Charleston Battery Beats Rhode Island FC in Playoff Penalty Shootout

The Charleston Battery secured a 5-4 victory in a penalty shootout against Rhode Island FC on Friday night at Patriots Point, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

Jeremy Kelly converted the decisive penalty in the sixth round of the shootout, sending the No. 2 seed Battery through after No. 7 seed Rhode Island FC bowed out in a tense finish. The match required extra time and spot-kicks to settle an evenly contested Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.

Early Pressure and Rhode Island’s Opening Goal

Rhode Island FC started the match on the front foot, taking the game’s first 10 shots. Leo Afonso tested Charleston starting goalkeeper Luis Zamudio early with a long-range effort in the sixth minute, and Stas Korzeniowski subsequently volleyed over the crossbar from a cross by Jojea Kwizera.

Luis Zamudio saves the penalty but Rhode Island score off the rebound.28' | 0-1#CB93 | #USLPlayoffs

— https://x.com/Chas_Battery/status/2116313526214283645

The visitors broke through in the 27th minute when Houssou Landry pulled down Grant Stoneman inside the box during a corner kick, resulting in a penalty kick for Rhode Island. Although Zamudio saved Jojea Kwizera’s initial attempt, the Rwandan international reacted quickly to score on the rebound.

Landry nearly atoned for the penalty immediately afterward, supplying a through-ball to Maalique Foster for a turning shot that Koke Vegas partially parried before Stoneman cleared it from the six-yard area.

Charleston’s Second-Half Surge and Late Equalizer

The Battery shifted momentum significantly in the second half, outshooting Rhode Island 11-2 and accumulating 22 touches in the penalty area. Colton Swan found space on the right side of the penalty area just past the hour-mark, firing a shot toward the far corner that forced a diving save from Vegas.

Constant pressure eventually yielded an equalizer for the hosts. Laurent Kissiedou delivered a deep cross from the left flank to Miguel Berry at the back post. While Berry’s initial header was blocked, the Spanish forward reacted instinctively to poke the loose ball into the left side of the net, extending Charleston’s season.

Match Metric	Charleston Battery	Rhode Island FC
Seed	No. 2	No. 7
Second-Half Shots	11	2
Penalty Shootout Score	5	4

Extra Time and the Penalty Shootout Decision

Extra time brought chances for both sides. Amos Shapiro-Thompson forced a wide parry from Zamudio, while Charleston’s Langston Blackstock was turned away by a low stop. Berry missed a late chance wide in the second period of extra time, leaving the outcome to be decided from the spot.

Penalty shootout probability soccer betting infographic

Both teams converted their first three attempts in the shootout. Rhode Island’s Hugo Bacharach opened the fourth round by shooting high, but Koke Vegas answered by stopping Graham Smith’s central shot. Vegas converted in the fifth round, followed by a successful penalty from Charleston’s Laurent Kissiedou.

John Berner, brought on by Charleston shortly before the shootout in extra time, denied Agustín Rodríguez. Kelly then stepped up with the match on the line, shooting low to the left corner past Vegas to seal the victory.

The win ends Charleston’s recent struggles against the side that eliminated them in each of the past two seasons, moving the Battery forward in the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs.