An away game against a top team is already a difficult task. If you then receive a red card in the first half, the chances of a successful game are reduced even further.
Memphis had a tough battle against the Charleston Battery, eventually losing 3-1. Lucas Turci was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for handball (first caution for a bad foul). Memphis conceded a goal shortly after and was on the defensive for most of the game after that.
Former Beale Street Boys Chris Allan, Mark Segbers and Graham Smith started for Charleston. The number of familiar faces was somewhat dampened by head coach Ben Pirrman serving a red card suspension and Aaron Molloy missing out through injury.
Memphis were also missing a key player in Marlon Santos, a disheartening sign for a club that has struggled to score goals in recent weeks (three goals in the last five games). Strikers Bruno Lapa and Luiz Fernando were very active from the start, trying to break the goal drought. The Brazilian duo had the first two chances of the game with shots from outside the box.
Charleston had no problem putting the ball in the net. In their last game, they scored five goals against Indy Eleven, and all of them came in the second half. It took a while for the offensive engine to get going. It was similar against Memphis, where nothing happened for the first ten minutes until a few warning shots were fired.
Triston Henry, who started for 901 FC for the third time in a row, had to deal with several balls into the penalty area. Corners were followed by impacts and flat crosses became annoying.
In response, Memphis had a period of possession in which they created promising chances of their own. A long-range shot from Lapa into the top right corner was saved in the 20th minute. Zach Duncan and Nighte Pickering added to the score shortly after.
Memphis gained more and more momentum and was able to build up more and more ball contacts in the attacking third. However, in the 37th minute, the lead was quickly gone after Turci was sent off. Four minutes later, the Battery scored. Nick Markanich received a cross with his chest and volleyed it past Henry for his 21st goal of the season.
Memphis survived the remaining minutes of the first half after Carson Vom Steeg came on for Emerson Hyndman. They switched to a back three early in the second period and appeared more aggressive than the Battery. Their push for an equalizer was rewarded in the 50th minute. Despite appeals for handball, Memphis played on, with Alvaro Quezada saving the ball at the byline and Samuel Careaga scoring with a left-footed goal.
The Battery seemed surprised by the pressure waves from the 10-man Memphis team. Another shot from Careaga, this time from distance, had to be blocked. Quezada almost scored from a corner kick, but the ball deflected off the line in the 54th minute.
Having intercepted all 901 attacks, Charleston had its first chance after the break. Their other strong scorer, MD Myers, picked up the ball after Markanich went down in the box and reacted calmly. The build-up consisted of using the wide areas and sending a pinpoint cross.
The third and decisive goal for Charleston came in the 72nd minute with a stunning shot from Juan Torres into the bottom right corner, past the diving Henry.
Next game
To respond to the loss, Memphis will have a midweek away game against Miami FC, which will take place on Wednesday, August 14 at 6 p.m.
