MATCH INFO:
Miami FC vs Birmingham Legion FC
Saturday, September 3
6:00pm CT Kickoff
FIU Stadium – Miami, FL
Watch – My68 & ESPN+
Birmingham Legion FC (fourth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings) head to South Beach on Saturday, September 3, to take on Miami FC for the second time this season.
The last time these two sides met was back in May, the match ended in a 0-0 draw in Birmingham that was disappointing for the home team. Both sides have changed drastically since then and are currently two of the most in-form teams in the USLC, as Legion FC has won six of its last seven matches and Miami has won five of its last six.
Looking at the Legion, the final-third partnership of Enzo Martinez, Bruno Lapa, Juan Agudelo, and Prosper Kasim has led the attack and has blossom over the summer months. Martinez leads the squad with 11 goals, including one on Sunday against New York. The Legion produced a confident win in that game, rallying after halftime to make it 3-1 after being tied up. The performances of Lapa (two assists, eight chances created) and right-back Jonny Dean (one goal, three tackles) earned them Team of the Week spots for Week 25.
“I think we’re all excited to go to Miami,” said defender Jake Rufe. “Historically we always perform well there and play well there, so that’s exciting. They’re a good side. We had a 0-0 draw here [in Birmingham on May 4], so we’re looking to get it back and make sure that we come out on top.”
Miami FC, fresh off a 1-0 win against league leaders Louisville City FC, arguably has the best defense in the league – leading the USLC in clean sheets (14) and tied with BHM for the 4th fewest goals conceded this season (25).
Scoring goals has been the slight problem for Miami. Despite their strong defensive numbers, they are 19th in goals scored with only 33 on the season. Forward Kyle Murphy leads the team in goals scored (seven) and shots (33), while Florian Valot is the creative hub and leads the way in assists (eight) and chances created (43).
Miami has been very strong playing on the road this season (8-3-3), but actually has just been average at home, with just four wins, five losses, and four draws at FIU Stadium this season. Saturday’s match will no doubt be a defensive battle for each side as they both seek to improve their playoff odds with just a few matches remaining in the regular season.
For this week’s UAB Medicine Injury Report, defender Freddy Kleemann is again the only person on the list, as he is still out due to a torn ACL.
Fans can tune in to My68 or ESPN+ to watch the match and can follow @bhmlegion on twitter for live match updates.
The Three Sparks return to Protective Stadium on Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00PM for the only home game of the month to take on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a pivotal contest in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and fans can grab tickets today!
For team updates, news and more, follow @bhmlegion on social media, sign up for Legion FC’s Newsletter, or visit bhmlegion.com. The Legion FC app is also available for download via Apple or Android. For gameday reminders, sync the Legion FC 2022 schedule to your calendar HERE.
