Charleston Battery to face MLS team in preseason match | Sports
The Charleston Battery won’t be hosting the Carolina Challenge Cup this year, but that doesn’t mean a team from Major League Soccer won’t be coming to the Lowcountry during the preseason.
The Battery will take on MLS’ Charlotte FC on Feb. 11 at Patriots Point, the club announced on Jan. 10.
It will be the second straight year the two teams have met at the Battery’s Mount Pleasant stadium with Charleston winning last year’s match, 1-0, on Aidan Apodaca’s goal.
Supporters of MLS’ Charlotte FC cheer on their team during the 2022 Carolina Challenge Cup at Patriots Point. Ben Clemens/Charleston Battery.
“To be able to play a team from the top league in the United States is going to be a challenge,” said Charleston Battery coach Ben Pirmann. “Charlotte is a second-year club in the MLS, they’ve shown tremendous abilities in the MLS. Charlotte does things the right way and we’ll be able to learn from them on and off the field. We are looking forward to the challenge.”
The Battery’s preseason Carolina Challenge Cup exhibition tournament has been a staple of the Lowcountry soccer scene since its inception in 2004 on Daniel Island.
Traditionally, three MLS teams along with the Battery have taken part in the week-long event. European soccer legends like Brazil’s Kaká and Spain’s David Villa have taken part in the tournament in the past.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Challenge Cup returned last February with MLS squads Columbus Crew, Inter Miami CF and Charlotte FC playing a Patriots Point.
However, with the MLS season beginning a week earlier this year and with stadium renovations at Patriots Point on going, club officials were not able to host a tournament this preseason.
“Whether it’s the challenge cup or international friendlies we are also going to look at bringing in the highest levels of professional soccer into our market,” said Charleston Battery president Lee Cohen. “We will always look under every rock to bring first class experiences to Patriots Point.”
Charlotte FC finished 13-18-3 in its inaugural season in the MLS. Charlotte was also one of the most popular teams in the MLS, averaging more than 35,000 fans last year at Bank of America Stadium.
“If you are the Charleston Battery and considered the staple of soccer in South Carolina and you have opportunity to play any club from the United States or globally it’s something we are going to explore,” Cohen said. “Despite being in different leagues, Charlotte is an inherent rival for us in many ways. This match works out for both sides really, really well.”
The Battery will play six preseason matches and includes games against Coastal Carolina, South Carolina and professional USL teams from lower divisions.
Tickets are on sale at www.charlestonbattery.com/tickets.
Reach Andrew Miller at 843-937-5599. Follow him on Twitter @APMILLER_PandC
