbar.

The Battery got back on even terms three minutes into the second period, though, as Dane Kelly was the first to a cross by Dante Marini from the left, and his header powered home past the advancing Taylor.

Space began to open up in the final 10 minutes, and Boyd forced another save from Taylor as he moved in from the right side and sent a low, left-footed shot on goal that would have found the right corner of the net. The Battery came up blank on consecutive corner kicks following the save, but the third would prove the charm as Justin Portillo’s delivery from the left found Lasso at the far post as the substitute sent his header into the left corner of the net.

The Battery were reduced to 10 men in the final minute of overtime as Boyd was shown his second yellow card for a shove that took out two Richmond players near the halfway line, and the resulting free kick saw the ball briefly pinball around the Battery’s penalty area before it was cleared.

The Kickers then threw everything forward in stoppage time. Davis sent a finish wide after a corner wasn’t cleared properly, and Hugh Roberts had a tame header easily saved by Cooper. The best chance to send the game to a penalty shootout fell to Delicâte. He had a big opportunity to level the score from eight yards as a ball by Sascha Görres was knocked back into the center of the penalty area, only for Cooper to make a sprawling save to keep the ball out.

Moments later the final whistle blew to send the Battery through.

Both sides had chances to take the lead in regulation, with the first falling to Richmond as Collin Martin found space in the 10th minute centrally 30 yards from goal, and slipped a well-weighted pass to Davis as he broke into the right channel. Cooper came off his line quickly to pressure the shot, and Davis’ effort slid wide of the left post.

Both sides pushed forward in numbers when given the chance, and Charleston came close to connecting off a set piece that fell just out the reach of Jarad van Schaik in the 22nd minute. Six minutes later, van Schaik was again in the middle of things as the Battery held possession after a free kick had been blocked by the Kickers’ defensive wall and sent a ball to the top of the penalty area. The Battery’s captain laid a pass back for Maikel Chang, but his first-time shot fizzed over the crossbar.

The focal points for both sides’ attacks also got involved regularly in the first half, and Richmond’s Jason Yeisley couldn’t quite get enough power behind a close-range header in the 34th minute, and Kelly menaced the Kickers defense on regular occasions. Yeisley forced a save from Cooper five minutes before the break as well, but both defenses held firm as the game went to the break scoreless.

Richmond threatened on the counter-attack early in the second half as a cross from the right by Davis had to be sent behind from within his own six-yard area by Battery defender Quinton Griffith as Yeisley threatened behind him. Alex Lee also had a good effort from distance from the Kickers as he pushed forward on the right, but Cooper saved comfortably.

Griffith also got involved in the attacking end, as he and van Schaik worked well to create space for a cross on the right, but Griffith’s delivery was headed clear by William Yomby. The Battery continued to pressure, however, and Portillo fired a shot just high and wide of the left post after a good cut past two defenders by Chang. Moments later, Ricky Garbanzo had a snap header saved by Taylor.

The game hung in the balance, as both defenses continued to withstand pressure, which forced both teams to look to strike from distance. Charleston’s Portillo sent a shot wide, and Kelly had an effort charged down as the game wound down to the final 15 minutes. The Battery also continued to try and work the right side, with Boyd adding an extra threat alongside Griffith after coming on as a substitute.

Kelly forced an excellent save from Taylor for the Battery in the 77th minute as he found a pocket of space at the top of the penalty area, and shot low to the left corner, but Richmond’s goalkeeper parried to safety.

The Kickers also got good use from their substitutions, as 2015 PDL Most Valuable Player Anthony Grant provided speed and good movement after coming on. Grant almost struck with four minutes to go in regulation with first-time finish that was well saved by Cooper, and a minute later the Battery surged again as Taylor saved at full stretch by Garbanzo.

The Battery looked the more likely side to grab a late winner as time wound down, as Garbanzo continued to agitate and challenge the Kickers’ defense, but the game remained scoreless as the second quarterfinal of the night went to overtime. Thanks to Kelly and Lasso’s overtime heroics, however, the Battery advanced with victory against their biggest rival.