Giving up the lead two times to a Major League Soccer club sucks. Simple as that. I am sure there is a more journalistic way of writing that, but that is the best way I can put it.

The Battery had a chance to upset Atlanta United on Wednesday night and move into the final 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. They came out ready to play and really caught Atlanta off guard with a goal in the opening minutes. Then just when Atlanta thought they gained a footing on the match with a goal in the 30th minute, Charleston responded right away to retake the lead. 1–0. 2–1. Not enough. 2–3 was the final score.

After a three hour rain delay, everything was going the Battery’s way into halftime, and then the 2nd half started and everything fell apart. Atlanta came out of the locker room and scored right away. They kept the pressure on the entire 2nd half and never let up. They made some early adjustments that most soccer fans probably scoffed at, at first, but they finished the game firing on all cylinders.

The Battery on the other hand finished the match looking tired, unorganized and outplayed, which is very uncharacteristic for them. I know it is important to get some of your bench guys some time, and it was a great opportunity for them to get some minutes… but this game was there for the taking. The biggest mistake in my opinion was leaving Portillo on the bench.

The Game

Atlanta had a lineup that will probably only play together in future Open Cup matches and exhibition matches, and Charleston made them pay for that early. Woodbine used his signature long throw to find Forrest Lasso, who hammered home the first goal of the match in the 4th minute.

The Battery knew coming in that Atlanta was suspect on set pieces, and Lasso is always a threat on set pieces and long throws. They took advantage. Atlanta was caught off guard, and it took them some time to start connecting passes and to figure out their style of play for the evening.

Charleston held the 1–0 advantage until the 30th minute where in the span of 60 seconds, 2 goals would be scored. The first was scored by Atlanta United’s Kevin Kratz.

As Atlanta United supporters were celebrating the goal, the Battery moved the ball down the field and Dante Marini took a shot from the edge of the box, which was deflected and ended up in the back of the net. The Battery regained the lead.

Charleston would maintain the lead and the momentum throughout the remainder of the half. Right before the half ended, the Battery won a PK. Woodbine stepped up, since Charleston’s normal spot kick specialist Justin Portillo was on the bench, and he skied it high over the cross bar.

After this moment, everything went downhill for the Battery. The second half started and their counter attack lacked any bite. They were sitting back too deep. They were losing 50/50 battles that they were winning in the first half, and they looked very much like a lower league David playing an MLS Goliath.

In the 48th minute, Josef Martinez tied the game up with this beautiful header.

Atlanta kept the pressure on and finally put in the go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute when former Battery loanee Mikey Ambrose slid a perfect pass across the six yard box to Brandon Vazquez.

He put the ball in the back of the net and subsequently ended the Battery’s hope of another MLS upset and deep U.S. Open Cup run.