Published on April 21, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery have a quick turnaround to face Rhode Island FC on Wed., April 22, in Week 8 of the USL Championship regular season. Kickoff at Centreville Bank Stadium is 7:30 p.m. ET and the match will stream for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Charleston and Rhode Island clash for the first time in 2026.
The Battery (3W-2L-1D, 10pts) enter Wednesday looking to build upon their strong performance against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Charleston commanded much of the afternoon, but a late Rowdies goal was immediately answered by Douglas Martínez, leaving points shared. The goal was Martínez’s first with the club and proved to be a clutch one.
Rhode Island (1W-2L-2D, 5pts) were last active on Tuesday in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, where New England Revolution eliminated them after a penalty shootout. Their last league foray was a 1-3 road victory over Lexington Sporting Club in Week 6. The triumph snapped Rhode Island’s four-game winless run to start the league campaign.
Looking at the Eastern Conference table, the Battery are in fourth and Rhode Island are in 11th.
Storylines of the Match Coastal Rivalry Renewed – Charleston and Rhode Island have developed a budding rivalry since Rhode Island’s introduction to the league in 2024. The two clubs last met in the 2025 playoffs for the second consecutive postseason, with Rhode Island advancing after a penalty shootout. The all-time series favors Rhode Island slightly, with two wins to Charleston’s one, and three draws.
Aiming for First Away Win in RI – The Battery will hope it’s a case of third time is the charm as they make trip No. 3 to Rhode Island. Charleston’s results in the Ocean State have been one draw and one loss, with the defeat occurring in the 2025 trip to Centreville Bank Stadium. It’s not the only away fixture the Battery were winless in coming into this season, as Charleston had a similar streak at Louisville that was ended earlier in April with a 0-2 road win.
Messer Returns In Form – For Nathan Messer, Wednesday will be a trip back to familiar territory. The Battery’s leading chance creator made his professional debut with Rhode Island in 2024 and played a portion of his collegiate career at Providence College, prior to his breakout 2025 season in Maine with Portland Hearts of Pine. Messer currently leads the league with 61…