Baresi’s Battery cruise past Antigua

Amadou “Baresi” Sanyang’s Charleston Battery defeated the Antigua Barracuda’s by a score of three goals to none at Blackbaud Stadium in front of 3,444.

Baresi saw only 66 minutes of play as he was replaced by Zach Prince. Midfielder Nicki Paterson scored a pair of goals and Dane Kelly added a third to lift the Battery to victory. “We have to keep our composure and that’s what we did in the second half” said Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser “we didn’t lose control, we won three nothing and got the three points.”

After the first 20 minutes of the game, the Barracudas were forced to play with ten men for the remainder of the match after Lawson Robinson was ejected for a physical confrontation with Dane Kelly. Kelly had received a yellow card for his reaction to an Antigua tackle; Robinson took exception to the referees decision and was sent off for striking Kelly.

Not long after, Ryan Richter was taken down from behind at the top of the 18 yard box for a free kick. The Charleston Battery’s leading goal scorer Nicki Paterson stepped up and bent a hard shot to the near post past Antigua goalkeeper, Keita Decastro to put the Battery ahead 1-0.In the 45th minute forward Dane Kelly took on an Antigua defender with speed down the left side of the field toward goal and with poise he neatly placed the ball home to boost Charleston to a 2-0 lead.

In the second half, Baresi’s Battery were awarded with a penalty kick when Kyle Hoffer was tackled inside the box. Paterson took the shot and netted his second of the night slotting the ball neatly into the bottom right corner of the goal.Battery goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra was credited with two saves en route to his shutout.

With the win, Baresi’s Battery improve to a 8-3-0 record and hold the second place spot in the USL PRO standings and their next game is against Sainey Touray’s Harrisburg City Islanders whom they will play host to at the Blackbaud Stadium.

Meanwhile at the Florida Citrus Bowl, Sainey Touray’s Islanders suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Orlando City thanks to Dennis Chin’s brace and Matthew Luzunaris who added the third. Touray was ejected four minutes heading into the break.