CHARLESTON, SC - Brad Evans scored the game-winner in the 89th minute as Seattle Sounders FC beat the Charleston Battery (USL Pro), 2-1, on Saturday night in the team's opening match of the Carolina Challenge Cup at Blackbaud Stadium.
The teams traded tallies in the opening half from Osvaldo Alonso and Colin Falvy before Evans converted a late penalty attempt to win the match.
Second-half substitute Sean Okoli drew the penalty in the 88th minute when he was brought down inside the box. Evans stepped up and beat the Battery keeper for his first goal of the 2014 preseason.
Alonso put Seattle ahead in the 25th minute. Following a corner kick, the ball bounced outside the box to a waiting Alonso, who chested it down and blasted a 22-yard shot to the upper corner.
The goal was Alonso's first of the 2014 preseason. He played the 2008 season with the Charleston Battery, earning USL-1 Rookie of the Year honors.
Charleston quickly equalized when Falvy knocked in a loose ball in the box following a free kick in the 28th minute.
Marco Pappa created several dangerous opportunities throughout the match. In the 22nd minute, he found Dylan Remick streaking down the left flank. Remick beat his man into the box but his shot missed wide of the near post.
In the 38th minute, Pappa cut inside his defender and chipped a ball into the center of the box. Lamar Neagle's attempted shot was blocked and cleared for a throw-in. In the second half, Pappa found Kenny Cooper cutting across the box but his flick was saved.
Goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann made a pair of stops in the second half to keep the match level. First, he jumped off his line in the 67th minute to clear the ball from the onrushing Battery attack. In the 76th minute, he kick-saved a close-range shot from Dante Marini.
Sounders FC has gone 4-0-1 over the first five matches of the 2014 preseason, outscoring opponents 8-4 with one shutout.
The match marked Seattle's first of the week-long round-robin tournament. Sounders FC will play the Houston Dynamo on February 26 and D.C. United on March 1. The team will also play the College of Charleston in a friendly tomorrow.
Scoring Summary
SEA - Osvaldo Alonso 25'
CHS - Colin Falvy 28'
SEA - Brad Evans (penalty) 89'
Seattle Sounders FC: Marcus Hahnemann, Brad Evans, Jalil Anibaba, Chad Marshall, Dylan Remick, Marco Pappa (Sean Okoli 72'), Osvaldo Alonso, Andy Rose, Lamar Neagle (Cam Weaver 80'), Kenny Cooper, Obafemi Martins.
Charleston Battery: Andy Ramos, Taylor Mueller, Colin Falvey, Shawn Ferguson (Nurdin Hrustic 46'), John Wilson (Drew Ruggles 61'), Amadou Sanyang (Justin Portillo 61'), Quinton Griffith, Michael Azira, Jorad Van Schaik, Zach Prince (Dante Marini 66'), Dane Kelly (Austin Savage 73').
Misconduct Summary:
CHS - Taylor Mueller (caution) 51'
CHS - Dane Kelly (caution) 71'
CHS - Colin Falvy (caution) 73'
SEA - Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 77'
CHS - Michael Azira (caution) 79'
