The Charleston Battery showed why they will once again make the USL playoffs for the 11th consecutive year as they downed the Carolina del Norte soccer team from Cary in dramatic fashion with back-to-back goals in stoppage time Wednesday night.

Coach Mike Anhaeuser made several roster changes from Saturday night’s baseball field underwater expo in Nashville. The King of Charleston, Ataulla Guerra, returned to the starting XI fresh off his three match hiatus compliments of the USL Disciplinary Committee. Angelo Kelly and Nico Rittmeyer returned to the midfield, while the “Wall of Doom” assumed duties on the back line.

The Battery started off the first half with good ball movement and attacking forward, but NCFC came around ten minutes into the match. Zach Steinberger, the recent transfer from Indy XI, blasted an early shot from the center of the box off his left foot, ringing off the cross bar to signal that NCFC’s class was now in session, but the Battery cleared the ball and play resumed.

What would a USL match be without a questionable call by the official? In the 16th minute, referee Marcos de Oliveira blew his whistle on a shot that Viktor Igbekoyi put high and right of the goal. de Oliveira awarded a penalty kick for a handball in the box by Kelly who jumped with his back to the ball.

Steinberger lined up to take the PK, but stutter stepped in and toe tapped his shot. It was easily caught by GI Joe Kuzminsky, his second blocked PK of the season.

For the remainder of the first half, both teams had moments to break the 0–0 deadlock. But NCFC, while maintaining 53.4 percent of the possession, constantly probed the Battery defense trying to lull them out of their form.

The more NCFC pushed, the harder the Battery locked down.

Playing right to left in the first half, the Battery did well to keep possession in NCFC’s defending half, while the Battery midfield and Wall of Doom back line cleared all the attacks that NCFC sent forward.

#CHSvNC USL First Half Heat Map

The second half started with NCFC pushing hard into the Battery defending half, as after the half, the Battery played left to right. NCFC controlled much of the possession in the second half, while the Battery spent most of the half defending.

#CHSvNC USL Second Half Heat Map

Sensing the need to get fresh legs in, Coach Anhaeuser sent in Ian Svantesson and Victor Mansaray in the 73rd and 75th minutes. These substitutions were the difference, along with Neveal Hackshaw being subbed in late in the 88th minute.

Visibly exhausted by the 70th minute, NCFC sent their subs Shipalane, Fortune and Doue in. NCFC still had players “cramping” on the field causing several somewhat questionable stoppages in play.

At the 90 minute mark, de Oliveira awarded three minutes of stoppage time, and that is when the Battery went to work. At 90'+1, Hackshaw, who was subbed in just two minutes earlier, went from midfield down the left side deep into the 18, bringing two worn-out NCFC defenders with him.

Hackshaw sent his cross between the two defenders and into the box where Victor Mansaray leaped and redirected it with his header to the back post, past a flat footed Alex Tambakis.

Mansaray recorded his second goal of the season, while Tambakis conceded his 42nd goal of the season.

As time winded down, Hackshaw held the ball up in the corner waiting for the referee to signal the end of the game. NCFC was able to get the ball loose, but Kotaro Higashi recovered the loose ball and dished it over to Svantesson. From outside the 18 on the right side, Svantesson sent a low one-bounce shot off his left foot through traffic, and it beat Tambakis for the harpoon that put the Dead Whales to bed.

After the yellow smoke cleared, de Oliveira blew the game’s final whistle. The Battery extended their unbeaten streak to six matches and ended the Dead Whales unbeaten streak at three.

While the Battery have not officially clinched a playoff spot, Coach Mike Anhaeuser said…

“You know what, I’m going to say we’re in. Fifty-three points was our goal and we got there. Now we’re going to shoot for top two, three, or four so we can get a home game.”

Game notes

Timing: Coach Anhaeuser put well-timed subs in, and it made all the difference. Both goals scored came from fresh legs (Svantesson and Mansaray), started by a brilliant run from Hackshaw, who did the same thing late against Indy XI in May.

Coach Anhaeuser put well-timed subs in, and it made all the difference. Both goals scored came from fresh legs (Svantesson and Mansaray), started by a brilliant run from Hackshaw, who did the same thing late against Indy XI in May. Defense: The Battery defense limited the Dead Whales to just two shots on goal. The same team who tallied 16 goals in the last five matches were only able to manage two shots on target against the Battery.

With just three matches remaining, the Battery sit five points clear of fifth place Indy XI and just three points behind second place Pittsburgh. With nine points on the table, the Battery play TFC II at home Saturday and finish on the road against Atl 2 and Ottawa, all winnable games.

There is potential to finish the season with 62 points, besting last season’s 15–8–9 record with 54 points.

Let the record show that I predicted the Battery to have a better record this season than last season, and with only four losses compared to the eight recorded last season… well, I told you so.

Match summary

In Defense of Charleston

Neveal Hackshaw. Hackshaw made the same run against Indy XI in May to help the Battery escape Indianapolis with a 3–3 draw. There is a reason why Battery faithful have made stickers and buttons and big heads of Hackshaw and his larger than life persona Curtis, the only hair in professional soccer with his own Twitter: it is his ability to stuff opposing teams in defense and slay them when needed on offense.

Box score

Charleston Battery — 2

North Carolina FC — 0

Match Highlights

Up next

The Battery host TFCII in the final home match of the regular season. Tickets are still available, and using the DREW discount code (you are welcome, haha) will get them to you for just $12. The Regiment pizza tailgate is at 5:00pm, kick off is 7:00pm, and fireworks go after the final whistle.

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

#UpTheBattery!