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The Charleston Battery defeated the Seattle Sounders on penalty kicks Tuesday to advance to the Open Cup Finals against D.C. United, who beat the New England Revolution 2-1 in their half of the semi-finals. TIAS traveled to Battery’s Blackbaud Stadium to take in the historic victory along with a crowd greatly thinned by rain. Photos and commentary from the deep south after the jump.

As on the soccer field, success in journalism can largely depend on putting yourself in the right place at the right time and getting a bit of luck. Anticipate the action and be there where it happens. When it was determined one half of the U.S. Open Cup semi-finals would be in Charleston, South Carolina, far from the prying eye of the soccer media, I saw an opportunity.

I have friends in the historic southern city, one of which is a photographer for the RiverDogs, the New York Yankee’s single-A farm team. He could help me shoot the game and give me a free place to stay, but more importantly, here was a chance to check in on American soccer outside my New York City bubble. (help that cause by writing a Diary Project for TIAS)

I went down thinking it was more than just a minor league game. I saw an opportunity, but few others seemed to be with me on that. I thought there would be a bigger crowd, something close to the 5,100-seat capacity of the first privately funded soccer specific stadium in the country (that also happens to share a parking lot with the company whose name it bears). Both coaches called it the biggest game of their 2008 seasons but forgot to call Mother Nature, who spit in our direction the entire game (but did hold the deluge for a few seconds after  Dusty Hudock blocked Seattle’s final penalty kick, acting the champagne to the Battery’s victory). The announced attendance came in at 3,798, but looked closer to half. I was torn between my selfish want for a big soccer party and the humble pride of seeing this many people show up for a minor league soccer game.

That argument ended with the entertaining minor league details–the quaint stadium, press passes without identification, entrance without a strip search, fat guys in cliche bar t-shirts smoking cigarettes not just inside the stadium but right behind the goal, people refilling beverages at their cars to bring back through the gates left open after halftime–and by reading the post game quotes.

I realized this humble, USL soccer pride may be worth more than some MLS superlatives. “We’ve got one more game now, and I know these guys are going to be excited and put everything on the line,” Charleston Manager Mike Anhaeuser said.

When was the last time you heard someone on a MLS team say that about the Open Cup? Oh wait.

(It’s nice to see two teams putting priority on the Open Cup. No doubt that priority is part of the reason each is there.)

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entry plaza at Blackbaud stadium. photo by Nick Werner.

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minor league sponsors are more fun. minor league crowds? not so much tonight.

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fans could line-up right behind the goals, as if professional photographers. They also opened the stadium gates at half-time.

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the atmosphere was family-friendly but lacking a supporter’s group. photo by Nick Werner.

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Three Lions Pub on the second floor of the stadium is a great idea. It’s a huge soccer memorabilia collector’s dream, but doesn’t offer views of the field. The game is broadcast on televisions throughout the bar but I can’t help but think how cool this could be if there was a big deck looking onto the field.

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wet wild penalty kicks. photo by Nick Werner.

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Charleston makes club history by advancing to its first U.S. Open Cup final. photo by Nick Werner

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