Lower Alabama Report: October 15
Huntsville invades Fort Finley for a playoff showdown; Birmingham looks to continue positive momentum
Birmingham Legion FC
Image credit: Birmingham Legion
Legion was off last week, and they'll have their final home game of 2025 against Miami FC on Sunday, October 19 at 4:00 CT. This is a game that might decide who wears the crown for the worst team of 2025. Miami is the reigning wooden spoon holder from 2024 and they have the lowest point total in the league at 24. A win by Miami would bring them even on points with Birmingham, and then both teams finish their seasons against top teams. Las Vegas is also in the mix to finish in last place, but their last two games are against lower teams. All of that points to a game that should be expected to be high intensity, and probably chippy.
On a different (more positive) note, both teams are showing better form in recent games. Two weeks ago, Miami blitzed Pittsburgh with three second half goals in a 3-1 win, and then pushed Lousville to the limit, losing 0-1 on a late goal by Brian Ownby. Meanwhile, Birmingham is undefeated in their previous three games with two draws and a win, all against top teams. The biggest danger for Legion is that they have a tendency to play up for better teams, and then do poorly against weaker teams. They did win the previous meeting against Miami this season, so Legion has the chance to come out ahead for the season series. The players that have been out for International duty should be back and available, while the rest of the team had extra time to prepare for Miami. Birmingham should be expected to get the win here, and then heads to Charleston next week for the final game of the season.
Huntsville City FC
Image credit: Huntsville City FC
Huntsville was off last week making preparations for their first round playoff game against Chattanooga FC. HCFC rolls into this game riding a three game winning streak, and I think it's fair to say that CFC has risen from rival to nemesis. Huntsville finished the regular season with just eight losses, and three of those were at the hands of Chattanooga (every match-up in 2025). Finley Stadium will be packed, and Huntsville is going to need to dig deep in a hostile environment. This feels like a game where the team that scores first will get the win. That should favor Huntsville, who has scored 56 goals in 28 games, while CFC has scored 42. If Huntsville can shake off the curse and get a win, I like their chances to make a deep run in the playoffs. The game is Sunday, October 19 at 7:00 ET.
UPSL
Last week's results
Georgia Impact 4-0 FC Columbus Elite
Angelus 5-0 Columbus Knight Eagles
This week's games
FC Birmingham vs Atlanta United Academy; Sunday, October 19 at 4:30 CT. Atlanta United is currently at the top of table, after mixed results this season. They lost their first two games, but have won the last three in a row. FCB had an extra week to get ready for this one, but they won't be favored in this one.
FC Columbus Elite vs Atletico Buford; Saturday, October 18 at 6:00 ET. On paper, this is a big mismatch. Buford is at the top of table, with a +11 GD, while Colgaelite is at the bottom with a -15 GD. Probably another tough night for Columbus.
Atlanta City vs UMA FC2; Sunday, October 19 at 4:00 ET. Atlanta is higher in the table here, but this might be a good match-up for UMA, who looks like they have the better offense, and Atlanta's defense hasn't been great.
Columbus Knight Eagles vs LSA Norcross 2; Sunday, October 19 at 5:00 CT. Norcross is in second place, chasing a red-hot Augusta team. The Eagles have been floundering, and this probably isn't when they're going to turn things around.