LD Update: Previews, honors, signings & Cups

NASL Preview: The Carolina RailHawks play host to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Wednesday. The contest is the first meeting this season after the two split the season series a year ago with two victories each. Carolina won both matches at home by a two-goal margin while falling on the road by one goal in both.

USL Pro Preview: Antigua Barracuda visit the Wilmington Hammerheads Wednesday in the first of two games in the Carolinas. It is the first trip to the States this season. Last season Antigua played host to the Hammerheads, dropping both games in one-goal decisions, 1-0 and 3-2 in early July.

USL Pro Honors: The league announced Charlotte Eagles defender Luke Williams as the Player of the Week as well as the accompanying Team of the Week.

LD Update: Antigua wins; Weekend previews; International signings

Antigua Barracudas 3:2 Charlotte Eagles - After two weeks off, the island club showed no rust. They immediately took the advantage through Peter Byers in the 12th minute. Jorge Herrera tied the contest up eight minutes before the break, but Stefan Smith scored two in five minutes to give them a commanding 3-1 lead on the hour mark. A tally from Luke Williams, though, made the finish a close contest.

NASL Previews: Saturday night features three matches with teams looking to end winless streaks. First, there is the first-ever meeting between San Antonio Scorpions, who come to North Carolina still searching for their first-ever victory after finally ending their scoreless status last week at home.  And though the Carolina RailHawks have the second best goal total in the league, all they have to show for it are three draws and a loss... The Atlanta Silverbacks are at home looking to end two frustrating streaks with the Minnesota Stars visiting. They have draws in all three games this season, and last year went without a point against Minnesota. The fell, 1-2, at home in the first meeting and were blanked the rest of the way, falling 3-0 and then 2-0 twice... The other host, Tampa Bay Rowdies, are in the complete opposition situation having posted an unbeaten record against rival Fort Lauderdale last year. They finished level, 1-1, at Fort Lauderdale in the opening game of the series and then beat the Strikers in the next three with a 4-2 home win and then a pair of 2-0 shutouts. 

USL Pro Previews: Friday night's lone contest is a meeting of old foes with a unique history as the Charleston Battery play host to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The Battery went winless against the Riverhounds last year with a pair of scoreless draws and two losses. It was unusual for Charleston, which had not lost a regular season game against Pittsburgh since their first-ever meeting in 1999, a stretch of nine games (5-0-4). The only other odd note is that Pittsburgh had won the only playoff series between the two with a two-game sweep in a 2001 season in which they did not face one another.

LD Update: Game Night, Honors & Signings

Charlotte Eagles 0:3 Charleston Battery – It has been a tough start for the Charlotte Eagles as they fell at home for the second time and remain without a goal through three games on the young season. The Battery got two in the first half and a third late for the win on the road, where they are a perfect 2-0.

Charlotte nearly found their first goal in the 17th minute, but Joseph Kabwe’s effort denied with a great diving save from Andrew Dykstra, who returned to the Battery on loan from DC United last week. Hero in the season opener, Jose Cuevas served a cross in the 23rd minute that Tony Donatelli, who drove it past Eric Reed to open the scoring. A minute before the break Ryan Richter made a fantastic play on his own, beating the Eagles defense in a counter-attack and firing past Reed.

Charlotte, Dayton finish scoreless

It was a night of missed chances in Charlotte as the Eagles and Dayton Dutch Lions, who were opening their campaign, finished in a scoreless stalemate. The closest either came to scoring on the night came nine minutes in when Charlotte’s Jorge Herrera free kick took a deflection and ricocheted off the far post.  A couple of opportunities went for naught courtesy of Eric Reed saves.

The Eagles are now 0-1-1 following last week's season opening loss, 2-0, to Orlando City. Charlotte hosts Charleston Tuesday and Harrisburg Friday in upcoming action as Dayton travels to Pittsburgh Saturday.