Thursday, August 8, 2013
IRVINE, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Blues edged past the Charleston Battery in a thrilling 2-1 win at Anteater Stadium on Wednesday night to move close to a place in the USL PRO Playoffs. Two goals by Matt Fondy gave the Blues their first win since July 13, giving he former Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward nine goals in nine games since he rejoined the Blues in midseason. 
The game started out fast-paced and remained that way throughout the contest, with Charleston doing most of the attacking and having the better of the chances early on. Dane Kelly had a chance to put the visitors up early in the 12th minute and nab his ninth goal of the season to tie the Blues' Chris Cortez, but his powerful shot from distance went into the arms of 'keeper Mohammad Mohammadi.
With all efforts to get the ball forward and to the feet of Kelly, Charleston pressed high but couldn't seem to connect and finish. Ryan O'Leary did an excellent job of making necessary clearances for the Blues, while Cory Miller had a few key clearances of his own as the game remained scoreless in the opening half-hour.
The Blues got on the board in the 33rd minute when a shot from Rodrigo Lopez off a corner deflected and landed at the feet of Fondy, who tapped the ball into the net for his eighth goal of the season. Three minutes later, Fondy struck again for his ninth off a curling effort into the top right corner of Odisnel Cooper's net to give the Blues a 2-0 lead.
Charleston had the opportunity to respond a minute later courtesy of Kelly, but the Jamaican striker could only put Jose Cuevas' cross wide of the post and the Blues went into halftime hanging onto their two-goal lead.
The beginning of the second half was almost a repeat of the first half as the Battery came out pressing hard, and 2012 Rookie of the Year Cuevas was a key component in many of Charleston's chances. Midfielder Nicki Paterson had a chance when given a free kick, but the effort was curled just wide in the 50th minute.
In the 68th minute, Fondy was denied a hat trick when his diving header was denied by Cooper from a perfectly placed cross from George Davis. It was a lovely play by Davis and Fondy, but an even better effort from Cooper to make the save.
Charleston managed to cut the Blues' lead in half in the 80th minute when Cuevas played a pass to Zach Prince, who was able to cross in to Kelly for the close-range finish. The Battery almost got their equalizer in stoppage time when Mohammadi came way out of his penalty area. Heviel Cordoves was quick to respond, but couldn't finish. The game ended after six minutes of added time and left many of the Blues fans and traveling support for the Battery breathless.
Charleston are still in fourth place on the season with a record of 11-6-7, while the Blues recorded three necessary points at home, and now sit at 10-8-7. Their final game of the season will be against the Rochester Rhinos at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium on Saturday, August 17th at 8:00 p.m. PT.