MATCH INFO:
Birmingham Legion FC vs Oakland Roots SC
Saturday, May 6
6:30pm CT Kickoff
Protective Stadium – Birmingham, AL
Get Tickets HERE!
Watch – My68 & ESPN+
Birmingham Legion FC (1st) returns to Protective Stadium for its fifth home match of the year as it takes on the Oakland Roots (8th) of the USLC Western Conference. Kickoff is at 6:30pm, and gates will open at 5:30pm. Saturday is UAB Medicine nurses night! Join Legion Nation in honoring nurses of the medical industry.
Fans can also get an exclusive deal on tomorrow’s game! Buy a ticket to Saturday’s match here and you can get a free ticket to the Birmingham vs. Memphis rivalry Round of 32 match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, May 10.
The Three Sparks come into its match against Oakland fresh off an unfortunate result in Miami on Wednesday, May 3 against The Miami FC. Legion conceded three goals in the away match to lose 3-1. The Black & Gold will be looking to make it right against Oakland and get back into form with a win in front of the fans.
Birmingham, defending its place atop the Eastern Conference, come into the match with little rest. Saturday’s game will be Legion’s fourth match in ten days. Enzo Martinez, USLC Player of the Week for Week 8, now leads the Three Sparks in goals scored, scoring last against Miami to bring his season tally up to four goals in eight appearances (=4 in USLC). Neco Brett follows close behind him with three goals to his name, and Prosper Kasim leads the Black & Gold with three assists. Juan Agudelo, although he has not made a large impression on the stat sheet, has created more chances than anyone on the squad (15; =5 in USLC) and is a key player in Birmingham’s final third.
Legion’s current choice for goalkeeper, Trevor Spangenberg, is tied for fourth in the USLC in saves (22). Birmingham has been great offensively — second in the Championship with 14 goals scored — but has been struggling defensively. It ranks second across the League in goals conceded (14). Last time the Three Sparks took on the Oakland Roots was in October of 2022, where Birmingham lost 2-1 at Oakland. It was the first ever meeting between the two clubs, and Legion’s Enzo Martinez scored the first goal of the match in the 21st minute.
Opponent Info:
Oakland Roots SC: 2W – 2L – 3D / 7 Goals Scored – 8 Goals Allowed / 8 Points / 8th in USLC Western Conference
Head to Head:
Birmingham – 0 – 0 – 1 – Oakland
FiveThirtyEight Prediction
Birmingham: 48%
Oakland: 26%
Draw: 26%
The Oakland Roots drew 0-0 against Miami FC at Pioneer Stadium in their last league match to extend their winless streak to three (W0 D1 L2), leaving them in eighth place in the West on eight points. Darisz Formella and Johnny Rodriguez are the Roots’ leading goalscorers, each scoring twice. Most of its goals come from inside the box during open play. Six of Oakland’s seven goals have been off the right foot from inside the box.
Oakland ranks 9th across the League in shots, with 91 in total. In comparison, Legion FC ranks first in the League with 116 shots.
For this week’s UAB Medicine Injury Report, all Legion FC players are available for selection.
Tickets for Saturday’s UAB Medicine Nurses Night can be purchased HERE.
For all club news and updates fans are encouraged to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and sync our 2023 schedule to your calendar HERE.
