The Charleston Battery usually head up I-95 to face the Richmond Kickers, but for the first time in eight years, the Battery bus went west on I-40 and headed to Cary to face the former Carolina Railhawks, now North Carolina FC, at WakeMed Soccer Park in front of 3,623 for Wizard Night.

They played in a defensive battle for most of the 90 (+8!) minutes with the Battery scoring first, but NCFC leveled it late in the 81st. The game finished in a now-viral valiant effort by NCFC in stoppage time, but in a display of defensive wizardry, the Battery kept the ball out of the net and each team walked away with a point in a 1–1 draw.

With midfielder Vincenzo Candela still injured, Coach Mike Anhaeuser fielded the same starting XI that put four on the board and secured a win in Toronto the previous Sunday.

Both teams came out with multiple shots in the first ten minutes. However, NCFC’s Austin da Luz’s right-footed rocket in the 12th minute from more than 35 yards out tried to catch GI Joe Kuzminsky off his line. Kuzminsky was able to back peddle and, using his 6'4" frame, leap off his back heel and deflect the ball over the cross bar, the first of several key saves he would have on the night.

As time ticked on in the first half, both teams seem to settled in with NCFC controlling much of the possession and the Battery’s defense able to thwart NCFC’s attempts to drive the ball into the Battery’s defensive third. The Battery successfully countered multiple times in the half but saw those shots go off frame, and at the whistle, both teams headed to the locker rooms deadlocked at 0–0.

At the start of the second half, NCFC drove deep into the Battery’s defensive third, but a 5'8" da Luz came in late and underneath a leaping 6'5" defender Skylar Thomas and caught an inadvertent Thomas’ elbow to the back of his head. That injury in the 55' saw Tiyi Shipalane subbed in for an injured da Luz.

Shipalane went straight to work against the Battery and in the 57th minute saw a right-footed shot from the left side of the box saved by Kuzminsky. During the play however, Kuzminsky’s collision with Thomas on the save resulted in Thomas being subbed out and rookie defender Leland Archer assuming duties at right back in the 61st.

The Battery came out of the injury delay pressing hard in the attacking third, and in the 63rd minute, it paid off. Former Battery goalkeeper Alex Tambakis passed the ball to Connor Tobin, and an attentive/lurking Kotaro Higashi rushed in and forced Tobin to give up the ball. Tah Brian Anunga then picked up the turnover and passed it to the King of Charleston, Ataulla Guerra, who was unmarked at the top of the 18.

Guerra immediately drew two NCFC defenders but was able to get his shot off with his right foot past them and a diving Tambakis into the back left corner of the net. That goal puts Guerra back in the USL Golden Boot race with nine goals this season.

The Battery looked poised to secure a victory, but referee Javier Santos Escobar made an offside call against the Battery in the 67th minute, even though the AR did not have his flag raised. He then topped that off by failing to allow substitutions for both teams for eight minutes and three play stoppages as they sat idle on the touchline going into the 75th minute. It was 11 vs. 12.

NCFC pressured early in the 80th minute, but Taylor Mueller was able to clear a shot from the left side. NCFC defender Steven Miller collected the ball, but Miller could not handle the pressure from a charging Anunga, who picked the ball off him with ease. As Anunga started to drive up field, Miller tracked behind Anunga to tackle him cleats up, with no play on the ball, taking Anunga down in clear line of sight of Escobar. The referee swallowed his whistle and play continued.

NCFC would quickly get the ensuing throw in down the field on the right side, only to have the cross into the box cleared by a leaping 6'4" Archer. NCFC once again recovered the clearance and reset their attack. Nelson Blanco drove on the left side and sent his cross into the box. Daniel Rios charged in just outside the 6, got past Jarad van Schaik, and was to get on the left side and step in front Neveal Hackshaw.

Rios was able to get a touch on the ball and send it in the opposite direction past Kuzminsky into the far right corner of the net, equalizing the score 1–1.

In keeping with the generous amounts of added time at the World Cup and due to the injuries earlier in the second half, seven minutes of stoppage time was added. Due to a injury to Angelo Kelly late in the 89th minute, that time was extended to nearly nine minutes. And that’s when the game went viral.

In a feat to end Wizard Night in Cary, NCFC tried everything to score, while the Battery did everything to keep the ball out of the back of the net. Here is the narrative for one of the most craziest attempts on goal in recent memory. The video follows.

It started in the 97th minute with the referee tripping up NCFC’s Kyle Bekker. (That is in addition to the referee making up a offside call, failing to allow subs in for eight minutes, and missing a cleats up take down.) Shipalane was able to recover it and drove forward, passing to Rios on the right side. Rios put an ensuing cross into the box trying to find Ulrich Ewolo, only to be deflected by Mueller, bouncing off the back of Archer. With too much speed, Ewolo bounced off Kuzminsky inside the 6 but was able to get back on his feet and as Kuzminsky dove to secure the ball, Ewolo kicked it back to Shipalane who held up just past the spot. With Kuzminsky and Ewolo tangled up, Shipalane’s shot was blocked by Mueller dead center in the goal. Bekker, at the left corner of the 6, took a shot, which was blocked by a diving Archer. Then, the deflection rolled straight to Shipalane who again from the spot sent a shot in to the right this time, past a sliding van Schaik and diving Kuzminsky, which then careened off the right post. Ewolo attempted to high step kick that deflection in, but it rolled off Kuzminsky. Still tracking? As Kuzminsky tried to secure the ball, it rolled between Rios’ legs and he ended up falling forward, unable to make a play. This is all happening inside the 6! Finally, Hackshaw leaped over Rios to clear the ball to Anunga outside the 18. Whew.

Here’s the video if you haven’t already seen it, it’s now a must-watch piece of modern Carolina Soccer lore.

Steven Miller made one last cross into the box, but it would be cleared out, and in the 99th minute, Santos Escobar found his whistle to end the first match between NCFC and the Battery in 8 years in a 1–1 draw.

With Charlotte losing this weekend, the Battery maintain sixth place on the table with NCFC remaining in 13th. The Battery host Indy Eleven at home Wednesday night. With a win, the Battery can be tied with third place Louisville FC with 29 points, whom the Battery will host this coming Saturday at home as well.

Week 17 standings for the Eastern Conference

By the numbers

The Battery maintained only 36.3 percent possession on the night. However, veteran Jarad van Schaik led the Battery with 55 passes and 10 duels won.

Defense is what saved the game once again. The back line was able to keep the ball out of the back of the net because of heads up play by Joe Kuzminsky as well as Captain Taylor Mueller with critical clearances and Leland Archer with five key clearances in the 37 minutes of play he logged coming in for an injured Skylar Thomas.

Match summary

In Defense of Charleston

The Back Line (Mueller, Archer, Hackshaw) : Mueller’s heads up play to straddle the goal line and back up Kuzminsky saved a direct shot on goal from Shipalane. The veteran has made countless blocks and clearances within the box to keep opposing teams from getting three points, and this match was no different. Archer’s key sliding block against Bekker and Hackshaw’s heads up leap over Rios to clear the ball late showed how effective the Battery’s defense is at stopping should-be goals.

: Mueller’s heads up play to straddle the goal line and back up Kuzminsky saved a direct shot on goal from Shipalane. The veteran has made countless blocks and clearances within the box to keep opposing teams from getting three points, and this match was no different. Archer’s key sliding block against Bekker and Hackshaw’s heads up leap over Rios to clear the ball late showed how effective the Battery’s defense is at stopping should-be goals. Joe Kuzminsky: Kuzminsky made several key saves against NCFC, without which the Battery would’ve gone home with zero points. His heroics and multiple touches on the ball in the 97th minute showed tenacity and willingness to sacrifice his body to stop the ball.

Box score

Charleston Battery — 1

NCFC — 1

Goals

63' — Charleston — Ataulla Guerra (Assist: Tah Brain Anunga

81' — NCFC — Daniel Rios (Assist: Nelson Blanco)

Up next

The Battery return home for two matches. The first, with everyone’s favorite $1 Beer Night, is this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. as the Battery face Indy Eleven in their first visit to Charleston and after the Battery tied them late in Indy 3–3 on May 30.

That will be followed up by hosting the reigning USL Champions Louisville City, Saturday, July 14 at 7:00 p.m. Louisville City is currently being coached by three of their players, as their coach, assistant coach, and goalkeeper coach headed to Orlando City SC last week.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check back after the games for our Battery recaps, read all our Battery coverage here, and, as always, follow Soccer ‘n’ Sweet Tea on Twitter for all the latest Carolina soccer news. Up the Battery!