The Charleston Battery secured a thrilling 2-5 road victory over Sporting Club Jacksonville at Hodges Stadium on Saturday. Charleston recorded their second consecutive game with five goals following tallies by Miguel Berry (two), Maalique Foster, Jeremy Kelly and Alec Hughes. By completing the season sweep over Jacksonville, the Battery have ascended to second in the Eastern Conference standings.
Kickoff at Hodges finally arrived after a two-and-a-half-hour delay due to thunderstorms that hit the area during the evening. Despite the delay, Charleston came out of the gate on the front foot and with heavy pressure.
The Battery broke the game open in the 12th minute when Maalique Foster capitalized on a defensive error by Jacksonville to take an early 0-1 lead. Harvey Neville’s pass back toward goalkeeper Christian Olivares was intercepted by Foster, who took a touch around Olivares before finishing into an open net.
Foster’s goal was his fifth of the year across all competitions, his fourth in the league, and marked his third consecutive match with a goal.
Charleston were quick to double their lead, and just moments later, Jeremy Kelly struck from distance to make it 0-2 in the 14th minute. Miguel Berry’s clever pass in the middle of the park made its way to Kelly, and the midfielder crashed in from the left flank with ample space for a shot. Kelly’s attempt from outside the box to the far post and past Olivares.
The Battery continued to pour on the pressure and added a third goal in the 19th minute via Berry. Foster again capitalized on Jacksonville’s mistake by intercepting a weak pass intended for Tyshawn Rose and initiated a quick counterattack into the final third. Colton Swan collected the rebound from the cross by Foster and played the ball back to Berry. From there, Berry smashed his shot first-time from near the penalty spot, tucking the ball just inside the post.
Berry’s goal was his third of the year and first of the league campaign. Swan’s assist was his second of the year.
On the other end, goalkeeper Luis Zamudio made a key save in the 37th minute when Raheem Somerall had a low effort on target, but Zamudio dove to make the save
Jacksonville managed to pull one back in the 44th minute via Wan Kuzain, cutting the score to 1-3.
Charleston took the 1-3 lead into the break.
Playe resumed for the second half with the Battery bringing on Wilmer Cabrera in place of Maalique Foster.
Jacksonville cut their deficit in half in the 47th minute via Wan Kuzain to make the score 2-3.
Charleston, however, issued a quick response when Berry struck again in the 53rd minute to restore the two-goal lead, 2-4. Kelly and Cabrera worked the ball into the box and Cabrera made a savvy pass to an unmarked Berry on the opposite side of the box. Berry then lined up his shot and drove the ball home for his second goal of the night.
Berry’s second goal marked his first brace of the season, bringing his 2026 total to four. It was also Berry’s first brace since August 2021. Cabrera’s assist was his second of the year and his second in as many games.
A notable moment for the Battery occurred in the 71st minute when Laurent Kissiedou entered the game off the bench for his first appearance in roughly two months.
The complexion of the final stages of the match changed when Jacksonville’s Ryan Edwards was sent off with a red card in the 81st minute after earning his second yellow card of the game. Jacksonville were forced to end the game with only 10 men.
Charleston made quick work of the man advantage and scored their fifth goal via Alec Hughes in the 82nd minute, going up 2-5. Berry took the free kick that followed the red card, and his attempt at a hat trick rocked the woodwork. However, Hughes was positioned perfectly in the box to knock the rebound into the back of the net.
Hughes officially opened his Battery account with the goal.
In the waning phase of the game, Jack Wayne entered the match in the 83rd minute to make his 10th appearance of the year, an impressive feat for the USL Academy player and Ohio State Buckeye signee.
Charleston saw out the 2-5 road win over Jacksonville to complete the season sweep over the expansion club.
The win advanced the Battery to second in the Eastern Conference table with a record of 7W-4L-2D (23pts).
Charleston’s next match will be home vs. Loudoun United FC on Wed., June 24, which is Pups at the Pitch at Patriots Point.
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