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Loudoun United potentially looked at Saturday’s game with the Charleston Battery as one where they could right their fortunes in 2021, and while they had a promising start, some bad bounces resulted in their 5th straight loss 3-0, in front of 2,694 at Patriots Point.
Saturday’s lineup had the return of Kairou Amoustapha to the starting lineup, and D.C. United loanee Kimarni Smith started on the opposite side of the field. Michael DeShields started as well, with Jacob Greene and Jovanny Bolivar on the bench, and backup goalkeeper Noah Abrams appearing in his first lineup for Loudoun.
Loudoun found themselves putting pressure on Charleston, but found themselves on the unfortunate end again, as a ball to Stavros Zarokostas found him turn and fire for a historic goal in USL history:
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— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) June 26, 2021
This finish from @Chas_Battery's Stavros Zarokostas is the , regular-season goal in our history! pic.twitter.com/n2In5IsgPx
Loudoun continued to push forward after the goal with several opportunities, but in the 35th minute, Nique Daley gave the Battery a brace:
Turning a 1 goal lead into 2? Call that a Daley Double
— Charleston Battery (@Chas_Battery) June 26, 2021
Nicque earns his first goal of the season on this second effort to will the ball past the Loudoun defense!#CHSvLDN | #CB93 @LovePassionDD pic.twitter.com/L4z93tbf7g
The 2nd half saw Landry Houssou come on at halftime, and in the 56th minute, Jovanny Bolivar, Jacob Greene, and Owen Walz came on as substitutes, the latter for Wahab Ackwei, who came on for an injured Michael DeShields in the first half. Minutes later, Jermaine Fordah found himself in a shooting gallery, and Daley got to a third Charleston shot for his brace:
— Charleston Battery (@Chas_Battery) June 27, 2021
After shots from Robbie and Joel don't go through, Nicque is at the right place at the right time and wills his way for the brace!#CHSvLDN | #CB93 @LovePassionDD pic.twitter.com/OmGaBh1lYJ
Loudoun (1-7-0) hosts the Pittsburgh Riverhounds next Wednesday, June 30 at 7:00pm at Segra Field.
Box Score
USL Championship Regular Season - Game 8
Charleston Battery 1 (Zarokostas 16, Daley 35, 60)
Loudoun United FC 0
Lineups:
Charleston (4231): Joe Kuzminsky; Logan Gdula, Leland Archer (C), Patrick Hogan, Ben Di Rosa (DZ Harmon); Robbie Crawford, Angelo Kelly; Joel Bunting (Claudio Repetto), Stavros Zarokostas, A.J. Paterson (Erik McCue); Nicque Daley (Burke Fahling 70)
Loudoun (343): Jermaine Fordah; Michael DeShields (Wahab Ackwei 17, Owen Walz 56), Timmy Mehl (C), Robby Dambrot; Ted Ku-DiPietro (Jovanny Bolivar 56), Nicky Downs (Landry Houssou 45), Jeremy Garay, Gaoussou Samake (Jacob Greene 56); Kairou Amoustapha, Darluis Paz (Abdellatif Aboukoura), Kimarni Smith
Bookings:
Charleston - Zarokostas 2
Loudoun - None