The Charleston Battery defeated Major League Soccer’s Dallas Burn by a score of four goals to one tonight, in a pre-season exhibition match at Blackbaud Stadium. 3,054 Battery fans saw an impressive early season performance by Charleston who ...
The Charleston Battery defeated Major League Soccer’s Dallas Burn by a score of four goals, in a pre-season exhibition match at Blackbaud Stadium. 3,054 Battery fans saw an impressive early season performance by Charleston who outplayed Dallas throughout the 90-minute match. Newcomer, Morgan Zeba, led the way, with a brace of goals, scoring twice, once in each half. |
Charleston opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a superbly worked goal. Defender, Linval Dixon drilled a long pass forward to midfielder, Morgan Zeba. Zeba took the ball in-stride at the edge of the 18-yard box; he carried it forward towards the advancing keeper, and then calmly slotted it into the corner of the goal. |
In the 20th minute the Battery doubled it’s lead. Midway inside the Dallas half, Steve Klein made a sharp pass to fellow midfielder, Seamus Donnelly. Donnelly raced forward with the ball to the top of the penalty area. With his path seemingly blocked he took a quick glance up and stroked the ball over the keeper, into the top right-hand corner of the net. It was a remarkable goal that sent the crowd wild. |
The Battery created several more chances as they continued to carry the game to the Burn, but didn’t add another goal before the break. The first half ended, Charleston Battery 2 – Dallas Burn 0. |
Charleston started the second period in the same manner that they finished the first. Ten minutes in they were rewarded with a third goal. This time Eric Wynalda started the move. He picked the ball up deep in the Dallas half and dribbled towards the 18-yard box. For a moment it appeared that he would try a shot from outside the box. However spotting a run down the left flank he pushed the ball into the path of Brian Piesner. Piesner streaked to the by-line and whipped a cross, across the face of the goal. Morgan Zeba met the ball at the edge of the 6-yard box and snapped a header into the goal. |
Then in the 62nd minute, Wynalda closed out the Battery scoring with a goal of his own. He played a deft one-two with Steve Klein inside the Dallas area. Klein scooped the ball back across the middle to Wynalda who dove bravely at the ball and headed it decisively home. |
The Burn scored a consolation goal in the 71st minute after being awarded a penalty kick for an infringement in the box. The final score, Charleston Battery 4 – Dallas Burn 1. |
Text taken from wayback machine |