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BIRMINGHAM, AL (Oct. 13, 2021) – Legion FC came into Wednesday night’s contest with a singular focus – win and the team would clinch a home playoff game. Thanks to a first half headed goal from center back Alex Crognale, a well-worked second half goal from forward Neco Brett, and a breakaway cherry on top from midfielder Bruno Lapa, that focus paid off in in the form of a 3-1 win over Austin Bold FC.

On Sunday, November 7, professional, postseason soccer will kick off in Birmingham for the first time ever.

Legion almost jumped out to the early lead inside the first minute of the game, as right back Jonny Dean got in behind the defense and found forward Prosper Kasim arriving around the penalty spot, but Kasim’s shot went just wide. The home side did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, however, as Crognale rose highest to guide in a powerful header and put his team up in the 15th minute.

Austin managed to strike back just minutes later via a counterattack that forward Nathan Adamolekun slipped in in the 23rd minute. Despite Birmingham holding a nine to five edge in shots and 64% of possession in the first half, the Bold FC goal sent the teams into halftime all tied up at one.  

Legion FC kept the pressure on to begin the second half, and substitute attackers Jaden Servania, Lapa, and JJ Williams made instant impacts that, along with a couple big time diving saves from goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg, helped lead to the team victory.

The game winner hit the back of the net in the 75th minute off the boot of Brett, Birmingham’s leading goal scorer. His 17th tally of the season pulls him up to a tie for third-most in the USL Championship. Servania found Brett at the top of the box before the Jamaican played a quick one-two with Williams to sneak behind the ATX backline and finish.

Brett followed up his goal with an assist on the final Legion goal, as he and Lapa found themselves on a two-versus-one breakaway opportunity in the 82nd minute. Lapa drove into the box and hit a cool, low finish into the bottom right-hand corner to put the icing on the cake.

“If you look at our team top to bottom, whether you’re a starter or coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter,” said Dean. “Anybody can start on our team any given day. As you see with the subs when they come in, they change the game and give us the extra edge that most teams don’t have. They don’t have as much depth as we do and as much experience coming off the bench. JJ [Williams] came in today and got an assist early on and changed the game really quick. It’s things like that. That’s what you’re looking for. Good teams have good players that come in and change the game, hopefully that can take us far.

“I think it’s massive [clinching a home playoff game]. Early on, [President and General Manager] Jay [Heaps] and Coach [Soehn] established with the owners that we don’t want to just be in the league and go to playoffs. We want to be hosting playoffs, we want to be the top seed in the playoffs, and that’s what we’re fighting for now is to finish top of our league in a tough conference. I think that says a lot about us and where we are. It’s been a long season, but three games left, and you couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Assistant Coach Khano Smith when asked about the team’s performance and a home playoff game:
“We’re in a really good spot right now with everybody being healthy and everybody contributing. You’ve got guys that are stepping up and it’s just a next man up mentality. I’m really happy for everybody; everybody’s a part of it. It’s a really strong group performance, and we’re going to need all of them to reach our goals this year.

“It’s just another box checked [earning a home playoff game]. We’re a really ambitious club, we’ve got goals that we want to hit, and we keep pushing and we keep knocking them off. It’s just another step in the right direction. I’m really happy that our fans get to watch us in a home playoff game."

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Oct. 13, 2021) – Legion FC came into Wednesday night’s contest with a singular focus – win and the team would clinch a home playoff game. Thanks to a first half headed goal from center back Alex Crognale, a well-worked second half goal from forward Neco Brett, and a breakaway cherry on top from midfielder Bruno Lapa, that focus paid off in in the form of a 3-1 win over Austin Bold FC.

On Sunday, November 7, professional, postseason soccer will kick off in Birmingham for the first time ever.

Legion almost jumped out to the early lead inside the first minute of the game, as right back Jonny Dean got in behind the defense and found forward Prosper Kasim arriving around the penalty spot, but Kasim’s shot went just wide. The home side did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, however, as Crognale rose highest to guide in a powerful header and put his team up in the 15th minute.

Austin managed to strike back just minutes later via a counterattack that forward Nathan Adamolekun slipped in in the 23rd minute. Despite Birmingham holding a nine to five edge in shots and 64% of possession in the first half, the Bold FC goal sent the teams into halftime all tied up at one.  

Legion FC kept the pressure on to begin the second half, and substitute attackers Jaden Servania, Lapa, and JJ Williams made instant impacts that, along with a couple big time diving saves from goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg, helped lead to the team victory.

The game winner hit the back of the net in the 75th minute off the boot of Brett, Birmingham’s leading goal scorer. His 17th tally of the season pulls him up to a tie for third-most in the USL Championship. Servania found Brett at the top of the box before the Jamaican played a quick one-two with Williams to sneak behind the ATX backline and finish.

Brett followed up his goal with an assist on the final Legion goal, as he and Lapa found themselves on a two-versus-one breakaway opportunity in the 82nd minute. Lapa drove into the box and hit a cool, low finish into the bottom right-hand corner to put the icing on the cake.

“If you look at our team top to bottom, whether you’re a starter or coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter,” said Dean. “Anybody can start on our team any given day. As you see with the subs when they come in, they change the game and give us the extra edge that most teams don’t have. They don’t have as much depth as we do and as much experience coming off the bench. JJ [Williams] came in today and got an assist early on and changed the game really quick. It’s things like that. That’s what you’re looking for. Good teams have good players that come in and change the game, hopefully that can take us far.

“I think it’s massive [clinching a home playoff game]. Early on, [President and General Manager] Jay [Heaps] and Coach [Soehn] established with the owners that we don’t want to just be in the league and go to playoffs. We want to be hosting playoffs, we want to be the top seed in the playoffs, and that’s what we’re fighting for now is to finish top of our league in a tough conference. I think that says a lot about us and where we are. It’s been a long season, but three games left, and you couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Assistant Coach Khano Smith when asked about the team’s performance and a home playoff game:
“We’re in a really good spot right now with everybody being healthy and everybody contributing. You’ve got guys that are stepping up and it’s just a next man up mentality. I’m really happy for everybody; everybody’s a part of it. It’s a really strong group performance, and we’re going to need all of them to reach our goals this year.

“It’s just another box checked [earning a home playoff game]. We’re a really ambitious club, we’ve got goals that we want to hit, and we keep pushing and we keep knocking them off. It’s just another step in the right direction. I’m really happy that our fans get to watch us in a home playoff game.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	2
ATX	1	0

Goals:
BHM – 15’ – #21 Alex Crognale (assisted by #10 Prosper Kasim)
ATX – 23’ – #5 Nathaniel Adamolekun (assisted by #27 Juan Pablo Torres)
BHM – 75’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
BHM – 82’ – #8 Bruno Lapa (assisted by #11 Neco Brett)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #18 Trevor Spangenberg; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #5 Mikey Lopez; #20 Zach Herivaux (66’ – #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #12 Eli Crognale (57’ – #8 Bruno Lapa); #7 Ryan James (74’ – #23 JJ Williams), #11 Neco Brett, #10 Prosper Kasim (46’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

ATX – 3-5-2 – #1 Elliot Panicco (46’ – #32 Hugo Fauraox); #4 Jermaine Taylor, #24 Casey Walls, #34 Gustavo Rissi; #15 Amobi Okugo, #27 Juan Pablo Torres (74’ – #23 Gilbert Fuentes), #8 Xavier Baez © (62’ – #13 Roberto Avila), #31 Nick Hinds, #91 Owayne Gordon; #5 Nathaniel Adamolekun (62’ – #6 Omar Ciss), #22 Jorge Troncoso (78’ – #33 Sonny Guadarrama)

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

Legion FC’s next match is on the road at OKC Energy this Sunday, October 17 at 5:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on My68 or ESPN+ or check out @bhmlegion on twitter for live match updates.

The team’s next home game is Sunday, October 24 at 4:00PM versus Sporting Kansas City II! Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	2
ATX	1	0

Goals:
BHM – 15’ – #21 Alex Crognale (assisted by #10 Prosper Kasim)
ATX – 23’ – #5 Nathaniel Adamolekun (assisted by #27 Juan Pablo Torres)
BHM – 75’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
BHM – 82’ – #8 Bruno Lapa (assisted by #11 Neco Brett)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #18 Trevor Spangenberg; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #5 Mikey Lopez; #20 Zach Herivaux (66’ – #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #12 Eli Crognale (57’ – #8 Bruno Lapa); #7 Ryan James (74’ – #23 JJ Williams), #11 Neco Brett, #10 Prosper Kasim (46’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

ATX – 3-5-2 – #1 Elliot Panicco (46’ – #32 Hugo Fauraox); #4 Jermaine Taylor, #24 Casey Walls, #34 Gustavo Rissi; #15 Amobi Okugo, #27 Juan Pablo Torres (74’ – #23 Gilbert Fuentes), #8 Xavier Baez © (62’ – #13 Roberto Avila), #31 Nick Hinds, #91 Owayne Gordon; #5 Nathaniel Adamolekun (62’ – #6 Omar Ciss), #22 Jorge Troncoso (78’ – #33 Sonny Guadarrama)

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

Legion FC’s next match is on the road at OKC Energy this Sunday, October 17 at 5:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on My68 or ESPN+ or check out @bhmlegion on twitter for live match updates.

The team’s next home game is Sunday, October 24 at 4:00PM versus Sporting Kansas City II! Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 25 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC midfielder Mikey Lopez earning a spot in the team for his standout performance in Birmingham’s 3-1 victory over Indy Eleven on Sunday afternoon.

Lopez found himself at left back for the Black and Gold versus Indy, where he racked up 10 recoveries, three tackles, two clearances, two interceptions, two shots, and two chances created, while winning six of nine duels and completing 85% of his passes in the team’s big win.

The Texas native continues to be a jack-of-all-trades player, stepping up to play key roles all over the field in his third season for Legion FC. Lopez currently is tied for the team lead in assists with four and has created 22 chances and added two goals this year, all while leading the team in tackles with 55, and adding 22 interceptions and 15 clearances on the season.

Lopez also recently sat down with the Legion FC digital media team during Hispanic Heritage Month to chat about his experience growing up as a Mexican American, the importance of family and hard work, and much more. Fans can find the interview on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Tacoma Defiance forward Samuel Adeniran was named Player of the Week after recording the second hat trick in the Defiance’s history to lead a 4-1 victory against Orange County SC on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium that provided a major boost for Tacoma’s playoff prospects. The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 25
GK – Danny Vitiello, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 2020’s Championship Golden Glove winner recorded a four-save shutout as the Hounds ended the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ nine-game winning streak on Sunday, including a key penalty kick save early in the second half to keep the hosts ahead at Highmark Stadium.

D – Emrah Klimenta, Oakland Roots SC: The veteran scored the decisive goal against former club Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday night in a 2-1 win for Roots SC and over two contests complete 100 of 122 passes, won 12 of 19 duels and made 22 recoveries.

D – Gaoussou Samake, Loudoun United FC: Gaoussou Samake put in a strong display on the back line for Loudoun in its 3-2 upset of Miami FC on Sunday, winning 10 of 14 duels and making 10 recoveries while in attack completing 5 of 6 dribbles and completing 52 of 56 passes.

D – Mikey Lopez, Birmingham Legion FC: Mikey Lopez put in a stellar display with 10 recoveries and three tackles while winning 6 of 9 duels and completing 51 of 60 passes in Birmingham’s 3-1 victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday evening.

M – Alejandro Guido, San Diego Loyal SC: The San Diego native recorded a goal and assist to lead SD Loyal to a 2-1 comeback victory against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday night and finished the night with three shots and seven key passes while completing 34 of 36 passes overall.

M – Jake Davis, Sporting Kansas City II: The 19-year-old shone with a pair of goals against Louisville City FC on Saturday, which served as the centerpiece of an overall performance that saw Davis complete 29 of 35 passes and win 4 of 8 duels.

M – Paolo DelPiccolo, Louisville City FC: LouCity’s captain recorded the opening goal, had three key passes and completed 20 of 27 passes overall while also winning 6 of 7 duels and making eight recoveries in LouCity’s 4-3 win against Sporting Kansas City II.

M – Jake Areman, Charlotte Independence: Jake Areman recorded one assist and six key passes while completing 37 of 40 passes overall, serving as one of the key players in the Independence’s 2-1 comeback victory against the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday night.

F – Samuel Adeniran, Tacoma Defiance: The Texan forward scored the second hat trick in Defiance history – and first since their inaugural season – as the side snapped out of its recent losing run with a 4-1 win against Orange County SC on Saturday night.

F – Nathan Fogaca, San Antonio FC: The Brazilian forward recorded his fourth two-game performance of the season in San Antonio’s 4-2 victory against Memphis 901 FC on Sunday night and recorded seven shots and three key passes overall while also completing three dribbles.

F – Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC: The English striker scored the winner in second-half stoppage time for his second goal of the game as LouCity rallied to claim a 4-3 victory against Sporting Kansas City II while finishing the night with eight shots and completing 15 of 17 passes overall.

Bench: Christian Herrera (TAC), Eder Borelli (ELP), Leo Fernandes (TBR), Marcus Epps (SA), Kyle Murphy (MEM), Ted Ku-DiPietro (LDN), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

Lopez and his teammates return to the pitch tomorrow night, on Wednesday, October 13, at 7PM to take on Austin Bold FC in another edition of ‘Everybody Wins on Wednesdays’ with Legion FC! With a win, Birmingham can clinch homefield in the upcoming playoffs, so come join us for $1 hotdogs, $2 beers, a postgame firework show and a great game!

Fans can get tickets for #BHMvATX HERE, and can reach out to the Legion FC Ticket Office (205-791-7145 / tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com) with any questions or requests.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 25 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC midfielder Mikey Lopez earning a spot in the team for his standout performance in Birmingham’s 3-1 victory over Indy Eleven on Sunday afternoon.

Lopez found himself at left back for the Black and Gold versus Indy, where he racked up 10 recoveries, three tackles, two clearances, two interceptions, two shots, and two chances created, while winning six of nine duels and completing 85% of his passes in the team’s big win.

The Texas native continues to be a jack-of-all-trades player, stepping up to play key roles all over the field in his third season for Legion FC. Lopez currently is tied for the team lead in assists with four and has created 22 chances and added two goals this year, all while leading the team in tackles with 55, and adding 22 interceptions and 15 clearances on the season.

Lopez also recently sat down with the Legion FC digital media team during Hispanic Heritage Month to chat about his experience growing up as a Mexican American, the importance of family and hard work, and much more. Fans can find the interview on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Tacoma Defiance forward Samuel Adeniran was named Player of the Week after recording the second hat trick in the Defiance’s history to lead a 4-1 victory against Orange County SC on Saturday night at Cheney Stadium that provided a major boost for Tacoma’s playoff prospects. The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 25
GK – Danny Vitiello, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 2020’s Championship Golden Glove winner recorded a four-save shutout as the Hounds ended the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ nine-game winning streak on Sunday, including a key penalty kick save early in the second half to keep the hosts ahead at Highmark Stadium.

D – Emrah Klimenta, Oakland Roots SC: The veteran scored the decisive goal against former club Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday night in a 2-1 win for Roots SC and over two contests complete 100 of 122 passes, won 12 of 19 duels and made 22 recoveries.

D – Gaoussou Samake, Loudoun United FC: Gaoussou Samake put in a strong display on the back line for Loudoun in its 3-2 upset of Miami FC on Sunday, winning 10 of 14 duels and making 10 recoveries while in attack completing 5 of 6 dribbles and completing 52 of 56 passes.

D – Mikey Lopez, Birmingham Legion FC: Mikey Lopez put in a stellar display with 10 recoveries and three tackles while winning 6 of 9 duels and completing 51 of 60 passes in Birmingham’s 3-1 victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday evening.

M – Alejandro Guido, San Diego Loyal SC: The San Diego native recorded a goal and assist to lead SD Loyal to a 2-1 comeback victory against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday night and finished the night with three shots and seven key passes while completing 34 of 36 passes overall.

M – Jake Davis, Sporting Kansas City II: The 19-year-old shone with a pair of goals against Louisville City FC on Saturday, which served as the centerpiece of an overall performance that saw Davis complete 29 of 35 passes and win 4 of 8 duels.

M – Paolo DelPiccolo, Louisville City FC: LouCity’s captain recorded the opening goal, had three key passes and completed 20 of 27 passes overall while also winning 6 of 7 duels and making eight recoveries in LouCity’s 4-3 win against Sporting Kansas City II.

M – Jake Areman, Charlotte Independence: Jake Areman recorded one assist and six key passes while completing 37 of 40 passes overall, serving as one of the key players in the Independence’s 2-1 comeback victory against the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday night.

F – Samuel Adeniran, Tacoma Defiance: The Texan forward scored the second hat trick in Defiance history – and first since their inaugural season – as the side snapped out of its recent losing run with a 4-1 win against Orange County SC on Saturday night.

F – Nathan Fogaca, San Antonio FC: The Brazilian forward recorded his fourth two-game performance of the season in San Antonio’s 4-2 victory against Memphis 901 FC on Sunday night and recorded seven shots and three key passes overall while also completing three dribbles.

F – Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC: The English striker scored the winner in second-half stoppage time for his second goal of the game as LouCity rallied to claim a 4-3 victory against Sporting Kansas City II while finishing the night with eight shots and completing 15 of 17 passes overall.

Bench: Christian Herrera (TAC), Eder Borelli (ELP), Leo Fernandes (TBR), Marcus Epps (SA), Kyle Murphy (MEM), Ted Ku-DiPietro (LDN), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

Lopez and his teammates return to the pitch tomorrow night, on Wednesday, October 13, at 7PM to take on Austin Bold FC in another edition of ‘Everybody Wins on Wednesdays’ with Legion FC! With a win, Birmingham can clinch homefield in the upcoming playoffs, so come join us for $1 hotdogs, $2 beers, a postgame firework show and a great game!

Fans can get tickets for #BHMvATX HERE, and can reach out to the Legion FC Ticket Office (205-791-7145 / tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com) with any questions or requests.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Oct. 10, 2021) – Legion FC kept the good times rolling with a decisive 3-1 win, the team’s fourth in a row, this time over Indy Eleven on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in downtown Birmingham.

Forward Neco Brett kicked things off with a sweet finish in the 8th minute, midfielder Eli Crognale hit another banger just four minutes after subbing on in the second half, and defender Jake Rufe scored his first professional goal with a long-range effort he let fly from inside his own half to seal the deal in second half stoppage time.

Brett’s goal was his 16th of the season, good for fifth-most in the USL Championship. Off a Legion throw-in, Ryan James slipped a pass through a defender’s legs and into the box for Brett, and the Jamaican pulled off a curling effort into the top right corner to get the home side on the board.

The visitors finished the half with three shots, and only one on target, from 43% possession, but the one shot from midfielder Nicky Law found the back of the net in the 42nd minute to send both teams into the half all knotted up at one. Indy defender Nick Moon got in behind down the right and found Law at the top of the six-yard box for a one-time finish.

Birmingham got off 13 shots in the second half, and 23 for the game, and yet again, Legion FC coaches’ second half substitutions came on and made immediate impacts. After subbing on in the 70th minute, Crognale stepped up to a bouncing ball outside the opposing area and volleyed it first time over the frozen Indy goalkeeper for his second rocket of a goal in recent weeks.

“I think all of [the substitutes] that came in did a really good job,” said Assistant Coach Khano Smith. Ben [Ofeimu] went in with specific instructions, Jaden [Servania] went in and it was his opportunity to prove himself and I think he did that tonight. Zach [Herivaux] gave his energy as well. Look, I’m not surprised, and I said this to you last time, the guy can shoot. I’m so, so happy for Jake Rufe. The guy deserves it. He shows up and works hard every day, he doesn’t complain, and he doesn’t moan. He’s a consummate professional and teammate. That moment couldn’t have happened to a better guy, he’s been through a lot, and he deserved that moment.”

Indy kept pressing forward looking for the equalizer, and after pulling their ‘keeper up for an attacking corner kick, Legion cleared its lines, midfielder Anderson Asiedu found Rufe, and the defender picked his head up, and hit a 60-yard ball perfectly down the middle of an empty net to secure the win and ran to his family in the stands at the final whistle.

“They were just so proud and so happy,” said Rufe. “I told them it was nice for that [Indy player] to slow up at the end and let it roll across the line, maybe I should’ve hit it a little harder to cause less suspense, but I’m just very, very happy.

"We’re just going to continue with our shape and our tempo, moving forward to next game. Everyone believes in each other, and that's big.  We’ve really come together and we’re going to continue to come together in these last few games. We’re excited for the postseason.”

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Oct. 10, 2021) – Legion FC kept the good times rolling with a decisive 3-1 win, the team’s fourth in a row, this time over Indy Eleven on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in downtown Birmingham.

Forward Neco Brett kicked things off with a sweet finish in the 8th minute, midfielder Eli Crognale hit another banger just four minutes after subbing on in the second half, and defender Jake Rufe scored his first professional goal with a long-range effort he let fly from inside his own half to seal the deal in second half stoppage time.

Brett’s goal was his 16th of the season, good for fifth-most in the USL Championship. Off a Legion throw-in, Ryan James slipped a pass through a defender’s legs and into the box for Brett, and the Jamaican pulled off a curling effort into the top right corner to get the home side on the board.

The visitors finished the half with three shots, and only one on target, from 43% possession, but the one shot from midfielder Nicky Law found the back of the net in the 42nd minute to send both teams into the half all knotted up at one. Indy defender Nick Moon got in behind down the right and found Law at the top of the six-yard box for a one-time finish.

Birmingham got off 13 shots in the second half, and 23 for the game, and yet again, Legion FC coaches’ second half substitutions came on and made immediate impacts. After subbing on in the 70th minute, Crognale stepped up to a bouncing ball outside the opposing area and volleyed it first time over the frozen Indy goalkeeper for his second rocket of a goal in recent weeks.

“I think all of [the substitutes] that came in did a really good job,” said Assistant Coach Khano Smith. Ben [Ofeimu] went in with specific instructions, Jaden [Servania] went in and it was his opportunity to prove himself and I think he did that tonight. Zach [Herivaux] gave his energy as well. Look, I’m not surprised, and I said this to you last time, the guy can shoot. I’m so, so happy for Jake Rufe. The guy deserves it. He shows up and works hard every day, he doesn’t complain, and he doesn’t moan. He’s a consummate professional and teammate. That moment couldn’t have happened to a better guy, he’s been through a lot, and he deserved that moment.”

Indy kept pressing forward looking for the equalizer, and after pulling their ‘keeper up for an attacking corner kick, Legion cleared its lines, midfielder Anderson Asiedu found Rufe, and the defender picked his head up, and hit a 60-yard ball perfectly down the middle of an empty net to secure the win and ran to his family in the stands at the final whistle.

“They were just so proud and so happy,” said Rufe. “I told them it was nice for that [Indy player] to slow up at the end and let it roll across the line, maybe I should’ve hit it a little harder to cause less suspense, but I’m just very, very happy.

“We’re just going to continue with our shape and our tempo, moving forward to next game. Everyone believes in each other, and that’s big.  We’ve really come together and we’re going to continue to come together in these last few games. We’re excited for the postseason.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	2
IND	1	0

Goals:
BHM – 8’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #7 Ryan James)
IND – 42’ – #27 Nicky Law (assisted by #17 Nick Moon)
BHM – 74’ – #12 Eli Crognale
BHM – 90+4’ – #13 Jake Rufe (assisted by #6 Anderson Asiedu)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #5 Mikey Lopez; #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele (61’ – #20 Zach Herivaux), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (70’ – #12 Eli Crognale); #7 Ryan James (89’ – #13 Jake Rufe), #11 Neco Brett (89’ – #22 Ben Ofeimu), #10 Prosper Kasim (61’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

IND – 3-4-3 – #1 Jordan Farr; #33 Tobi Adewole, #5 Jared Timmer, #2 Patrick Seagrist; #17 Nick Moon, #28 Gershon Kofie (81’ – #85 Aboubacar Sissoko), #8 Kevin Partida (81’ – #6 Jeremiah Gutjahr), #7 Ayoze (67’ – #98 Peter Lee Vassell); #27 Nicky Law, #29 Manuel Arteaga, #45 Emmanuel Ledesma (67’ – #10 Gordon Wild)

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

The team is back at home this Wednesday night, October 13, at 7:00PM against Austin Bold FC for another addition of Everybody Wins on Wednesdays! Join us back here for one-dollar hotdogs, two-dollar beers, and a post-game firework show.

This match with Austin was originally rained out on June 19 and rescheduled, and fans who purchased tickets for the June contest will be honored on Wednesday. Fans can also get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	2
IND	1	0

Goals:
BHM – 8’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #7 Ryan James)
IND – 42’ – #27 Nicky Law (assisted by #17 Nick Moon)
BHM – 74’ – #12 Eli Crognale
BHM – 90+4’ – #13 Jake Rufe (assisted by #6 Anderson Asiedu)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #5 Mikey Lopez; #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele (61’ – #20 Zach Herivaux), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (70’ – #12 Eli Crognale); #7 Ryan James (89’ – #13 Jake Rufe), #11 Neco Brett (89’ – #22 Ben Ofeimu), #10 Prosper Kasim (61’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

IND – 3-4-3 – #1 Jordan Farr; #33 Tobi Adewole, #5 Jared Timmer, #2 Patrick Seagrist; #17 Nick Moon, #28 Gershon Kofie (81’ – #85 Aboubacar Sissoko), #8 Kevin Partida (81’ – #6 Jeremiah Gutjahr), #7 Ayoze (67’ – #98 Peter Lee Vassell); #27 Nicky Law, #29 Manuel Arteaga, #45 Emmanuel Ledesma (67’ – #10 Gordon Wild)

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

The team is back at home this Wednesday night, October 13, at 7:00PM against Austin Bold FC for another addition of Everybody Wins on Wednesdays! Join us back here for one-dollar hotdogs, two-dollar beers, and a post-game firework show.

This match with Austin was originally rained out on June 19 and rescheduled, and fans who purchased tickets for the June contest will be honored on Wednesday. Fans can also get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 24 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC defender Alex Crognale earning a spot in the side thanks to his game-winning goal and defensive efforts in Birmingham’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City II last Friday.

Crognale rose highest to head in his second goal of the season, and fifth in the last two years while wearing Black and Gold, via a Bruno Lapa corner kick in the 10th minute of the contest at SKC. Crognale attempted two shots in the game, lead the team with eight clearances, added a block, and completed 35 passes.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 24
GK – Cody Cropper, Memphis 901 FC: Cody Cropper recorded an eight-save shutout that included six saves on shots inside the penalty area to help lead 901 FC to a 3-0 victory against FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field on Saturday night.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden recorded a goal and assist as Atlanta earned draws against Louisville City FC and Indy Eleven across the week, including the equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time against Indy at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday night.

D – Josh Yaro, San Diego Loyal SC: The center back notched his second goal of the season and was composed on the back line in SD Loyal’s 3-0 win on the road against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday, completing 62 of 67 passes and winning 3 of 4 duels.

D – Sean McFarlane, Miami FC: The Jamaican recorded one assist and two key passes while winning 6 of 8 duels and recording six recoveries and one interception during Miami’s 3-2 victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: The Cote d’Ivoire midfielder was named USL Championship Player of the Week after he produced a pair of spectacular long-range finishes while also completing 36 of 42 passes and making eight recoveries in 901 FC’s 3-0 victory against FC Tulsa on Saturday night.

M – Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: The Jamaican playmaker shone despite the Hounds’ defeat in Miami, recording both goals for the visitors while recording three shots and three key passes, completing 38 of 48 passes overall and making nine recoveries defensively.

M – Enzo Martinez, Charlotte Independence: The Charlotte veteran had one goal and two assists over two wins for the side, including leading the side to a 2-1 win on the road against Hartford Athletic, as he became only the third player in the Championship to reach 40 goals and 30 assists in the regular season for his career.

M – Paolo DelPiccolo, Louisville City FC: LouCity’s captain scored twice in the opening 15 minutes on and had one key pass to help pave the way for a 3-1 victory for the hosts against New Mexico United on Sunday afternoon at Lynn Family Stadium.

M – Jonas Fjeldberg, Rio Grande Valley FC: The Norwegian attacking midfielder had a hand in all three of the Toros’ goals against Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night, including a highlight-reel strike in the second half that capped a performance in which he had four shots, three key passes and completed 27 of 34 passes overall.

F – Gaoussou Samake, Loudoun United FC: Gaoussou Samake had one goal and one assist in Loudoun’s 3-3 draw against the New York Red Bulls II on Thursday night and over two games for the week recorded six shots, six key passes and completed 67 of 87 passes overall.

F – Sylvain Marveaux, Charlotte Independence: The French veteran recorded one goal and one assist in Charlotte’s 5-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Sunday and over two games recorded two shots, five key passes and completed 61 of 74 passes overall as the Independence won twice.

Bench: Alex Tambakis (NM), Eder Borelli (ELP), Alex Crognale (BHM), Laurence Wyke (TBR), Lindo Mfeka (OAK), Luis Felipe Fernandes (SAC), Danny Trejo (LV)

Legion FC has two home games upcoming, first on Sunday, October 10 at 4:00PM against Indy Eleven, and then on Wednesday night, October 13 at 7:00PM against Austin Bold FC. Fans can get tickets HERE!

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 24 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC defender Alex Crognale earning a spot in the side thanks to his game-winning goal and defensive efforts in Birmingham’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City II last Friday.

Crognale rose highest to head in his second goal of the season, and fifth in the last two years while wearing Black and Gold, via a Bruno Lapa corner kick in the 10th minute of the contest at SKC. Crognale attempted two shots in the game, lead the team with eight clearances, added a block, and completed 35 passes.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 24
GK – Cody Cropper, Memphis 901 FC: Cody Cropper recorded an eight-save shutout that included six saves on shots inside the penalty area to help lead 901 FC to a 3-0 victory against FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field on Saturday night.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden recorded a goal and assist as Atlanta earned draws against Louisville City FC and Indy Eleven across the week, including the equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time against Indy at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday night.

D – Josh Yaro, San Diego Loyal SC: The center back notched his second goal of the season and was composed on the back line in SD Loyal’s 3-0 win on the road against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday, completing 62 of 67 passes and winning 3 of 4 duels.

D – Sean McFarlane, Miami FC: The Jamaican recorded one assist and two key passes while winning 6 of 8 duels and recording six recoveries and one interception during Miami’s 3-2 victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: The Cote d’Ivoire midfielder was named USL Championship Player of the Week after he produced a pair of spectacular long-range finishes while also completing 36 of 42 passes and making eight recoveries in 901 FC’s 3-0 victory against FC Tulsa on Saturday night.

M – Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: The Jamaican playmaker shone despite the Hounds’ defeat in Miami, recording both goals for the visitors while recording three shots and three key passes, completing 38 of 48 passes overall and making nine recoveries defensively.

M – Enzo Martinez, Charlotte Independence: The Charlotte veteran had one goal and two assists over two wins for the side, including leading the side to a 2-1 win on the road against Hartford Athletic, as he became only the third player in the Championship to reach 40 goals and 30 assists in the regular season for his career.

M – Paolo DelPiccolo, Louisville City FC: LouCity’s captain scored twice in the opening 15 minutes on and had one key pass to help pave the way for a 3-1 victory for the hosts against New Mexico United on Sunday afternoon at Lynn Family Stadium.

M – Jonas Fjeldberg, Rio Grande Valley FC: The Norwegian attacking midfielder had a hand in all three of the Toros’ goals against Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night, including a highlight-reel strike in the second half that capped a performance in which he had four shots, three key passes and completed 27 of 34 passes overall.

F – Gaoussou Samake, Loudoun United FC: Gaoussou Samake had one goal and one assist in Loudoun’s 3-3 draw against the New York Red Bulls II on Thursday night and over two games for the week recorded six shots, six key passes and completed 67 of 87 passes overall.

F – Sylvain Marveaux, Charlotte Independence: The French veteran recorded one goal and one assist in Charlotte’s 5-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Sunday and over two games recorded two shots, five key passes and completed 61 of 74 passes overall as the Independence won twice.

Bench: Alex Tambakis (NM), Eder Borelli (ELP), Alex Crognale (BHM), Laurence Wyke (TBR), Lindo Mfeka (OAK), Luis Felipe Fernandes (SAC), Danny Trejo (LV)

Legion FC has two home games upcoming, first on Sunday, October 10 at 4:00PM against Indy Eleven, and then on Wednesday night, October 13 at 7:00PM against Austin Bold FC. Fans can get tickets HERE!

Alex Crognale's goal at SKC – 10/1

Alex Crognale’s goal at SKC – 10/1

KANSAS CITY, KS (October 1, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won 1-0 on the road against Central Division rival Sporting Kansas City II to clinch its third straight playoff berth and go top of the Central Division. It was defender Alex Crognale who scored the lone goal for the Three Sparks, finding the back of the net off of a well-delivered corner kick from midfielder Bruno Lapa. 

The first half saw SKC push the tempo early, with the hosts hoping to force a slow start from Birmingham. They might well have done so, if not for Crognale’s finish in the 10th minute of play. Legion FC forward and leading goalscorer Neco Brett almost doubled his side’s lead off of a freekick, but his attempt was denied by the crossbar. 

“The goal tonight was huge,” said Crognale. “Not only did I get on the scoresheet, but it proved to be the game winning goal that clinched playoffs, pushed us to first place. It was an important goal, not only for myself, but for the entire group.”

Similar to the first half, Sporting Kansas City II came out aggressive, applying heavy pressure early on in search of an equalizer. The hosts almost found it just three minutes after the restart, as Enoch Mushagalusa had his shot cannon off of the woodwork after beating his defender. The Three Sparks were not without chances, though, as Brett once again came close to doubling his side’s lead with an attempted chip over the goalkeeper shortly after Mushagalusa’s chance on the other end. 

This would be the theme for the remainder of the contest, as both sides had multiple opportunities to find the back of the net. SKC would have their best opportunities of the night thanks to second half substitute Mataeo Bunbury. Bunbury, just 16 years old, forced Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel into action with a pair of strikes from outside the box. 

Legion FC were able to hold on to their one-goal advantage, securing all three points to jump Louisville City FC in the Central Division standing, as well as clinch a postseason appearance for the third straight season. While a huge moment for the club, the mood within the ranks is one of determination.

“The message is really simple, this is what we strived to get to,” said Head Coach Tom Soehn. “I actually watched the emotions of the guys and they are very grounded at this moment. It’s still one game at a time. 

The win is a big one for the Three Sparks, as it showcased their ability to withstand pressure and see out tough games. 

“ Today’s game wasn’t easy,” said Soehn. “They knocked it around really well and we had some difficult moments, but we were able to fight through that. Good teams find ways to win, and we did it today and we kept a clean sheet. I’m really happy for the guys, because, to be fair, I felt like the last stretch of games have been piling up on us and they still looked a little bit tired on a big field. They were able to gut it out and it’s a good win. Those are the wins that make a difference.”

The team returns home on Sunday, October 10, at 4:00PM to take on Central Division rival Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets for the 10th HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://www.bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

KANSAS CITY, KS (October 1, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won 1-0 on the road against Central Division rival Sporting Kansas City II to clinch its third straight playoff berth and go top of the Central Division. It was defender Alex Crognale who scored the lone goal for the Three Sparks, finding the back of the net off of a well-delivered corner kick from midfielder Bruno Lapa. 

The first half saw SKC push the tempo early, with the hosts hoping to force a slow start from Birmingham. They might well have done so, if not for Crognale’s finish in the 10th minute of play. Legion FC forward and leading goalscorer Neco Brett almost doubled his side’s lead off of a freekick, but his attempt was denied by the crossbar. 

“The goal tonight was huge,” said Crognale. “Not only did I get on the scoresheet, but it proved to be the game winning goal that clinched playoffs, pushed us to first place. It was an important goal, not only for myself, but for the entire group.”

Similar to the first half, Sporting Kansas City II came out aggressive, applying heavy pressure early on in search of an equalizer. The hosts almost found it just three minutes after the restart, as Enoch Mushagalusa had his shot cannon off of the woodwork after beating his defender. The Three Sparks were not without chances, though, as Brett once again came close to doubling his side’s lead with an attempted chip over the goalkeeper shortly after Mushagalusa’s chance on the other end. 

This would be the theme for the remainder of the contest, as both sides had multiple opportunities to find the back of the net. SKC would have their best opportunities of the night thanks to second half substitute Mataeo Bunbury. Bunbury, just 16 years old, forced Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel into action with a pair of strikes from outside the box. 

Legion FC were able to hold on to their one-goal advantage, securing all three points to jump Louisville City FC in the Central Division standing, as well as clinch a postseason appearance for the third straight season. While a huge moment for the club, the mood within the ranks is one of determination.

“The message is really simple, this is what we strived to get to,” said Head Coach Tom Soehn. “I actually watched the emotions of the guys and they are very grounded at this moment. It’s still one game at a time. 

The win is a big one for the Three Sparks, as it showcased their ability to withstand pressure and see out tough games. 

“ Today’s game wasn’t easy,” said Soehn. “They knocked it around really well and we had some difficult moments, but we were able to fight through that. Good teams find ways to win, and we did it today and we kept a clean sheet. I’m really happy for the guys, because, to be fair, I felt like the last stretch of games have been piling up on us and they still looked a little bit tired on a big field. They were able to gut it out and it’s a good win. Those are the wins that make a difference.”

The team returns home on Sunday, October 10, at 4:00PM to take on Central Division rival Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets for the 10th HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://www.bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

Legion FC's squad depth has been on full display lately, with those coming off the bench providing the Black & Gold with game changing moments.  Head Coach Tom Soehn took the time to chat with us about the game-time decisions. Read or listen to the full interview below!

Legion FC’s squad depth has been on full display lately, with those coming off the bench providing the Black & Gold with game changing moments.  Head Coach Tom Soehn took the time to chat with us about the game-time decisions. Read or listen to the full interview below!

Starting with the win at Atlanta on May 30th, and culminating recently with Eli’s game winner against Charlotte on Sunday night, 13 times this season a substitution you’ve made has come on and either scored or assisted a goal, and seven of those times the goals were game winners. What is your thought process when making substitutions? Is it more something you prepare ahead of time or are they determined more by how the game is going and you decide on subs on the fly?

“I think it’s more a game evaluation. Obviously, we do a lot of work before hand, but the game doesn’t always turn out like you think it might. I think getting a good halftime perspective and understanding even more what the other team’s strengths and weaknesses are and having a deep roster and say look, if long balls are going to hurt a team you bring in someone that can maybe spray balls long, or if you need someone in the pockets, and feel like that’s the weakness, you bring in someone with that skillset. I think it’s a combination of all that, but having a deep team, and a talented team, all the way down the roster, that’s what I feel like we’ve built, I think we can do a pretty good job of assessing as a staff what the game needs and bring that specific player on to fill that need.”

Looking at the list, Jaden has come on a won a couple penalties and provided an assist, and him and Junior somewhat have relatively similar profiles, Junior has come on and scored two goals and two assists as a sub, JJ has three goals as a sub, Eli now has a goal and is a bit more deep lying and has changed up some games, what are your thoughts on that handful of players and what you’re looking at when making a sub for their skillsets. Somebody like Junior and Jaden are there to run more at guys, JJ is a little stronger, battling in there, and Eli does a really good job at moving the ball forward in possession.

“All of our guys have unique qualities. Sometimes a player can do more in 30 minutes than he could have in 90 if he’s coming into a scenario where opponents have put 60 minutes in and they’re getting tired, or the game is getting stretched. Each one of those guys you mentioned scoring or creating those goals each have unique skill sets, and I think if one of them isn’t on and we have a couple of them off, we can kind of pick which one we think is going to impact the game the most. I’ll even go further and say it’s very easy for those guys to not stay fit. Dan does a good job of keeping everybody sharp and fit so that when it’s your turn and your time, you come in and impact the game. It can be through a lot of different scenarios, but I think a lot of it is game evaluating and in the second half we do a pretty good job of making the proper adjustments.”

How do you guys as a coaching staff kind of decide or determine what players perform better in 30-minute substitution roles or might show more starting, but you know you’re going to need to pull them after an hour, and how do you go about determining those patterns of play?

“We rely on our guys to kind of pick who plays. It’s a way of accountability, that whoever is training best is going to play initially, and then if you’re not in, it’s up to us to make sure they’re fit and ready so that when it’s their time and we feel like their skillset can impact a game, they come in and do that. So, it helps having a deep bench, it helps having quality from the top of your roster all the way to the bottom to help impact that. When you have different options, it makes it easier to put subs in that we feel can change games.”

You’re 26 games into this third season in Birmingham, how has your approach to the roster and subs changed throughout the season and do you feel like you have a pretty good grasp on the groups strengths and weaknesses as we hit the end of the season and head to the playoffs?

“I think the subbing pattern last game really helped as we were the healthiest we’ve been. We used all five subs and everybody impacted the game. It’s a great way of keeping legs fresh and keeping momentum going your way, by bringing in people that are hungry. I think through the end of the year, the healthier we get the more you can rotate and get guys in and out to keep our legs fresh. You know, it’s a lot of work when you press and if you’re playing right you should be tired, so coming out and putting someone else on is sometimes the best medicine.”

Looking ahead, how much weight do you put on what your opponent likes to do and counter-acting that versus focusing on your strengths and making opponents adjust to you as opposed to the other way around?

“You go into every game making sure you know who you are. I think we then have some subtle things, and Khano and I break down a lot of film, where we look at teams and get a better idea of how to press them, which way to press them, how high to press them, all without dropping off. I think there’s a game within every game that we have to come up with a game plan for. The better job we do and the better job the guys do to carry it out, the more of a chance we have to win.”

The team’s next home game is another Sunday afternoon affair on October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

Starting with the win at Atlanta on May 30th, and culminating recently with Eli’s game winner against Charlotte on Sunday night, 13 times this season a substitution you’ve made has come on and either scored or assisted a goal, and seven of those times the goals were game winners. What is your thought process when making substitutions? Is it more something you prepare ahead of time or are they determined more by how the game is going and you decide on subs on the fly?

“I think it’s more a game evaluation. Obviously, we do a lot of work before hand, but the game doesn’t always turn out like you think it might. I think getting a good halftime perspective and understanding even more what the other team’s strengths and weaknesses are and having a deep roster and say look, if long balls are going to hurt a team you bring in someone that can maybe spray balls long, or if you need someone in the pockets, and feel like that’s the weakness, you bring in someone with that skillset. I think it’s a combination of all that, but having a deep team, and a talented team, all the way down the roster, that’s what I feel like we’ve built, I think we can do a pretty good job of assessing as a staff what the game needs and bring that specific player on to fill that need.”

Looking at the list, Jaden has come on a won a couple penalties and provided an assist, and him and Junior somewhat have relatively similar profiles, Junior has come on and scored two goals and two assists as a sub, JJ has three goals as a sub, Eli now has a goal and is a bit more deep lying and has changed up some games, what are your thoughts on that handful of players and what you’re looking at when making a sub for their skillsets. Somebody like Junior and Jaden are there to run more at guys, JJ is a little stronger, battling in there, and Eli does a really good job at moving the ball forward in possession.

“All of our guys have unique qualities. Sometimes a player can do more in 30 minutes than he could have in 90 if he’s coming into a scenario where opponents have put 60 minutes in and they’re getting tired, or the game is getting stretched. Each one of those guys you mentioned scoring or creating those goals each have unique skill sets, and I think if one of them isn’t on and we have a couple of them off, we can kind of pick which one we think is going to impact the game the most. I’ll even go further and say it’s very easy for those guys to not stay fit. Dan does a good job of keeping everybody sharp and fit so that when it’s your turn and your time, you come in and impact the game. It can be through a lot of different scenarios, but I think a lot of it is game evaluating and in the second half we do a pretty good job of making the proper adjustments.”

How do you guys as a coaching staff kind of decide or determine what players perform better in 30-minute substitution roles or might show more starting, but you know you’re going to need to pull them after an hour, and how do you go about determining those patterns of play?

“We rely on our guys to kind of pick who plays. It’s a way of accountability, that whoever is training best is going to play initially, and then if you’re not in, it’s up to us to make sure they’re fit and ready so that when it’s their time and we feel like their skillset can impact a game, they come in and do that. So, it helps having a deep bench, it helps having quality from the top of your roster all the way to the bottom to help impact that. When you have different options, it makes it easier to put subs in that we feel can change games.”

You’re 26 games into this third season in Birmingham, how has your approach to the roster and subs changed throughout the season and do you feel like you have a pretty good grasp on the groups strengths and weaknesses as we hit the end of the season and head to the playoffs?

“I think the subbing pattern last game really helped as we were the healthiest we’ve been. We used all five subs and everybody impacted the game. It’s a great way of keeping legs fresh and keeping momentum going your way, by bringing in people that are hungry. I think through the end of the year, the healthier we get the more you can rotate and get guys in and out to keep our legs fresh. You know, it’s a lot of work when you press and if you’re playing right you should be tired, so coming out and putting someone else on is sometimes the best medicine.”

Looking ahead, how much weight do you put on what your opponent likes to do and counter-acting that versus focusing on your strengths and making opponents adjust to you as opposed to the other way around?

“You go into every game making sure you know who you are. I think we then have some subtle things, and Khano and I break down a lot of film, where we look at teams and get a better idea of how to press them, which way to press them, how high to press them, all without dropping off. I think there’s a game within every game that we have to come up with a game plan for. The better job we do and the better job the guys do to carry it out, the more of a chance we have to win.”

The team’s next home game is another Sunday afternoon affair on October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 23 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Birmingham Legion FC forward Neco Brett being voted Player of the Week after recording three goals and one assist across a pair of victories that sent Legion FC within a point of Louisville City FC for the lead in the Central Division.

Now in his second season with Legion FC, Brett moved to 15 goals overall this season as he first notched two goals and an assist in the side’s 4-0 victory against Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday evening, and then backed that up with another goal to start Legion FC’s comeback for a 2-1 win against the Charlotte Independence on Sunday at BBVA Field.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 23 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Birmingham Legion FC forward Neco Brett being voted Player of the Week after recording three goals and one assist across a pair of victories that sent Legion FC within a point of Louisville City FC for the lead in the Central Division.

Now in his second season with Legion FC, Brett moved to 15 goals overall this season as he first notched two goals and an assist in the side’s 4-0 victory against Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday evening, and then backed that up with another goal to start Legion FC’s comeback for a 2-1 win against the Charlotte Independence on Sunday at BBVA Field.

The Jamaican forward has now recorded 59 goals for his career in the Championship, ranking eighth all-time after moving past both Louisville City FC’s George Davis IV and Sacramento Republic FC’s Cameron Iwasa in the league rankings.

The Jamaican forward has now recorded 59 goals for his career in the Championship, ranking eighth all-time after moving past both Louisville City FC’s George Davis IV and Sacramento Republic FC’s Cameron Iwasa in the league rankings.

Brett earned 92 percent of the ballot to claim the award. Miami FC’s Ariel Martinez earned eight percent after recording one goal and two assists in his side’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night at FIU Stadium.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 23
GK – Justin vom Steeg, LA Galaxy II: Justin vom Steeg recorded a four-save shutout, making key stops before and after Los Dos took a second-half lead on the way to a 2-0 victory against Sacramento Republic FC at Heart Health Park.

D – Jonathan Gomez, Louisville City FC: The 18-year-old notched an assist and three key passes while completing 42 of 51 passes overall and defensively made 13 recoveries in LouCity’s 1-1 draw at Memphis 901 FC.

D – Jalen Neal, LA Galaxy II: Jalen Neal recorded the game-winning goal for the Galaxy II in their 2-0 win at Sacramento Republic FC and defensively recorded five clearances, three interceptions and won 2 of 2 tackles to help the visitors earn a shutout.

D – Leland Archer, Charleston Battery: The Trinidad and Tobago international scored the first two goals of his Championship career in games against the New York Red Bulls II and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC while winning 16 of 20 duels and 7 of 10 aerial duels across the two contests.

M – Sebastian Anderson, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: The 19-year-old recorded a pair of assists and had nine key passes overall while also winning 10 of 16 duels and making five recoveries in the Switchbacks’ 3-1 victory against Austin Bold FC.

M – Leo Fernandes, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Leo Fernandes provided the assists on both of the Rowdies’ goals in a 2-1 victory against Hartford Athletic and ended the night with two shots and four key passes overall while winning 15 of 21 duels and 10 of 13 aerial duels defensively.

M – Diego Luna, El Paso Locomotive FC: The 18-year-old continued his stellar season with one goal on two shots and three key passes in El Paso’s 2-2 draw with Austin Bold FC while completing 36 of 41 passes overall and winning 9 of 15 duels.

M – Billy Forbes, Miami FC: The Turks and Caicos international recorded one goal, two assists and four key passes while completing 13 of 17 passes overall and winning 2 of 2 tackles in Miami’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC at FIU Stadium.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: The Jamaican forward recorded three goals and one assist across a pair of Legion FC victories against Atlanta United 2 and the Charlotte Independence while recording eight shots overall and completing 22 of 30 passes.

F – Ariel Martinez, Miami FC: The Cuban forward had one goal and two assists while recording five key passes and completing 3 of 4 dribbles and 23 of 27 passes overall in Miami’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC.

F – Villyan Bijev, OKC Energy FC: Villyan Bijev notched a pair of assists and had six key passes and two shots overall while completing 27 of 37 passes as Energy FC took a crucial 2-0 victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday evening to boost their postseason prospects.

Bench: Jimmy Slayton (SLC), Mandela Egbo (NY), Adrian Diz Pe (RGV), Prosper Kasim (BHM), Dillon Powers (OC), Tumi Moshobane (SD), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

Brett, Kasim, and their teammates head back out on the road this week to battle Sporting KC II on Friday, October 1 at 7:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on ESPN+ or follow @bhmlegion on Twitter for live updates.

The team’s next home game is on Sunday, October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

Brett earned 92 percent of the ballot to claim the award. Miami FC’s Ariel Martinez earned eight percent after recording one goal and two assists in his side’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night at FIU Stadium.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 23
GK – Justin vom Steeg, LA Galaxy II: Justin vom Steeg recorded a four-save shutout, making key stops before and after Los Dos took a second-half lead on the way to a 2-0 victory against Sacramento Republic FC at Heart Health Park.

D – Jonathan Gomez, Louisville City FC: The 18-year-old notched an assist and three key passes while completing 42 of 51 passes overall and defensively made 13 recoveries in LouCity’s 1-1 draw at Memphis 901 FC.

D – Jalen Neal, LA Galaxy II: Jalen Neal recorded the game-winning goal for the Galaxy II in their 2-0 win at Sacramento Republic FC and defensively recorded five clearances, three interceptions and won 2 of 2 tackles to help the visitors earn a shutout.

D – Leland Archer, Charleston Battery: The Trinidad and Tobago international scored the first two goals of his Championship career in games against the New York Red Bulls II and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC while winning 16 of 20 duels and 7 of 10 aerial duels across the two contests.

M – Sebastian Anderson, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: The 19-year-old recorded a pair of assists and had nine key passes overall while also winning 10 of 16 duels and making five recoveries in the Switchbacks’ 3-1 victory against Austin Bold FC.

M – Leo Fernandes, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Leo Fernandes provided the assists on both of the Rowdies’ goals in a 2-1 victory against Hartford Athletic and ended the night with two shots and four key passes overall while winning 15 of 21 duels and 10 of 13 aerial duels defensively.

M – Diego Luna, El Paso Locomotive FC: The 18-year-old continued his stellar season with one goal on two shots and three key passes in El Paso’s 2-2 draw with Austin Bold FC while completing 36 of 41 passes overall and winning 9 of 15 duels.

M – Billy Forbes, Miami FC: The Turks and Caicos international recorded one goal, two assists and four key passes while completing 13 of 17 passes overall and winning 2 of 2 tackles in Miami’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC at FIU Stadium.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: The Jamaican forward recorded three goals and one assist across a pair of Legion FC victories against Atlanta United 2 and the Charlotte Independence while recording eight shots overall and completing 22 of 30 passes.

F – Ariel Martinez, Miami FC: The Cuban forward had one goal and two assists while recording five key passes and completing 3 of 4 dribbles and 23 of 27 passes overall in Miami’s 6-1 victory against Loudoun United FC.

F – Villyan Bijev, OKC Energy FC: Villyan Bijev notched a pair of assists and had six key passes and two shots overall while completing 27 of 37 passes as Energy FC took a crucial 2-0 victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday evening to boost their postseason prospects.

Bench: Jimmy Slayton (SLC), Mandela Egbo (NY), Adrian Diz Pe (RGV), Prosper Kasim (BHM), Dillon Powers (OC), Tumi Moshobane (SD), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

Brett, Kasim, and their teammates head back out on the road this week to battle Sporting KC II on Friday, October 1 at 7:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on ESPN+ or follow @bhmlegion on Twitter for live updates.

The team’s next home game is on Sunday, October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Sept. 26, 2021) – At the close of a weekend in which the three other teams currently in playoff positions in the USL Championship’s Central Division dropped points, Legion FC came into Sunday afternoon’s match with the Charlotte Independence with a huge opportunity to further secure its spot in second in the table and rev up its chase of first place Louisville City FC.

Thanks to a sharply taken first half goal from the club’s leading scorer, forward Neco Brett, and a second half rocket of a game winner from midfielder Eli Crognale, the Three Sparks rose to the occasion and secured all three points in the 2-1 victory.

Charlotte opened the scoring on the afternoon in the 16th minute. Midfielder Marcelo Palomino swung in a corner kick, and defender Christian Fuchs, who just last season played in the English Premier League for Leicester City, beat everyone to the front post and flicked the ball past Legion goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

The home side refused to live with the deficit for long, however, as Brett bagged his 15th goal of the season, tied for third-most in the USLC, in the 25th minute to pull his club level. Midfielder Anderson Asiedu drove forward with the ball out of midfield, slipped a pass across the top of the box that midfielder Bruno Lapa let run on to Brett, and the Jamaican’s pinpoint shot between a defender and the opposing ‘keeper found the back of the net.

VanOekel came up big just a few minutes later, with one of his five saves on the day, to keep things square as Independence forward Enzo Martinez cut in from the left side and had a curling effort pushed aside, just wide of the bottom right corner. The five saves pull VanOekel up to tenth in the league with 59 on the season.

After coming out of the half all tied up, Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn made a handful of key substitutions, including Crognale in the 67th minute. Just three minutes later, Legion’s #12 found himself on the ball about 30 yards from goal. He took a touch and unleashed a banger for the game winner and his first professional goal.

“Amazing,” said the younger Crognale, when asked how it felt to score his first goal. “It was great to get my first career goal, especially in the style that it happened. It was really surreal, to go on and hit a goal like that, it’s just amazing. It was incredible, I’m extremely happy about it.”

Assistant Coach Khano Smith was complimentary of the team for its performance, including both goal scorers, as the win pulled Birmingham just one point behind LouCity at the top of the Central.

“We had to dig deep and fight,” said Smith. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. They’re a really good team who are in a really good run and they’ve got some really good players. It was a difficult game. They created chances, we created chances, to be honest, it was a good game of soccer to watch and we capitalized on our chances more than they did.

“Neco’s ruthless if he gets in the box. I think he’s one of the best in the league at finishing those chances, and he’s ruthless. He’s made a really good career doing that. I don’t know if there’s many other guys in the league you want in that spot to get there and bury that chance. And Eli, I mean, we aren’t surprised. We see Eli shoot like that in training every day. Eli’s got one of the hardest and most lethal strikes of the ball that we’ve seen on our team, so we tell him to shoot all the time. To be honest, I’m surprised it took this long, because the guy’s got a hell of a shot.”

BIRMINGHAM, AL (Sept. 26, 2021) – At the close of a weekend in which the three other teams currently in playoff positions in the USL Championship’s Central Division dropped points, Legion FC came into Sunday afternoon’s match with the Charlotte Independence with a huge opportunity to further secure its spot in second in the table and rev up its chase of first place Louisville City FC.

Thanks to a sharply taken first half goal from the club’s leading scorer, forward Neco Brett, and a second half rocket of a game winner from midfielder Eli Crognale, the Three Sparks rose to the occasion and secured all three points in the 2-1 victory.

Charlotte opened the scoring on the afternoon in the 16th minute. Midfielder Marcelo Palomino swung in a corner kick, and defender Christian Fuchs, who just last season played in the English Premier League for Leicester City, beat everyone to the front post and flicked the ball past Legion goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

The home side refused to live with the deficit for long, however, as Brett bagged his 15th goal of the season, tied for third-most in the USLC, in the 25th minute to pull his club level. Midfielder Anderson Asiedu drove forward with the ball out of midfield, slipped a pass across the top of the box that midfielder Bruno Lapa let run on to Brett, and the Jamaican’s pinpoint shot between a defender and the opposing ‘keeper found the back of the net.

VanOekel came up big just a few minutes later, with one of his five saves on the day, to keep things square as Independence forward Enzo Martinez cut in from the left side and had a curling effort pushed aside, just wide of the bottom right corner. The five saves pull VanOekel up to tenth in the league with 59 on the season.

After coming out of the half all tied up, Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn made a handful of key substitutions, including Crognale in the 67th minute. Just three minutes later, Legion’s #12 found himself on the ball about 30 yards from goal. He took a touch and unleashed a banger for the game winner and his first professional goal.

“Amazing,” said the younger Crognale, when asked how it felt to score his first goal. “It was great to get my first career goal, especially in the style that it happened. It was really surreal, to go on and hit a goal like that, it’s just amazing. It was incredible, I’m extremely happy about it.”

Assistant Coach Khano Smith was complimentary of the team for its performance, including both goal scorers, as the win pulled Birmingham just one point behind LouCity at the top of the Central.

“We had to dig deep and fight,” said Smith. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. They’re a really good team who are in a really good run and they’ve got some really good players. It was a difficult game. They created chances, we created chances, to be honest, it was a good game of soccer to watch and we capitalized on our chances more than they did.

“Neco’s ruthless if he gets in the box. I think he’s one of the best in the league at finishing those chances, and he’s ruthless. He’s made a really good career doing that. I don’t know if there’s many other guys in the league you want in that spot to get there and bury that chance. And Eli, I mean, we aren’t surprised. We see Eli shoot like that in training every day. Eli’s got one of the hardest and most lethal strikes of the ball that we’ve seen on our team, so we tell him to shoot all the time. To be honest, I’m surprised it took this long, because the guy’s got a hell of a shot.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	1
CLT	1	0

Goals:
CLT – 16’ – #22 Christian Fuchs (assisted by #8 Marcelo Palomino)
BHM – 25’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #6 Anderson Asiedu)
BHM – 70’ – #12 Eli Crognale (assisted by #5 Mikey Lopez)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #7 Ryan James; #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele (61’ – #5 Mikey Lopez), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (67’ – #12 Eli Crognale); #10 Prosper Kasim (67’ – #17 Jaden Servania), #11 Neco Brett (79’ – #20 Zach Herivaux), #23 JJ Williams (61’ – #77 Junior Flemmings)

CLT – 3-5-2 – #1 Austin Pack; #2 Kevin Riascos (78’ – #10 Valentin Sabella), #3 Hugh Roberts, #22 Christian Fuchs; #4 Jake Areman, #7 Joel Johnson (54’ – #32 Gabriel Obertan), #8 Marcelo Palomino, #13 Brandt Bronico (71’ – #12 Adam Armour), #16 Jose Bizama; #9 Irvin Parra (71’ – #29 Dane Kelly), #19 Enzo Martinez

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

Legion FC heads back out on the road next weekend to battle Sporting KC II on Friday, October 1 at 7:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on ESPN+ or follow @bhmlegion on Twitter for live updates.

The team’s next home game is another Sunday afternoon affair on October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	1
CLT	1	0

Goals:
CLT – 16’ – #22 Christian Fuchs (assisted by #8 Marcelo Palomino)
BHM – 25’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #6 Anderson Asiedu)
BHM – 70’ – #12 Eli Crognale (assisted by #5 Mikey Lopez)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 4-3-3 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #24 Jonny Dean, #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©, #7 Ryan James; #27 Thomas Vancaeyezeele (61’ – #5 Mikey Lopez), #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (67’ – #12 Eli Crognale); #10 Prosper Kasim (67’ – #17 Jaden Servania), #11 Neco Brett (79’ – #20 Zach Herivaux), #23 JJ Williams (61’ – #77 Junior Flemmings)

CLT – 3-5-2 – #1 Austin Pack; #2 Kevin Riascos (78’ – #10 Valentin Sabella), #3 Hugh Roberts, #22 Christian Fuchs; #4 Jake Areman, #7 Joel Johnson (54’ – #32 Gabriel Obertan), #8 Marcelo Palomino, #13 Brandt Bronico (71’ – #12 Adam Armour), #16 Jose Bizama; #9 Irvin Parra (71’ – #29 Dane Kelly), #19 Enzo Martinez

Stats: Legion FC Match Center

Legion FC heads back out on the road next weekend to battle Sporting KC II on Friday, October 1 at 7:00PM CT. Tune in to watch the match on ESPN+ or follow @bhmlegion on Twitter for live updates.

The team’s next home game is another Sunday afternoon affair on October 10 at 4:00PM against another Central Division foe, Indy Eleven. Fans can get tickets HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions or requests.

ATLANTA, GA (September 22, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won 4-0 on the road against Central Division rival Atlanta United 2. Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Prosper Kasim, and Neco Brett all found the back of the net for the Three Sparks, with Brett leading the way with two goals, putting him at 14 for the season and joint-second in the USL Championship in total goals scored. 

The first half saw both sides firing on all cylinders early, with either looking equally as likely to take the lead early on. It would be Birmingham to do so, however, as midfielder Thomas Vancaeyezeele had his shot deflected into the back of the net in the 16th minute for his side’s first of the night. 

“I don’t score often, so it is always a great feeling to score,” said Vancaeyezeele.  “The coaches have been pushing me to take shots since I got here. It was not the best shot but it got in!”

Atlanta United 2 came out for the second half aggressive, applying heavy pressure early on in search of an equalizer. The hosts almost found it in the 52nd minute, as Darwin Matheus managed to create enough space for himself to fire a shot on goal. Fortunately for Birmingham, goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg was there to make the save. 

 “Trevor made a really big save in that moment,” said Legion FC Head Coach Tom Soehn. “Also, I credit our subs coming in, because we were going through a difficult stretch, and that’s gonna happen in games. The guys came on and really raised the energy, so I think we utilized the subs quite well.”

Legion FC’s depth was on full display tonight, with midfielder Eli Crognale in particular leaving a direct impact on the match with his assist to Neco Brett in the 78th minute. After picking the ball up in the midfield, Crognale was able to play Brett through on goal, where the latter chipped it over ATL goalkeeper Alec Kann for his first of the night. 

The celebrations would continue soon after for BHM, as midfielder Prosper Kasim extended his side’s lead to three in the 82nd minute. After receiving the ball in midfield via a flick-on from forward Jaden Servania, Brett would go from goalscorer to playmaker, as he was able to play Kasim through on goal. Kasim would handle things from there, cutting back to beat his defender and curl it into the back of the net. Brett would then cap off a successful night for the visitors with a fourth goal following a defensive error on Atlanta’s part in the tail-end of stoppage time.

The win comes at a crucial time of the season for the Three Sparks, as prior to tonight’s victory, they were winless in their last three matches played. With things only looking to get more difficult, putting in a solid performance was crucial.

“It’s all about the performance,” said Soehn. “It was a game where we had a lot of chances early, which, starting well is something that’s been on our agenda, and I think we could’ve put a couple away early to really open the game and make them feel the pressure early. We finally got one, after that it was a good game. It was back and forth. Atlanta has quality, we have quality, and our shape was good. Opening it up and putting a team away, that was really important at this time of the season. We gotta start having confidence to put teams away. You give Neco and others looks like that, they should finish teams off, and they did.”

The team returns home on Sunday, September 26, at 4:00PM to take on the Charlotte Independence. Fans can get tickets for the 22nd HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://www.bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

ATLANTA, GA (September 22, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won 4-0 on the road against Central Division rival Atlanta United 2. Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Prosper Kasim, and Neco Brett all found the back of the net for the Three Sparks, with Brett leading the way with two goals, putting him at 14 for the season and joint-second in the USL Championship in total goals scored. 

The first half saw both sides firing on all cylinders early, with either looking equally as likely to take the lead early on. It would be Birmingham to do so, however, as midfielder Thomas Vancaeyezeele had his shot deflected into the back of the net in the 16th minute for his side’s first of the night. 

“I don’t score often, so it is always a great feeling to score,” said Vancaeyezeele.  “The coaches have been pushing me to take shots since I got here. It was not the best shot but it got in!”

Atlanta United 2 came out for the second half aggressive, applying heavy pressure early on in search of an equalizer. The hosts almost found it in the 52nd minute, as Darwin Matheus managed to create enough space for himself to fire a shot on goal. Fortunately for Birmingham, goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg was there to make the save. 

 “Trevor made a really big save in that moment,” said Legion FC Head Coach Tom Soehn. “Also, I credit our subs coming in, because we were going through a difficult stretch, and that’s gonna happen in games. The guys came on and really raised the energy, so I think we utilized the subs quite well.”

Legion FC’s depth was on full display tonight, with midfielder Eli Crognale in particular leaving a direct impact on the match with his assist to Neco Brett in the 78th minute. After picking the ball up in the midfield, Crognale was able to play Brett through on goal, where the latter chipped it over ATL goalkeeper Alec Kann for his first of the night. 

The celebrations would continue soon after for BHM, as midfielder Prosper Kasim extended his side’s lead to three in the 82nd minute. After receiving the ball in midfield via a flick-on from forward Jaden Servania, Brett would go from goalscorer to playmaker, as he was able to play Kasim through on goal. Kasim would handle things from there, cutting back to beat his defender and curl it into the back of the net. Brett would then cap off a successful night for the visitors with a fourth goal following a defensive error on Atlanta’s part in the tail-end of stoppage time.

The win comes at a crucial time of the season for the Three Sparks, as prior to tonight’s victory, they were winless in their last three matches played. With things only looking to get more difficult, putting in a solid performance was crucial.

“It’s all about the performance,” said Soehn. “It was a game where we had a lot of chances early, which, starting well is something that’s been on our agenda, and I think we could’ve put a couple away early to really open the game and make them feel the pressure early. We finally got one, after that it was a good game. It was back and forth. Atlanta has quality, we have quality, and our shape was good. Opening it up and putting a team away, that was really important at this time of the season. We gotta start having confidence to put teams away. You give Neco and others looks like that, they should finish teams off, and they did.”

The team returns home on Sunday, September 26, at 4:00PM to take on the Charlotte Independence. Fans can get tickets for the 22nd HERE and can contact the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://www.bhmlegion.com with any questions.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://www.bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.