- Read No Quarter's preview, as well as the one on the Battery's website.
- Attend the match at the 'Baud.
- Come back here later for a post-match report.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Preview: Charleston-FC New York (Not really)
I'm not going to be writing a preview for tonight's match between the Battery and FC New York, but I do recommend a couple of things:
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Three Puerto Rican Teams Removed from the USL Pro
I'm taking a break from the USL Pro Weekly Observations to talk about some devastating news came out today. The three USL Pro teams based in Puerto Rico, River Plate Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico United, and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico were removed from the league. Yes, they didn't leave, they were removed.
The Puerto Rican teams failed to meet some of the standards of the USL. 2 of the 3 teams suffered major economic problems and medical stituation that forced the USL to remove the PRSL teams from the league.
USL CEO Alec Papadakis had this to say on the situation:
The Puerto Rican teams failed to meet some of the standards of the USL. 2 of the 3 teams suffered major economic problems and medical stituation that forced the USL to remove the PRSL teams from the league.
USL CEO Alec Papadakis had this to say on the situation:
"In the best interests of USL PRO and its teams, it was necessary to remove the three PRSL teams. USL PRO has established high standards which are an integral component of the league model, and we are determined to preserve the integrity of these standards on and off the field. Dealing proactively with this situation allows us to reset our daily focus on supporting the efforts of our USL PRO teams in maintaining the league’s position as the strongest, best operated domestic league below MLS.”
There signs of this from the beginning of the season, especially in the case of Puerto Rico United.
An anonymous commenter on this blog posted this on one of my articles on April 20th:
"To say Puerto Rico United is a mess is an understatement! Been speaking to their players. Their owner is a joke, a phony and a habitual liar. He promises uniforms, places to live, player signings, and paychecks. He has come through on NOTHING!! These players have hung in there for the love of the game and a chance to play USL football. Players have been there for many weeks and NOT ONE HAS SEEN A SINGLE CENT. He shows occasionally and makes a promise to, THE NEXT DAY, pay them, move them into decent housing, and get them decent uniforms. He has done this repeatedly . He has broken these promises EVERY time he's made them. League officials need to step in and stop this player abuse or risk the integrity and reputation of the entire league."
Strong words.
Each team will still play 24 regular season matches, but some tweaking of the schedules will have to be made. So we might be seeing some teams more than twice.
Besides that, the main effect this will have on the Battery will be who we play on one of our nationally televised games. July 1st we were supposed to play Puerto Rico United, but this will not happen. We'll have to wait and see who we play, and if this game will still be televised, but I assume it will be.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Weekend Wrap-Up: Battery, Cobras, MLS, EPL, and Andrew Dykstra for President?
Well a lot went down this past weekend in the soccer world. The Battery played two matches, history was made down in Columbia, among other things.
First off we had the Battery. Their first match this weekend ended in a scoreless draw with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, while the second was a 1-0 loss to the Rochester Rhinos.
The Central SC Cobras played their first match on Friday against the Charlotte Lady Eagles. Though the Cobras lost the match, it was considered a success for many reasons. The turn-out was great, the players now have something to gage the rest of the upcoming matches on, and not to mention that it was the first professional women's soccer match in South Carolina history.
In MLS action, two matches were nationally broadcast this weekend, both of which I caught.
On Friday we had the Portland Timbers playing host to the Philadelphia Union on Fox Soccer Channel. Portland continues to have amazing crowds, and the Timbers Army (which got its start in the USL) still creates one of the best atmospheres in North American soccer. Portland would win the match 1-0.
Late on Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls travelled across the States for a fixture with the Los Angeles Galaxy. And who else could have gotten the goals in this 1-1 draw besides Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry? It was a great match.
And not to mention that Man U basically clinched the EPL title, and what is up with all these injuries in the MLS?
And apparently Andrew Dykstra is running for president:
I don't know about Dykstra's policies, but we definitely need to see one of these over in E10 for Dykstra's next start.
A bit of a rambling today, but thanks for reading if you've gotten this far!
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
First off we had the Battery. Their first match this weekend ended in a scoreless draw with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, while the second was a 1-0 loss to the Rochester Rhinos.
The Central SC Cobras played their first match on Friday against the Charlotte Lady Eagles. Though the Cobras lost the match, it was considered a success for many reasons. The turn-out was great, the players now have something to gage the rest of the upcoming matches on, and not to mention that it was the first professional women's soccer match in South Carolina history.
In MLS action, two matches were nationally broadcast this weekend, both of which I caught.
On Friday we had the Portland Timbers playing host to the Philadelphia Union on Fox Soccer Channel. Portland continues to have amazing crowds, and the Timbers Army (which got its start in the USL) still creates one of the best atmospheres in North American soccer. Portland would win the match 1-0.
Late on Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls travelled across the States for a fixture with the Los Angeles Galaxy. And who else could have gotten the goals in this 1-1 draw besides Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry? It was a great match.
And not to mention that Man U basically clinched the EPL title, and what is up with all these injuries in the MLS?
And apparently Andrew Dykstra is running for president:
A bit of a rambling today, but thanks for reading if you've gotten this far!
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Charleston Draws with Pitt, Loses to Rochester
This weekend the Battery had two matches in two nights away at Pittsburgh and Rochester. The Battery only earned one point through both of these matches. Both of the results were disappointing, but understandable.
The first match against Pittsburgh was played Friday night at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Only 624 fans showed up to watch the match, which was understandable because of the bad weather conditions.
The Battery would manage 12 shots with 3 being on goal, while Pittsburgh would take 7 and getting none on goal, making it an easy night for Battery keeper Keith Wiggans.
Dane Kelly and Levi Coleman played well together, with Kelly getting a couple of shots that he sent wide, but the offense was limited for both sides.
Charleston had to play almost half the match short-handed when Evan Taylor was shown a straight red in the 53rd for a reckless tackle on Shintaro Harada.
The back line would stand strong for another 0-0 result, giving the Battery a much needed point on the road.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
Players: Hunter Gilstrap, Sterling Flunder, Kyle Veris (Chad Severs 71), Louie Rolko, Jason Kutney, Thabiso Khumalo (Niko Katic 45), Johnny Appiah, Shintaro Harada, Tommy Gray, Matt Fundy (Jeremy Deighton 80), Jason Yeisley
Shots(on goal): 7(0)
Saves: 3
Fouls: 10
Corner Kicks: 3
Offsides: 2
Cautions: Kutney 43, Katic 79
Charleston Battery:
Players: Keith Wiggans, Nigel Marples, Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Mike Zaher, Cole Peverley, Evan Taylor, Nicki Paterson, Stephen Armstrong, Levi Coleman (JC Mack 83), Dane Kelly (Kevin Jackson 79)
Shots: 12
Saves: 0
Fouls: 7
Corner Kicks: 7
Offsides: 1
Cautions: Peverley 51
Ejections: Taylor 53
On Saturday, the Battery would travel up I-79 to face the Rochester Rhinos at the beautiful Sahlen Stadium.
The match started off slowly, with each team getting a couple of shots, but no great scoring chances. Then in the 25th minute the Rhinos broke through.
Quavas Kirk made a run down the right and crossed the ball into Donatelli who volleyed it off the post. The ball would hit the back of a diving Keith Wiggans, and roll slowly into the net.
The Battery then had trouble gaining possession for the rest of the second half, and they would go in at halftime down 1-0.
Coming out of the locker rooms the Battery were doing well. The ball movement was much better and they had gotten some decent scoring chances, but they still couldn't break through.
Even when the Battery had used all their subs and only had two defenders left on the field, they couldn't put one in the back of the net, and the match would end in a victory for the Rhinos.
Man of the Matches: John Wilson
Wilson played great during both of the matches. He is the anchor of our back line, and still makes some of the best tackles you'll see in the USL. If the Battery didn't have Wilson, the back line wouldn't be very good. This is not just because of his skill, but also because of his experience.
Charleston went scoreless this weekend, and their scoreless streak is up to 315 minutes. The cure for the Battery is simple; put it in the back of the net. The back is playing well, and the Battery are just in a bit of a funk, that they need to shake.
The Battery play this Friday night against FC New York at 7:30 at Blackbaud Stadium. The game will be available on USL Live.
The first match against Pittsburgh was played Friday night at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Only 624 fans showed up to watch the match, which was understandable because of the bad weather conditions.
The Battery would manage 12 shots with 3 being on goal, while Pittsburgh would take 7 and getting none on goal, making it an easy night for Battery keeper Keith Wiggans.
Dane Kelly and Levi Coleman played well together, with Kelly getting a couple of shots that he sent wide, but the offense was limited for both sides.
Charleston had to play almost half the match short-handed when Evan Taylor was shown a straight red in the 53rd for a reckless tackle on Shintaro Harada.
The back line would stand strong for another 0-0 result, giving the Battery a much needed point on the road.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
Players: Hunter Gilstrap, Sterling Flunder, Kyle Veris (Chad Severs 71), Louie Rolko, Jason Kutney, Thabiso Khumalo (Niko Katic 45), Johnny Appiah, Shintaro Harada, Tommy Gray, Matt Fundy (Jeremy Deighton 80), Jason Yeisley
Shots(on goal): 7(0)
Saves: 3
Fouls: 10
Corner Kicks: 3
Offsides: 2
Cautions: Kutney 43, Katic 79
Charleston Battery:
Players: Keith Wiggans, Nigel Marples, Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Mike Zaher, Cole Peverley, Evan Taylor, Nicki Paterson, Stephen Armstrong, Levi Coleman (JC Mack 83), Dane Kelly (Kevin Jackson 79)
Shots: 12
Saves: 0
Fouls: 7
Corner Kicks: 7
Offsides: 1
Cautions: Peverley 51
Ejections: Taylor 53
On Saturday, the Battery would travel up I-79 to face the Rochester Rhinos at the beautiful Sahlen Stadium.
The match started off slowly, with each team getting a couple of shots, but no great scoring chances. Then in the 25th minute the Rhinos broke through.
Quavas Kirk made a run down the right and crossed the ball into Donatelli who volleyed it off the post. The ball would hit the back of a diving Keith Wiggans, and roll slowly into the net.
The Battery then had trouble gaining possession for the rest of the second half, and they would go in at halftime down 1-0.
Coming out of the locker rooms the Battery were doing well. The ball movement was much better and they had gotten some decent scoring chances, but they still couldn't break through.
Even when the Battery had used all their subs and only had two defenders left on the field, they couldn't put one in the back of the net, and the match would end in a victory for the Rhinos.
Man of the Matches: John Wilson
Wilson played great during both of the matches. He is the anchor of our back line, and still makes some of the best tackles you'll see in the USL. If the Battery didn't have Wilson, the back line wouldn't be very good. This is not just because of his skill, but also because of his experience.
Charleston went scoreless this weekend, and their scoreless streak is up to 315 minutes. The cure for the Battery is simple; put it in the back of the net. The back is playing well, and the Battery are just in a bit of a funk, that they need to shake.
The Battery play this Friday night against FC New York at 7:30 at Blackbaud Stadium. The game will be available on USL Live.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Preview(s): Charleston-Pittsburgh and Charleston-Rochester
After gaining 4 points in 2 matches last weekend, the Battery now head north for another two game spell against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Rochester Rhinos. Here's what to expect:
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
This Season: The Riverhounds have only earned 4 points in their first four matches. They defeated Harrisburg 1-0, lost to Richmond 2-1, and lost to Wilmington 3-1. Last Saturday the Battery and the 'Hounds played to a scoreless draw at Blackbaud Stadium.
Who's Playing Big: Forward Jason Yeisley and Midfielder Shintaro Harada have been providing the offense for Pittsburgh, though the goals have been few and far between. Yeisley has a huge physical presence, and Harada has been playing well from what I have seen.
Who Needs to Step Up: The back line has been playing mediocre at best. The performance against the Battery may look good when you look at the stats, but when you look at the chances that the Battery had, at least one goal should have been up on the scoreboard.
Rochester Rhinos:
This Season: Last week the Rhinos finally notched their first points of the season in a 3-2 victory against the Dayton Dutch Lions. This was after opening their first two matches with two 1-0 losses to Richmond and Wilmington.
Who's Playing Big: Rochester is an interesting situation, because in last week's match with Dayton their back line played poorly, and their forwards played well. While in the previous two matches, the back has played well while the forwards couldn't put a single goal on the scoreboard.
Who's Needs to Step Up: Rochester will just be looking to get some consistent play from their whole squad. If they can start to get some goals consistently, they will be fine this season, as they have gotten more quality than poor play from the back.
What to Expect:
Charleston looks to come out in the usual 4-4-2 (Keep in mind that this is the best possible Starting XI as of right now, and will probably not be the line up for both Matches):
Pittsburgh Riverhounds:
This Season: The Riverhounds have only earned 4 points in their first four matches. They defeated Harrisburg 1-0, lost to Richmond 2-1, and lost to Wilmington 3-1. Last Saturday the Battery and the 'Hounds played to a scoreless draw at Blackbaud Stadium.
Who's Playing Big: Forward Jason Yeisley and Midfielder Shintaro Harada have been providing the offense for Pittsburgh, though the goals have been few and far between. Yeisley has a huge physical presence, and Harada has been playing well from what I have seen.
Who Needs to Step Up: The back line has been playing mediocre at best. The performance against the Battery may look good when you look at the stats, but when you look at the chances that the Battery had, at least one goal should have been up on the scoreboard.
Rochester Rhinos:
This Season: Last week the Rhinos finally notched their first points of the season in a 3-2 victory against the Dayton Dutch Lions. This was after opening their first two matches with two 1-0 losses to Richmond and Wilmington.
Who's Playing Big: Rochester is an interesting situation, because in last week's match with Dayton their back line played poorly, and their forwards played well. While in the previous two matches, the back has played well while the forwards couldn't put a single goal on the scoreboard.
Who's Needs to Step Up: Rochester will just be looking to get some consistent play from their whole squad. If they can start to get some goals consistently, they will be fine this season, as they have gotten more quality than poor play from the back.
What to Expect:
Charleston looks to come out in the usual 4-4-2 (Keep in mind that this is the best possible Starting XI as of right now, and will probably not be the line up for both Matches):
Wiggans
Wilson Falvey Zaher Marples
Paterson Peverley Mack Armstrong
Coleman Kelly
Keith Wiggans will continue to be in goal for the Battery while Andrew Dykstra tends to that injury.
The back line has stayed consistent all year, and should stay for these matches. Last week the defense only gave up 6 shots and no goals were scored.
The Midfield will have some changes from last week. We can expect Paterson and Peverley to play, as they have been playing quality ball and should be able to build on their previous performances this year. Armstrong should be back in the line up after a week off. My one "wildcard" if you will, is JC Mack. Mack played great in last weekend's matches.
Levi Coleman and Dane Kelly are no doubt the best two candidates for the forwards. Coleman played possibly his best match of the season last week (and should have scored), and Kelly is also peaking right now, and the chemistry between him and Coleman has been wonderful in recent matches.
The match with Pittsburgh on Friday night will not be available on USL Live, but will be on 1340 in Charleston and on the Battery's website. The Rochester match will be broadcast on USL Live, and coverage will start at 7:00.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Articles of the Week
So here's a new idea I had today. I'm going to try out a weekly post where I just post some of the best articles from around the soccer world, plus the ones that I just liked. So here we go:
http://www.thefreebeermovement.com/2011/05/better-know-supporters-group-screaming.html
-The Free Beer Movement has been doing this weekly series called "Better Know A Supporter's Group," which you should check out. This week's is on the Screaming Eagles of DC United. I recommend you read the whole series.
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/04/2011-southern-derby-cup-by-jim-gregory.html
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/05/new-banner.html
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/05/charleston-to-play-portsmouth.html
-Three from No Quarter. Always quality.
http://theshinguardian.com/2011/05/02/the-moment-genesis-of-a-salute/
-The Shin Guardian released a great piece called, "The Moment: Genesis of a Salute," about the salute to Charlie Davies at the USMNT's World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica in 2009, just days after Davies was in car accident. Here's a picture:
http://www.thefreebeermovement.com/2011/05/better-know-supporters-group-screaming.html
-The Free Beer Movement has been doing this weekly series called "Better Know A Supporter's Group," which you should check out. This week's is on the Screaming Eagles of DC United. I recommend you read the whole series.
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/04/2011-southern-derby-cup-by-jim-gregory.html
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/05/new-banner.html
http://www.noquartersoccer.com/2011/05/charleston-to-play-portsmouth.html
-Three from No Quarter. Always quality.
http://theshinguardian.com/2011/05/02/the-moment-genesis-of-a-salute/
-The Shin Guardian released a great piece called, "The Moment: Genesis of a Salute," about the salute to Charlie Davies at the USMNT's World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica in 2009, just days after Davies was in car accident. Here's a picture:
-Good article on the USA's prospective 2011 Gold Cup Roster.
Alrighty, just a quick little thing that I'll try to make a weekly series.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
USL Pro: Week 4 Observations
Once again here's my review of the on-goings in the USL Pro last week:
Now the result of the match wasn't surprising (as most people would agree that Richmond was the favorite), but for Richmond to lay the smack down on Dayton this bad is surprising. The goals came from Nyazamba, Heins, Bulow, Bangura, with Matthew Delicate also adding two goals to his season tally. This was the biggest defeat for any team in the league this season.
Biggest Disappointment: Blues lose their home opener
The LA Blues have been playing great all season, and even had a win at Antigua Barracuda, but they couldn't find the net even once during their home opener. I fully expected the Blues to come out and play with the same quality they have been playing on their trip in the Caribbean, but apparently that was not the case.
Player of the Week: Matthew Delicate
Delicate continues to put balls in the back of the net. Delicate has scored a league leading 4 goals in his 5 games with the Kickers this season and a two-goal performance against Dayton last weekend can only help his case for USL Pro Player of the Year.
- Kickers Stay Undefeated: In Richmond's first road match of the season, they faced the Dayton Dutch Lions at Miami Valley South Stadium. And they won it convincingly, 6-0. What a result. This team is hot, and there's a reason why; They're the best team. The Kickers are getting quality play from everywhere, and the Kickers will easily cruise to the American Division title if they keep this form.
- Battery Gain 4 Points in Two Matches: Charleston played two matches this weekend, one on Friday and one on Saturday. The first match was a 2-1 victory against the Charlotte Eagles in a match played in Rock Hill. The second was a home match for the Battery against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The Battery out shot the 'Hounds 17-6, but couldn't find the back of the net and the match ended in a scoreless draw.
- Wilmington Continue Hot Streak: The Hammerheads have opened the season with two straight wins, and this 3-1 result against Pittsburgh can only boost their confidence. Late goals from Paul Nicholson and Alex Grendi put the Hammerheads over the Riverhounds, and gave Wilmington their second win of their young season. We will see what they are really made of when they travel to Richmond next week.
- FC New York Score First Goal, But Can't Hold Off City: New York got their first goal from Owen Morrison in the 54th minute of their home opener. But the capacity crowd would go home unhappy with New York losing on two Orlando City goals.
- News for Both Lions: On the Orlando City side, we have City signing two new players, forward Dennis Chin and former College of Charleston player Justin Fojo. Over in Dayton, the Dutch Lions have announced a benefit match for the Connor Senn Memorial Fund, where they will play the Ohio State University. The match will be played in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, which is where the Ohio State soccer and lacrosse teams play.
- Blues Drop Home Opener to 'Cudas: Antigua Barracuda FC spoiled the Blues' party on Sunday when they sent LA home with a loss in their first ever home match. Stefan Smith would get the only goal in the match to bring his scoring total for the year up to 3.
Now the result of the match wasn't surprising (as most people would agree that Richmond was the favorite), but for Richmond to lay the smack down on Dayton this bad is surprising. The goals came from Nyazamba, Heins, Bulow, Bangura, with Matthew Delicate also adding two goals to his season tally. This was the biggest defeat for any team in the league this season.
Biggest Disappointment: Blues lose their home opener
The LA Blues have been playing great all season, and even had a win at Antigua Barracuda, but they couldn't find the net even once during their home opener. I fully expected the Blues to come out and play with the same quality they have been playing on their trip in the Caribbean, but apparently that was not the case.
Player of the Week: Matthew Delicate
Delicate continues to put balls in the back of the net. Delicate has scored a league leading 4 goals in his 5 games with the Kickers this season and a two-goal performance against Dayton last weekend can only help his case for USL Pro Player of the Year.
If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/scsoccerblog.
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