The Charleston Battery celebrate after a late goal forged a 1-1 tie with Tampa Bay on April 18 at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.
Charleston Battery/Provided
Wilmer Cabrera nearly opened the scoring in the 34th minute with the best chance of the afternoon to that point. However, Cabrera’s low curler went just wide of the post.
On the other end, Graham Smith made a crucial tackle against Cicerone in the 36th minute to thwart Tampa Bay’s counterattack.
Emilio Ycaza recorded the first shot on target of the game in the 43rd minute, a strong strike that forced a diving save from goalkeeper Jahmali Waite.
The game went into the break tied and scoreless. Charleston outshot Tampa Bay, 5-3, and retained just under 56 percent possession in the first half.
Saturday’s second stanza began with all still to play for in the game.
Entering the game just moments prior, Laurent Kissiedou nearly broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when his header rattled off the base of the post but went out. The threat was initiated by Nathan Messer, who found Kissiedou unmarked inside the box, as the Battery ramped up pressure on the visitors.
Tampa Bay’s first shot on target came in the 74th minute, a strike by Louis Perez that required a routine save by goalkeeper Luis Zamudio.
The Rowdies managed to break the deadlock in the 80th minute via Sebastian Cruz.
However, Charleston issued an immediate response with Martinez scoring the equalizer in the 82nd minute off a corner kick, leveling the score at 1. The service was provided by Messer, and Martinez contacted the ball with a glancing header that went right into the net.
Graham Smith and the Charleston Battery wound up in a 1-1 draw with Tampa Bay on April 18 at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.
Charleston Battery/Provided
“I think we needed it, that was a set piece that we’ve been training during practice, and that was my job. I just tried to flick it, just in case some other teammate could score,” Martinez said. “But thank God I got the goal for the team.”
The goal marked Martinez’s first tally with the Battery since joining in 2025, and Messer’s assist was his second of the year.
Both sides ramped up the pressure in the remaining moments of the match to try to steal the three points. Zamudio recorded the final save of the game, denying Perez again in stoppage time.