MATCH INFO:
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Birmingham Legion FC
Friday, September 23
6:30pm CT Kickoff
AL Lang Stadium – Tampa, FL
Watch – ESPN+
Birmingham Legion FC (4th) hit the road on Friday, September 23 to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies (3rd) at 6:30pm in a battle for the third seat in the Eastern Conference. The Rowdies and the Legion each have 54 points respectively, with Tampa having played 29 matches compared to Birmingham’s 30. A win against the Green & Yellow would shoot the Three Sparks into 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, allowing Legion to host the 6th seed in the first round of the USL Championship playoffs if the standings stood.
The Black & Gold come to Tampa fresh off a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, which saw the Three Sparks jump to 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Legion’s Enzo Martinez and Sadik Balarabe both found the net, with Balarabe scoring in his first start for the club since joining back in July.
Martinez’s performance in last Wednesday’s match earned him Player of the Week for 28 — the Uruguayan recorded his club-leading 13th goal and his seventh assist.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, come into Friday’s match with two straight losses in a row – a 2-1 loss against the Charleston Battery on September 10 and a 1-0 loss against Detroit City FC on September 17. Both of its losses were on the road, and Tampa will look to bounce back into form in front of the home crowd against the Three Sparks. Leo Fernandes is the star man for Tampa, a player who leads his club with 15 goals in 28 appearances. He also leads the Green & Yellow with seven assists.
The last time Tampa and Legion FC met was in March, a game that ended 1-1 at Protective Stadium. The Magic City FC has undergone many changes since then, so it will be interesting to see how the matchup differs this go around.
The Rowdies have been solid at home – boasting eight matches unbeaten at Al Lang Stadium coming into its match against the Three Sparks. Legion, on the other hand, have the fourth best away record in the Eastern Conference with eight wins, two draws, and five losses. With the two clubs tied at 54 points each, and playoff positions on the line, this is a must-watch match! Come watch the game with us at TrimTab brewing and buy the custom Legionized 205 IPA. Get there at 6:00pm to join a raffle for some Legion swag!
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.
