March 21, 2015 Charles Battery vs Toronto FC II match result (from charlestonbattery.com)

 
Mueller gives Battery dramatic 3-2 win

CHARLESTON — Battery defender Taylor Mueller finished a rebounding block off a chaotic set 
piece in stoppage time to give Charleston an improbable 3-2 victory Saturday night over visiting 
Toronto FC II.

Mueller’s clutch shot in the mixer capped a stirring three-goal rally from the 0-2 hole the 
Battery dug themselves in the first 15 minutes.

“We knew at half-time we could come back, and win,” Mueller said, standing in front of a jubilant 
E-1 Supporters Section as children thronged around him on the field.

A Dane Kelly goal off a Quinton Griffith assist in the 38th minute got the Battery back within 
striking distance, but Jordan Hamilton’s quality strike off a long ball that shocked the defense 
in the 8th minute, and Mo Babouli’s opportunistic finish in the 15th minute, left them a job 
of work in the second.

“We talked about it at the half,” Coach Mike Anhaeuser said. “We told them it was going 
to be a battle. It really shows the character of this team.”

The Battery came out looking more confident in possession in the second, with midfielders 
Maikel Chang and Justin Portillo combining well with overlapping fullbacks Griffith and 
Obi Woodbine. And in the 55th minute, an intense attacking series initiated by Woodbine 
ended with a Dane Kelly shot being blocked out for a corner.

The contact on the play ended Kelly’s night, and after his replacement, Heviel Cordoves, 
entered the match, Battery defender Shawn Ferguson leveled the match in a manner eerily 
similar to Mueller’s game winner. in the 57th minute, after a block on the original shot 
off the corner kick, Ferguson pounced on the loose ball and blasted it up into the crossbar 
to ricochet into the net.

Toronto would generate other chances — including a dangerous ball in the 67th minute that 
forced Cooper to clear a threat just beyond his penalty area with a sliding kick in front 
of a free-running Reds striker.

But the rest of the night largely belong to the Battery’s attacking corps. Forward 
Ricky Garbanzo, a rookie making his first professional start, joined Chang and Cordoves 
in launching a series of threatening chances.

Just moments into stoppage time, the Battery earned the team’s fifth corner kick of the 
night. As with Ferguson’s goal, Toronto stopped the initial effort, but was unable 
to clear its lines. Mueller’s finish left no doubt, and three minutes later Blackbaud 
Stadium erupted in joyous celebration.

“We had the draw, and we knew that,” Mueller said. “But you never want to draw at home. 
I don’t think it was nerves early. We just made some mistakes. But at the end maybe there 
was a bit of pressure. We wanted the win.”

Said Anhaeuser, “(this win) can be huge for our season. They did a tremendous job.”

The Battery travel to Charlotte for their first-ever meeting with new USL club Charlotte 
Independence on March 27, then return to Charleston to face Harrisburg City Islanders 
on April 4. Tickets for the match start at $10 and can be ordered online or over the 
phone at 843.971.GOAL.

BOX SCORE

Referee: David Erbacher

Assistants: Richard Rogers, J. Benjamin Jackson, fourth official Wayne Pavelischek

Weather: Clear, 58 degrees

Attendance: 4,536

CHARLESTON: Odisnel Cooper, 
Quinton Griffith (assist, 38'), Taylor Mueller (goal, 90+), Shawn Ferguson (goal 55, Zach Prince (yellow 78', Memo Rodriguez), 
Justin Portillo, Jarad van Schaik, Maikel Chang (yellow simulation 87', Sebastien Thuriere, 90+), 
Ricky Garbanzo (Austin Savage, 83'), Dane Kelly (goal, 38', Heviel Cordoves, 56').

Players not used: Kevin Corby, Forrest Lasso, Oumar Ballo, ,

TORONTO: Alex Bono, 
Ashton Morgan (yellow, 80'), Clemeent Simonin, Wesley Charpie, Daniel Fabrizi, 
Chris Mannella (Adam Bouchard 87'), Manuel Aparicio (Massimo Mirabelli 63'), Jay Chapman, 
Mo Babouli (goal 15'), Mark Anthony Kaye (Luca Uccello, 75'), Jordan Hamilton (goal 8').

Players not used, Robert Quillan, Nikola Stakic, Marcus Godinho,, Mark Serjeant.

TOP IMAGE: Taylor Mueller (left) scores the match-winner in stoppage. Vin Duffy photo.
 
This entry was posted in News on March 21, 2015 by Dan Conover.  

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