Midfielder Anderson Asiedu scored the game winner in the 90th minute and goalkeeper Matt VanOekel earned his fifth shutout of the season in the club’s third win in a row
BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 8, 2022) – Birmingham Legion FC claimed a 1-0 victory over bitter rival Memphis 901 FC in the first installation of the Deep South rivalry to be played at Protective Stadium. It was second half substitute Anderson Asiedu who scored the winner for the Three Sparks, finding the back of the net with a powerful strike from inside the box in the 90th minute of the game.
The 10th matchup between Birmingham and Memphis kicked off at the schedule time of 7:00pm, but inclement weather just seven minutes into the match forced the contest into a weather delay.
The match did not kick back off until 9:00pm, but fans who weathered the storm were treated to an intense back-and-forth battle between two sides fighting for a victory that means more than just three points toward the table standings. Legion FC seemed the side that would deal the first blow in the game, but Captain Phanuel Kavita’s header in the 26th minute was denied by the woodwork.
It was not until the second half that the visitors seriously threatened to take the lead. Memphis midfielder Aaron Molloy forced BHM goalkeeper Matt VanOekel into action with a well-placed free kick in the 68th minute, but VanOekel made light work of the attempt, parrying it past the post. 901 FC forward Phillip Goodrum would be the next to try and find the opener for his side, but Kavita stood his ground well to force Goodrum’s shot wide.
Knotted at 0-0 heading into stoppage time, it seemed as though both sides were set to come away from the contest with a point each, despite Birmingham ending the game with a 1.55 to 0.58 edge in expected goals. However, that score line saw some action late as Birmingham center back Alex Crognale played a long free kick over the top that was headed up in the air, and Legion FC midfielder Ryan James fought to win the loose ball as it came down, poking it into the path of an onrushing Asiedu in the box. The midfielder blasted a shot past Memphis goalkeeper Trey Muse to give Legion FC a well-deserved three points and the latest bragging rights.
“I give [Memphis] credit, they’re a good team,” said Head Coach Tommy Soehn. “They’ve gotten a lot of results going their way for the fact that they’re knocking it around well and they’re organized. But we’ve kind of come into our own lately as well and I think when you get two teams that are organized it turns into a battle. Coming out the other side of that is difficult sometimes, but tonight I give our guys credit.
“We’re off a long trip where we got points on the road, but now we’ve turned it into three and fighting through it, making sure we come out on the right side of it has been huge. Three wins in a row really puts us in the right path. I’m really proud of the guys for coming out on the right side of this, and not just today, but the last couple games, there’s been a growth amongst us, and I really see it turning in the right direction.”
Asiedu when asked how the goal and win felt tonight:
“How did it feel? Amazing, amazing, amazing. It’s always amazing playing against Memphis. They come with fire, we come with fire, and it felt amazing to be out there and get that win. I feel happy for Birmingham fans and the whole city, man.”
Box Score:
| 1st Half | 2nd Half | |
| BHM | 0 | 1 |
| MEM | 0 | 0 |
BHM – 4-3-3 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #13 Jake Rufe); #20 Zach Herivaux, #5 Mikey Lopez (77’ – #17 Matthew Corcoran), #19 Enzo Martinez; #10 Prosper Kasim (26’ – #7 Ryan James), #99 Juan Agudelo (71’ – Edi Horvat), #11 Marlon Santos (71’ – #6 Anderson Asiedu)
MEM – 4-3-3 – #25 Trey Muse; #7 Patrick Seagrist, #50 Niall Logue ©, #16 Graham Smith (90+5’ – #3 Zack Carrol), #19 Rece Buckmaster; #14 Derek Dodson (86’ – #17 Devin Boyce), #8 Chris Allan (90+1’ – #22 David Egbo), #6 Aaron Molloy; #9 Luiz Fernando, #18 Jeremy Kelly, #10 Phillip Goodrum (86’ – #12 Edward Kizza)
The Three Sparks kick off a summer road tour after this game, starting with a tilt at New Mexico on Saturday, June 25 at 8:00pm CT. Tune in to watch the match on My68 or ESPN+, and follow along @bhmlegion on twitter for live match updates!
Legion FC will return home to Protective Stadium on Saturday, July 23 to kick off a big fall of soccer in Birmingham with a contest versus Eastern Conference foe FC Tulsa at 6:30pm, and fans can grab your tickets today!
For team updates, news and more, follow @bhmlegion on social media, sign up for Legion FC’s Newsletter, or visit bhmlegion.com. The Legion FC app is also available for download via Apple or Android. For gameday reminders, sync the Legion FC 2022 schedule to your calendar HERE.
