Match Recap: Huntsville City FC hangs on to defeat Crown Legacy FC on penalties after 1-1 draw
After going the entire 2024 season having not won a single penalty shootout, Huntsville City FC picked up their second shootout victory in as many games on Sunday as they captured the extra point following a 1-1 draw on the road with Crown Legacy FC.
Let’s dive in.
The Lineup
It was a first Huntsville start in goal for Xavier Valdez, perhaps officially signaling Brian Schwake has claimed the second goalkeeper position with the parent club in Nashville.
At the back, it was a familiar fullback duo of Tyshawn Rose and Blake Bowen who flanked either side of a centerback pairing of Wyatt Meyer and Zach Barrett.
In midfield, Pep Casas joined a healthy Ethan O’Brien, and the both of them gave support to a front four featuring Christian Koffi, Damien Barker John, Alan Carleton, and Gunnar Studenhofft.
Off the bench, Gio Miglietti, Real Gill, Adem Sipic, Philip Mayaka and Jordan Knight saw at least a couple seconds of action, at least in Sipic and Knight’s cases anyways.
Between the Whistles
The first half hour of this game belonged to Huntsville, with particularly good chances falling for Christian Koffi in the first minute, and then a pair of chances for Gunnar Studenhofft and Alan Carleton, both of which saved.
This dominance paid off in the 28th minute when Crown Legacy’s Luke Munson was called for a handball in the box, leading to a penalty converted by Koffi, who notched his fourth goal on the campaign in as many games.
Huntsville nearly doubled their advantage in the 37th, as a deflected shot off the woodwork from Ethan O’Brien fell right to Gunnar Studenhofft, who scored, however from an offside position, nullifying his addition to the scoresheet.
In the 41st, Crown Legacy’s Brian Romero got the wrong side of Huntsville’s Zach Barrett, and nearly leveled the match if not for an impressive save by Xavier Valdez.
The half then came, and went. On the other side of the interval, things remained testy for a while. However, Crown Legacy were slowly growing into the game. A couple chances just past the hour mark required more good work from Valdez, but nothing you wouldn’t expect him to save.
However, a Valdez positioning mistake on a set piece would provide salvation for Crown Legacy, as Jamie Smith, the son of Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith, put a ball on net with Valdez out of position and unsighted, and through a gaggle of legs it found its way home.
Huntsville regained the initative in the final quarter of an hour, but to no avail. A second successive shootout would await.
This time, Huntsville would go first, and Gio Miglietti missed the target, putting the Rocket Men on the back foot.
However, a save by Valdez in the third round, and a missed penalty in the fourth by Crown Legacy once again put the game on the shoulders of Huntsville captain Blake Bowen who again scored his penalty confidently to give the Rocket Men the extra point.
The Numbers
Huntsville City FC
Shots- 15
Shots on target- 4
Possession- 55%
Corners- 5
Yellow Cards- 3 (Gunnar Studenhofft, Christian Koffi, Tyshawn Rose)
Crown Legacy FC
Shots- 14
Shots on target- 5
Possession- 45%
Corners- 8
Yellow Cards- 5 (Dylan Sing, Aron John, Jamie Smith, Mikah Thomas, Jack Sarkos)
Analysis
We talked in the preview about how Huntsville had never won on the road at Crown Legacy by any means, within the 90 or not. They accomplished that on Sunday. First and foremost, props must go to this.
Second, props go to Xavier Valdez, getting his first match action since preseason between the sticks. Aside from the Smith goal, Valdez never looked uncomfortable at all, and always answered when called upon.
Third, what a wing partnership Christian Koffi and Damien Barker John provide. If you told me both of them would see first-team minutes in the US Open Cup at this point, I would not at all be surprised.
Next up for the Rocket Men is a trio of home games, first on deck is Chicago Fire II, who of course Huntsville beat in match day one. We’ll discuss that later in the week!