Legion II fall to Tennessee SC
Birmingham Legion's second team struggle to break through in tight affair
In the second match of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Birmingham Legion II could not find the incisiveness to unlock Tennessee SC’s defense.
In a hotly-contested and fairly even affair, a lone goal right before the break proved decisive for the visitors as Legion’s second team fell 1-0.
Tennessee came out the brighter of the two sides, but neither team truly asked questions of the opposite goalkeeper in the early exchanges.
Legion II’s first foray forward resulted in Seth Action winning a corner, but the resulting cross failed to beat the first man. It ended up being one of many disappointing Legion trends, as multiple promising set pieces went to waste through poor deliveries.
A different type of set-piece gave the home team their biggest chance of the first half on the 16-minute mark as the team won a free-kick in a dangerous position. Matthew van Horn lined it up, but his effort went just wide of the near-post.
It did mark a shift in proceedings, however, as Legion II went from enduring much of the game in their own third to dominating possession. However, the home players were unable to find the incisiveness needed to break down a resolute Tennessee SC defense.
Legion II passed the ball around well to try and create openings, but lacked the intensity to take advantage when they presented themselves. On multiple occasions, the team switched play to a wide-open full back or winger only for that player to pass it back to a defender rather than drive forward. This proved emblematic of a first-half were neither team looked particularly intent on risking too much for the go-ahead goal.
Tennessee did venture forward more frequently than their hosts, however, and had a penalty shout just before the half-hour mark. A Tennessee forward went down in the box following an apparent shove in the back, but the referee waved play on much to the consternation of those in blue.
Both teams looked content to head into the half level only for a mistake at the back to gift the visitors a late opportunity. Legion II failed to clear their lines, turning the ball over at the edge of their box with players already further up the pitch. Tennessee quickly worked the ball to a player free on the left edge of the box, who shot across goal to open the scoring in the 42nd minute.
Legion II nearly responded immediately when John Heaps let fly from the edge of the box. Despite getting in front of it, Tennessee’s goalkeeper spilled the powerful shot and the backspin nearly took it over the line. The goalkeeper reacted fast enough to amend his error, however, and Legion II went into the break trailing by a goal.
The second half was more of the same for the semi-pro Birmingham team, who started on the back foot once more. An inswinging free-kick required defensive intervention to clear it inside the six-yard box barely a minute after the restart, before Tennessee won a dangerous direct free-kick less than 15 minutes later.
After weathering the early storm, Legion II grew into the game once more and looked to have the equalizer in the 67th minute.
Second-half substitute Caleb Alldredge pounced on a loose ball at the back to run through on goal, but though his attempt beat the goalkeeper it went nowhere near the goal, looking almost like a cross rather than a shot, though nobody was there to turn it in.
Like in the first half, Legion II struggled to break down Tennessee’s compact defense and spent a lot of time passing the ball around the area without finding the final pass to create a big chance. The home team had to wait 10 minutes after Alldredge’s chance to get another shot at goal, this one courtesty of Ty Sanchez in the 77th.
After a free-kick was played quick to Sanchez down the right flank, the winger dribbled inside, beat his man and unleashed a left-footed shot on goal. Though it took a small deflection, it was still too easy to claim for the Tennessee goalkeeper.
Legion didn’t threaten again until an 85th minute free-kick, where van Horn grazed the top of the crossbar. Tennessee responded by dragging a shot across goal on the counter in the 86th minute, before Legion finally found some added intensity in the game’s dying moments.
With time running out, the hosts committed more bodies forward in the search of an equalizer. Two minutes into five added on, they though they had it when the ball ended up in the Tennessee net. However, the goal was rightfully called back for offside, as it had been scored by a player standing behind the Tennessee defense when his teammate’s shot deflected to him.
It was the last big chance of the game, as the single first-half goal proved the decider in Wednesday’s tight contest.
After a brilliant start to the season saw them win four and draw one from their opening five, Legion II have fallen on harder times of later. The Legion’s second team have fallen to fourth in the USL League Two’s South Central Division, with three games left in the season.
Legion II travel to East Atlanta FC this Saturday before returning to Birmingham for their final home game next Wednesday. The Legion second team will host Montgomery United at 4 p.m. July 2 at Protective Stadium, taking to the field ahead of the senior team’s USL Championship matchup with Charleston Battery.