Charleston, SC. Today the Charleston Battery announced the signing of 1999 Southern Conference Player of the Year, midfielder Daniel Alvarez. Alvarez was a two-time first team NCAA Division I All American in 1998 and '99, and led Furman to a top five NCAA Div I ranking for the first time in school history in 1999 winning the Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships. Drafted by the NY/NJ Metrostars in the 2000 MLS Super Draft, Alvarez was obtained by Battery MLS affiliate Tampa Bay Mutiny in a trade. He assisted the Mutiny's tying goal in the 2-1 exhibition victory over the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium on May 1. Alvarez joins the Battery after returning from a month long trial with Borrussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga. A versatile and athletic wide midfield player, Alvarez is initially expected to lend depth to the Charleston midfield as they push for the Atlantic Division championship. Noted for his long throw-ins and pace, he gives the Battery another useful tool in their already impressive arsenal of attacking options.
The Battery head west this weekend as they look to keep pace with Richmond at the top of the competitive Atlantic Division standings. First up on the long haul to the "wild west", is a meeting with the Tennessee Rhythm in Nashville, TN, followed by a rematch with the El Paso Patriots in the heat of the Texas desert. The Battery will be severely put to the test on a very difficult road trip to territory that is very unfamiliar against two opponents that are in the thick of the playoff picture in their respective divisions. The Tennessee Rhythm (6-11-0) currently stand fourth in the Central Division (a division that features two of the last three A-League Champions, Milwaukee and Minnesota) and are fighting for a return to the A-league playoffs after missing them in 1999. Powered by former Campbell All American forward Pasi Kinturi and former Battery rookie Justin Sells, the Rhythm will be a stern test for the Charleston team looking to put back-to-back losses to Hershey behind them. The Rhythm defeated the Wildcats 2-1 earlier in the season. The Battery then head to the heat of the desert sun and a 4:05pm (Eastern time) rematch with the El Paso Patriots (10-8-1). The Battery beat the Patriots 2-1 at Blackbaud Stadium on June 23, but will have to deal with road-weary legs, one of the top scoring teams in the league eager for revenge and excruciating mid-afternoon desert heat. The Patriots are currently third in the tough Pacific Division and will be looking to keep the pressure on the San Diego Flash at the top of the tightly contested group and even the series with the Battery. Led by the imposing Bulgarian World Cup veteran goalkeeper, Dimitar Popov, and playmaker Bisser Georgiev, the highly anticipated "Battle of Bulgaria" in Charleston never materialized as the Battery Bulgarians Velko Iotov and Ivailo Ilarionov where injured. Now they will meet in the heat of soccer-mad El Paso in front of a largely partisan Latin American crowd. The Patriots also feature some explosive young American talent in the shape of towering target man Kevin Noleen, forward Mark Rowland, and the pace and skill of former Dallas Burn (MLS) rookie Kirk Wilson.
Battery Team News:
The Battery have added Tampa Bay Mutiny midfielder Kevin Anderson to the roster for the remainder of the 2000 season on the eve of the A-League roster freeze deadline this weekend. Anderson will join the team on Saturday in El Paso during the MLS 2000 All Star break. A 1998 A-League All Star with the Minnesota Thunder, Anderson is in his second Major League season and has started against the Battery for two separate MLS Teams. He played for the Colorado Rapids in the 3-0 defeat of the Battery in the 1999 US Open Cup semi final match at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex, and for Tampa in the 2-1 friendly win over the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium on May 1. He was traded to the Mutiny earlier this season where he rejoins two former Minnesota colleagues, forward Amos Magee and defender Kalin Bankov. Anderson was a teammate of Battery defender Gilbert Jean-Baptiste at NCAA Div II champion Southern Connecticut State.
Battery midfielder Temoc Suarez has played a key role for the US National Futsal team in the CONCACAF Futsal World Cup qualifying tournament in Costa Rica. This week, he scored a goal in the 7-0 drubbing of the Netherlands-Antilles on Sunday and added an assist in the 3-2 victory over Mexico on Tuesday. With the win over Mexico, the US team won group B and advanced to the semi-final of the tournament on Thursday versus Group A runner-up Cuba. The other game features Mexico versus Group A winner Costa Rica, with the winners playing for the CONCACAF Championship on Saturday, July 29. Both of the semi-final winners advance to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Finals in Guatemala from November 18-December 3. Suarez will rejoin the Battery next week for the August slate of critical playoff run-in games.
What: Charleston Battery V Tennessee Rhythm
When: Friday July 28, 8:35pm.
Where: Battleground Academy, Franklin, TN.
Game will be aired live on the Charleston Battery Skattells Radio Network on 910am WTMZ and on the worldwide web at www.charlestonbattery.com.
What: Charleston Battery V El Paso Patriots.
When: Sunday July 30, 4:05pm.
Where: Soccorro Stadium, El Paso, TX.
Next up: The Battery return for a three game home stand at Blackbaud Stadium during the first week of August. On Saturday, August 5, the Battery entertain future Major League hopefuls when the US Pro 40 come to town. On Wednesday, August 9, the Battery face a showdown against defending US Open Cup Champion Rochester Raging Rhinos, concluding the hectic week with the visit of archrival Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday August 12. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 971-GOAL, at Lloyds Sports in Mt. Pleasant or online at www.etix.com. Tickets are also available at the gate. Gates open at 6:30pm with Kickoffs scheduled for 7:30pm. Fans can enjoy the CareAlliance Health Services halftime show that will feature the Palmetto Stars dance team on August 5, with the first 500 adults receiving a free Budweiser tee-shirt compliments of Pearlstine distributors. One fan will have a chance to win $10,000 in the T-Bonz Kick for Cash contest.
