Strong Way to Open

Tsuyoshi Yoshitake figures he was 85 percent healthy for Charleston's match with Atlanta FC Tuesday night.

It's a good thing for Atlanta FC the Japan native wasn't at 100 percent.

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Battery blanks Atlanta

The Charleston Battery beat the Atlanta FC, an amateur team based out of Atlanta, 2-0, in the opening round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night at Blackbaud Stadium.

Yoshitake had a goal and an assist to lead Charleston past Atlanta, 2-0, in the opening round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before a crowd of about 1,000 at Blackbaud Stadium.

The Battery, which advanced to last year's final against D.C. United, will next face USL First Division foe Miami FC Blues, a 2-1 winner over Lynch's Pub, next Tuesday in Miami.

Yoshitake had not played since injuring his hamstring three weeks ago in the first half against Rochester. Yoshitake saw action in only the first half, but made the most of his playing time.

"I knew I wasn't going to play the whole match, so I wanted to make the most of it,"

Yoshitake said. "I felt OK. I'm getting better each day, but I'm still not 100 percent. For my first time playing since the injury, I felt like I was OK, but we got the result we wanted, and that's all that matters."

Yoshitake was involved with both goals for the Battery.

"Yoshitake was back for his first game, and he got on the scoresheet," said Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "He had a great cross on our first goal, and that's what he brings to the table. After a hamstring injury, you just don't know how your leg is going to feel until you get out there and run around a little bit. We'll give him (today) off, and hopefully he'll be at 90 to 95 percent going into the weekend.

"We pulled him off at halftime to protect him for the rest of the week, and hopefully he's ready to go Saturday against Portland."

It was a physical match from the outset as the two teams combined for 25 fouls, six yellow cards and three red cards. By the end of the match, Atlanta, which is an amateur team, had just eight players on the field. Even Atlanta coach Ricardo Montoya was ejected.

"It was really physical," said striker Randi Patterson, who scored the first goal. "They came to play, you've got give them credit for that, but they came a little too hard. Three red cards kind of says it all about their style of play. I was just happy we didn't get anyone injured."

It was the Battery's third match in five days, so Anhaeuser used as many reserve players as possible.

"We wanted to put a competitive team out there that could win," Anhaeuser said. "I have to look at minutes played by some of the guys. I've got to look down the road, so I don't want to overwork some guys. You have to have balance."

The Battery wasted little time against the amateur team, scoring just 37 seconds into the match on Patterson's header off a corner kick.

Yoshitake served a beautiful ball into the 6-yard box that Patterson headed past Atlanta keeper Felip Quintero for the score.

"Yoshi put the ball right on my head," Patterson said. "I don't think I even had to move."

The Battery pushed its advantage to 2-0 on Yoshitake's goal in the 32nd minute. Defender John Wilson forced a turnover and sprinted down the left flank. The former Clemson star then crossed a perfect ball to a wide-open Yoshitake, who tapped it in for the score.