USL Game Report

Saturday, April 18, 2015

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Battery forward Ricky Garbanzo’s final strike of the night caromed off the post on the last touch of the match, as the Battery and New York Red Bulls II drew 1-1 after a wild finish.

With the Battery (3-0-1) pushing hard to find the match winner in four minutes of stoppage time, the home team came close on multiple occasions, and thought it might have earned a penalty kick after contact in the box brought down midfielder Sebastien Thuriere.

But the Red Bulls II (1-1-2), who started five players from on loan from Major League Soccer, hung tough from start to finish in a match that ended as level in the statistics as it was on the score sheet.

After a back-and-forth first half that saw the Battery create the better chances, the Battery broke through in the first of two minutes of first-half stoppage. Forward Dane Kelly, making his first start since Opening Night, held off center back Andrew Jean-Baptiste long enough to get a cross off to midfielder Memo Rodriguez above the arc. The Houston loanee and homegrown academy product sent a bending strike toward Rafael Diaz’s goal that appeared to deflect on its way through traffic. It found the upper 90.

The Battery seemed to be taking control of the match in the second half, and came within a sigh of taking the 2-0 lead in the 63rd minute when a sizzling cross from midfielder Quinton Griffith eluded Garbanzo by inches only to reach Kelly at the far post. His angled shot from close range bounced off the near post, ending the threat.

Charleston’s advantage ended five minutes later. New York lined up a free kick after a yellow card to Garbanzo, who had replaced Rodriguez 10 minutes earlier. Midfielder Sean Davis’ kick found Abang’s head in traffic for the equalizer.

The Battery spent the final 20 minutes of regulation pushing for the game-winner, but it was not in the cards. New York also came close down the stretch, and Charleston defender Taylor Mueller, making his first appearance as the team captain in relief of Jarad van Schaik, cleared a dangerous free kick from the goal box in the 84th minute to help preserve the draw.