CHARLESTON, SC (Aug. 1, 2008) Osvaldo Alonso scored a brace and the Charleston Battery is back on top of the USL First Division after blanking the Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-0, in front of 3,769 fans at Blackbaud Stadium Sunday.

Alonso notched a goal in each half, including one from the penalty spot, to ensure the Battery (10-6-4, 34 points) is now on level terms with the first-placed Whitecaps (10-5-4, 34 points).

"We've got to commend our team because they did a great job tonight," Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser said. "2-0 is a great result."

Although both teams entered tonight's game at the league summit, with Vancouver holding a single-win advantage over Charleston, the recent form of the two sides couldn't have been more contrasting.

Following a string of superb midseason home performances, the Battery had sat alone by as much as six points atop the standings. But the Charleston outfit had since struggled on the road, picking up a lone point against the Whitecaps in Vancouver in its last three games.

The resurgent Whitecaps, however, had shown they can play on the road and in the South-East's stifling heat by knocking off Miami FC and the Carolina RailHawks en-route to snatching first place from the Battery this past week.

But the Battery began tonight's game with plenty of intent, calmly stroking the ball around in midfield and forcing in a few dangerous crosses from the left flank. Midfielder Alonso was particularly menacing through the middle, and in the 10th minute his tenacity paid off.

Alonso won the ball brilliantly in his own half and fed Randi Patterson as the attack moved forward. Patterson then worked a clever move with Stephen Armstrong, who knocked the ball back to Alonso, leaving the Cuban to squeeze a neat shot inside the near post.

The visiting Whitecaps looked for an immediate response and nearly found one when Steven Nash poked through Charles Gbeke, but the big forward tumbled rather than take possession at the edge of the box.

Though the game was showcasing two of the league's most dangerous marksmen in Vancouver's Eduardo Sebrango and the Battery's Patterson, both of whom have eight apiece this season, Sebrango found it tough going in the half as he and Gbeke were well marshaled throughout by the Battery defense.

But the hosts had to make a major defensive substitution in the 17th minute when 'keeper Dusty Hudock hobbled off with an injury. On came Keith Wiggans, and the replacement stopper was quickly called into action when Nick Addlery?who scored in the Whitecaps' 2-0 win over the Battery back in May?shot low and hard, forcing a confident save.

And Wiggans was thankful to see defender Kevin Nylen scramble a set-piece off the line as time expired in the half, keeping the Battery edged in front at the break.

After the break the Battery looked to double the score from a free-kick situation that Vancouver 'keeper Jay Nolly spilled, leaving his goal wide open. As the ball pinged into the air, defender Nylen tried to nod it home but instead placed it on the roof of the net.

Not to be outdone, it seemed Vancouver's defense was creating most the scoring chances for the visitors at the other end, with Omar Jarun having his diving header well saved and left-back Steve Kindel shooting harmlessly from distance.

But it was the Battery who broke the second-half deadlock, and again it was Alonso who scored this time from the penalty spot.

Midfielder Chris Williams had broken free on the right flank before turning his fullback and finding space for Patterson in the box. Patterson then collected the ball and was immediately fouled, leaving Alonso to slot the PK home with ease in the 61st minute.

Vancouver never looked completely out the contest, and came close in the 78th minute when Addlery bounded through the defense for a one-one-one situation with the 'keeper. However, Wiggans came out to meet the challenge and successfully squelched the danger.

"From the beginning we were solid defensively but we kept the ball, too, which put pressure on them," Anhaeuser said. "We talked about being able to move the ball offensively so the defense didn't have to do all running. [The Whitecaps] like to play long balls, but they weren't able to do that because they didn't have the ball as much as us."

The Battery now must cope with a five-game road trip in league play, but come home on Aug. 12 for perhaps the Club's biggest game in its history a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup semifinal fixture against fellow USL side the Seattle Sounders.

Referee: Niko Bratsis

Assistant Referees: Alan Schechtman, Jou Nattes            Attendance: 3,769

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