Photo Credit: Chris Asbrock, Impact Sports Cincy 

by Chris Asbrock

FC Cincinnati @ Charleston Battery
7:00 pm EST
MUSC Health Stadium
TV: YouTube, Star 64

Last meeting: 2-2 Draw (6/17/17 @ FCC)

Charleston Battery (0-0-0, 0 points, – Eastern Conference)
FC Cincinnati (0-0-0, 0 points, – Eastern Conference)

The 2018 USL regular season is finally here. With the preseason wrapping up for lower division clubs around the country, this is a matchup in the USL, that pits two top tier clubs against each other. The Charleston Battery have consistently been at the top of the Eastern Conference. Since their inception in 1993, the Battery have bagged four championships, most recently in 2012. Starting off the season with a matchup against one of the perennial top clubs, is a great way to kick off your campaign. As with the last two seasons, FC Cincinnati travels east to start their season off against the Battery.

Both clubs are going to look different than they did last season. The Battery only brought in a few new players to add to their club, while FC Cincinnati made wholesale changes, bringing in 17 new faces to add to a strong core. The expectations are there for both clubs to be competing for the top spot in the East. A loss to start the season is not what either club would be looking forward to, especially after the playoff disappointment from 2017. Both managers bring a wealth of experience and winning to the table, which is why the expectations are as they are for each team. Both clubs lost their leading scorer with Romario Williams leaving Charleston for Atlanta United and FC Cincinnati releasing Djiby Fall at the end of the season. The loss of two superb scorers will be one to watch in this match and throughout the season.

Last season was interesting and yet disappointing for both clubs, falling short in the playoffs. Both the Battery and FCC were knocked out in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It wasn’t a solid showing for both clubs in the playoffs, seeing the Battery dispatched by New York Red Bulls II by a stunning 4-0 score. On the other side, FC Cincinnati was dominated 3-0 by the Tampa Bay Rowdies, effectively ending their season. Heading into this season, it was key for both clubs to get the bad taste out of their mouth heading into the 2018 USL campaign.

The preseason was pretty successful for FCC, as they went 4-1-2. The only defeat they suffered was at Nippert Stadium to Sacramento Republic FC this past weekend. In what was a pretty good preseason for FCC, the loss to Sac Republic was not the way you want to head into the regular season. The boys in orange and blue, looked very uninspired and listless throughout the match. While the preseason isn’t the tell all, having a solid performance and molding the team chemistry is crucial. The Battery went 3-1-2 during their preseason, playing a mix of college and MLS teams.

One thing to look at for today’s match is how well the midfield and attackers gel for this season. Both teams have revamped their midfield and attacking options. The options for FC Cincinnati in the attacking third have the potential to be dangerous and very successful for the boys in orange and blue. The additions made in midfield also give Alan Koch a lot of options moving forward. During the preseason, the formation seemed to be a 4-2-3-1, which would indicate the midfield and attacking partnership will be crucial. Expect FCC to pressure a lot in the midfield and final third.

Another crucial piece in this puzzle for FCC is central defender Dekel Keinan. The club announced the 33 year-old Israeli as the captain for this season. Keinan brings a load of experience to the table, through his many years playing in Israel and England. Keinan has spent time as captain of Israeli club Maccabi Haifa and the Israel National Team. Koch and the rest of the club can rely on Keinan and his immense experience when things get a little tough. The big central defender will be a crucial piece for the FC Cincinnati defense.

To get pumped up for tonight, take some time to check this video out:

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 If you are unable to make it in front of your television for the match and want to watch the match, you can check it out via the match specific link here on YouTube. The game is also going to be broadcast on Cin-CW in the Cincinnati area. Make sure to check out your cable listings for the match. If you’re interested in discussing the match via Twitter, use the hashtag #CHSvsCIN and #USL.

Final match prediction: 2-1 Cincinnati


 Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for FTI Sports and can be followed on Twitter  and