Big night for the Battery at The Point
Battery down Indy Eleven 2-1 with multiple headlines
It was a 2-1 Charleston Battery win over the visiting Indy Eleven at a sold-out Patriots Point Saturday night in the Lowcountry. The night was filled with multiple headline events as the large crowd saw the hosts claim all three points.
The three points clinched a USL Championship playoff spot for the Battery as Cal Jennings scored a brace taking his name to the top of the USLC Golden Boot standings with 14 goals scored.
The Battery were the stronger team all night and moved the ball with pace and purpose as they controlled the midfield spaces and created scoring chances over the first 30 minutes of play. The Battery earned a PK in the 36th minute after a quick sequence of passes put MD Myers in alone inside the Indy box where he was fouled to create the opportunity from the spot. Cal Jennings was clinical from the mark and converted the PK to give the Battery the advantage entering the break.
The second half was more Battery pressure and the second Battery goal came from this sustained pressure as Cal Jennings ran down an errant Indy back-pass header to thump the ball into the empty net despite the scrambling Indy keeper’s efforts.
Indy subbed in former Battery fan-favorite Romario Williams and the Eleven pulled a goal back in the 72nd off a corner kick scramble as Jack Blake put the ball in the net in the chaotic moment inside the Battery goalmouth.
The Battery made some late subs and went more defensive after the goal allowed to successfully see out the match. Despite the goal allowed, it was a pretty comprehensive win for the hosts on the evening. Midfielder Aaron Molloy made huge contributions in the Battery midfield being the main conduit to link the backs with the forwards through his passing and decisive dribbling. Molloy also made several key recovery runs to track the Indy runners and put out several dangerous moments…just when it looked like Indy was about to get somewhere, Molloy would just pop up, sweep in to collect the ball, and start the Battery counter.
Seeing Indy in person reminds the fans of some old-school soccer tactics that teams seem to shy away from in the 2025 soccerverse. Indy didn’t play out of the back and was very direct in their attacks as they always had the keeper lump the ball long on the goal kicks. The Indy back line is a very tall and very physical group that clearly knows who they are and how to play to those strengths. This size and stubborness worked for most of the match to keep the Battery in check.
Injuries forced the Battery to sub both Jeremy Kelly and Douglas Martinez in the first half of the match which could be the only negatives for the hosts in the result.
The next match for the Battery is on Saturday, September 13 as the Oakland Roots stop by the Point for a 7:30 PM kickoff.