Posted on June 16, 2012
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Antigua Barracuda FC’s return to USL PRO action did not come close to Antigua’s recent World Cup qualifying results.
In the Barracuda’s first league match in slightly more than a month, the side dropped a 3-0 ecision at the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium on Friday night.
Nicki Paterson scored a pair of goals and Dane Kelly added a third in front of 3,444 spectators.
Many of the Barracuda players perform with the Antigua & Barbuda National Team, which had some encouraging results in the recent CONCACAF semifinal Group A World Cup qualifying rounds. The Benna Boys lost to the United States, 3-0, in Tampa, Fla. before playing to Jamaica to a scoreless home draw.
But on Friday night, the Battery (8-3-0, 24 points) enjoyed the upperhand as the Cuda’s (six) fell to 2-7-0.
“We have to keep our composure and that’s what we did in the second half,” Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser said. “We didn’t lose control, we won three-nothing and got the three points.”
The Barracudas were forced to play with 10 men for the final 70 minutes after Lawson Robinson was red-carded for a physical confrontation with Dane Kelly. The Battery forward had received a yellow card for his reaction to an Antigua tackle. Robinson took exception to the referee’s decision and was sent off for striking Kelly.
Not long after, Ryan Richter was taken down from behind at the top of the penalty area for a free kick. Paterson, Charleston’s leading scorer, bent a hard shot to the near post past goalkeeper Keita Decastro to put the Battery ahead 1-0 in the 33rd minute.
Kelly doubled the lead in the 45th minute after he took on a defender with speed down the left flank toward goal before scoring for a 2-0 halftime lead.
In the second half the Battery was awarded a penalty kick when Kyle Hoffer was brought down inside the area. Paterson took the shot and netted his second goal of the night, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal. Paterson has a league-best eight goals.
Battery goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra was credited with two saves.
Photo: Lawson Robinson, fouling Jermaine Jones of the U.S. during a World Cup qualifier, was red-carded in the 20th minute at Charleston. Andy Mead/YCJ
Categories: Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean
Tags: Antigua Barracuda FC, Charleston Battery, Lawson Robinson, USL PRO
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