Birmingham Triumphs in Five-Goal Thriller to Go Top of East

April 30, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Birmingham Legion FC News Release

BIRMINGHAM, AL – After an exhilarating match that saw Legion FC come back from two one-goal deficits, the Three Sparks showed grit and determination to take all three points in front of the fans and earn the top spot in the USL Championship Eastern Conference through eight games. Forward Enzo Martinez scored twice in the second half, and defender Alex Crognale scored the game-winning goal in the third minute of added time.

Hartford scored first in tonight’s five-goal thriller in the 38th minute. After passing interplay in and around the Birmingham box, Prince Saydee found the feet of Jeciel Cedeño to put the visitors up by one.

Legion would go into halftime on a one-goal deficit. At the break, Legion had five shots to Hartford’s ten. Head Coach Tommy Soehn came out of the locker room with a fired-up squad.

“It was probably one of our worst halves ever,” said Soehn. “We had a harsh talk in the locker room about our character, making sure we know who we are. We had an opportunity to get to the top of the table, and understanding what that means. I didn’t quite say it that nicely, if you can imagine, but at least it motivated us to come out in the second half.”

The energy level shifted in favor of the Black & Gold in the second 45. In the 65th minute, Legion found its equalizer through 2022 Team MVP Enzo Martinez. Prosper Kasim fed in a ball off a Chick-fil-A Corner Kick to a wide-open Martinez at the penalty spot, and the Uruguayan instinctively smashed it into the Connecticut side’s goal.

Hartford would take the lead again just two minutes after Legion’s first goal. Through quick, forward passing substitute Kyle Edwards found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg and put one past him.

“I think what we’ve got to realize is you’re not going to score three goals in a row, you’re going to score one at a time,” said Soehn, when asked about Hartford’s quick strike. “I think we were gambling too much trying to go forward and win the game, which left ourselves open on the counter.”

The scoring was not over after Hartford’s second goal. In a fast-paced counter attack of their own, Spangenberg punted the ball across the field to forward Juan Agudelo. Agudelo found 2019 Team MVP Kasim out wide on the left wing, and the Ghanaian placed a pin-point ball all the way across to the other side of the box right at the feet of an onrushing Martinez who hammered it…