LouCity, Charleston Held Scoreless in Table-Topping Draw

April 22, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Louisville City FC News Release

Louisville City FC and Charleston Battery players on game night
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Charleston Battery)

Louisville City FC absorbed a barrage of second half Charleston Battery chances and escaped Patriots Point with a draw Saturday night in a scoreless matchup of the USL Championship’s top-two Eastern Conference teams.

The clubs delayed kickoff a half hour to 8 p.m. as a line of heavy storms rolled through South Carolina. What the rain left behind – a swampy pitch – dictated play once underway, with unsure footing limiting early chances.

The final score remained 0-0 but only after the host Battery ratcheted up their attack near the hour mark. Goalkeeper Oliver Semmle kept his fourth straight clean sheet, however, and the stalemate prevented either LouCity or Charleston from making an early season statement.

“It was certainly tough conditions – heavy field, water-logged field,” said coach Danny Cruz. “But I think to get a result the way that we did – to get a shutout – built confidence for the group. We still had a couple of good chances where we need to do better in the final third.

“That team’s had a good start to the year. They’re a good team. To come away with a point on the road, I’m proud of the group.”

LouCity (4-2-1, 13 points) drew for the first time this season Saturday. In doing so, the Battery (4-0-3, 15 points) remained unbeaten, continuing to look like a serious contender after missing out on the playoffs the past two years.

The boys in purple – now three games unbeaten in league play since suffering back-to-back defeats – claimed the better of the chances early at Charleston. In the 15th minute, Enoch Mushagalusa sent the second of his two dangerous crosses into the box but couldn’t find a teammate. Then early in the second half, Wilson Harris laid off a pass to a charging Brian Ownby, whose shot rolled straight to the Battery’s keeper.

“We put a heavy emphasis on making sure that when we don’t concede goals, we have enough quality,” Cruz said. “…I’m not concerned. I’ve said this before: We’re going to score a lot of goals this year. I’m confident in that. First and foremost, if we make sure we defend well as a group we’re going to put ourselves in position to win a lot of games.”

Momentum shifted two-thirds into the going as Charleston put LouCity under heavy pressure. Young forward Fidel Barajas rifled a 68th-minute shot from distance off…