The Charleston Battery played MLS club Atlanta United to a 0-0 draw before falling 4-5 in a penalty shootout in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 at Patriots Point on Tuesday. Charleston held their own well against Atlanta but fall short of advancing to the quarterfinals.
Charleston started the match on the front foot, eager to set the tone against the MLS visitors. MD Myers and Nick Markanich both nearly broke open the game in the 21st and 24th minutes, respectively. Myers’ shot was a close-range attempt that was saved and Markanich’s was an opportunistic shot that went just over the crossbar.
Goalkeeper Daniel Kuzemka, making his first start of the year, was tested once in the first half, making a save in the 18th minute.
Neither side could find a way through the first 45 minutes. The Battery outshot Atlanta by a margin of 10 to four and possession was an even 50% apiece.
The second half commenced with a cagey start in the opening stages. There wasn’t a shot on target recorded until Atlanta’s Nick Firmino forced a save by Kuzemka in the 67th minute.
Charleston made appeals for a handball in the box in the 79th minute when Markanich’s shot appeared to catch an Atlanta defender on the arm, but no penalty was given. Juan David Torres sent in a strong shot on frame in the 82nd minute that was saved.
Despite the Battery attempting three shots in stoppage time, the 0-0 deadlock couldn’t be broken after 90 minutes and the match was sent to extra time.
Torres nearly scored the game’s first goal in the 92nd minute. The Battery were awarded a free kick and Torres’ shot hit off the wall and spun to the far post, rocking the woodwork before going out of bounds.
The first period of extra time ended scoreless. Charleston attempted three shots to Atlanta’s zero.
Atlanta came out of the gate looking for a breakthrough and immediately sent numbers forward against the Battery defense. However, Firmino’s shot went off target.
Charleston had two of the night’s best chances in the 114th and 115th minutes. Some solid hold-up play by MD Myers opened a promising look on goal for Robbie Crawford, whose shot was blocked. A minute later, Aaron Molloy played a perfect through ball to Myers, but the striker’s attempt went over the crossbar.
The game moved to penalty kicks to decide it after going 0-0 after 120 minutes.
In penalties, Atlanta shot first but were stopped by a save from Kuzemka against Brooks Lennon. From there, the Battery’s Arturo Rodriguez, Jackson Conway, MD Myers and Graham Smith converted their attempts. Atlanta made their subsequent shots going into the Battery’s fifth shot. Diego Gutierrez’s well-placed strike to the bottom left corner was saved by goalkeeper Josh Cohen. The ensuing penalty by Atlanta was converted and Molloy’s was saved, ending the match 4-5 in PKs after a 0-0 draw.
The shootout defeat ended Charleston’s run in the U.S. Open Cup. It was Charleston’s first advance to the Round of 16 since 2013
