Match Recap

USL JAGERMEISTER CUP | GROUP 3	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES SC (0W-1L-0D | 0 PTS)	0	1	1
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (1W-0L-0D | 3 PTS)	1	2	3

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With Tyler Pasher celebrating a birthday on Sunday, his Birmingham Legion FC teammates figured a victory in the club’s first ever USL Jagermeister Cup match would be the perfect present for the newly-minted 31-year-old forward. So after a 3-1 victory over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, the natural response was for the rest of the team to serenade Pasher on what was truly a special afternoon at Protective Stadium.

“Now, I get to go home and just relax with the family and enjoy the rest of the day,” Pasher chuckled afterwards. “Everybody’s in a good mood because it’s exciting when the team can come together and put together a strong performance collectively like that.”

A goal within the first 10 minutes from forward Danny Trejo set the tone and second half goals in quick succession, following a Chattanooga red card, from Preston Tabort Etaka and Ronaldo Damus locked up the result as Legion FC secured three points in Group 3 of the in-season tournament.

“This game was a full team effort,” said interim head coach Eric Avila. “We’re going after a trophy so we wanted to go after this game and establish ourselves. It was just a good team win and we’re very happy.”

Sunday’s contest was nearly Birmingham’s first clean sheet across all competitions in 2025, If not for a late stoppage-time goal from Chattanooga’s Eric Kinzner. However, the result was dominant nonetheless with the three goals tying a team-high as Legion FC fired off six shots on target to Chattanooga’s one.

Additionally, Legion FC controlled the pace of the contest from the opening whistle, finishing the match with 69.2% of the possession and completing 85.2% of its 520 total passes.

Trejo, who will also be celebrating a birthday on Tuesday, found himself in the middle of a lot of positive actions with an assist to go along with the early goal.

“I came to Birmingham Legion because I want to help this team win,” Trejo explained. “I want to put this team where it deserves to be and my goal is to everyday show up with those expectations. Injuries slowed that down a little bit, but I’m starting to feel like me again.”

Trejo’s first goal of 2025 began with a short corner, as the ball worked its way to Enzo Martinez at the top of the box. The veteran midfielder then quickly played a ball to Jake Rufe with his back to goal, his shot was blocked and so was Damus’ follow-up, but third time was the charm for Trejo who blasted his shot into the back of the net.

“Our coaching staff always points out how important set pieces are,” said Trejo. “It’s important to be locked in during those moments. It’s a mentality and we have to keep it up.”

Trejo bookended Legion FC’s scoring output in the 79th minute by playing a perfect backline-splitting ball that freed up Damus for the forward’s fifth goal across all competitions. That occurred just eight minutes after Preston Tabort Etaka capped off a beautiful build up to make it 2-0.

Already plentiful for much of the afternoon, the space really opened up for Legion FC following a hard challenge from Red Wolves SC midfielder Michael Knapp on Kobe Hernandez-Foster drew a red card in the 65th minute, forcing Chattanooga to play down a man for the remainder of the match.

“It just gave us more opportunity, but the mentality (to attack) stayed the same,” said Pasher. “We knew it was something we had to take advantage of.”

The two teams combined for seven total bookings with each side tallying three yellow cards in addition to Knapp’s red.

“The whole week, we knew they were going to come in a be aggressive,” Avila explained. “We knew what to expect and the message today was not to match their intensity but set our own intensity, but also understand that they were going to try and make things chaotic, but we needed to stick to our gameplan and we did.”

Defender Phanuel Kavita made his return to the Birmingham starting lineup and played 45 minutes after not playing since March 8. Goalkeeper Fernando Delgado got the start in goal for Legion FC and was involved in Tabort Etaka’s goal with a long diagonal pass to Trejo, who sprung Martinez.

It was Delgado’s first action in goal since he started on March 19 in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

NEXT UP
With the USL Jagermeister Cup having started off nicely, Legion FC jumps back into USL Championship play as it heads on the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium on May 3. The Black and Gold then return to Protective Stadium on Wednesday March 14 to host last season’s Eastern Conference champion Rhode Island FC. Tickets for that midweek matchup can be purchased HERE.

Birmingham’s next match in the Jagermeister Cup is on May 31 when it travels to face fellow USL-C side FC Tulsa.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 6	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (1W-3L-2D | 5 PTS)	0	0	0
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (1W-4L-0D | 3 PTS)	0	1	1

HARTFORD, Conn. – A second half goal was the difference at Trinity Health Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Birmingham Legion FC falls 1-0 to Hartford Athletic for the club’s third loss of the 2025 USL Championship season.

Having subbed on four minutes earlier, Hartford forward Deshane Beckford found the back of the net in the 71st minute for the match’s only goal. Meanwhile, the Black and Gold found it difficult to convert chances in its attacking third against its opponent’s defensive shape. Birmingham finished the match with 53-percent of the possession, but was only able to tally one shot on target.

Hartford, who notched its first victory of the young season, made it a focal point to keep Legion FC’s Ronaldo Damus from getting much service, or even the ball. Having scored a brace in his last appearance, the 25-year-old forward was only able to achieve a single touch in Hartford’s box and was held without a shot.

Birmingham had a prime opportunity to go into halftime with the lead when Tyler Pasher, in his second start of the season, drew a foul at the top of the box after dribbling in from the right side of the pitch. Kobe Hernandez-Foster lined up the ensuing free kick in first half stoppage time and sent in a low driving shot that forced a dive from Hartford Athletic goalkeeper Antony Siaha to keep the match scoreless.

Siaha’s counterpart Matt Van Oekel came up with a big save of his own a minute into the second half with a kick away on a shot inside the box from Samuel Careago.

It was one of four saves on the day from Birmingham’s veteran goalkeeper, who appeared to be on his way to his first clean sheet of the campaign. However, the home side threw a wrench into those plans. Trying to play the ball out of the back, Legion FC turned the ball over inside its own box with Hartford’s Mamadou Dieng winning the initial tackle, before laying it off to Beckford.

The Jamaican international’s first time shot glanced off of Van Oekel’s right hand and rolled into the net to put Hartford out in front midway through the second half.

Hartford finished the match with five of its game-high 11 shots on target and led Legion FC in touches in the opponents box, 22-13. Pasher and Hernandez-Foster led the way for Birmingham with each creating two chances.

Legion FC was awarded a season-high four total yellow cards in the match with defenders Ramiz Hamouda, Jake Rufe and forward Danny Trejo all getting booked. The Birmingham bench also picked up a yellow card in the fourth minute of first half stoppage time.

NEXT UP
After a short road trip, Legion FC returns to Protective Stadium on Sunday, April 27. The club will take a break from USL Championship as it makes its debut in the USL Jagermeister Cup by welcoming USL 1-side Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. Kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m. CT and tickets can be purchased HERE.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 5	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC (2W-2L-2D | 8 PTS)	1	0	1
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (1W-2L-2D | 5 PTS)	1	2	3

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – This past week was a rollercoaster of emotions for Eric Avila. Named the interim head coach on Wednesday, he was suddenly tasked with leading Birmingham Legion FC to its first win of the 2025 season. So when Dawson McCartney’s stoppage time goal put the Black and Gold up 3-1 over El Paso Locomotive FC, needless to say it was a moment he won’t soon forget.

“Sitting in the seat as a head coach is very nerve-racking, seeing that goal was a relief,” the 37-year-old Avila reflected. “But then, immediately, you start to get nervous again because you just never know.”

Thankfully, there were no more surprises in store at Protective Stadium for Avila and the rest of the squad as Legion FC were able to close out the match in front of a home crowd to secure the first three points of the campaign in impressive fashion.

“I’m happy and I’m excited,” Avila said. “There’s a lot of things to work on moving forward but getting this result provides a very positive vibe for the group and I think that’s important.”

After falling behind 26 minutes into the match on an El Paso goal from Andy Cabrera, Legion FC refused sulk. Instead, the execution of gameplan continued on with Ronaldo Damus playing a big part in that.

The dynamic Haitian forward continued to live up to his goal scoring prowess with a goal in each half to vault Birmingham back in front — a lead it would never relinquish.

“We needed that,” Damus said of the win as he pushed his team-high goal tally to four. “(These first few games) haven’t been easy, but that happens in life. Individually, we are all so good. Today, we played together and we had success.”

The first goal of Damus’ brace came just four minutes after Cabrera put El Paso in front. Trying to find an opening amongst the backline, the 25-year-old timed a run towards goal perfectly as defender Stephen Turnbull played a ball over the top into the box, allowing for Damus to get on the end of it and send a first-time ball into the back of the net.

Coming out of the break with the match still deadlocked, Legion FC continued to push forward and were rewarded in the 61st minute with Moses Mensah getting taken down inside the box for the penalty. Damus then finished the job with a perfectly placed spot kick into the side netting to give Legion FC its first lead since it took a 1-0 lead on Loudoun United FC early in the season opener.

“He’s a guy where a lot of people don’t know just how dangerous he can be,” Avila said of Damus. “From day one, he came here and just put his head down and got to work. You can never count Ronaldo out.”

Needing to hold onto the lead for the final thirty-plus minutes, Birmingham continued thwarting chances from El Paso, who outshot Legion FC 11-10 and led the match with 63 final third entries. The biggest equalizing opportunity came in the opening minute of the seven second half stoppage time minutes given.

Awarded a free kick just outside the box, Locomotive FC was able flick a header right in front of goal where forward Daniel Carter seemed to have an easy point-blank attempt. However, the reflexes from Legion FC goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel were just quick enough to get his body in front of the shot and deflect off the cross bar before Jake Rufe cleared it out of play.

“Not a lot,” Van Oekel chuckled when asked what he saw of the shot. “I was really fortunate that I was able to stick a big paw on it and put it onto the crossbar.”

It was by far the biggest of the pair of saves the veteran netminder made on the evening.

“This week has been rough and I’m still quite emotional about it,” said Van Oekel. “But I think we’re all looking forward to helping (Avila) and helping this organization to get back to the promised land in the postseason. Getting him his first win as head coach is massive and you could see the guys rallying behind that tonight.”

The victory was highlighted by a refreshed lineup from Birmingham with midfielder Sam McIllhatton getting the start and playing the full 90 minutes after signing with the club last week. After making his season debut two weeks ago, forward Tyler Pasher got his first start of the season, while Danny Trejo made his first start since the season opener and Turnbull since March 16.

NEXT UP
With its first win in tow in its first home match in nearly a month, Birmingham heads back out onto the road next weekend as it takes on Hartford Athletic on Saturday, April 19.

“Tomorrow we’re back to training,” explained Avila. “We get back out there and begin work again and we’ll take it day by day. We celebrate this one, but tomorrow we go in and the focus moves to Hartford.”

Kick-off for the USL Championship Eastern Conference clash is set for 3:00 p.m. CT. Legion FC returns to Protective Stadium on Sunday, April 27 as it opens up the 2025 USL Jagermeister Cup against USL1-side Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. Tickets for that match can be purchased HERE.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 4	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (0W-2L-2D | 2 PTS)	0	0	0
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC (2W-1L-1D | 7 PTS)	1	1	2

PITTSBURGH, Penn. – A trying road stretch ended in less-than-ideal fashion for Birmingham Legion FC as the Three Sparks’ woes at Highmark Stadium continued on Saturday in a 2-0 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The defeat marked the first time in the 2025 USL Championship campaign that Legion FC was held without a goal as it still searches for its first ever win in the Steel City.

Goals by Robbie Mertz and Danny Griffin provided the difference for the Riverhounds, who made the most of its scant scoring chances. The two teams combined for just 20 total shots, but just six on target, with both of Birmingham’s attempts on frame coming in the second half as it chased for a result.

With the possessions numbers split 50-50, Legion FC led the match with 66 final third entries – 23 more than its opponent – but had just nine total touches in the box. Birmingham finished the match with an expected goal metric of 0.29, as the squad had trouble for much of the evening in breaking down a Riverhounds defense that focused on stymying forward Ronaldo Damus.

Legion FC found itself absorbing a lot of pressure from Pittsburgh from the opening whistle and the home side broke through in the 36th minute. An initial shot from Bradley Sample at the top of the box forced a reaction from Legion FC defender Jake Rufe, but the deflection went right into the feet of Riverhounds forward Robbie Mertz, who took a touch to settle before slotting a shot inside the near post.

It was a tough opening goal for Matt Van Oekel, who was first called into action 15 minutes earlier and made a nice kick save on a shot from short range to deny Mertz. The Legion FC goalkeeper finished with a pair of saves on the evening.

Following a turnover at midfield, Pittsburgh doubled its lead in the 70th minute with a passing sequence that ended with Roberto Ydrach slipping a ball behind the Birmingham backline that Riverhounds captain Danny Griffin finished off inside the box.

10 of Legion FC’s 11 total shots came in the final 45 minutes of the match as the second half substitutions were attacking focused. Forward Danny Trejo entered in the 74th minute to mark his first appearance since suffering an injury early in the second half of the season opener against Loudoun United FC. Eight minutes later saw the 2025 season debut of Tyler Pasher, as the veteran forward came on for Moses Mensah in the 82nd minute.

NEXT UP
Following a 10-day stretch with three consecutive road matches, Legion FC finally returns home on Sunday, April 13 when it welcomes El Paso Locomotive FC to Protective Stadium. Tickets for that match can be purchased HERE. The club is also offering a special Legion FC Tradition Package that includes specialty t-shirts and early suite access to watch the conclusion of the final day of the golf tournament in Augusta. The first annual Legion FC Sports Business Forum will also be held in the VIP Club Lounger prior to the match. Those interested can get more information and purchase their tickets HERE.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 3	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (0W-1L-2D | 2 PTS)	1	1	2
DETROIT CITY FC (2W-0L-1D | 7 PTS)	2	0	2

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – With Wednesday’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match still fresh in its minds, Birmingham Legion FC arrived in the Motor City knowing that it would have to respond, and respond quickly. The Three Sparks did just that on Saturday by coming back to equalize not once, but twice in a 2-2 draw to Detroit City FC.

Ronaldo Damus doubled his scoring tally on the young season with a goal in the first half, while a dangerously placed free kick in the 80th minute from Kobe Hernandez-Foster forced a Detroit own goal to secure the point. The result marked the first time this year that the home side dropped points as Legion FC found the back of the net twice on seven shots after DCFC had allowed a combined one goal on six total shots in its first two matches.

It was a match that in some ways, both sides likely feel that there were missed opportunities at grabbing the full three points. But with the chilly northern conditions and a brisk wind whipping throughout Keyworth Stadium, offense was hard to come by as the two teams combined for just four total shots on target and 19 touched in the opposing box.

Detroit City FC opened the scoring in the 20th minute with forward Darren Smith heading home a cross from Alex Villanueva, just barely beating Birmingham goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel punch attempt.

That lead would only last a mere seven minutes as Legion FC perfectly executed a counter press to force a turnover deep in the attacking third. With Ramiz Hamouda initially winning the ball and playing it off to Hernandez-Foster, the Legion FC midfielder quickly picked out Damus at the top of the box. From there, the Haitian forward was able to settle and turn before firing off a right-footed strike that deflected off a Detroit defender’s foot before nestling into the back of the net and evening the match at one goal apiece.

After Ben Morris put Detroit back in front with a goal in the 33rd minute, it appeared Damus notched his second goal of the afternoon 11 minutes in the second half when he neatly chested down a pass from Enzo Martinez and slotted a shot past goalkeeper Carlos Saldana. The would-be goal was waved off for offside.

It was however a sign of things that were to come for the rest of the match as Legion FC, with the wind at its back, proving to be the more dangerous attacking side in the second half. That intent was kicked into overdrive in the 70th minute with Birmingham moving to a back-three in the defense as Sebastian Tregarthen came on for his professional debut.

The Uruguayan forward quickly made his presence felt down the left side and was able to draw a foul in a dangerous spot with ten minutes left in regulation. Lining up the ensuing free kick from roughly 35 yards out, Hernandez-Foster whipped in an in-swinging ball with his left foot. As a host of players from both sides converged in the box, the ball glanced off the head of Detroit City FC defender Stephen Carrol and into the goal to knot things up once again.

Hernandez-Foster nearly achieved all three points for Birmingham with another deflected free kick just four minutes later, but his attempt from close range rattled the far post after it glanced off of Detroit’s three-man wall.

On the other end, Van Oekel made one save on the day, but it was a big one in the 51st minute. With Legion FC pushing numbers forward while trailing, DCFC was able to get in behind the high-line with Morris in on goal, but the veteran Van Oekel was strong in coming off his line to meet the opposing attacking in the box and get his body in front of the right-footed shot to keep his side in the match and eventually grab the tying goal.

NEXT UP
Legion FC caps off its first road trip of the season when it heads east to face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday, March 29. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT. The Three Sparks will then be back home on Sunday, April 13 when it welcomes El Paso Locomotive FC to Protective Stadium. Tickets for that match can be purchased HERE.

2025 LAMAR HUNT US OPEN CUP | FIRST ROUND	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC	0	0	0
LITTLE ROCK RANGERS	0	1	1

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Birmingham Legion FC’s stay in the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup came to an end on Wednesday, following a 1-0 loss to the Little Rock Rangers in the first round of the competition.

The only goal of the match came at the beginning of the second half when Little Rock’s Caoimhin McConnell scored on a shot from the top of the box in the 48th minute.

Legion FC had a chance to grab an early lead after midfielder Roman Torres drew a penalty in the box in the 23rd minute, but the ensuing spot kick from forward Lucca Dourado was saved by Rangers goalkeeper Tomasz Wroblewski.

Birmingham finished the match with 64-percent of the possession and outshot the home side 13-7. However, it had a tough time breaking down the Little Rock low block with just three shots on target despite firing off nine shots inside the box.

Defender, and New England Revolution-loanee, Tiago Suarez got the start on the backline to make his Legion FC debut, while midfielder Finn Calloway made his season debut and his first career start.

With the defeat, Birmingham’s all-time record in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup falls to 7-5.

NEXT UP
Legion FC remains on the road and returns to USL Championship play at Detroit City FC this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT and then at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on March 29. The club is back home on Sunday, April 13 when it welcomes El Paso Locomotive FC to Protective Stadium. Tickets for that match can be purchased HERE.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 2	1ST HALF	2ND HALF	FINAL
LOUISVILLE CITY FC (1W – 0L – 1D; 4 PTS)	1	0	1
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (0W – 1L – 1D; 1 PTS)	1	0	1

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a season opening loss, the message for Birmingham Legion FC over the next week was to fight back. And the team responded in kind on a picturesque afternoon at Protective Stadium with a 1-1 draw against Louisville City FC.

“I’m extremely proud of that effort,” said Legion FC Head Coach Tom Soehn. “We knew they were a team that was going to defend hard and make it difficult. We knew we were going to be short some bodies and the guys that did step in did a really good job of managing the game.”

The Three Sparks not only responded from match to match, but proved that mettle throughout the 90 minutes on Sunday as forward Ronaldo Damus opened his Legion FC account with a first half stoppage time goal that turned out to be the key in splitting the points.

“He created a lot of havoc and was a handful for their backs” Soehn said of the Haitian striker. “There’s a lot more to come from him and I loved the way he competed up there and made it really hard for their backline.”

For the second consecutive match, Birmingham’s goal came off a set piece and for the second consecutive match, the service came from the foot of midfielder Roman Torres, who is quickly making a name for himself in The Magic City.

After Legion FC drew a foul on the left side of the field in second minute of first half stoppage time, the loanee from Minnesota United FC sent in a perfectly placed free kick that swung towards the goal. Making the run, Damus timed his jump perfectly to power it home for the equalizer.

“I’m having a good run of games right now” said Torres as he begins his first season as a professional. “Hopefully I can keep that up and keep contributing to the team in as many ways as I can.”

The goal was the perfect response from Birmingham after Louisville took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute by working the ball out of the back against the Legion FC press, setting up a break down the left side for Emmanuel Perez who rippled the top corner of the net.

It was the only thing that seemed to get past Legion FC goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel who was in vintage form with five saves on the day, including a couple of big ones in the second half to keep the score intact.

“I’ll take it,” Van Oekel said of his outing. “There are things that I still have to work on.

“If I can keep the team in it as much as I possibly can, I know that I’ve got the talent and players around me to get one back “

Van Oekel was also backed by a new-look Legion FC backline that saw the club debuts of Stephen Turnbull and Ethan Kos, while Jake Rufe and Ramiz Hamouda saw their positions shift a bit following last week’s outing.

Rufe made a huge clearance off the goal line in the 50th minute after a shot stung the hands of Van Oekel and popped backwards.

“I owe them some beers” the Legion FC veteran netminder quipped about his defenders. “It’s great to see that they have my back like I have theirs.”

Birmingham finished the match with 10 total shots to Louisville’s 12 as Preston Tabort Etaka found some openings down the right side in the second half, but was unable to get something by Louisville City FC goalkeeper Damian Las.

Despite Louisville having three more shots on target, Birmingham actually had the slightly higher expected goals advantage at 1.05 to 0.94. The away side did have a bit more of the possession at 55-percent to highlight what was an evenly matched contest.

“I don’t think you’re ever satisfied with a tie,” said Soehn. “I think finishing is a big component, but as the season goes, that’s usually the last thing that really comes along.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to finish those moments, but we created those moments and that will come as we continue to grow.”

NEXT UP
Legion FC now must embark on a busy week that begins with a quick turnaround as the squad beings its 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run on the road against USL2 side, the Little Rock Rangers, on Wednesday before hopping back into USL Championship play at Detroit City FC on Saturday.

“It’s really important” Torres said of getting a result against Louisville. “We want to play with a lot of confidence and hopefully a good result here is going to lead into our next couple of games.”

Legion FC returns to Protective Stadium on Sunday, April 13 when it welcomes El Paso Locomotive FC. Tickets for that match can be purchased HERE.

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.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It may have not been the result that Birmingham Legion FC envisioned when it arrived to Protective Stadium, however there were still positives to take away in a 2-0 loss to Atlanta United FC on Saturday to open up its 2025 preseason slate.

“I saw a lot of positives and a lot of good energy,” Legion FC Head Coach Tom Soehn said afterwards. “You always learn from the group and it highlighted some areas that we’re still looking to improve upon.”

In a first half that saw the starting lineup for Birmingham feature four first-team players make their club debut, including forward Sebastian Tregarthen in his first professional outing, Atlanta grabbed the opening goal in the 25th minute with Cayman Togashi heading in a free kick from Ronald Hernandez outside the box.

The visitors then doubled the lead in the 80th minute via an own goal.

Despite that however Legion FC are happy to have gotten a full match under its belt and look forward to building off of this newly discovered foundation.

“You’re disappointed because you lost the game and wanted to give the crowd something to cheer about,” midfielder Enzo Martinez said. “The atmosphere was great, the level of the game was high quality, but most important was the things we saw as a team and getting to play 45 minutes against an opponent with so many guys in the lineup that are new, that’s a big thing. So it was a lot of positives and things we know we can work on and that’s all you can ask.”

With a brand new starting eleven to begin the second half, Birmingham found its rhythm in the match with a couple of early chances and a near equalizer from forward Lucca Dourado in what was his first professional experience. Receiving a pass to trigger the counterattack, the former Central Florida star took the ball down the left side before cutting inside in the box. His right-footed shot beat an outstretched arm from Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan, but rolled just outside of the post and out of play.

“I felt butterflies for the first 10 minutes or so,” Dourado said of his first match in Birmingham. “I haven’t had a feeling like that since my first college game which was four years ago, so it was good to have that again of like ‘you made it.’ So now with that out of the way, it’s all about just keep going and keep improving and find ways to help the team win.”

For the match, Legion FC finished with six total shots and a pair on target, while Atlanta countered with seven of its 10 shots on frame.

Birmingham was able to utilize all three of its goalkeepers on Saturday with veteran Matt Van Oekel playing the entire first half, while Trevor Spangenberg and Fernando Delgado split time in the second.

“We’re worlds ahead in where we are compared to so many teams I’ve had in the past,” explained Soehn. “That allows us to jump into the next phase and build the attack out. It provided some good starting points that allows us to move ahead faster than we have in some areas before.”

NEXT UP
Legion FC will return to preseason action on Saturday, February 8 against MLS Next Pro-side Chattanooga FC. The match will take place at the Legion FC Training Facility (1021 Dunnavant Valley Rd., Birmingham, AL) and is open to season ticket holders. Kick-off is set for 2:30 p.m. CT with a meet and greet and tour of the facility to take place. Get your season tickets for 2025 by visiting www.bhmlegion.com/2025-season-tickets.