Watch Live: Detroit City FC vs. Charleston Battery
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit City FC returns to Keyworth Stadium this Saturday after a four-game road trip to face off against the 2023 Eastern Conference Champions Charleston Battery. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast locally on Detroit50 (WKBD-TV). Supporters located in Michigan can stream the match for free on CBSDetroit.com.
Le Rouge enters this match from a 2-0 road victory at Rhode Island FC. A lovely sequence of passes down the field led to Maxi Rodriguez getting a shot on an open net, giving Detroit a 1-0 lead right before the half. Detroit would double their lead in the 64th minute with a Victor Bezerra goal from a perfect cross from Ben Morris.
With their outstanding performances last weekend, Morris and Rodriguez were named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 14. Morris was lauded for his defensive prowess, winning 2 of 2 tackles and making 14 recoveries as part of the defensive pressure. Rodriguez, on the other hand, showcased his precision and agility, completing 32 of 37 passes and winning 6 of the 8 duels he took part in.
Last Saturday's match also saw the much-anticipated return from injury of forward Elvis Amoh, who made a late cameo appearance, his first since coming off injured on April 6 against North Carolina FC.
Charleston Battery comes into this game in second place in the Eastern Conference. The defending Eastern Conference Champions are coming off a 0-0 draw on Saturday at home against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Charleston Battery started off the season on a 12-match unbeaten streak in the USL Championship before El Paso Locomotive FC ended that streak at the end of May.
Attacker Nick Markanich has played a crucial part in Charleston's success so far this season. His 12 goals are currently the top in the league. Markanich also boasts three assists, which is currently a team-high.
Charleston Battery is coached by former Detroit City head coach Ben Pirmann. Pitman was in charge of DCFC from 2013 to 2018, where he amassed a 49-17-17 regular-season record.
These two squads faced off twice last season. In their match at Keyworth, Charleston walked away with a 1-0 victory after a goal in the 71st minute. In the reverse fixture in Charleston, the teams played to a 0-0 draw.
Next Saturday, DCFC will welcome Liga MX side Pumas UNAM to Keyworth Stadium for the first International Friendly at Keyworth Stadium since 2019. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets for all Detroit City matches can be found at www.detcityfc.com/tickets.
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on X and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
CBS News Detroit is the official broadcast partner of Detroit City FC. This story is reprinted with permission from Detroit City FC.