Recap: Loudoun end 2022 with draw to Charleston

A common theme for Loudoun United this year was the inability to see a game out from a winning position, with six dropped points from May 28 to July 30 based on stoppage goals allowed alone. While the team had little to play for in their last game of the season, this familiar behavior reared its ugly head again in a 1-1 draw to the Charleston Battery in front of a capacity crowd of almost 4,000 at Patriots Point.

Matai Akinmboni, Ted Ku-DiPietro and Kimarni Smith started as loan downs from D.C. United, with Jeremy Garay and Jacob Greene on the bench. Gavin Turner and Abdellatif Abokoura came along as Academy representatives.

Loudoun started aggressively early, as Carson Vom Steeg forced an attempt at goal:

A few minutes later, Smith capitalized on a error to give Loudoun the lead:

Ku-DiPietro almost doubled the lead midway through the second half:

Which he would rue, as Goebel Perez leveled things for the Battery in the 86th minute:

Loudoun wrap up 2022 at 8-22-4, their 28 points winding up in 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Box Score

USL Championship Regular Season - Game 34

Charleston Battery 1 (Perez 86)
Loudoun United FC 1 (Smith 25)

Lineups:
Charleston (343): Daniel Kuzemka; A.J. Paterson, Preston Kilwien (Geobal Perez 80), Leland Archer (Patrick Hoga 88); Charlie Asensio (Enock Kwakwa 80), Aidan Apodaca (Mauro Cichero 63), Dominic Oduro, Romario Piggot; Andrew Booth, Augustine Williams, Fidel Barajas

Loudoun (4231): Luis Zamudio; Rio Hope-Gund, Jalen Robinson (C), Carson Vom Steeg, Matai Akinmboni (Tyler Freeman 45); Houssou Landry, Nicky Downs; Kimarni Smith, Skage Simonsen (Azaad Liadi 76), Ted Ku-Dipietro; Abdoul Zanne (Jacob Greene 63)

Bookings:
Charleston - Paterson 13, Oduro 37, Kilwien 76
Loudoun - Simonsen 31, Zanne 57, Bench (Martin) 66, Landry 71