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BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 19, 2021) – Tonight’s Birmingham Legion FC match against Austin Bold FC has been postponed. A continual downpour due to Tropical Depression Claudette caused the match to be abandoned in the 37th minute.

An announcement regarding the rescheduled date for the game will be made after USL Championship, Legion FC, and Austin Bold FC officials can coordinate a new date and time. All tickets purchased for tonight will be honored at the rescheduled date, and the game will be played, in full, starting from the 1’ minute with the score 0-0.

Legion FC heads to South Beach this week for a clash against The Miami FC on Wednesday night at 7PM Central. Catch the match on ESPN Deportes or My68.

The team returns to BBVA Field next Wednesday, June 30 for Pride Night and to take on Atlanta United 2, and Everybody Wins on Wednesdays with Legion FC! Join us for dollar hotdogs, two-dollar beers, and a post-game firework show, and a great night out in Birmingham. Get your tickets HERE.

For all club news and updates, like the future rescheduled game announcement, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 19, 2021) – Tonight’s Birmingham Legion FC match against Austin Bold FC has been postponed. A continual downpour due to Tropical Depression Claudette caused the match to be abandoned in the 37th minute.

An announcement regarding the rescheduled date for the game will be made after USL Championship, Legion FC, and Austin Bold FC officials can coordinate a new date and time. All tickets purchased for tonight will be honored at the rescheduled date, and the game will be played, in full, starting from the 1’ minute with the score 0-0.

Legion FC heads to South Beach this week for a clash against The Miami FC on Wednesday night at 7PM Central. Catch the match on ESPN Deportes or My68.

The team returns to BBVA Field next Wednesday, June 30 for Pride Night and to take on Atlanta United 2, and Everybody Wins on Wednesdays with Legion FC! Join us for dollar hotdogs, two-dollar beers, and a post-game firework show, and a great night out in Birmingham. Get your tickets HERE.

For all club news and updates, like the future rescheduled game announcement, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android.

LOUISVILLE, KY (June 16, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC travelled to Kentucky for the second time this season to take on Louisville City FC on Wednesday night and fell 2-0 thanks to a dubious first half penalty kick that was buried by Cameron Lancaster and then another goal early in the second half off the boot of Napo Matsoso.

Louisville City came out as the aggressor in the first ten minutes of the contest, creating a couple of early chances that the Birmingham backline and goalkeeper Matt VanOekel dealt with, but the opening goal hit the back of the net in the 25th minute from the spot. Following an Anderson Asiedu tackle on Lancaster where contact appeared to be initiated outside of the box and then spill into the penalty area, the referee waved away the attackers’ call for a foul, then whistled and pointed for a foul outside of the box, before going over to discuss with his assistant referee and ultimately awarding the penalty.

Both sides finished the first half with even possession and an even shots tally at four each but went into the break 1-0. The visitors’ best chance of the game occurred in the 37th minute as Junior Flemmings played Neco Brett in down the left, and his lofted cross found the head of JJ Williams, but Williams header hit the right post. The rebound came straight back out into the box, but midfielder Mikey Lopez shot went just wide.

“I think we possessed the ball better than we had the last game and moved it around well, and we created some opportunities,” said Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn. “I also felt like JJ is getting mauled in the box a few times, and we’re just not getting those calls, which is frustrating, because it’s just because he’s big he’s not getting the calls he should. But, overall I was actually pleased with the first half. I’ve heard the penalty was outside the box, but I haven’t seen it yet so I’ll have to look at it. Overall, though, I felt like our play was better and the result wasn’t.”

Legion’s attempts to get back into the game coming out of the break took an immediate setback as the home side scored a second in the 48th after left wingback sent a low driven ball into the six and it was redirected in by an onrushing Matsoso from the opposite side wing.

On short rest after last Saturday’s match at OKC Energy FC, the staff used its full compliment of five substitutions to work on mounting the comeback, and Legion got off four more shots in the second half but ran out of gas and opportunities without finding a goal. The team’s focus now shifts to this Saturday’s home match against Austin Bold FC.

“We knew Louisville would be a difficult match on short rest at their stadium,” said Legion FC defender Alex Crognale. “They possess the ball well and stretch the field. When we were able to dominate the ball and switch the field for longer spells of the game it opened up options to play forward and that’s what we capitalized on in the first half. We were extremely unlucky not to come into half time at 1-1 but letting in the early second half goal put us in a difficult position to regain control.”

Crognale when asked about the upcoming match on short rest against a new opponent:
“The focus is on us. We focus on our preparation and prepare our bodies for the match. Having a side we’ve never seen before come into town gives us motivation to put a stamp on the matchup and get another victory at home.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
LOU	1	1
BHM	0	0

Goals:
LOU – 25’ – #17 Cameron Lancaster (P)
LOU – 48’ – #7 Napo Matsoso (assisted by #42 Jonathan Gomez)

Starting Lineups:
LOU – 4-3-3 – #1 Chris Hubbard; #42 Jonathan Gomez, #3 Alexis Souahy, #4 Sean Totsch, #8 Akil Watts; #12 Tyler Gibson, #36 Paolo DelPiccolo © (81’ – #29 Antoine Hoppenot), #20 James McLaughlin (56’ – #13 Corben Bone); #7 Napo Matsoso, #17 Cameron Lancaster (66’ – #21 Kyle Greig), #11 Naill McCabe (56’ – #10 Brian Ownby)

BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #21 Alex Crognale, #20 Zach Herivaux, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu (83’ – #13 Jake Rufe), #16 Daigo Kobayashi (69’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #5 Mikey Lopez (45’ – #7 Ryan James); #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett (69’ – #8 Bruno Lapa), #77 Junior Flemmings (69’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

The team returns to BBVA Field on Saturday, June 19, to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM. For the Juneteenth match, the squad will wear limited edition, commemorative kits in partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. After the game, the jerseys will all be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the BCRI.

All fans who purchase a ticket to Saturday’s game, or “Enter to Win” in the Legion FC FanZone, will be eligible to win one of the BCRI-themed jerseys. Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

LOUISVILLE, KY (June 16, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC travelled to Kentucky for the second time this season to take on Louisville City FC on Wednesday night and fell 2-0 thanks to a dubious first half penalty kick that was buried by Cameron Lancaster and then another goal early in the second half off the boot of Napo Matsoso.

Louisville City came out as the aggressor in the first ten minutes of the contest, creating a couple of early chances that the Birmingham backline and goalkeeper Matt VanOekel dealt with, but the opening goal hit the back of the net in the 25th minute from the spot. Following an Anderson Asiedu tackle on Lancaster where contact appeared to be initiated outside of the box and then spill into the penalty area, the referee waved away the attackers’ call for a foul, then whistled and pointed for a foul outside of the box, before going over to discuss with his assistant referee and ultimately awarding the penalty.

Both sides finished the first half with even possession and an even shots tally at four each but went into the break 1-0. The visitors’ best chance of the game occurred in the 37th minute as Junior Flemmings played Neco Brett in down the left, and his lofted cross found the head of JJ Williams, but Williams header hit the right post. The rebound came straight back out into the box, but midfielder Mikey Lopez shot went just wide.

“I think we possessed the ball better than we had the last game and moved it around well, and we created some opportunities,” said Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn. “I also felt like JJ is getting mauled in the box a few times, and we’re just not getting those calls, which is frustrating, because it’s just because he’s big he’s not getting the calls he should. But, overall I was actually pleased with the first half. I’ve heard the penalty was outside the box, but I haven’t seen it yet so I’ll have to look at it. Overall, though, I felt like our play was better and the result wasn’t.”

Legion’s attempts to get back into the game coming out of the break took an immediate setback as the home side scored a second in the 48th after left wingback sent a low driven ball into the six and it was redirected in by an onrushing Matsoso from the opposite side wing.

On short rest after last Saturday’s match at OKC Energy FC, the staff used its full compliment of five substitutions to work on mounting the comeback, and Legion got off four more shots in the second half but ran out of gas and opportunities without finding a goal. The team’s focus now shifts to this Saturday’s home match against Austin Bold FC.

“We knew Louisville would be a difficult match on short rest at their stadium,” said Legion FC defender Alex Crognale. “They possess the ball well and stretch the field. When we were able to dominate the ball and switch the field for longer spells of the game it opened up options to play forward and that’s what we capitalized on in the first half. We were extremely unlucky not to come into half time at 1-1 but letting in the early second half goal put us in a difficult position to regain control.”

Crognale when asked about the upcoming match on short rest against a new opponent:
“The focus is on us. We focus on our preparation and prepare our bodies for the match. Having a side we’ve never seen before come into town gives us motivation to put a stamp on the matchup and get another victory at home.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
LOU	1	1
BHM	0	0

Goals:
LOU – 25’ – #17 Cameron Lancaster (P)
LOU – 48’ – #7 Napo Matsoso (assisted by #42 Jonathan Gomez)

Starting Lineups:
LOU – 4-3-3 – #1 Chris Hubbard; #42 Jonathan Gomez, #3 Alexis Souahy, #4 Sean Totsch, #8 Akil Watts; #12 Tyler Gibson, #36 Paolo DelPiccolo © (81’ – #29 Antoine Hoppenot), #20 James McLaughlin (56’ – #13 Corben Bone); #7 Napo Matsoso, #17 Cameron Lancaster (66’ – #21 Kyle Greig), #11 Naill McCabe (56’ – #10 Brian Ownby)

BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #21 Alex Crognale, #20 Zach Herivaux, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu (83’ – #13 Jake Rufe), #16 Daigo Kobayashi (69’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #5 Mikey Lopez (45’ – #7 Ryan James); #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett (69’ – #8 Bruno Lapa), #77 Junior Flemmings (69’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

The team returns to BBVA Field on Saturday, June 19, to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM. For the Juneteenth match, the squad will wear limited edition, commemorative kits in partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. After the game, the jerseys will all be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the BCRI.

All fans who purchase a ticket to Saturday’s game, or “Enter to Win” in the Legion FC FanZone, will be eligible to win one of the BCRI-themed jerseys. Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 15, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC announced today that as a part of the continued community partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the club will wear a redesigned, limited-edition kit with the Institute’s logo emblazoned on the back in its match on Saturday, June 19 at BBVA Field versus Austin Bold FC.

The jersey is grey, with the new BCRI logo between the shoulder blades, a patch with match details on the chest, and “18 – Juneteenth – 65” on the lower back in honor of Juneteenth, i.e. the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

As explained by DeJuana Thompson, Interim President & CEO of the Institute, “On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended, and slaves had been freed. Though president Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation became law in January 1863, it was not enforced in places still under confederate control. Thus, it took over 2 years for approximately 250,000 Texan slaves to learn their freedom had been secured by the government.”

Following the match, each of the game-worn, player-signed jerseys will be up for auction, and all proceeds will go directly to the Institute. Keep an eye on our social media pages, @bhmlegion, and on the website, https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion, starting on Saturday for more information about where and how to enter.

“We’re honored to continue our partnership with an organization as distinguished as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,” said Jay Heaps, Legion FC President and General Manager. “We want to thank the Institute, President Thompson, and Board Chair Isaac Cooper for coordinating a recent tour of the Institute for our players and staff. The BCRI continues to do inspiring work to educate and combat social injustice and racial inequality, and we are proud to support them in their efforts.”

“Nelson Mandela said, ‘Sport has the power to the change the world,’” said Isaac Cooper, Chair of BCRI Board of Directors. “Professional athletes have played, and will continue to play, a vital role in our fight for social justice. This continued partnership has been a great benefit for BCRI, and it’s been a pleasure collaborating with Legion FC to continue our global mission.”

Legion FC is a corporate member at the Institute, and the full team and technical staff went on a guided tour of the Institute on June 9. The club’s other jersey sponsors, Red Diamond, Buffalo Rock, and Mercedes Benz of Birmingham approved the commemorative kit and stand with Legion FC in support of BCRI.

You can best support the Institute by also becoming a member – find more information at bcri.org. Also, any Institute member can come by the Legion FC Team Shop, located on 2213 1st Ave S in downtown Birmingham, show their BCRI membership card, and receive 10% off all Legion FC merchandise.

Tickets for the team’s match Saturday, on Juneteenth, can be found HERE, and anyone with questions can reach out to info@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

About Birmingham Legion FC
Launched in 2018 as an expansion member of the USL Championship, Birmingham Legion FC is the Magic City’s first and only locally owned and operated professional soccer franchise. Legion FC qualified for the USLC Playoffs following each of the club’s first two seasons. The club plays home matches at BBVA Field, on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. For 2021 season ticket information and to purchase official Legion FC merchandise, please visit https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion. Supporters are encouraged to download the Legion FC app and follow @bhmlegion on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest club news.

About the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding for the significance of the 1963 Civil Rights movement in Birmingham with today’s continuing pursuit of racial justice. The Institute celebrated its 28th anniversary in 2020 and reached audiences of more than 1.2 million in 2019 though award-winning programs, exhibits, community education and social media platforms. The Institute is a key resource in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 15, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC announced today that as a part of the continued community partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the club will wear a redesigned, limited-edition kit with the Institute’s logo emblazoned on the back in its match on Saturday, June 19 at BBVA Field versus Austin Bold FC.

The jersey is grey, with the new BCRI logo between the shoulder blades, a patch with match details on the chest, and “18 – Juneteenth – 65” on the lower back in honor of Juneteenth, i.e. the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

As explained by DeJuana Thompson, Interim President & CEO of the Institute, “On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended, and slaves had been freed. Though president Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law in January 1863, it was not enforced in places still under confederate control. Thus, it took over 2 years for approximately 250,000 Texan slaves to learn their freedom had been secured by the government.”

Following the match, each of the game-worn, player-signed jerseys will be up for auction, and all proceeds will go directly to the Institute. Keep an eye on our social media pages, @bhmlegion, and on the website, https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion, starting on Saturday for more information about where and how to enter.

“We’re honored to continue our partnership with an organization as distinguished as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,” said Jay Heaps, Legion FC President and General Manager. “We want to thank the Institute, President Thompson, and Board Chair Isaac Cooper for coordinating a recent tour of the Institute for our players and staff. The BCRI continues to do inspiring work to educate and combat social injustice and racial inequality, and we are proud to support them in their efforts.”

“Nelson Mandela said, ‘Sport has the power to the change the world,’” said Isaac Cooper, Chair of BCRI Board of Directors. “Professional athletes have played, and will continue to play, a vital role in our fight for social justice. This continued partnership has been a great benefit for BCRI, and it’s been a pleasure collaborating with Legion FC to continue our global mission.”

Legion FC is a corporate member at the Institute, and the full team and technical staff went on a guided tour of the Institute on June 9. The club’s other jersey sponsors, Red Diamond, Buffalo Rock, and Mercedes Benz of Birmingham approved the commemorative kit and stand with Legion FC in support of BCRI.

You can best support the Institute by also becoming a member – find more information at bcri.org. Also, any Institute member can come by the Legion FC Team Shop, located on 2213 1st Ave S in downtown Birmingham, show their BCRI membership card, and receive 10% off all Legion FC merchandise.

Tickets for the team’s match Saturday, on Juneteenth, can be found HERE, and anyone with questions can reach out to info@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

About Birmingham Legion FC
Launched in 2018 as an expansion member of the USL Championship, Birmingham Legion FC is the Magic City’s first and only locally owned and operated professional soccer franchise. Legion FC qualified for the USLC Playoffs following each of the club’s first two seasons. The club plays home matches at BBVA Field, on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. For 2021 season ticket information and to purchase official Legion FC merchandise, please visit https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion. Supporters are encouraged to download the Legion FC app and follow @bhmlegion on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest club news.

About the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding for the significance of the 1963 Civil Rights movement in Birmingham with today’s continuing pursuit of racial justice. The Institute celebrated its 28th anniversary in 2020 and reached audiences of more than 1.2 million in 2019 though award-winning programs, exhibits, community education and social media platforms. The Institute is a key resource in the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 8 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC forward JJ Williams earning a spot in the team for his early assist and late game-winning goal in Birmingham’s 2-1 victory at OKC Energy FC on Saturday.

The goal was Williams’ first of the season, as he made a smart run to tap in a Jonny Dean cutback at the top of the six-yard box, and the assist was his second in two games, with both assists leading to goals by the league’s leading scorer, Legion FC forward Neco Brett. Williams, in his first season permanently signed in Birmingham after playing here on loan the past two seasons from MLS clubs Columbus Crew and Atlanta United, is finding his stride, and is third on the team in shots, chances created, and tackles and is second in blocks.

San Diego Loyal SC’s Alejandro Guido voted Player of the Week after he recorded a goal and assist to lead his side’s comeback 2-1 victory against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday night. Guido earned 43 percent of the POTW ballot, while Williams and Sporting Kansas City II’s Enoch Mushagalusa finished tie for second on 21 percent.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 8
GK – Ben Lundt, Phoenix Rising FC: Ben Lundt recorded an eight-save shutout for Rising FC, making some vital stops to keep the side ahead before it pulled away for a 3-0 victory against Tacoma Defiance on Saturday night.

D – Joaquin Varela, San Antonio FC: Joaquin Varela scored an early goal for the visitors and then helped SAFC earn a 1-1 draw with Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field making six clearances, winning 5 of 7 duels and winning two tackles.

D – Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC: Sean Totsch won 5 of 5 tackles, 7 of 10 duels and made seven recoveries while completing 81 of 86 passes and almost found the net in attack, hitting the woodwork with a header in LouCity’s 3-0 win against Memphis 901 FC.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King earned a second consecutive selection after a strong two-game week that saw him record one goal and one assist, complete 61 of 75 passes and record three key passes overall and make eight recoveries.

M – Milan Iloski, Real Monarchs SLC: Milan Iloski scored both goals for the Monarchs in their 2-0 win against Sacramento Republic FC, his first in the professional ranks, and had seven shots overall in the contest.

M – Alejandro Guido, San Diego Loyal SC: Alejandro Guido came off the bench with SD Loyal down a goal to the LA Galaxy II with 22 minutes to go and helped turn the game around, scoring a long-range goal before providing a beautiful assist on Miguel Berry’s late winner.

M – Diego Luna, El Paso Locomotive FC: Diego Luna recorded his second goal of the season to lead Locomotive FC’s 2-0 win against Indy Eleven on Wednesday night, and over two games completed 48 of 53 passes, had five key passes and won 2 of 2 tackles.

M – Jake Areman, Charlotte Independence: Jake Areman had one assist and two key passes while completing 51 of 59 passes overall, completing 6 of 6 dribbles and winning 9 of 11 duels in the Independence’s 3-2 victory against Hartford Athletic.

F – Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC: Solomon Asante scored the opening two goals in Phoenix’s 3-0 win against Tacoma Defiance with both shots coming from well outside the penalty area, and also recorded five shots and two key passes while completing 23 of 33 passes overall.

F – Enoch Mushagalusa, Sporting Kansas City II: Enoch Mushagalusa scored his first two goals of the season, had six shots overall and completed six dribbles in SKC II’s 2-2 draw with Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday night.

F – JJ Williams, Birmingham Legion FC: JJ Williams recorded a late game-winner for his first goal of the season to add to an assist on Neco Brett’s early finish and had four headed clearances defensively in Legion FC’s 2-1 win at OKC Energy FC.

Bench: Trey Muse (SD), Wesley Charpie (LOU), Bryce Duke (LV), Wan Kuzain (RGV), Ronaldo Damus (OC) Santi Moar (PHX), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 8 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC forward JJ Williams earning a spot in the team for his early assist and late game-winning goal in Birmingham’s 2-1 victory at OKC Energy FC on Saturday.

The goal was Williams’ first of the season, as he made a smart run to tap in a Jonny Dean cutback at the top of the six-yard box, and the assist was his second in two games, with both assists leading to goals by the league’s leading scorer, Legion FC forward Neco Brett. Williams, in his first season permanently signed in Birmingham after playing here on loan the past two seasons from MLS clubs Columbus Crew and Atlanta United, is finding his stride, and is third on the team in shots, chances created, and tackles and is second in blocks.

San Diego Loyal SC’s Alejandro Guido voted Player of the Week after he recorded a goal and assist to lead his side’s comeback 2-1 victory against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday night. Guido earned 43 percent of the POTW ballot, while Williams and Sporting Kansas City II’s Enoch Mushagalusa finished tie for second on 21 percent.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 8
GK – Ben Lundt, Phoenix Rising FC: Ben Lundt recorded an eight-save shutout for Rising FC, making some vital stops to keep the side ahead before it pulled away for a 3-0 victory against Tacoma Defiance on Saturday night.

D – Joaquin Varela, San Antonio FC: Joaquin Varela scored an early goal for the visitors and then helped SAFC earn a 1-1 draw with Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field making six clearances, winning 5 of 7 duels and winning two tackles.

D – Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC: Sean Totsch won 5 of 5 tackles, 7 of 10 duels and made seven recoveries while completing 81 of 86 passes and almost found the net in attack, hitting the woodwork with a header in LouCity’s 3-0 win against Memphis 901 FC.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King earned a second consecutive selection after a strong two-game week that saw him record one goal and one assist, complete 61 of 75 passes and record three key passes overall and make eight recoveries.

M – Milan Iloski, Real Monarchs SLC: Milan Iloski scored both goals for the Monarchs in their 2-0 win against Sacramento Republic FC, his first in the professional ranks, and had seven shots overall in the contest.

M – Alejandro Guido, San Diego Loyal SC: Alejandro Guido came off the bench with SD Loyal down a goal to the LA Galaxy II with 22 minutes to go and helped turn the game around, scoring a long-range goal before providing a beautiful assist on Miguel Berry’s late winner.

M – Diego Luna, El Paso Locomotive FC: Diego Luna recorded his second goal of the season to lead Locomotive FC’s 2-0 win against Indy Eleven on Wednesday night, and over two games completed 48 of 53 passes, had five key passes and won 2 of 2 tackles.

M – Jake Areman, Charlotte Independence: Jake Areman had one assist and two key passes while completing 51 of 59 passes overall, completing 6 of 6 dribbles and winning 9 of 11 duels in the Independence’s 3-2 victory against Hartford Athletic.

F – Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC: Solomon Asante scored the opening two goals in Phoenix’s 3-0 win against Tacoma Defiance with both shots coming from well outside the penalty area, and also recorded five shots and two key passes while completing 23 of 33 passes overall.

F – Enoch Mushagalusa, Sporting Kansas City II: Enoch Mushagalusa scored his first two goals of the season, had six shots overall and completed six dribbles in SKC II’s 2-2 draw with Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday night.

F – JJ Williams, Birmingham Legion FC: JJ Williams recorded a late game-winner for his first goal of the season to add to an assist on Neco Brett’s early finish and had four headed clearances defensively in Legion FC’s 2-1 win at OKC Energy FC.

Bench: Trey Muse (SD), Wesley Charpie (LOU), Bryce Duke (LV), Wan Kuzain (RGV), Ronaldo Damus (OC) Santi Moar (PHX), Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR)

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (June 12, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won its fourth game in a row on Saturday night, 2-1 over Central Division foes OKC Energy FC. A goal in the third minute from leading scorer Neco Brett put BHM up early, and after the home side tied things up from the penalty spot in the 73rd, Legion forward JJ Williams bagged the game winner ten minutes later to earn all three points for the Black and Gold.

Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn previously stated that starting road matches on the front foot was a focus for his team after giving up early goals in two prior away games, and his message was clearly received tonight, as Brett put away one of the first chances of the game for his league-leading sixth goal of the season in just eight games. Fresh off of a USL Championship Team of the Week nod for his two-goal performance at home versus Tulsa last weekend, the Jamaican kept the ball rolling with his 50th career regular season goal in the USLC off a smartly flicked on header by Williams.

Williams’ second assist of the season was quality, and his first goal of the season was clutch. After OKC were awarded and finished a penalty to tie things up, Legion FC forward Junior Flemmings released fullback Jonny Dean down the right sideline, and the man from Macon, GA beat his mark to the end line and cut back to the onrushing Williams at the top of the six-yard box for a tap in to win it.

“I think JJ is maturing in the fact that he’s keeping the ball more for us,” said Soehn. “He’s always a force in the air, but his ability to get in good spots is getting better because he’s starting to understand the guys he’s playing with.

“Look, though, I’m not going to sugarcoat it – tonight wasn’t a great performance for us. It was a hard game to play on a really small field and we didn’t have enough of the ball, but you’ve got to find a way to gut those kinds of results out. Credit to the guys, they found a way to win it today. Later on, when you look back, these are the important points.”

Defender Jonny Dean when asked about his assist and attacking patterns of play:
“Yeah, it [cutting the ball back to forwards] is definitely something we work on and something I try to improve on every day. Especially with the quality of attacking players we have, I just try to put in a decent ball to give them an opportunity to score. It’s a little bit of both, and just depends on the game, but I try pick my head up early and look for their runs and then try to put it in a dangerous area.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
OKC	0	1
BHM	1	1

Goals:
BHM – 3’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
OKC – 73’ – #21 Villyan Bijev (P)
BHM – 83’ – #23 JJ Williams (assisted by #24 Jonny Dean)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #22 Ben Ofeimu (57’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #21 Alex Crognale (64’ – #77 Junior Flemmings), #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (86’ – #5 Mikey Lopez), #20 Zach Herivaux, #7 Ryan James; #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett (86’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

OKC – 4-4-2 – #1 CJ Cochran; #22 Zachary Ellis-Hayden, #20 Conor Donovan ©, #4 Mitchell Osmond, #3 Robert Coronado; #13 Aidan Daniels (89’ – #18 Tucker Stephenson), #14 Charlie Ward, #8 Hiroki Kurimoto, #10 Arun Basuljevic (89’ – #17 Jonathan Brown); #21 Villyan Bijev, #9 Jaime Chavez (79’ – #11 Frank Lopez)

Legion FC heads to Kentucky midweek for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Fans can tune in to watch the match locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (June 12, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC won its fourth game in a row on Saturday night, 2-1 over Central Division foes OKC Energy FC. A goal in the third minute from leading scorer Neco Brett put BHM up early, and after the home side tied things up from the penalty spot in the 73rd, Legion forward JJ Williams bagged the game winner ten minutes later to earn all three points for the Black and Gold.

Legion FC Head Coach Tommy Soehn previously stated that starting road matches on the front foot was a focus for his team after giving up early goals in two prior away games, and his message was clearly received tonight, as Brett put away one of the first chances of the game for his league-leading sixth goal of the season in just eight games. Fresh off of a USL Championship Team of the Week nod for his two-goal performance at home versus Tulsa last weekend, the Jamaican kept the ball rolling with his 50th career regular season goal in the USLC off a smartly flicked on header by Williams.

Williams’ second assist of the season was quality, and his first goal of the season was clutch. After OKC were awarded and finished a penalty to tie things up, Legion FC forward Junior Flemmings released fullback Jonny Dean down the right sideline, and the man from Macon, GA beat his mark to the end line and cut back to the onrushing Williams at the top of the six-yard box for a tap in to win it.

“I think JJ is maturing in the fact that he’s keeping the ball more for us,” said Soehn. “He’s always a force in the air, but his ability to get in good spots is getting better because he’s starting to understand the guys he’s playing with.

“Look, though, I’m not going to sugarcoat it – tonight wasn’t a great performance for us. It was a hard game to play on a really small field and we didn’t have enough of the ball, but you’ve got to find a way to gut those kinds of results out. Credit to the guys, they found a way to win it today. Later on, when you look back, these are the important points.”

Defender Jonny Dean when asked about his assist and attacking patterns of play:
“Yeah, it [cutting the ball back to forwards] is definitely something we work on and something I try to improve on every day. Especially with the quality of attacking players we have, I just try to put in a decent ball to give them an opportunity to score. It’s a little bit of both, and just depends on the game, but I try pick my head up early and look for their runs and then try to put it in a dangerous area.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
OKC	0	1
BHM	1	1

Goals:
BHM – 3’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
OKC – 73’ – #21 Villyan Bijev (P)
BHM – 83’ – #23 JJ Williams (assisted by #24 Jonny Dean)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #22 Ben Ofeimu (57’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #21 Alex Crognale (64’ – #77 Junior Flemmings), #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (86’ – #5 Mikey Lopez), #20 Zach Herivaux, #7 Ryan James; #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett (86’ – #17 Jaden Servania)

OKC – 4-4-2 – #1 CJ Cochran; #22 Zachary Ellis-Hayden, #20 Conor Donovan ©, #4 Mitchell Osmond, #3 Robert Coronado; #13 Aidan Daniels (89’ – #18 Tucker Stephenson), #14 Charlie Ward, #8 Hiroki Kurimoto, #10 Arun Basuljevic (89’ – #17 Jonathan Brown); #21 Villyan Bijev, #9 Jaime Chavez (79’ – #11 Frank Lopez)

Legion FC heads to Kentucky midweek for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Fans can tune in to watch the match locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 7 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC forward Neco Brett earning a spot on the team thanks to his two-goal performance on Sunday night in a big win over Central Division foe FC Tulsa.

The goals were Brett’s fourth and fifth of the season in just seven games, bringing him up to a tie for second in the USLC. Legion FC’s 2020 Golden Boot Winner scored the first goal of the game in the 30th minute with a rifle from inside the box, and then buried what ended up being the game winner, after a three and a half hour stoppage of play due to severe weather, in the 75th after he slipped in behind the defense and poked past the ‘keeper.

Rio Grande Valley FC’s Elvis Amoh voted Player of the Week after he scored the second hat trick in the club’s history to lead a 4-2 victory against Miami FC on Sunday night at FIU Stadium. The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 7
GK – Alec Kann, Atlanta United 2: Alec Kann recorded a seven-save shutout including a late penalty kick save to deny Louisville City FC’s Niall McCabe as Atlanta took a 1-0 victory on Sunday night, its first against LouCity in its history.

D – Robert Coronado, OKC Energy FC: Robert Coronado provided the assist for Energy FC’s game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven, and went a perfect 11 of 11 in duels while completing 3 of 3 dribbles and making four interceptions.

D – Kaveh Rad, Sporting Kansas City II: Kaveh Rad scored his first goal in the professional ranks and completed 62 of 71 passes while winning 8 of 9 duels and recording seven clearances and 14 recoveries defensively.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden scored the only goal as Atlanta United 2 defeated Louisville City FC 1-0 on Sunday night while also winning 11 duels and six aerial duels defensively.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King provided the assist on Locomotive FC’s goal in its 1-0 win against Austin Bold FC on Thursday night, and completed 67 of 78 passes while winning 2 of 3 tackles and 5 of 8 duels.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, Phoenix Rising FC: Arturo Rodriguez helped spark Phoenix Rising FC’s late two-goal comeback, recording seven key passes in 18 minutes and the assist on Joey Calistri’s equalizer in the side’s 2-2 draw with San Diego Loyal SC.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: Laurent Kissiedou recorded one assist and two key passes, completed 27 of 31 passes overall and won 7 of 10 duels as 901 FC claimed a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera posted a career-high single-game individual mark with three assists and also notched a goal as Hartford took a 7-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II for the largest victory in club history.

F – Elvis Amoh, Rio Grande Valley FC: Elvis Amoh scored the second hat trick in Toros history to lead a second-half comeback for the visitors in a 4-2 win against Miami FC, while finishing the night with five shots.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: Neco Brett bagged his first two-goal game of the season and recorded three shots on target overall while winning 5 of 6 duels and 3 of 3 aerial duels in Legion FC’s 2-1 win against FC Tulsa.

F – Juan Carlos Obregon Jr., Hartford Athletic: Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored twice on three shots overall, recorded two key passes and won 4 of 7 duels before being substituted 10 minutes into the second half of Hartford’s 7-0 win against the Red Bulls II.

Bench: Evan Louro (TBR), Caleb Wiley (ATL), Gabriel Torres (HFD), Bryce Duke (LV), Ronaldo Damus (OC), Preston Tabort Etaka (HFD), Cal Jennings (LV)

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 7 of the 2021 regular season on Tuesday, with Legion FC forward Neco Brett earning a spot on the team thanks to his two-goal performance on Sunday night in a big win over Central Division foe FC Tulsa.

The goals were Brett’s fourth and fifth of the season in just seven games, bringing him up to a tie for second in the USLC. Legion FC’s 2020 Golden Boot Winner scored the first goal of the game in the 30th minute with a rifle from inside the box, and then buried what ended up being the game winner, after a three and a half hour stoppage of play due to severe weather, in the 75th after he slipped in behind the defense and poked past the ‘keeper.

Rio Grande Valley FC’s Elvis Amoh voted Player of the Week after he scored the second hat trick in the club’s history to lead a 4-2 victory against Miami FC on Sunday night at FIU Stadium. The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 7
GK – Alec Kann, Atlanta United 2: Alec Kann recorded a seven-save shutout including a late penalty kick save to deny Louisville City FC’s Niall McCabe as Atlanta took a 1-0 victory on Sunday night, its first against LouCity in its history.

D – Robert Coronado, OKC Energy FC: Robert Coronado provided the assist for Energy FC’s game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven, and went a perfect 11 of 11 in duels while completing 3 of 3 dribbles and making four interceptions.

D – Kaveh Rad, Sporting Kansas City II: Kaveh Rad scored his first goal in the professional ranks and completed 62 of 71 passes while winning 8 of 9 duels and recording seven clearances and 14 recoveries defensively.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden scored the only goal as Atlanta United 2 defeated Louisville City FC 1-0 on Sunday night while also winning 11 duels and six aerial duels defensively.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King provided the assist on Locomotive FC’s goal in its 1-0 win against Austin Bold FC on Thursday night, and completed 67 of 78 passes while winning 2 of 3 tackles and 5 of 8 duels.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, Phoenix Rising FC: Arturo Rodriguez helped spark Phoenix Rising FC’s late two-goal comeback, recording seven key passes in 18 minutes and the assist on Joey Calistri’s equalizer in the side’s 2-2 draw with San Diego Loyal SC.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: Laurent Kissiedou recorded one assist and two key passes, completed 27 of 31 passes overall and won 7 of 10 duels as 901 FC claimed a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera posted a career-high single-game individual mark with three assists and also notched a goal as Hartford took a 7-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II for the largest victory in club history.

F – Elvis Amoh, Rio Grande Valley FC: Elvis Amoh scored the second hat trick in Toros history to lead a second-half comeback for the visitors in a 4-2 win against Miami FC, while finishing the night with five shots.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: Neco Brett bagged his first two-goal game of the season and recorded three shots on target overall while winning 5 of 6 duels and 3 of 3 aerial duels in Legion FC’s 2-1 win against FC Tulsa.

F – Juan Carlos Obregon Jr., Hartford Athletic: Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored twice on three shots overall, recorded two key passes and won 4 of 7 duels before being substituted 10 minutes into the second half of Hartford’s 7-0 win against the Red Bulls II.

Bench: Evan Louro (TBR), Caleb Wiley (ATL), Gabriel Torres (HFD), Bryce Duke (LV), Ronaldo Damus (OC), Preston Tabort Etaka (HFD), Cal Jennings (LV)

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 8, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC announced today that the club’s away match against Sporting KC II on Sunday, July 18 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 1. Kickoff is set for 7PM CT.

The Central Division matchup was rescheduled due to Sporting’s home stadium, Children’s Mercy Park, being selected to host matches for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in mid-July.

Legion FC (4-2-1, 13 points) hits the road this weekend for a two-game trip starting with a contest at OKC Energy FC on Saturday, June 12 at 7:30PM CT, and then heads to Kentucky for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Catch both matches locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 8, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC announced today that the club’s away match against Sporting KC II on Sunday, July 18 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 1. Kickoff is set for 7PM CT.

The Central Division matchup was rescheduled due to Sporting’s home stadium, Children’s Mercy Park, being selected to host matches for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in mid-July.

Legion FC (4-2-1, 13 points) hits the road this weekend for a two-game trip starting with a contest at OKC Energy FC on Saturday, June 12 at 7:30PM CT, and then heads to Kentucky for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Catch both matches locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 6, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC outlasts FC Tulsa, scoring once in the first half and once in the second, after a three and a half hour weather delay, to win the contest 2-1. Birmingham forward Neco Brett scored both goals, with assists from JJ Williams and Junior Flemmings, to earn all three points for his side, and move Legion up to first place in the USL Championship’s Central Division.

Legion FC came out of the gates on the front foot, peppering Tulsa’s goal with nine first half shots, with Brett’s goal coming in the 30th minute. Goalkeeper Matt VanOekel played a long ball up the left sideline, and after a bit of a shanked clearance from a Tulsa defender, Williams jumped onto the loose ball, and played a pinpoint cross across the top of the box to the onrushing Brett. The Jamaican took a touch to set himself up and buried the ball into the back of the net.

Lightning in the area forced the game to be postponed in the 58th minute, and both teams and the Legion faithful had to wait out the long delay but played resumed at 8:50PM with the home side looking to hold on for the victory. Forward Junior Flemmings subbed on at the restart, and made a big impact, as he got on the ball in the Tulsa half, drove forward, and split two defenders with a pass to Brett into the box, before Brett bagged his second goal of the evening.

“Coming out and getting a good start was important after that long, lengthy delay,” said Legion FC Assistant Coach Khano Smith. “I think the guys were locked in, they warmed up well, but I think tactically Tulsa caused us problems and tonight winning this game wasn’t gonna be about who was the prettier soccer team. It was about knuckling down and grinding out the result, so I think the guys did that and credit to everyone that helped off the field. We had owners, front office people, fans staying to cheer us on – it was a real community and club victory because that belongs to everybody. I mean, where do you see owners and front office people out on the field squeegeeing the field, so that had as much a part to play as the guys on the field because without that we would have never played.”

The second goal proved to be the game-winner, as the visitors ended Birmingham’s shutout streak at 272 minutes with a goal in the 83rd from the head of forward Dario Suarez off a swung in cross from #10 Marlon. VanOekel made an outstanding save, going full extension to the top corner, to deny Suarez the equalizer via a Tulsa freekick from the top of the box a few minutes later and secure the three points for BHM.

Williams and Smith when asked about the team scoring twice in a game for the first time this season:
“It feels good,” said Williams. I think we are starting to grow a lot as a team. You know, when you bring in so many weapons, you’re always wondering about how that’s going to gel, and I feel like we’ve gelled well, I just think that final product is starting to come together a little better. We have a lot of firepower, but in games like this it could go either way as you push forward to try and get a third, try and get a fourth, they could pounce on you and it go the other direction.”

"I think it still could get a lot better,” said Smith. “You can still see the connection and gelling is not quite there with all of them, but they’ll get there. Guys have been in and out, Bruno goes off the field, Prosper was injured, Junior was suspended. It’s just been a whirlwind of guys changing in and out. Jaden is on international duty as well. We just haven’t really found a consistency but when we get two goals in a game without them, we’ll take it.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	1
TUL	0	1

Goals:
BHM – 30’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
BHM – 75’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #77 Junior Flemmings)
TUL – 83’ – #92 Dario Suarez (assisted by #10 Marlon)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #22 Ben Ofeimu (78’ – #16 Daigo Kobayashi), #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (58’ – #77 Junior Flemmings), #20 Zach Herivaux (58’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #7 Ryan James; #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett

TUL – 4-2-3-1 – #1 Sean Lewis; #5 Leo Folla, #22 Bradley Bourgeois ©, #2 Kevin Garcia, #13 Matt Sheldon (82’ – #20 Ciaron Winters); #21 Kembo Kibato, #44 Eric Bird (71’ – #7 Stanley Oganbor); #92 Dario Suarez, #16 Rodrigo da Costa; #10 Marlon, #9 Jerome Kiesewetter

Legion FC hits the road next weekend for a two-game trip starting with a contest at OKC Energy FC on Saturday, June 12 at 7:30PM CT, and then heads to Kentucky for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Catch both matches locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 6, 2021) – Birmingham Legion FC outlasts FC Tulsa, scoring once in the first half and once in the second, after a three and a half hour weather delay, to win the contest 2-1. Birmingham forward Neco Brett scored both goals, with assists from JJ Williams and Junior Flemmings, to earn all three points for his side, and move Legion up to first place in the USL Championship’s Central Division.

Legion FC came out of the gates on the front foot, peppering Tulsa’s goal with nine first half shots, with Brett’s goal coming in the 30th minute. Goalkeeper Matt VanOekel played a long ball up the left sideline, and after a bit of a shanked clearance from a Tulsa defender, Williams jumped onto the loose ball, and played a pinpoint cross across the top of the box to the onrushing Brett. The Jamaican took a touch to set himself up and buried the ball into the back of the net.

Lightning in the area forced the game to be postponed in the 58th minute, and both teams and the Legion faithful had to wait out the long delay but played resumed at 8:50PM with the home side looking to hold on for the victory. Forward Junior Flemmings subbed on at the restart, and made a big impact, as he got on the ball in the Tulsa half, drove forward, and split two defenders with a pass to Brett into the box, before Brett bagged his second goal of the evening.

“Coming out and getting a good start was important after that long, lengthy delay,” said Legion FC Assistant Coach Khano Smith. “I think the guys were locked in, they warmed up well, but I think tactically Tulsa caused us problems and tonight winning this game wasn’t gonna be about who was the prettier soccer team. It was about knuckling down and grinding out the result, so I think the guys did that and credit to everyone that helped off the field. We had owners, front office people, fans staying to cheer us on – it was a real community and club victory because that belongs to everybody. I mean, where do you see owners and front office people out on the field squeegeeing the field, so that had as much a part to play as the guys on the field because without that we would have never played.”

The second goal proved to be the game-winner, as the visitors ended Birmingham’s shutout streak at 272 minutes with a goal in the 83rd from the head of forward Dario Suarez off a swung in cross from #10 Marlon. VanOekel made an outstanding save, going full extension to the top corner, to deny Suarez the equalizer via a Tulsa freekick from the top of the box a few minutes later and secure the three points for BHM.

Williams and Smith when asked about the team scoring twice in a game for the first time this season:
“It feels good,” said Williams. I think we are starting to grow a lot as a team. You know, when you bring in so many weapons, you’re always wondering about how that’s going to gel, and I feel like we’ve gelled well, I just think that final product is starting to come together a little better. We have a lot of firepower, but in games like this it could go either way as you push forward to try and get a third, try and get a fourth, they could pounce on you and it go the other direction.”

“I think it still could get a lot better,” said Smith. “You can still see the connection and gelling is not quite there with all of them, but they’ll get there. Guys have been in and out, Bruno goes off the field, Prosper was injured, Junior was suspended. It’s just been a whirlwind of guys changing in and out. Jaden is on international duty as well. We just haven’t really found a consistency but when we get two goals in a game without them, we’ll take it.”

Box Score:

	1st Half	2nd Half
BHM	1	1
TUL	0	1

Goals:
BHM – 30’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #23 JJ Williams)
BHM – 75’ – #11 Neco Brett (assisted by #77 Junior Flemmings)
TUL – 83’ – #92 Dario Suarez (assisted by #10 Marlon)

Starting Lineups:
BHM – 3-5-2 – #1 Matt VanOekel; #22 Ben Ofeimu (78’ – #16 Daigo Kobayashi), #21 Alex Crognale, #3 Phanuel Kavita ©; #24 Jonny Dean, #6 Anderson Asiedu, #8 Bruno Lapa (58’ – #77 Junior Flemmings), #20 Zach Herivaux (58’ – #12 Eli Crognale), #7 Ryan James; #23 JJ Williams, #11 Neco Brett

TUL – 4-2-3-1 – #1 Sean Lewis; #5 Leo Folla, #22 Bradley Bourgeois ©, #2 Kevin Garcia, #13 Matt Sheldon (82’ – #20 Ciaron Winters); #21 Kembo Kibato, #44 Eric Bird (71’ – #7 Stanley Oganbor); #92 Dario Suarez, #16 Rodrigo da Costa; #10 Marlon, #9 Jerome Kiesewetter

Legion FC hits the road next weekend for a two-game trip starting with a contest at OKC Energy FC on Saturday, June 12 at 7:30PM CT, and then heads to Kentucky for a rematch with LouCity on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30PM CT. Catch both matches locally on My68 and nationally on ESPN+.

The squad returns home on Saturday, June 19 to take on Austin Bold FC at 6:30PM! Tickets are available HERE or by contacting the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635 or tickets@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion.

For all club news and updates, be sure to follow @bhmlegion on social media and keep an eye on https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/bhmlegion and the Legion FC app. Download the Legion FC app today on Apple or Android, and save the full 2021 schedule straight to your calendar HERE.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced on Thursday the five nominees for the USL Championship Player of the Month award for April and May, with top performers from the opening weeks of the regular season selected for the ballot, including Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

PLACE YOUR VOTE FOR VANOEKEL HERE!

USL Championship Player of the Month – April/May 2021
Matt VanOekel, Birmingham Legion FC – Matt VanOekel leads the Championship with three shutouts in six appearances and sits tied for third in the league with 17 saves at a save percentage of 81 percent. VanOekel, USL Championship Player of the Week for Week Four, also registered a game-winning assist, just the 10th goalkeeper assist since 2017 in the USLC, in his side's match versus Memphis 901 FC on May 15.

Santiago Patino, San Antonio FC – Santiago Patino recorded the first hat trick of the season and currently is tied for the league-lead with five goals in five games while having also recorded four key passes.

Santi Moar, Phoenix Rising FC – Santi Moar scored in all five of Phoenix’s first five games of the season, averaging a goal every 79.8 minutes, and has also notched two assists and 12 key passes over that span.

Sebastian Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Sebastian Guenzatti has recorded four goals and one assist in four games as the Rowdies ran through the month of May with a perfect four wins from four outings.

Joaquin Rivas, FC Tulsa – Joaquin Rivas scored four goals in four games while also recording five key passes to lead Tulsa to victory in its first three contests of the season.

Voting in the Championship Player of the Month Award will be conducted by the following three voting bodies:

• A fan vote on USLChampionship.com will comprise 51 percent of the poll. The fan vote will run through Monday, June 7 at 12 p.m. ET.

• The USL Technical Committee’s ballots comprise 25 percent of the poll.

• The USL National Media Panel’s ballots comprise 24 percent of the poll.

The award winner and complete voting results will be announced on Thursday, June 10.

Please note: The USL Championship Player of the Month selection process in no way is tied directly to the voting and selection process of End of the Year awards such as USL Championship Most Valuable Player or position players of the year.

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced on Thursday the five nominees for the USL Championship Player of the Month award for April and May, with top performers from the opening weeks of the regular season selected for the ballot, including Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

PLACE YOUR VOTE FOR VANOEKEL HERE!

USL Championship Player of the Month – April/May 2021
Matt VanOekel, Birmingham Legion FC – Matt VanOekel leads the Championship with three shutouts in six appearances and sits tied for third in the league with 17 saves at a save percentage of 81 percent. VanOekel, USL Championship Player of the Week for Week Four, also registered a game-winning assist, just the 10th goalkeeper assist since 2017 in the USLC, in his side’s match versus Memphis 901 FC on May 15.

Santiago Patino, San Antonio FC – Santiago Patino recorded the first hat trick of the season and currently is tied for the league-lead with five goals in five games while having also recorded four key passes.

Santi Moar, Phoenix Rising FC – Santi Moar scored in all five of Phoenix’s first five games of the season, averaging a goal every 79.8 minutes, and has also notched two assists and 12 key passes over that span.

Sebastian Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Sebastian Guenzatti has recorded four goals and one assist in four games as the Rowdies ran through the month of May with a perfect four wins from four outings.

Joaquin Rivas, FC Tulsa – Joaquin Rivas scored four goals in four games while also recording five key passes to lead Tulsa to victory in its first three contests of the season.

Voting in the Championship Player of the Month Award will be conducted by the following three voting bodies:

• A fan vote on USLChampionship.com will comprise 51 percent of the poll. The fan vote will run through Monday, June 7 at 12 p.m. ET.

• The USL Technical Committee’s ballots comprise 25 percent of the poll.

• The USL National Media Panel’s ballots comprise 24 percent of the poll.

The award winner and complete voting results will be announced on Thursday, June 10.

Please note: The USL Championship Player of the Month selection process in no way is tied directly to the voting and selection process of End of the Year awards such as USL Championship Most Valuable Player or position players of the year.