Legion FC Stymied by Colorado Springs

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 18	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC (4W-6L-6D | 18 PTS)	0	1	1
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (4W-8L-6D | 18 PTS)	0	0	0

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Success in the attacking third was hard to come by for Birmingham Legion FC, as the club sees its run of unbeaten matches halted at three matches on Saturday Night. A late goal was the difference at Protective Stadium with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC pulling out a 1-0 win.

“I just felt like we never really got going,” Legion FC coach Mark Briggs said afterwards. “You’re playing against a team that won the Championship, but our guys feel like they played a few games really well and think we can just turn up and perform. The mindset isn’t right and we never grab a hold of the opportunity that’s in front of us.”

In an outing where neither team had many chances, it was the defending USL Championship title winners that ultimately converted with a goal in the 83rd minute by forward Marco Micaletto to take home all three points. Despite the defeat, Legion FC finishes the evening still above the playoff line, sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

However, the squad knows they missed a golden opportunity make a move up the table in front of its home crowd.

“We have to find the energy that we have on the road and bring that here,” explained Briggs. “You can’t just turn it on and off and right now we have too many players turning it on and off. We had the chance to strengthen our playoff position and we don’t.”

Both sides finished the match with three shots on target, but with Legion FC outshooting Colorado Springs 11-8, while also winning the possession battle (55.2%) and having a higher expected goals metric (0.92 – 0.57).

Birmingham also led the way with 17 touches in the box as part of its game-high 56 final third entries, but the final product that Briggs has often talked about once again went wanting.

“We had spells where we looked dangerous,” Briggs noted. “But then we would get into those spots and made bad decisions. The decision making and the attitude tonight just wasn’t there.”

Following a scoreless first half, Legion FC opened the final 45 minutes on the front foot and nearly struck in the six minutes into the second half with defending Stephen Turnbull finding space to dribble into the box down the right side. He opted to test Switchbacks FC’s newly-acquired goalkeeper Adam Beaudry at the near post, but the shot was pushed wide.

The ball largely remained on Colorado Springs’ side of the pitch from that point on. But the away side grabbed its goal against the run of play late in the match with substitute Quenzi Huerman picking out Micoletta inside the box and the Italian was able to turn on the Legion FC backline and get a shot past goalkeeper Fernando Delgado, diving to his right.

“The game is about your 18-yard box and the opponent’s 18-yard box,” said Briggs. “What happens in the middle of the field is irrelevant and tonight we weren’t ruthless in their box, and we were ok for 83 minutes in our box, but in a decisive moment, we allowed one of the better attacking players in the league to get a shot off.”

Forward Ronaldo Damus achieved Birmingham’s first shot on target of the match with a 49th minute effort, but his streak of matches with a goal comes to an end at two. Preston Tabort Etaka, who came on for new Legion FC-loanee Samuel Shashoua in the 71st minute, recorded the side’s third shot on target.

NEXT UP
Legion FC now must pick up the pieces following this defeat as it takes a break from USL-C play but remains at Protective Stadium for a pivotal 2025 USL Jagermeister Cup match on Saturday, July 26 against Forward Madison FC. Birmingham currently sits in second place in Group 3, but will clinch a spot in the knockout rounds if it is able to come away with a victory against the USL1 side. Kickoff for the Christmas in July match is set for 7:00 p.m. CT with tickets available HERE.