Legion FC Wins THRILLER with Two Late Goals

March 17, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Birmingham Legion FC News Release

Birmingham Legion FC’s Neco Brett
(Birmingham Legion FC)

BIRMINGHAM, AL – In the second game of the USL Championship season, Legion FC came back to defeat FC Tulsa 3-2 on Friday night with two goals from newcomer Tyler Pasher and a game winner off the head of Birmingham’s all-time leading goal scorer, Neco Brett.

Pasher scored his first goal in Magic City reds in just the fourth minute of the game to give Legion the early lead. Center back Alex Crognale followed up his goal in the first game of the season with an assist to Pasher in the second, playing the forward in behind, and Pasher just beat the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball, skipped around him, and his first time shot from a tight angle found the empty net.

“We have a lot of fast, talented guys up front, and we can catch teams on turnovers and playing quickly forward, and we can capitalize,” said Pasher. “I’m grateful enough that I got on the end of [Crognale’s pass].”

Legion FC sat back and absorbed pressure for most of the rest of the first half, as Tulsa had most of the possession, but Birmingham looked to catch the visitors on the counter and headed into the break with an edge in shots and expected goals.

Tulsa came out swinging to start the second half, scoring twice in the first ten minutes. Captain Rodrigo da Costa cut by a couple of Legion defenders and found the corner of the net from the top of the box in the 49th minute. Then forward Marcus Epps whipped in a long-range curler of his own just five minutes later for the lead.

Birmingham Head Coach Tommy Soehn countered with some heavy duty reinforcements just minutes later, subbing in midfielder Ben Reveno, forward Neco Brett, and 2022 Team MVP Enzo Martinez, for his first minutes of the young season, in the 58th minute. All three would play vital roles in the comeback.

For all of his teammates’ efforts, it looked like Pasher was going to go get the result all by himself, as he danced past four defenders in the 83rd minute, making his way from deep in the right corner to well outside the top of the box, before ripping a shot inches inside the post to finish one of the nicest goals in club history.

“It was one of those where we were kind of dragging and then, again, I’m happy that I was able to help uplift the team,” said Pasher. “As soon as that goal went in, we all just came out with a different kind of energy and got that third goal and came…