Battery Fall In Home Loss to Sacremento

The Charleston Battery were on the wrong end of a 4-2 result Saturday night, losing to Sacremento Republic FC.

Despite Enoch Kwakwa opening the scoring after just four minutes, the Black and Yellow would concede twice before Augi Williams would bring his side back level again. However, former Battery player Zeiko Lewis would dash his former team’s hopes of going in level at the break shortly after the ensuing kick off, and then Matt LaGrassa would solidify the three points with a fourth Sacremento goal five minutes into the second half.

It looked like things were going the Battery’s way when a Battery cross was re-directed on target only to be blocked down off the back of a Sacremento defender before it fell to the feet of Enock Kwakwa, who continues a solid run of form as he’s begun to play more minutes in a position just off of Augi Williams up front, to bury his chance and give his side an early lead, but that advantage only lasted 12 minutes.

The visitors would earn a corner from the right, and midfielder Emil Cuello would rise highest to level. AJ Paterson would do his best to prevent conceding, though the ball would go off of him into the net, though the goal was given to Cuello as it was going on target when it left his head.

On 25′, Augi Williams would have a shot from distance saved as it dipped off of the outside of his foot as it looked destined for the top corner, though the goalkeeper’s sprawling stop would deny him a goal of the season contender.

And then, after the half hour mark, a well worked Sacremento attack would fall to the feet of Luther Archimede from a pass by the goalscorer Cuello, and the striker would finish at the front post.

The Battery were suddenly down after making a great start to the game, which had to feel like a sucker punch. Despite this, they kept their heads up, and fashioned another chance through Geobel Perez, whose curled effort was saved by the keeper, only to fall to the Battery’s top scorer Augi Williams to draw level at 2-2.

The Battery hoped to get into half time level, but almost straight from kick-off, the ball fell to the feet of Zeiko Lewis, who would shoot from distance and find the bottom corner for 3-2.

It was a crushing blow for the home side, and could be a major reason for what happened next.

The visitors started the better of the two sides out of the break, and after just five minutes of the second half, it was four.

Matt LaGrassa was on the end of a well worked Sacremento counter, and after a touch one on one against Hugo Fauroux, he slotted home his team’s fourth.

Much of the game following that was played in midfield as what started as a promising evening turned to frustration for the Black and Yellow as they fell to defeat.

The Battery next face Louisville City away from home at 8PM on August 6th. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

TOP IMAGE: THE BATTERY FELL SATURDAY DESPITE TWO GOALS FROM ENOCK KWAKWA AND AUGI WILLIAMS, BOTH SEEN HERE CELEBRATING THE BATTERY’S FIRST OF THE EVENING. ROSS ALMERS PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO