
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a two-match excursion out west, Birmingham Legion FC is back at home on Sunday and looking forward to building off of a fantastic showing its last time out, as it attempts to win consecutive matches in USL Championship play for the first time this season.
If that does indeed happen, it will certainly be earned considering the current form of its next opponent, Indy Eleven.
“There are no easy games in this league and anytime you face someone that’s ahead of you, you get up for the challenge,” said Legion FC coach Tom Soehn. “Our guys are competitive people and they know where our opponent is and what they have done, so what better opportunity than now for them to come in and we’ll try to send them home with no points.”
MATCH INFO
- USL Championship | Matchday 13
- Birmingham Legion FC (5W-4L-3D) vs Indy Eleven (7W-4L-2D)
- Sunday, June 9 – 6:00 p.m. CT
- Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Ala.
- Watch: WABM My68 (Birmingham)
- Stream: ESPN+
In a way, it’s fitting that this Sunday is Superhero Night at Protective Stadium, because it may take a superhuman showing from Legion FC to beat Indy, something that no team has done in nearly two months.
Dating back to an April 13 defeat to the Charleston Battery, the Eleven have since rattled off a 10-match unbeaten streak across both the USLC and the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. While that stat alone is impressive, Indy have taken it a step further with their current eight-match winning streak.
“Eight games in a row is no easy task,” Legion FC veteran Alex Crognale said. “But they’re not going to go the rest of the season without losing, so why not start this Sunday? We expect to perform well and get a result at home, that’s what we’re preparing for and the boys will be ready for that.”
Crognale and the Birmingham defense will have to be well aware of the Eleven’s deadly counter attack that has produced the second best scoring conversion rate in the league with 25 goals (led by seven this season from midfielder Jack Blake) on just 161 shots. The gameplan during this strong run has been to sit back and wait to pounce on an opponent’s mistake with Indy never holding more than 35-percent of the possession in any of its last three matches, despite outscoring its opponents 7-2 in that span.
“They defend hard and they attack quick,” Soehn explained. “They are looking to counter attack all the time, so if you’re sloppy then they can really hurt you because they have some legs up top that can get behind and some real quality.”
The good news for Birmingham is that it has already been battled-tested plenty throughout May with a slate of games that featured a back-to-back stretch against what were, at the time, the league’s Eastern and Western Conference’s leaders.
Last month was a true learning experience for Legion FC that was highlighted by some tactical and roster shuffling with the club coming out on the other side in much better shape. Crognale’s return from a minor injury, the addition of Derek Dodson via a loan and the emergence of AJ Paterson with consecutive USLC Team of the Week selections has seen the team defense step up a level with just two goals allowed in its last four matches.
“We’ve kind of found ourselves in the last few weeks,” said Crognale. “It’s been trial and error with bringing news guys into the group and when results don’t go our way, there have been a lot of questions, but the group has responded well and I think that’s why we are on a good run of form here.”
The even better news is that, with the defense handling its business in the back, the attack appears to now be matching that level as well, following a cathartic performance where Birmingham bagged three goals to end a 229-minute scoring drought in its win over El Paso Locomotive FC.
Soehn believes that experience in Texas may have unlocked some fluidity for his squad up front and is a sign of more good things to come.
“I hope it’s not a one-off,” said Soehn the recent uptick in offense. “One game doesn’t solve all your problems, it’s now got to be something that we do consistently in the attack, but it has definitely been a step in the right direction.”
Follow Along
For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @bhmlegion on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For those still looking to attend Sunday’s match against Indy Eleven, tickets are available for purchase HERE. As part of the Superhero Night festivities, the fan who dresses up in the most extravagant costume will receive a seat upgrade.