BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC turned in one of its most complete performances of the season on Tuesday night, defeating Corpus Christi FC 3-0 at Protective Stadium in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.
Legion wasted little time asserting control, finding the back of the net twice in the opening 12 minutes. Sebastián Saucedo opened the scoring in the ninth minute before Samuel McIllhatton doubled the advantage just three minutes later, giving Birmingham an early 2-0 lead and setting the tone for the remainder of the match.
The early goals allowed Birmingham to dictate the match, controlling possession while limiting Corpus Christi to just four total shots and no shots on target.
“I think it was a good positive step, you know, 3-0 win, no goals conceded,” defender Leo Duru said. “And I think it’s just a good step in the right direction.”
Birmingham’s defensive unit continued its recent improvement, recording a clean sheet behind a disciplined performance from Duru, Bryce Washington, Keegan Hughes, and goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat. Corpus Christi struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the evening as Legion consistently won possession back and controlled the flow of play.
“I feel like we’re starting to get good performances defensively,” Head Coach Jay Heaps said. “For me, I want to be more relentless.”
After taking a 2-0 lead into halftime, Legion continued to push forward in the second half. Sebastian Tregarthen added the final goal in the 72nd minute, finishing a chance created by Kadeem Cole to put the match out of reach.
The result reflected the work Birmingham has put in during recent weeks as the squad continues to build chemistry and momentum.
“It just talks about the work that the whole club, the team, the coaching staff has done and the players that have been brought in,” Saucedo said.
Several Legion players turned in strong performances on both sides of the ball. McIllhatton finished with three tackles won, an assist, and 48 accurate passes, while Duru recorded five recoveries and helped Birmingham maintain control throughout the match. Tregarthen and Williams each registered three shots, with Tregarthen scoring the team’s third goal of the night.
With the victory, Legion advances after producing its most dominant performance of the competition so far, combining attacking efficiency with a shutout defensive display.
Birmingham now shifts its focus back to USL Championship play as it looks to carry the momentum from Tuesday night’s victory into another home match-up this Saturday, June 13.
