Charleston Battery downs Pittsburgh, still unbeaten

Image by Charleston Battery Alioune Gueye opened the scoring with a volleyed finish in the 28th minute.

Forward Tom Heinemann headed a 78th minute winner as the Charleston Battery defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium in front of 4,236 onlookers, 2-1.

With the win the Battery (5-0-1, 16 points) remains in first place in USL-2 and maintains its unbeaten start to the season. Pittsburgh (0-2-3, 3 points) drops its second straight and remains in 5th place.

“Tonight we carried a lot amount of momentum, we let them get one, but Tommy Heinemann finished a great one for us in the end,” said Charleston Battery head coach Mike Anhaeuser.

The first goal of the night came in the 28th minute. After Rudolph Mayard hammered a shot in from the right the ball was cleared to the edge of the box. Alioune Gueye was well placed and volleyed in from twenty yards out to score his first goal of the season.

Chance number two for the Battery followed mere seconds after Gueye’s goal when Tom Heinemann appeared to have scored, tapping home following a save by Pittsburgh goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap. As Heinemann began his celebrations the assistant referee flagged the goal back for offside.

Gilstrap made another strong save in the 39th minute somehow blocking Rudolph Mayard’s shot from close range.

Pittsburgh pulled a goal back in the 69th minute with wide free-kick that Jeremy Deighton headed home past Charleston goalkeeper Tim Melia.

With the game hanging in the balance Charleston pushed forward and were rewarded for their endeavor in the 78th minute with a free-kick from the near side. Zaher curled the ball into the middle and Heinemann powered his header into the far corner past a diving Gilstrap.

Next up for the Battery is a two match road swing to Pennsylvania; Friday night Charleston plays Pittsburgh and Saturday the Battery squares off against the Harrisburg City Islanders; both games kick off at 7 PM (www.charlestonbattery.com / 950 AM).

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