MOUNT PLEASANT, South Carolina, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago international Leland Archer tucked away his first goal of the season, but the strike went in vain as Charleston Battery suffered their first defeat new United Soccer League season, with a 2-1 loss to Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
Jamaican Maalique Foster put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute at Patriots Point Soccer Complex on Saturday night before Steven Echevarria doubled the lead after 15 minutes.
Archer struck nearing the half-hour mark to halve the Switchbacks’ advantage at the break, but a goalless second half saw Battery slip up for the first time.
“Full credit to Colorado Springs. They outplayed us, and we could say tired legs or whatever, but they just outworked us mainly in that first little bit,” said Battery head coach Ben Pirrman.
“We can’t have that. It wasn’t enjoyable. We can lose and have bad games, but we can’t get outworked, and they all worked, so credit them.”
With the defeat, Battery has knocked off the top of the Eastern Conference by Birmingham Legion, who beat Hartford Athletic 3-2 at home at the Protective Stadium on Sunday.
They now lie second on 15 points, just one behind the new leaders and one ahead of third-placed Louisville FC, who drew 1-1 with Memphis 901 FC on Saturday.
On a rainy night in the southeast, the 26-year-old Foster put the visitors ahead when he raced onto a through ball from midfield, beat the off-side trap, and clinically slid his finish past the advancing goalkeeper Trey Muse.
Thunderstorms in the area resulted in a two-hour delay. Still, on the resumption, Echevarria stretched the Switchback’s lead when his long-range drive was deflected moments after Reggae Boy Deshane Beckford had shot narrowly wide.
Battery struck back in the 27th minute, however, courtesy of a well-worked goal. Arturo Rodriguez beat his marker down the left and played a short pass back to AJ Paterson, who whipped a one-time cross into the box.
Derek Dodson headed the cross across the goal for Archer to nod past Joe Kuzminsky from point-blank range.
Beckford forced a save out of Muse in the opening minute of the second half, and another Jamaican, Romario Williams, shaved the crossbar in the 81st as Switchbacks came close to extending their lead.
and then 