Legion FC Drops Opener Despite Early Goal

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 1	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
LOUDOUN UNITED FC (1W – 0L – 0D; 3 PTS)	2	1	3
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (0W – 1L – 0D; 0 PTS)	1	0	1

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It all seemed to be going so well for Birmingham Legion FC, who opened its 2025 season with a goal before some fans could even get to their seats in Protective Stadium. But things took a turn for the worst for the remainder of the evening as Loudoun United FC prevailed with a 3-1 victory on Saturday.

“You have a dream start and then just give up catastrophic goals,” Legion FC coach Tom Soehn said. “We really lost the flow of the game. I don’t think we kept the ball well enough and didn’t do the stuff that we worked on all week.

“You only get one chance for a home opener and dropping it is just so disappointing.”

Following Jake Rufe’s second career goal in the second minute of the match, Legion FC’s opponents responded lightning fast with a goal just three minutes later and never looked back from there. Loudoun’s press kept Legion FC on its heels for much of the evening with the away side tallying a game-high eight shots of its 16 shots on frame and 25 touches in the opponents’ box to Legion FC’s eight.

“We were just a little disjointed,” Rufe explained. “I think early on we were moving too quick, when we could’ve taken the pace out of the game but we were playing into pressure sometimes.”

It was Legion FC though who turned the pressure up on the opening kickoff, quickly working the ball into a dangerous area to draw a foul near the left corner flag. On the ensuing free kick, newly acquired midfielder Roman Torres served up a perfect ball that found Rufe’s head and the defender nestled it inside the far post for the quick strike.

It was the first time that the Alabama-native had scored since October 10, 2021 when he found the back of the net in a 3-1 Birmingham win over Indy Eleven.

“That felt good to do it right in front of the Brigade,” said Rufe. “I heard a lot of them yelling and Rufe chant after that and for the next few minutes you’re just flying. Unfortunately, we conceded a corner right after that.”

Loudoun equalized things in the fifth minute in similar fashion as defender Jacob Erlandson nodded home the service from Florian Valot.

The visitors kept its motor running from then on and pulled ahead in the 33rd minute with Abdellatif Aboukoura finishing a rebound off of one of five saves from Legion FC goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel.

“We weren’t good as a group in the back,” Soehn said. “That has to get solved.”

Loudoun forward Zach Ryan capped off the scoring in the 50th minute by getting on the end of a cross from Aboukoura springing a counterattack down the left side. It was a nasty end result on one of Birmingham’s 14 turnovers on the night against Loudoun’s press.

“Our backs have to have better confidence to play the space and our mids have to show in those areas,” Soehn Explained. “It’s the first game, so I think we were a little bit nervous and there wasn’t enough composure.”

Five Legion FC players made their official debut for the club on Saturday with Torres getting the start in the midfield and then Temi Ereku coming in for him in the second half. Forwards Ronaldo Damus and Danny Trejo each got a start, while Lucca Dourado made his professional debut as 50th minute substitute.

Veteran midfielder Enzo Martinez was unavailable for the match due to a red card last October against Oakland Roots SC in the final match of the 2024 campaign.

NEXT UP
Legion FC returns to Protective Stadium on Saturday, March 15 when it welcomes defending regular season USL Championship East winners Louisville City FC.

“(Saturday) was a tough one, but it’s nothing to ring the alarm bells,” Rufe said. “We’ve got a tough test ahead of us and all eyes have to be next week. We believe we can get the result and that’s the only thing that matters now.”

Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. CT and fans are encouraged to wear green for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Tickets are available HERE.