Five months, 11 days, 22 hours, seven minutes. From right now as I write this, that is the time since the final whistle of the first round of the 2017 USL playoffs, the whistle that saw the 7th seed Baby Bulls knock out the 2nd seed Charleston Battery with a 4–0 pounding at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston.

But who is counting? Certainly not I.

It was painful, but it was also 2017. This is 2018.

The Battery, fresh off a win against Penn FC, travel for the first time in the 2018 season to the Big Apple to take on the Baby Bulls, still recovering from their 3–1 shellacking from Atlanta United 2 in their inaugural game at home in Gwinnett.

Battery players to watch

Ataulla Guerra

With his first goal of the 2018 season, Guerra not only earned a nomination for Goal of Week, but he also earned #1 USL Skill of the Week. Along with Ian Svantesson and Kotaro Higashi leading the assault, expect to see more USL highlight reel footage from the fiesta trio against a Baby Bull defense that has conceded 4 goals in 2 games.

Odisnel “Super” Cooper

Cooper recorded his first clean sheet of 2018 against Penn FC last Saturday, in no small part to stops similar to the one against FC Cincinnati in Week 1 that earned him a USL Save of Week nod.

Reminder: The Baby Bulls have yet to record a clean sheet in 2018 and conceded 4 goals in their first two games.

Battery Back Line

The Baby Bulls have only scored three goals in their first two games: Two against Toronto in Week 1 and only one against Atlanta last week. It will be up to team captain Taylor Mueller and USL Team of Week defender Jared van Schaik along with Skylar Thomas and Quinton Griffith to stop the Baby Bulls offense.

Predicted Battery XI

Cooper, van Schaik, Thomas, Mueller, Griffith, Higashi, Hackshaw, Anunga, Mansaray, Guerra, Svantesson

Expect to see Quinton Griffith and Neveal Hackshaw back in the Starting XI as they have returned from international duty.

Predicted Charleston Battery Starting XI for #NYvCHS

New York Red Bulls II key players

Andrew Tinari, midfield

The 22-year-old midfielder has already recorded two goals in the 2018 season, and with a 82.4% successful pass rate, he is a threat fans will want to watch.

Steven Echevarria, midfield

The 21-year-old midfielder has a 85.5% successful pass rate so far this season and has success moving the ball forward. But he also has picked up two yellow cards in two games.

Who is not playing

Patrick Okonkwo, Charleston

Okonkwo has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against Penn FC. A review by the Independent Discipline Panel reduced the suspension from three games.

Recent form

Battery: L | W

NYRBII: W | L

Past meetings (results are for Charleston)

2017: L | D | L (Playoff)

2016: W | L

2015: D | D

The DrewOnTarget Prediction

While the Baby Bulls hold a 3–1–3 advantage over the Battery, they have conceded four goals in their first two games. It is that stat that will help the Battery pull off another win against the Red Bulls.

Final score: 1–0 Battery.

Game info

Charleston Battery at NYRB II, 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 31, MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field.

Watch on Battery TV

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