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Crew SC Completes Field for 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 12/22/18, 8:58AM EST

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Winner of preseason tournament’s past two editions will return to Charleston in February


The Charleston Battery and Columbus Crew SC will square off for a third successive year at the 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup this February at MUSC Health Stadium. | Photo courtesy Zach Bland / Charleston Battery

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced on Friday that Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew SC would complete the field for the 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup, joining the Chicago Fire and FC Cincinnati in the preseason tournament this February at MUSC Health Stadium.

Columbus will return to Challenge Cup for the third consecutive year after winning the tournament each of the past two years. Preseason success has translated into regular-season success for Crew SC after its previous two visits to Charleston, with the club reaching the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs both years.

“We’re excited to bring Columbus back for another year,” said Charleston Battery Chairman Eric Bowman. “Crew SC is a fantastic club with a great pedigree and a lot of really talented players. This tournament allows us to bring some of the biggest names in professional soccer in this country to Charleston and there are several players on Columbus’ roster that we’re looking forward to seeing.”

The addition of Crew SC to the preseason tournament's field will see Columbus face Ohio rival FC Cincinnati on the final day of the tournament, Saturday, February 23. The two clubs previously met when FC Cincinnati was part of the USL Championship in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, when FCC took a 1-0 victory in the Fourth Round of the tournament at Nippert Stadium.

United States internationals Gyasi Zardes, Wil Trapp, and Zack Steffen will all return to the Challenge Cup in February after this week being selected to the first U.S. Men’s National Team camp of 2019 by new USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. Zardes experienced a resurgence with Crew SC in 2018 and was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year in November after scoring 19 goals in 33 appearances for the side. Trapp served as captain of the U.S. Men’s National Team eight times in 2018 was recently nominated for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, losing out to Steffen, who was also named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in the past campaign.

Crew SC recently announced Steffen’s transfer to Manchester City for the highest transfer fee for a goalkeeper in MLS history. Steffen will play with Columbus for the first half of the 2019 season before moving to the Premier League club in July.  

Zardes, Trapp, and Steffen join Bastian Schweinsteiger, Fanendo Adi, and numerous other MLS stars set to compete in the 2019 Challenge Cup. The 5,100 seat capacity at MUSC Health Stadium offers fans an unmatchable game-day experience and interaction with some of the league’s best players.

Single-day tickets, series passes, and group experiences for Challenge Cup are on sale now at charlestonbattery.com. Single-day tickets include both matches of the doubleheader and series passes include all six matches of the tournament. Special rates for groups of 15 or more start at $20. To book a group experience, call 843-971-GOAL.

2019 Carolina Challenge Cup Schedule
Saturday, February 16 
Columbus Crew SC vs. Chicago Fire 5 p.m. ET
Charleston Battery vs. FC Cincinnati 7:30 p.m. ET

Wednesday, February 20
Charleston Battery SC vs. Columbus Crew 5 p.m. ET
Chicago Fire vs. FC Cincinnati 7:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, February 23
Columbus Crew SC vs. FC Cincinnati 5 p.m. ET
Charleston Battery vs. Chicago Fire 7:30 p.m. ET

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