COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Birmingham Legion FC battled through 120 minutes of adversity Saturday night at Weidner Field, but a late extra-time goal from Colorado Springs proved to be the difference as the Black and Gold fell 3-2 in a dramatic road contest.
The match was difficult before the opening whistle. During warmups, members of the Legion squad were subjected to a racial incident from Colorado Springs supporters. Despite the emotional impact, the team made the decision together to continue with the match.
Once the game began, Birmingham responded with its play.
Nico Brown opened the scoring in the 24th minute, giving Legion an early 1-0 advantage. Colorado Springs answered shortly after halftime when Garven Metusala found the back of the net in the 49th minute to level the match.
The Black and Gold continued to fight through the second half, and Serge Ngoma put Birmingham back in front in the 86th minute. With just minutes remaining, Legion appeared poised to leave Colorado with all three points.
But the match took another turn in stoppage time.
Adrien Pérez equalized for Colorado Springs in the 95th minute before Juan Tejada scored in the 99th minute, completing the comeback and handing Legion a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat.
The match ultimately stretched beyond 100 minutes, with both teams finishing the night with 10 players after red cards to Nico Brown and Garven Metusala.
Despite the result, Head Coach Jay Heaps praised his team’s response to everything it faced throughout the night.
“I really have too many emotions to truly express accurately, but I will try. First, I would like to address the racial incident directed at our players from the Colorado fans while they warmed up. That broke my heart to see that in our game.”
Heaps continued, highlighting the decision his players made together to move forward.
“But I was so proud of how our team came together and made the decision as a team to carry on and play with the understanding that it was not from a Colorado player or staff member. However, it was definitely emotionally impactful to our players.”
Above all, Heaps remained proud of the way his team handled a difficult night.
“I was extremely proud of how our players handled the adversity they faced. We deserved more than we got.”
Next Up
Birmingham Legion FC returns home on August 22 for Women in Sports Night at Protective Stadium. Before kickoff, fans can hear from a panel of five incredible women in sports as they share their experiences and stories from across the industry. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will also receive a Noigel bobblehead, making it a night you won’t want to miss.
Get your tickets and join us back at Protective Stadium on August 22!
