The Charleston Battery welcomed Indy Eleven to MUSC Health Stadium for the first time Wednesday night in front of 2,094 fans, and the match did not disappoint.

The Battery scored earlier than they have all season and once again late in the second half to edge out Indy Eleven 2–1 and move into a tie for third place with reigning USL champions Louisville City, who visit Charleston Saturday.

Coach Mike Anhaeuser opted to rest seven starters after last Saturday’s now-viral match against North Carolina FC and in preparation for Saturday’s match with Louisville. The Battery went with the 3–4–2–1 diamond formation, with rookie defender Leland Archer starting for an injured Skylar Thomas and Odisnel “Super” Cooper putting on the gloves in goal in lieu of the Battery’s internet sensation GI Joe Kuzminsky.

The first 15 minutes of the match were exactly what Indy Eleven blogger Nipun Chopra predicted: uneventful. Indy did catch the attention of the Battery early in the 16th minute, when Eugene Starikov sent a right footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box at Cooper, only to be blocked.

The Battery scored first and in dramatic fashion. In the 22nd minute — the earliest the Battery have scored this season — Tah Brian Anunga played the ball across the midfield to Nico Rittmeyer out on the right wing. Rittmeyer got his pass past the retreating Indy midfielder and into Gordon Wild. Wild’s left-footed shot from 30 yards out beat a diving Owain Fon Williams and found the top corner of the goal, putting the Battery up 1–0.

Indy had a chance to level the score in the 30th minute. Ayoze Garcia, who in May scored a brace against the Battery, sent a beautiful high-arching corner kick to Carlyle Mitchell. Mitchell, who was unmarked on the left side, sent his header to the back post but it was deflected by Cooper to keep the Battery in the lead. Expect to see Cooper’s quick reaction to deny Indy the goal be nominated for USL Save of the Week.

Charleston’s Patrick Okonkwo had multiple scoring attempts late in the first half but saw his shot in the 34th minute go off frame and his right-footed shot in the 36th saved by Williams. The sides headed into the locker rooms with the Battery ahead 1–0.

Indy regrouped at halftime and came on strong, pressing hard into the Battery’s defending third with no success. That changed in the 58th minute when Ben Speas managed to get a rare pass through the Battery’s back line and found Eugene Starikov making a run up the middle. Starikov scooped up the pass and headed into the box. Cooper came off his line and charged to meet Starikov at the spot but Starikov chipped the ball over a sliding Cooper to find the back of the net, equalizing the score at 1–1.

From the angle on the video, Starikov looked to be offside, but assistant referee Benjamin Hall (who wore long sleeves to a Battery home match with the heat index in the mid 90s) kept his flag down and our beloved referee Marcos de Oliveira awarded Indy the goal.

Indy could have taken the lead in the 60th minute when substitute Soony Saad went running up the left side with Archer in tow. Saad collected a long cross and charged into the six-yard box, forcing Cooper to come off his line to meet him. Cooper, outstretched and sliding in, deflected Saad’s initial shot. The deflection went straight into the chest of Saad, who now had an open shot on goal. Saad took a step and sent his shot into the open goal only to find captain and unofficial goalkeeper Taylor Mueller, who cleared the ball off the line and denied the goal.

Not ready to draw even with Indy again, Anhaeuser went to the bench and subbed in Jarad van Schaik in the 65th minute, King of Charleston Ataullah Guerra in the 70th minute and O’Brian Woodbine in the 77th minute.

The substitutions worked.

The Battery were again able to break down Indy’s defense and push into the attacking third. In the 84th minute, Wild took a long cross from van Schaik and dribbled up the left side, where he has been dangerous all season. His left-footed shot nutmegged defender Seth Moses and sailed past a diving Williams into the back of the goal, netting a brace and the sixth goal of the season for the German national player on loan from Atlanta United.

Wild made one last attempt for the hat trick late into stoppage time. Woodbine connected with van Schaik, who hit the nitro flying up the left side. Van Schaik’s cross into the box found Wild, whose shot from 12 yards out on the near post managed to be blocked by Williams. Wild was able to pick up the loose ball and his second shot was narrowly deflected by a sliding Ayoze.

Ayoze’s sliding tackle cleared what could have been Wild’s first professional hat trick. (Photo Credit: Ross Almers Photography)

The game would finish at 2–1 in favor of the Black and Yellow.

Charlotte’s defeat of Nashville cleared the way for the Battery to move into a third place tie with Louisville City at 29 points (thanks for that, Independence). On Saturday, the Battery have a showdown in Charleston with the reigning USL champions, who are still without a head coach, assistant coach and goalkeeper coach.

By the numbers

The Battery had 50.3 percent of the possession and completed nearly 40 more long passes than Indy, all the while keeping an 83 percent passing accuracy. Anunga and Neveal Hackshaw led all Battery players with 70 passes each, but Anunga gets a thumbs up for his 91.4 percent PA.

With the exception of Starikov getting through the back line, the Battery defense dominated Indy. With an 83.3 percent tackle success rate and 15 more clearances than Indy, the Battery overcame the costly errors that cost them three points in Indianapolis in May.

Mueller’s critical clearance saved the Battery from drawing even with Indy for a second time, while the rookie Archer tallied 11 of the Battery’s 24 clearances on the night. Two thumbs up on both of their performances.

Match summary

In Defense of Charleston

Gordon Wild: The Atlanta United super draft rookie tallied goals five and six on the season in his 11 starts. In addition to his second brace of the season, Wild adds to this important stat: The Battery have won every match Wild has scored in.

Taylor Mueller: Mueller directly saved the draw in NC on Saturday and kept Indy from the go-ahead goal Wednesday night. Both times, the veteran stood alone defending the goal line, and Wednesday it allowed the Battery to regroup, score late in the second half to move from sixth to a tie for third on the table.

Box score

Charleston Battery — 2

Indy XI — 1

Goals

22' — Charleston — Gordon Wild (Assist: Nico Rittmeyer)

58' — Indy XI — Eugene Starikov (Assist: Ben Speas)

84' — Charleston — Gordon Wild (Assist: Jarad van Schaik)

Up next

The Battery welcome Louisville City to MUSC Health Stadium Saturday, July 14, for World Cup weekend and post game fireworks.

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!