Charleston closes regular season with road win versus Thunder

The Charleston Battery defeated the Minnesota Thunder 3-2 Sunday evening at the National Sports Center in front of 4,613.  After seeing a two goal lead erased in an hectic two-minute stretch midway through the first half Charleston forward Dan Antoniuk headed home a late winner to earn the Battery its sixth road victory of the season.

Charleston (14-5-11, 53 points) finish the regular season tied for third place in the USL standings with the Puerto Rico Islanders.

Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser made eight changes to the side that tied Rochester 0-0 on Friday night as he rested some of the regular starters ahead of this week’s USL1 playoff series versus the Montreal Impact.

Despite the changes Charleston pressed from the opening whistle and created the first chance of the game in the 3rd minute as Antoniuk received the ball just outside the box.  Antoniuk pulled away from his defender but his right-footed strike was smothered by Minnesota goalkeeper Nick Platter. 

The Battery opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Charleston captain Nelson Akwari managed to head the ball back across the face of goal from a deep free-kick.  Darren Spicer met the cross unmarked at the back post and tapped the ball home from two yards out.

Charleston doubled their lead ten minutes later from another set-piece this time a long throw-in from midfielder Kenji Treschuk.  Antoniuk flicked on with a slip header and midfielder Tsuyoshi Yoshitake buried the ball past Platter to make it 2-0.

The Thunder pulled a goal back in the 28th minute with a fine long-range strike by forward Melvin Tarley that flew past Battery goalkeeper Chris McClellan.  Then less than two minutes later Minnesota equalized as midfielder Ricardo Sanchez headed home from ten-yards out.

The game remained deadlocked until the 79th minute as Charleston again found success with a set-piece.  Midfielder Tsuyoshi Yoshitake whipped in a corner from the near side.  Forward Dan Antoniuk met the cross and snapped a header into the right corner of the goal.

Charleston survived a late scare as McClellan was forced into action in stoppage-time making a foot-save off the line to deny the Thunder a late equalizer.