MATCH INFO:
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Birmingham Legion FC
Saturday, April 1
6:30pm CT Kickoff
Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL
Watch – My68 & ESPN+
Birmingham Legion FC face a new challenge in its second away match of the season against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, April 1, at 6:30pm CT. Coming off an away win last week against Hartford Athletic, the Three Sparks top the Eastern Conference with two wins and one draw.
The Black & Gold connected well in Connecticut last week in its one goal shutout against the Athletic and will hope to continue its impressive start to the 2023 season. It was Gabriel Alves, a defender in his first season of professional soccer, that got the goal. Tyler Pasher, Legion’s leading goal contributor (two goals, one assist) helped facilitate Alves’ goal.
Birmingham’s Matthew Corcoran, 17 years old, was a standout against Harford. The youngster’s impressive first start for the club saw him lead both sides in completed passes and attempted passes (40/48) and earned him a spot on the USLC Team of the Week.
Birmingham forward Juan Agudelo, although he has not scored for the club yet, has created the most chances for the Legion (six) and won an impressive five out of eight dribbles against Hartford. He is someone to keep an eye on against Tampa, as Agudelo and midfielder Anderson Asiedu consistently win balls in the opposition’s half.
Opponent Info:
Head-to-Head:
Birmingham – 1 – 3 – 3 – Tampa
FiveThirtyEight Prediction
Birmingham: 24%
Tampa: 50%
Draw: 26%
The Tampa Bay Rowdies come into its match against Legion FC looking for its first win of 2023 after coming off of a 3-0 loss in Charleston last week. The winless Florida side, who sit in 10th place in the USLC Eastern Conference standings, has struggled to score goals, with only two in its first three matches
Birmingham will play against some familiar faces on Saturday. Former Legionnaires Zach Herivaux and Freddy Kleeman will likely be in the Rowdies starting XI. Herivaux, who spent three seasons with Legion FC (2019, 2021, 2022), currently leads Tampa Bay in goals scored (=1).
The last time the Three Sparks and the Rowdies met they split points in a 1-1 draw at Protective Stadium. Legion FC now look to get its first win against Tampa since August 2019.
For this week’s UAB Medicine Injury Report, midfielder Mikey Lopez is unavailable for selection.
The squad’s next home match is set for Easter Sunday, April 9th, at 4:30pm CT. Gates open at 3:30pm and all fans are invited to join us for an Easter egg hunt in the stadium! Email tickets@bhmlegion.com for more information or to purchase tickets.
Fans interested in 2023 Season Tickets can find more information at bhmlegion.com/2023tickets and are encouraged to email tickets@bhmlegion.com or call the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-791-7145.
For all club news and updates fans are encouraged to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on bhmlegion.com and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and sync our 2023 schedule to your calendar HERE.
