Second-half goal lifts Battery over upstart Patriots

Mic Smith

El Paso’s Morin Rodrigo (11) battles Charleston’s Stephen Armstrong for possession of a loose ball Tuesday.

Anthony Catalano couldn't have picked a better time to score his first goal in a Charleston Battery uniform.

Catalano scored in the 75th minute and Dusty Hudock recorded his second straight shutout as Charleston beat the El Paso Patriots, 1-0, in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in front of a crowd of about 2,000 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Battery will take on Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo in the third round on July 10 at Blackbaud Stadium.

If pregame warm-ups were any indication, Catalano was probably the last player that Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser would have picked to come up with the game winner.

"It's kind of ironic that Anthony scored because I was watching him in warm-ups and he really struggled to find the back of the net," Anhaeuser said. "But when we needed it, Anthony came through for us in a big way. Anthony made a great half-volley and it was a big, big goal for us."

The score probably should have been worse. The Battery dominated possession of the ball and outshot the Patriots 10-2 during the match.

"We had plenty of chances in the first half and in the second half," Anhaeuser said. "I thought we had some heavy legs out there and that's maybe why we didn't score a couple of more times. We were just a bit unlucky at times."

The Battery's reward for beating El Paso, a member of the Premier Development League, is a match-up against Houston, the defending MLS champion. The Battery and Dynamo played to a 1-1 tie during the Carolina Challenge Cup in March.

"It's a great opportunity for our organization and our fans," Anhaeuser said. "It's a match-up that I know the players are looking forward to and we get it at Blackbaud Stadium, so it's going to be a great atmosphere here."

The Battery had a couple of quality scoring chances early in the game. A Tim Karalexis header off a corner kick bounced off the goal post in the 11th minute and Mike Richardson's spinning volley from just oustide the six-yard box also hit the post in the 29th minute.

The first half, however, wasn't entirely

without incident.

A pushing match between the two teams started after a perceived breach of etiquette by the Battery. El Paso defender Mario Garcia fell to the ground with a leg cramp with the Patriots in possession of the ball in the Battery's half of the field. Etiquette in soccer normally dictates the team with possession to kick the ball out of bounds so the injured player can be attended to.

However, the Patriots continued to attack and eventually Hudock was forced to make a routine save. The Battery counter-attacked, but turned the ball over a few yards outside the 18-yard penalty box. Once El Paso regained control of the ball, the Patriots booted it out of bounds and the pushing and shoving ensued.

Charleston was finally rewarded for their relentless offensive pressure in the 75th minute on Catalano's goal off a set piece.

After a foul on Charleston's Ian Bennett, Lazo Alavanja took a free kick from about 30 yards out on the right side. Alavanja served the ball into the back post as Catalano came storming in and volleyed the ball past El Paso keeper Jorge Muniz for the score.

"I just made a late run and Lazo picked me up perfectly," Catalano said. "I looked at Lazo, I didn't know if he saw me, but he put the ball in there perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better ball. We controlled the ball all night, we should have had a couple of more goals, but I'm not complaining, a win is a win."

The Patriots nearly tied the game with about 15 seconds left in stoppage time. With everyone on El Paso pushed up the field, defender Carlos Martinez got a through ball and somehow managed to get behind the Battery defenders. Martinez had a one-on-one chance against Hudock just outside the 18-yard box. But Martinez pushed his shot just wide of the net to end the threat and the game.

"They were probably playing for that one opportunity and they got it," Anhaeuser said. "We were very fortunate that (Martinez) shot didn't go in. But in a tournament you just want to win and advance."

Headers

--Midfielder Ian Fuller (hamstring) and defenders Kevin Nylen (foot) and Michael Todd (ankle) missed the game with injuries. Fuller, who has two goals is expected back in the lineup in two weeks.

--With Todd out of the lineup, former N.C. State star Aaron King started at striker.

--The Battery's next home game will be Saturday night beginning at 7:30 p.m. against Vancouver, which won the USL First Division last season.