Match Preview

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a tough result on the road, Birmingham Legion FC is taking a needed break from USL Championship play and now begins to set its sights on bringing home the club’s first ever trophy. The Black and Gold return to Protective Stadium on Sunday as it prepares for its debut in the 2025 USL Jagermeister Cup when it hosts Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.

“This is a new thing for us and we’re trying to go for it,” interim head coach Eric Avila said. “However long I’m here for, I want to help this club when as many trophies as we can and with the Jagermeister Cup, it gives us an opportunity to win something, so lets go out and win it.”

The motivation to bring home silverware for Legion FC is at an all-time high, especially after its run in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was cut short after just one match. Something that Avila says “left a bad taste in our mouths.”

So with the Jagermeister Cup now featuring both USL Championship clubs in addition to those from USL League One, it gives Birmingham a new lease on life. And its opening opponent in Group 3 play is a team that it is no stranger to when it comes to cup competition.

Legion FC has faced Chattanooga in each of the last two seasons — both meetings in the U.S. Open Cup — where it survived and advanced on each occasion. The most recent meeting came on April 17, 2024 where a four-goal outburst from then-Birmingham forward Stefano Pinho propelled the squad to a 4-2 extra-time victory.

But even with that recent success, Avila and the rest of his players are wary of what their opponents are capable of.

“They’re going to a physical and well organized team,” explained Avila. “Every time we face them, they play a little bit more aggressive. It’s become a rivalry in a lot of ways because we always find ourselves against them. It’s going to be a difficult game and I have to prepare the guys to be ready for that.”

Part of that difficulty is that the Red Wolves are entering the contest with some momentum. Not only did the club secure its first League One win of 2025 in its last time out against Greenville Triumph SC, but is also in the midst of three consecutive road victories in U.S. Open Cup play, including a penalty kick victory over USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights SC to advance to the Round of 32.

“They are dynamic defensively with the way they play five in the back,” Avila said. “That’s something we have to figure out how to break down, especially with the low block and that’s something where we need to continue focus on building our relationships within the group and figure out ways to unlock it.”

The relationship-building is a continuing work-in-progress for Legion FC as it started a different lineup in all of its seven outings so far this season. That has been a cause of circumstance more than anything with injuries already taking a toll.

However, with the return of forward Tyler Pasher to the lineup against Hartford and defender Phanuel Kavita on the mend, this is the most healthy Legion FC has been in 2025. So now, it’s all about executing the attacking-style of play with a full arsenal, which has been the vision from the very beginning.

“We’ve been constantly having to shuffle guys around,” Avila said of the early injury situation. “It’s little things like that where we’re still trying to build, but we feel like it’s coming along and the relationships are getting strong with each match.”

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HARTFORD, Conn. – On the heels of an emotional first victory, Birmingham Legion FC is now turning the page and looking to string some victories together as it navigates through the early part of the USL Championship season. Now, the task is to keep the wins going as it heads on the road for a Saturday match against a Hartford Athletic side that is still in search of its first points of 2025.

“This week of preparation definitely feels a little bit more normal than last week,” said Legion FC interim coach Eric Avila. “Last week was all about sticking together and coming away with points. We need to now build on that to continue our work towards getting to where we want to go.”

Last Sunday’s 3-1 win over El Paso Locomotive FC saw Legion FC concede the opening goal for a fifth straight match across all competitions. However, unlike in previous outings, Birmingham refused to let the previous scripts play out once again as it responded with three unanswered goals of its own for its highest scoring output of the season.

It was a proof of concept that, through all of the recent trials and tribulations, the work that the squad has been putting in is indeed working.

“It’s always a boost of confidence when we see the results of the hard work we put in,” explained Avila. “The hard part in that is trying to keep that consistent. The motivation for us is that we’re building something here.”

The focal point of the Black and Gold’s attack was, once again, forward Ronaldo Damus as his brace doubled his goal tally to a club-best four in 2025. But, as Legion FC continues to get healthy, the pieces around the Haitian striker have added much-needed support.

For the first time in the campaign, Legion FC was able to start the front three that it had originally envisioned wreaking havoc on opposing backlines Danny Trejo and Tyler Pasher on either side of Damus. Those two returning last Sunday also allowed for the likes of Preston Tabort Etaka and Roman Torres to come into the second half with fresh legs.

The full collection of talent and depth is finally available, which can only mean good things going forward.

“Injuries are part of the season and we didn’t have the numbers,” said Trejo. “I’ve been fortunate to be in this league for a few years and with the type of players we have, we know we can take advantage of the talent and push each other, because if and when we make it click, we can do special things.”

And that next opportunity to build on the budding team chemistry will be up in New England this Saturday. Hartford Athletic enters the match, like Legion FC last week, waiting on that first win to come.

With last week’s match against Indy Eleven postponed due to inclement weather, this upcoming contest will be the first time Hartford takes the field since a 2-0 loss at Loudoun United FC on April 5. Those type of score lines have unfortunately been a bit of a theme for the home side who currently is tied with Oakland Roots SC for the worst goal differential in USL-C at -6.

The one bit of hope Hartford does have is that its only goal of the season thus far did occur in the friendly confines of Trinity Health Stadium, courtesy of forward Mamadou Dieng in a 2-1 loss to El Paso.

Back at home for the first time since, it will look to see if the home field advantage will be enough to rattle Legion FC to secure its first points of the season.

“We know that they are going to be motivated coming in,” Avila said of Hartford. “They are going to be aggressive on their home field, but we also know that if we execute our gameplan that we are capable of finding success.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After an inauspicious beginning to the 2025 season, Birmingham Legion FC finds itself on a brand new path. Eric Avila is in place to serve his first match as interim head coach when the Black and Gold welcomes a high-scoring El Paso Locomotive FC squad to Protective Stadium this Sunday.

“It’s an honor to step into a roll like this, but it’s also bittersweet,” Avila said following Legion FC parting ways with longtime Head Coach Tom Soehn last Wednesday. “He built something special here and we had to take time to digest it. The message now to the team is to keep moving forward into a direction we want and that starts with this match against El Paso.”

Sunday’s tilt will certainly be a special one for Avila, who not only was a stalwart on the first ever Legion FC squad in 2019, but also played for current El Paso Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera in Major League Soccer with Chivas USA in 2014. So the first game managed by the 37-year-old Avila will come with loads of familiarity as Birmingham looks to notch its first win of 2025.

“Knowing all the little details with his style, we know it’s going to be a tough game,” explained Avila. “We know they’re coming in and will be well organized, so it’s mostly going to be a tactical game. We want to be an exciting team for our fans with an attacking style. I think you’ll see that on Sunday.”

That would be a welcomed change for Legion FC as it finally gets back on the pitch after a two-week break following a 2-0 road defeat against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Through its first four matches, Birmingham finds itself near the bottom of the league with four total goals on a 14-percent conversion rate. But reinforcements are on the way soon for a squad that has had harsh injury luck, and the players are excited to finally see what the attack can be at full strength.

“I think we have a ton of potential,” said midfielder Kobe Hernandez-Foster who is second on the team with seven chances created this season. “When we have everyone healthy and just play to our strengths, we probably have one of the best teams individually, so now it’s just about getting together as a team and get wins.”

Sunday’s match has the potential to turn into a track meet and a high-scoring affair.

El Paso makes the trek to Protective Stadium as it begins a month-long road stretch, but comes in as the first and only USL Championship side to notch double digit goals this season with 10. That tally is led by the right foot of forward Amando Moreno with three on the young season, while forward Andy Cabrera has scored in each of his last two appearances.

However, for as good as Locomotive FC has been in front of goal, it has also allowed in nine goals on the other end of the field, which ranks third-most in USL-C and could be the key to Birmingham capping off a trying week on a positive note.

“It’s all been a little bit of a shock,” said Legion FC veteran defender Jake Rufe. “The atmosphere now is all about moving forward and taking it upon ourselves to prove our talent. Things are going to be different and we’re interested to see what that looks like come Sunday.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Armed with a the recent valuable point on the road last weekend in Detroit, Birmingham Legion FC now shifts its focus to its final match of its three-match road stretch as hammer meets steel in a Saturday matchup at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Still searching for its first win of the new season, the Black and Gold heads to a venue where wins have been tough to come by for the club in past years, having dropped four and drawn once in five matches at Highmark Stadium.

“We’re in for a challenge against a team that is always organized and tough to break down,” Legion FC coach Tom Soehn said of Pittsburgh. “It’s an opponent that we are very familiar with and we know that we have to keep our shape and be sound int he back in order to have success on the weekend.”

Legion FC enters the weekend with some familiar momentum on its as it appears to be showing its mettle in road matches once again after fighting back twice to hand Detroit its first dropped points of 2025. Flexing those muscles away from The Magic City was a calling card for the squad in 2024 and, after a hiccup in Little Rock to begin the road trip, the players believe they are getting back to their road warrior ways.

“We have a good mix of veterans and young talent who have played in tough environments before,” said defender Ramiz Hamouda. “Even if we fall behind on the road like we did in Detroit, we know that we’re capable of fighting back so there is no need to panic.”

One thing that is seemingly different about Birmingham now compared to a season ago is its scoring prowess, having already found the back of the net four times with at least one goal in each of its first three matches. Hamouda played a key part in one of those goals last weekend by winning the ball deep in the attacking third on a counter press, eventually setting up forward Ronald Damus for a second goal of 2025.

However, Legion FC does still find itself with a negative goal differential with six allowed goals – the second most among USL Championship Eastern Conference teams – despite goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel tied for the league lead with 10 total saves. It’s something that the backline knows that it needs to clean up and believes that will be the case as the chemistry continues to build throughout the campaign.

“We recognize that we have to be better,” said defender Tiago Suarez, who has played the full 90 in both of Birmingham’s recent road matches. “We did a lot of team building in the preseason, but with so many new faces, we’re still learning each other’s tendencies, but it’s becoming more familiar with each game.”

The Riverhounds present an interesting opponent profile for Suarez and the rest of Legion FC in that it, thus far, hasn’t created many scoring opportunities, but doesn’t allow many either.

Through three matches, Pittsburgh has allowed three goals, but has also only faced six shots on target. Meanwhile on the end, it ranks near the bottom amongst the league with just a pair of goals, 21 total shots and a 12-percent conversion rate.

However, some of those numbers can be due to spending its first two matches of the season out on the road. The Riverhounds treated its fans to the first victory of the season victory over the weekend for its home opener when captain Danny Griffin broke a scoreless stalemate against Hartford Athletic with a 75th minute goal. Now in the crosshairs, Legion FC will look hand Pittsburgh its first defeat at Highmark Stadium this season.

“We know it’s a tough environment to play in,” explained Hamouda. “But we believe in ourselves and know that if we execute the things we’ve been working on in practice this week, that we can put ourselves in the best spot to come away with a win.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The beginning of a lengthy road trip did not go as planned for Birmingham Legion FC as the squad on Wednesday saw its 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup campaign stymied at the hands of USL2’s Little Rock Rangers. But while one competition comes to an end, another more daunting one is still in its infancy as the Three Sparks hop back into USL Championship mode for a Saturday date at Detroit City FC.

Wednesday’s defeat in Arkansas was a particularly tough pill to swallow for a Legion FC side that controlled the pace of the game for the entire 90 minutes of play, but were unable to fully unlock the opponents’ staunch defense. For the match, Birmingham occupied 64-percent of the possession with 100 of its 290 total passes occurring in the final third.

Additionally, Legion FC outshot Little Rock 13-7, including nine in the box, but were only able to direct three of those shots on target with the opposing side making space hard to come by in a low block that got even more defensive once it took a 1-0 lead early in the second half.

The attacking piece is something that is still being figured out by coach Tom Soehn’s squad with Legion FC in search for its first goal from the run of play with three matches under its belt. Part of solving that equation likely will come down to availability with Danny Trejo missing the last pair of matches, while veteran Tyler Pasher and dynamic newcomer Sebastian Tregarthen still waiting for the clean bill of health to make their 2025 debuts.

With those three on the mend, Birmingham will in the meantime look to find openings against a Detroit City FC squad that has been stingy in the back en route to a 2-0-0 start to its season.

The home side’s defense enters Saturday’s match having allowed just one goal, but more impressively, goalkeeper Carlos Saldana has sparingly been called into action with his five saves on six shots faced. It’s the least amount of shots on target allowed by any team thus far in USL-C play. Comparatively, Legion FC netminder Matt Van Oekel has had 13 shots come his way over two league matches.

Detroit also has a unique homefield advantage on its side, having not lost in its last 11 matches dating back to August of last season. Birmingham, though, is no strangers to playing spoiler to DCFC’s longstanding streaks in the past. When the two sides met last season, Detroit came in on a 15-match home win streak only for Legion FC to pull off a shock 2-1 victory thanks to goals from defenders Derek Dodson and Phanuel Kavita in the final 10 minutes of the content.

It marked Birmingham’s first ever win over Detroit and the club will now look to double that feat as it has a chance to not only rebound, but also make a statement, as it searches for its first victory of the young season.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a Sunday afternoon that saw it go toe-to-toe with what has historically been one of the better USL Championship sides, things seem to be trending in a good direction for Birmingham Legion FC. But for as tough as a matchup with Louisville City FC may be, it pales in comparison to the road the Three Sparks are set to embark on over these next couple of weeks.

Beginning with its 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup first round tilt against the Little Rock Rangers on Wednesday, Legion FC is set for a 10-day stretch that will see the squad play three matches away from home, which means the entire roster that’s healthy will have to assume a larger role to secure a successful trip.

“Everybody at some point becomes an important piece to the season,” said Birmingham coach Tom Soehn. “You never want to see guys out early, but it’s always up to someone else to step in and do the job. When you are missing some of the talent that you’re used to, you have to make up for that with heart.”

That heart was clearly shown in Legion FC’s draw against Louisville City FC despite not dressing out notable players, including defenders Phanuel Kavita and AJ Paterson, as well as forwards Danny Trejo and Tyler Pasher. The depth of the roster will now have its first chance to showcase itself this week as the squad starts its Open Cup campaign, looking to equal, or perhaps surpass, its run to the quarterfinals in 2023.

“We’ve got the pieces on this team,” goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel said following a five-save performance on Sunday. “As we continue to get healthy and get the chemistry buzzing, this could be a very successful season for us.”

One player who has had no issue in quickly establishing chemistry within his new confines has been midfielder Roman Torres.

In what has been a whirlwind journey for the 21-year-old midfielder that was drafted by Minnesota United FC in January before being loaned to Birmingham last month, Torres has seemingly been unfazed. With his first two professional matches under his belt, he has not only provided the assist on both Legion FC goals, but also leads the club with four chances created, four tackles and 16 duels won.

“He weighs a buck-ten, but competes hard,” Soehn said of the Dallas, Texas-native. “He opens the game for us and I give him a lot of credit for the work that he does. He puts in a good shift.”

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been a learning curve for Torres, but any struggles that have come his way he has met head on in his short time in the Magic City.

“The physicality has been the biggest thing, but I’m going to learn more as I play,” explained Torres. “It feels really good (to be trusted by teammates and coaching staff). I know that Tom has a lot of expectations for me and I came here with expectations to be the best that I can be, whether that’s as an impact player or a role player.

“I just want to do the best that I can for the team.”

That best will be asked of Torres and the rest of the squad again on Wednesday, ahead of what could be a volatile road match against an unfamiliar opponent. Little Rock secured qualification to the US Open Cup for the second time in its history after 2024 campaign in USL2 where it was one of the best defenses in the league.

A handful of those pre-professional players will feature for the Rangers this week as it looks to pull off what would be a monumental upset.

“We don’t want to go into any games with our heads down,” said Torres. “We know we have a tough stretch coming up, but also know that if we play like we are capable of playing, we can find success.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – 2025 did not get off to the ideal start for Birmingham Legion FC, who is looking to course correct after opening the new campaign with a 3-1 home loss to Loudoun United FC. With last season’s the less-than-stellar home record still fresh in the minds of the coaching staff and players, the Three Sparks know that they cannot succumb to that trend once again, especially this early in the season.

Things don’t get much easier though as Birmingham welcomes perennial USL Championship power Louisville City FC to Protective Stadium on Sunday.

“Just a disappointing start to the season,” said Legion FC coach Tom Soehn. “We have to now find a way to regroup against a team that, over time, has been more consistent than even the Loudoun’s of the world.”

Since its inception back in 2015, Louisville City has finished at the top or second place in the Eastern Conference standings every season except for 2019 and 2023, with back-to-back league titles in 2017 and 2018. And last year was not just the best performance in the regular season for the club, but an historic outing by the league’s standards as it tied 2022 San Antonio FC’s record of 24 wins to go along with 76 points and a plus-43 goal differential.

With the majority of its core having returned, the club picked 2025 up right where it left off as it went on the road and came away with a 2-1 victory over the Charleston Battery, putting the rest of the league on notice once again.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Legion FC midfielder Dawson McCartney said of his team’s upcoming opponents. “Louisville is always bringing out a fast-paced game with a high press and we’ve been working this week to prepare for that”

It will be the second consecutive match in which Legion FC will have its hands full trying to nullify high pressure from the opposition. In the opener against Loudoun, Birmingham got the quick second-minute goal from Jake Rufe, but had its struggles in finding dangerous opportunities after that, with just one more shot on target and only eight more touches inside the box.

The match was largely played on Loudoun’s side of the field due to the away side’s pressing tendencies. It’s a trap that Birmingham simply can’t fall into again with a side as lethal as Louisville is on the counterattack.

“We need to do a much better job of getting on the ball and building out,” explained McCartney. “When they are pushed up, we need to look for opportunities to get in behind them and create more scoring opportunities.”

Thankfully for Legion FC a big piece in creating those scoring chances is returning with veteran midfielder Enzo Martinez set to make his season debut after missing last week due to red card suspension.

“I feel like I let the team down,” said Martinez who was forced out against Loudoun after picking up a pair of yellow cards in Birmingham’s 2024 finale against Oakland Roots SC.

“It hurt not to be out there and then, especially after that result, it felt like you were being stabbed in the chest twice. All I can do now is make sure than I’m ready (Sunday) to show my teammates that I’m sorry about what happened.”

With Martinez back in the fold, not only does Legion FC get back what Soehn calls “the heart and soul of the team”, but also a valuable engine in the midfield that makes his presence felt on both ends of the pitch. In his three years in The Magic City, Martinez has averaged 50 chances created per season, while also winning 136 tackles in that stretch.

His return to the pitch could be just the shot in the arm that is necessary for Legion FC to notch its first mark in the win column on the young season.

“I’m just ready to get out there and work for the team,” Martinez said. “It’s a long season with lots a game and lots of different styles that we’ll face, so we got to be adaptable to any situation.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The new season is finally here, and not a moment too soon. Birmingham Legion FC is back and ready to kickstart its 2025 campaign on the right foot as it welcomes Loudoun United FC to Protective Stadium on Saturday in a meeting of two USL Championship Eastern Conference clubs looking to bounce back after a playoff-less 2024.

“There’s always an excitement to opening weekend,” said Legion FC coach Tom Soehn. “In the six weeks building up to this, especially when you bring in a lot of new players, you’re looking at the group and trying to answer questions on what it looks like and now we get to see those answers with this opening match.”

Since reporting for the first day of training on January 21, the month and a half of preseason has been a mixed bag of results for the Black and Gold, but that was to be expected for a roster that experienced quite a bit of offseason turnover.

And early returns on those new faces have been positive with forwards Danny Trejo and Lucca Dourado both providing goals in the preseason slate, while Ronaldo Damus found the back of the net on multiple occasions.

That fresh attacking arsenal was an obvious point of emphasis after a 2024 in which goals were hard to come by. But as important as it was to bring in proven talent and potential to play up top, the chemistry building was even more paramount in the preseason.

“It’s been a learning process trying to make sure we’re all on the same page,” said Trejo ahead of making his official Legion FC debut. “We have young players that are very talented and older guys that are very experienced, so now we’re just trying to bring it together and ensure that when we step out on the pitch, we all have the same idea to make this work.”

That idea is something the veterans are looking to make work as well, considering it has been an agonizingly long wait after coming up short last season.

“It’s quite a big one,” defender and captain Phanuel Kavita said of the chip on his shoulder heading into the new season. “Everybody knows it and you can kind of feel it every time we go out to training, so if we can continue some of that drive into this game and this season, we’ll be fine.”

Kavita and Legion FC’s upcoming opponents likely will come into Saturday with a similar drive.

Loudoun finished the 2024 season in 11th place in the East with 42 points — two behind Legion FC — but made some splash moves by bringing in young talent with the likes of midfielders Aaron Hurge and Moses Nyeman.

Still, the bulk of the core is back for a team that, despite its standing, did finish last season with three wins in its final five matches. So even though it is a new season, there will be some familiarity for Birmingham to prepare for as it looks to open the new campaign with a win.

“We have an idea of what they’re about,” Soehn explained. “But this early one, you have to focus on what you’re about and making sure that you show up and compete. That’s the main thing that is expected of us and then you can kind of piece together the rest.”

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After a nearly 100-day absence from the pitch, Birmingham Legion FC is set to make its triumphant return in a big way as it opens up the 2025 preseason with a special MLS in BHM match against Atlanta United FC. The meeting will mark the first of many waypoints for The Black and Gold who enter Saturday with the hopes of treating the home crowd to a signature victory, but to also see how it stacks up following a week and half of training sessions.

“From day one of them showing up, it’s been a unique buy-in amongst the players and I’m really excited about what that can mean for this group,” said Legion FC coach Tom Soehn. “It’s baby steps along the way and making sure every day you’re getting better and every day you’re competing. As that happens, the chemistry amongst each other grows.

“We put a lot of thought in building this roster and making it a fun team to watch. So far, early signs of that look like it will be in play.”

One of the more intriguing areas of the field that Soehn will be keeping a close eye on is in Birmingham’s final third.

2024 saw Legion FC finish middle of the pack when it came to scoring in USL Championship play, tallying 44 goals which was 13th among the league. However, the conversion rate was not ideal at 12.5-percent on 482 shots with 151 on target. Finding more ruthlessness in front of goal was a big part of Birmingham’s offseason revamp, not just with the additions of prolific USL-C attackers Ronaldo Damus and Danny Trejo, but also signing a pair of college stars in Sebastian Tregarthen and Lucca Dourado who are hungry to make a splash as newly-minted professionals.

As Soehn noted, there was a clear intent in adding firepower for 2025 and it has made the early training sessions a lot more exciting.

“I’ve seen some quality in the final third that has been a lot of fun to compete against,” defender Jake Rufe said of training. “Seen some great goals and great link up play. Unfortunately, I’ve been on the receiving end of some that, but it’s nice to see some combinations that will make for some entertaining stuff.”

The new attacking prowess should come in handy against an Atlanta United side that has been one of MLS’ more exciting clubs since its inception a decade ago. And it will be strolling into Protective Stadium with a bit of a chip on its shoulder after it opened up its preseason last week with a 2-1 loss against Charlotte FC of MLS Next Pro.

Saturday’s matchup will be the fifth time these two teams have met in the preseason since Legion FC burst onto the scene in 2019, and second year in a row. Of the previous meetings, Legion FC’s best result was a scoreless draw on March 28, 2021.

It’s not lost on the players, especially the veterans, on what a victory this weekend could mean for the club as it continues preparations towards getting back to the postseason in 2025, but also would be a nice feather in the cap for the USL-C as a whole.

“It’s awesome because it tests you early on and it sets the tone,” midfielder Enzo Martinez explained. “It’s great to play a high level game for your first one. This year, the product that we want to put out is one of high-intensity work ethic and a lot of attack to let the fans that come to the game celebrate something.”

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