July 6, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Birmingham Legion FC News Release
KENNESAW, GA – Birmingham Legion FC came out with a draw at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in one of the most intense, action-packed games of the season.
The first half was all Birmingham, and Enzo Martinez and Marlon Santos were the highlight. The Legion went up 1-0 early in the first half to score the fastest goal this season (8:06). Santos delivered a perfect, on-the-ground ball across the box that found Martinez who cleanly slotted it in.
Trevor Spangenberg made a diving save in the 28th minute, blocking a shot heading towards the bottom right corner – the first shot on target by Atlanta in the first half. He made another crucial save in the 41st minute to keep Birmingham up a goal in the first half.
Birmingham won a penalty to start off the second half in the 48th minute after an Atlanta handball in the box. Bruno Lapa’s penalty shot was brilliantly saved by Atlanta’s goalkeeper, but Lapa pounced on the rebound and put Birmingham up 2-0.
Legion FC’s 2-0 cushion was crushed by Atlanta in the span of two minutes at the 65th and 67th. Atlanta scored via a header from a cross and then just two minutes later an over-the-top ball from a freekick in the United half allowed Atlanta to slip behind the defense and score a second.
The intensity of the match didn’t stop there. Zach Herivaux rescued the Legion in the 74th minute and displayed one of the best solo performances this season. The Haitian international single handedly dribbled the ball 60 yards through multiple defenders to the Atlanta box, gave it to Agudelo, who passed the ball back to Herivaux to hammer into the top right corner.
“It always feels good getting on the scoresheet,” said Herivaux, Legion FC’s Man of the Match in the post-game Twitter poll. “I’ve had a few opportunities the past few games which I didn’t capitalize on, but the staff and my teammates kept encouraging me, so that helped me a lot.”
Assistant Coach Khano Smith served as Head Coach for this game, after Head Coach Tommy Soehn received a one game suspension for a red card in our last match, and according to Smith, “Zach [Herivaux] is playing the best I’ve ever seen him play. He’s calm, he’s assured, and he’s matured into a leader for us.”
Birmingham looked as though they were going to win the game, but in the 93rd minute Atlanta scored on another freekick to bring them up to 3-3 and steal a point. Both sides were lethal on the attack -…