Sports
Battery Travel to Louisville for Saturday Night Match
The Charleston Battery hit the road for their first of three consecutive away matches to start August, squaring off against Louisville City FC on Saturday, August 6. Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 pm ET.
Saturday’s match is the second meeting between the two sides this season. When Charleston and Louisville clashed on April 23, the evening ended in a 1-1 draw. Mauro Cichero got the Battery on the board early in the match, but LouCity managed to level the terms in the second half when Enoch Mushagalusa scored an equalizer.
Louisville enter Saturday’s game as in-form as any team and are currently on a seven-match unbeaten streak. Most recently, LouCity defeated El Paso Locomotive FC on the road, 0-1. The match was scoreless at halftime but Jorge Gonzalez broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with what proved to be the match-winner. Goalkeeper Kyle Morton tallied four saves en route to his ninth clean sheet of the season, tied for most in the league. LouCity sit atop the Eastern Conference table following the victory.
Charleston arrive in Kentucky looking to rebound following a 2-4 home loss against Sacramento Republic FC. The Battery scored early via Enock Kwakwa after some strong build-up play led to him poking in his second goal of the season. Augustine Williams found the back of the net again in the first half, but Republic FC were able to respond to the Battery each time to secure the night’s three points. Despite the defeat, the Black and Yellow achieved more progress in the performance and will look to steal points from Louisville in the reverse fixture.
This weekend will be Charleston’s first visit to Lynn Family Stadium, which opened in 2020. Games prior to 2020 were played at Louisville Slugger Field, home of AAA baseball team Louisville Bats.
Forward Augustine Williams is nearing another personal milestone, this time it’s 50 regular season USL Championship goals. The Sierra Leone international current has 48 to his name.
Ones to Watch
Louisville – Enoch Mushagalusa
Mushagalusa has been an all-around contributor for Louisville all year. The forward scored against the Battery in the first meeting and currently has six goals, three assists and 13 chances created across 20 appearances. On the defensive side, Mushagalusa has tallied 75 duels won, 13 tackles won and 12 interceptions. Look for the 22-year-old to play another important role for Louisville this Saturday night.
Charleston – Geobel Perez Jr.
Geobel has continued to blossom in his second season with the Black and Yellow. Fresh off being named to the league’s team of the week for Week 20, Geobel commanded a presence against Sacramento. He was accurate on 84% of his passes and recorded one chance created, five recoveries, and three duels won. The Cuban winger had a hand in both goals, making a crucial turn past three Sacramento players in the build-up of the first and the shot on target that rebounded for Williams to score the second