| PREGAME SUMMARY: |
|---|
| 2019 MLS Preseason presented by Advocare |
| FC Cincinnati vs. Charleston Battery |
| MUSC Health Stadium, Charleston, S.C. |
| Saturday, Feb. 16 — 7:30 pm ET |
| No stream or TV available |
FC Cincinnati will jump into 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup action by playing the tournament host on Saturday, USL Championship outfit Charleston Battery, as part of Preseason presented by Advocare.
FC Cincinnati
Like many teams whose native climate in winter is very wintry, FC Cincy have been hopping around warm-weather locales during training camp. After a stint in Florida, they returned to Ohio before heading out to South Carolina. With the MLS expansion team in the back half of preseason, it's time to build cohesion ahead of the season opener on March 2.
“Minutes are huge in preseason so you’re actually match-ready when the season starts,” FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch said to the team's website. “[We’re] also making sure we’re all on the same page. …The closer you get to the start of the season, you better be on the same page.”
Charleston Battery
The Battery are one of the O.G.s of lower-division soccer in the modern era, and are hosting their preseason tournament for the 15th time in the last 16 years. They've been a model of consistency, as they reached the USL Cup playoffs in 2018, extending their streak of reaching the postseason to 11 years.
Under longtime coach Mike Anhaeuser, the Battery's roster for 2019 is a work in progress, but has historically been a proving ground for future MLS players. Don't be surprised if a young signing this year ends up on an MLS roster in the years to come.
