USL News Release
Thursday, August 11, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – The entire season comes down to a single game Friday night as the Charlotte Eagles and Charleston Battery will fight for the final playoff spot in the USL PRO Game of the Week on FOX Soccer. The Eagles (9-8-6, 33 points) hold a one-point advantage against the Battery (9-9-5, 32 points) heading into the season finale for both at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston (8 p.m. ET).
Charleston needs a victory to claim the fourth and final American Division berth, while Charlotte will move on with a win or tie. The Battery have defeated the Eagles in both previous meetings this season, though both came in the first month of the season when Charlotte limped out to a 0-4-1 start. Charleston is 5-0-1 against Charlotte since the clubs renewed their 19-year-old rivalry last season.
Charlotte enters the game after a 1-0 loss against Harrisburg Wednesday night, dropping a chance to clinch a playoff berth. The Eagles have otherwise shown an impressive run of form on the road down the stretch with three wins in their past four away from home, including a 3-0 victory in Rochester this past weekend.
The Eagles will lean on the offensive trio of USL PRO assist leader Jorge Herrera (3 goals, 7 assists) and forwards Sallieu Bundu and Darren Toby, each with six goals and an assist.
The Battery will try to get the job done with defense, having allowed only 22 goals in 23 games, third best in USL PRO. The 2010 USL Second Division champions dropped a pair of one-goal losses at division-leading Orlando City last week and will have to get past Charlotte without defensive stalwart John Wilson, who is serving a red card suspension and is unavailable.
USL PRO’s broadcast team of Kenn Tomasch and former Georgetown University coach Keith Tabatznik will call the action from Charleston. The 2011 USL PRO Championship will air live on FOX Soccer on Saturday, September 3.
The USL PRO Game of the Week is produced by Cultural Global Media Inc.