LOUISVILLE CITY FC           2

BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC  3

3/31/19

For the second time in as many weekends John Hackworth’s men hosted a tricky expansion club in Birmingham Legion FC, an outfit coached by former DC United supremo Tommy Soehn. City were severely stretched in the second half of the Hartford game and a week later were pulled apart, the difference being a superlative Birmingham strike force bolstered by the recent addition of burly Brian Wright, on loan from MLS’ New England Revolution, to join 2016 Lou City goal-getter Chandler Hoffman, the two playing in front of Kasim Prosper.

“Hammer Down” is the adopted battle cry of the Magic City Brigade and the rest of the Legion FC fans and it was their idols who would do most of the banging and indeed bring the hammer down on Los Morados. Birmingham collected their first USL goals, win, and all the spoils in a match hastily rearranged for Sunday 10 AM after Saturday night’s rainstorm saturated and shut down the pitch at Slugger. 

Disappointingly, the chilly morning kickoff time left Slugger retaining only a light smattering of holdovers from the evening before.

The Legion are a side that appears slow to get going in games and, as last week against Ottawa, they looked second best once more in the early stages.

The Louisville left side was looking threatening in the beginning, with Oscar Jimenez and Brian Ownby combining well, and Magnus Rasmussen was stoking the ball around.

City had a good look at goal in the 13th minute when Niall McCabe hit his shot well over after Luke Spencer had recovered a rebound and Magnus’ underhit shot was parried out to him. 

The busy Niall, working hard all over the top of midfield, showed up again shortly after as Magnus received from George Davis IV and dropped a lovely cross from the left to him but the dangerous Dubliner directed his first-time volley wide from a handy position.

At the other end Zachary Herivaux, born in Japan but also holding Haitian and US citizenships, put Brian Wright in for a rare Birmingham opportunity Faced with the impressive figure of a well positioned Ben Lundt, Wright pushed his attempt inches wide.

Back in the Legion area Alexis, from Oscar and Niall after set pieces, put two headers wide and Speedy Williams with help from Luke had an effort saved low down by Matt Van Oekel.

Sean Totsch, starting again at right back, had missed connecting on some through ball attempts until he decided to step up himself and, perhaps with memories of his rousing, rising winner against St Louis in last year’s US Open Cup, he laced in a ball from Oscar but this one cleared the opponents’ crossbar.

Niall and George almost got Luke in but the ball eluded him and Legion was able to clear for a corner.

City had been sniffing and sniffing and finally in the 30th minute they broke through.

After another attack was broken up the ball fell to Niall who conveyed it to an overlapping Sean and he sent over a cross from the sideline with good pace on it. Magnus, who had positioned himself ideally a little outside the six, soared above a rooted Kyle Fisher and thumped a header beyond Van Oekel to the left and a few feet inside the post for a ripper of an opening goal.

But the purple smoke was still wafting from the Coopers section and the rest of the home supporters had barely returned to their seats when Legion FC shocked the hosts by snatching the goal straight back.

Eric Avila, top scorer as a winger in UC Santa Barbara’s 2006 NCAA Championship season but these days trading as a defender, like Sean might have been dreaming about reliving glory days as he chipped an exquisite long ball from just inside his own half over Oscar’s head. 22-year-old Ghanaian attacking midfielder Prosper Kasim was on the end of it and took it down with an equally exquisite touch, leaving Oscar in his wake, and tapping ahead before belting it ferociously into the roof of Ben Lundt’s goal net from close range. The young City ‘keeper would have favored himself by coming further off his line to meet the threat, perhaps showing a tendency to rely on his height and reflexes at times rather than narrowing the shooter’s angle.

Not a band to commiserate after conceding, The Boys In Purple returned fire, Brian attempting to put in Luke who drew ire from Van Oekel and the referee for taking a nip after the goalkeeper had smothered the through ball.

From a deep Sean throw-in, Magnus turned and sent Brian into the clear but you usually want No. 10 on his stronger left foot and he fired straight at Van Oekel.

Then disaster struck again for the local lads. 

In a somewhat similar counter to the goal of 5 minutes earlier, the talented Prosper, fully living up to his given name, from inside his half sprung Brian Wright up the inside right channel. The powerful recent addition got clear of Paco and whipped a ball around the back for one man you do not want to see bearing in on your goal, Taylor Hoffman. With Sean unable to close him down in time the erstwhile City star met it perfectly on the volley and sent it low and back past a shifting Ben Lundt into the goal.

Hoffman respectfully muted his personal celebration but could not avoid being mobbed by teammates. Legion FC had grabbed a rousing and not undeserved lead, delivering Lou City a sharp lesson in countering and finishing. It was the type of goal against that has become a disturbing trend this season already.

In spite of a significant advantage in possession and chances created the home club were now on the ropes and the midfield was stuttering with Brian and George in particular struggling for consistency.

Now, the elusive Prosper showed up on the left wing and dropped the ball into the center for Hoffman again. This time Alexis was in for a challenge but the ball popped up for Paco whose mistimed header lobbed to the top of the area. Former U of L standout Daniel Johnson rose unchallenged and nodded powerfully back over Hoffman who, now in an offside position, used himself as a decoy and Wright scuttled in behind the centers, reaching to meet it on the bounce from point blank range. However, with an incredible reflex action Ben somehow got his left hand to the ball and as it was dribbling across the line slung back his right arm and clawed the ball back with his fingernails. It was at once a magnificent piece of goalkeeping and a huge let-off for the Morados as going in 3-1 down at the break would have been plenty awkward for Hackworth’s less than merry men. 

To their credit, City stormed back and Magnus was unable to get much on his attempt as Luke challenged and forced a rebound from Van Oekel.

With little time on the clock, Speedy sent a raking chip out to Oscar high on the left and he cut back and served in a juicy cross, inviting either Luke or a leaping Magnus to turn it in. An alert Sean Totsch had seen a hole and was racing around behind as the ball cleared the glut of players in the middle. At full stretch he saw his brave effort loop up, down onto the crossbar and out for the goal-kick. 

Time expired and a stunned City group trudged off wondering how they could be 2-1 down, having strongly dominated in possession and passing, though to be fair much of this had been in their own half of the field.

They came out for the second half resolved and Paco picked up only City’s 2nd yellow card of the season for a foul on Mikey Lopez.

A half chance-came when Oscar intercepted a poor clearance and clipped the ball over for Luke who was not able to make the required impact.

In the 53rd, Brian Wright, who was up front for New England Revolution when City knocked Brad Friedel’s boys out of the 2018 Open Cup at Lynn Field, wriggled away from Niall and cut in from the left and only a courageous sliding challenge from a backtracking Brian saved the day for the defense. However Brian was stricken for his fine effort and sadly had to be helped from the field, Abdou Mbacke Thiam coming on in replacement.

The tackles were flying in and defender Kyle Culbertson, also last appearing against City in a USOC matchup, the aforementioned St Louis FC game, took a couple of knocks and was substituted.

Sean was sacrificed as Lucky Mkosana came on in order to add pace through the middle but the game meandered as the visitors were content to tie things up in midfield and maintain their one goal advantage, although Wright and Johnson were a constant concern when the Brummies went forward.

City had been reduced to trying their luck and Paco, intercepting a clearance, dropped the ball for Speedy with room to wind up but his 35 yard drive dipped just over the bar.

Abdou Thiam had been charged with a role wide out on the left and was finding it tough to get quality balls over until he started switching back to his preferred right.

One of these crosses fell beautifully to Luke, however his chest trap took him too wide and from the angle he directed his shot safely across the face of goal and away.

Finally in the 81st, Louisville found an equalizer, and in similar fashion to the previous weekend’s winner vs Hartford it was an own goal that aided the cause.

Abdou again swung one in and Matthieu Laurent was in ahead of Lucky attempting to return it whence it came but he managed only to slice it back and inside his own far post, beyond the outstretched Van Oekel.

A lucky goal – but at the same time not a Lucky goal.

After a hitherto fruitless 2nd half the relief for the home team was palpable, and this might have supplied the impetus for the Boys In Purple to rally and take over in the final minutes. 

In the 84th, Paco’s long ball to George on the right wing was crossed dangerously but Luke could not quite catch up with the ball.

A minute later, and a huge chance to seal the match fell to Oscar who had switched to the right after the introduction of Shaun Francis for Magnus.

Birmingham failed to properly clear and Niall conveyed to Luke who knocked it on for Oscar, steaming into the area to meet it, but with the goal gaping and the three points resting on his golden right boot he skied his opportunity, and the Legion lived again.

And Los Morados would pay dearly for failing at the moment of truth.

Barely 2 minutes later Wright won a foul by Shaun on the Legion right wing. Johnson’s free kick fell short and was headed out by Speedy, but with City lining everyone up across the 18 yard line the ball fell out to Avila. Again his ball over the top was inch-perfect and again a deft one-time reception took it out of the air. This time it was Wright with a spacious half acre or so in which to maneuver and before Alexis could get back to cover the Revs loanee had lashed it back to Ben’s left and into the net for a historic 87th minute Legion FC winner. 

The breakdown could be blamed on the organization of the defensive setup since upon Speedy’s initial clearance Abdou and Lucky, together manning the back end of the line, instantly vacated the area which is probably an automatic thought process for forwards in the circumstance. However, Wright never left and lustfully capitalized on the unintended consequence of Sean Totsch’s earlier exit – in a way akin to a hockey empty-netter.

City were not done just yet and Oscar sent in Niall on the right for a decent look at goal but again the chance went begging as the midfielder smashed it into the outside netting

7 minutes of injury time had been signaled and as the match entered added-on time one more ball over from Abdou presented Lucky a chance but his split-second delay in shooting cost him the time he needed to avoid getting it blocked.

Daniel Johnson, as well as a Card an ex West Ham United youth teamer, had assumed a dominant stature in the 2nd half and his outside strike from a pass by Wright in a counterattack was prevented by Ben.

Following the 3rd Birmingham goal Paco has been sent up top and, though late in the piece, at last City were winning balls in the air there.

Now Niall won a free kick on Lopez at the edge of the area and just to the left. Oscar was over the ball and the situation could probably have done with his expertise but Shaun Francis, doubtless a lethal finisher from this range in training – as many of us can be to varying degrees – took the responsibility into his own hands, clearing the defensive wall but only managing to hook his effort several feet wide of Van Oekel’s left upright.

City had hopes of a last gasp winner  but from Oscar’s right wing cross George could only land it on the roof of the net though it was a nice headed effort.

But then the final whistle sounded and Coach Tommy Soehn could barely hide his ebullience while Michael Laurent sank to his knees in adulation to the Soccer Gods for their mercy upon him. 

Meanwhile, the Morados’ misery was manifested in the form of Brian Ownby, head bowed, hobbling slowly out of the arena.

John Hackworth was sullen afterwards as he reflected on his side’s subpar performance, characterizing the defensive display as, “woeful and irresponsible, and not even close to being good enough.”

While stating, “I don’t think [they’re] taking things for granted – certainly they’re taking moments in games for granted”, he added that defending in transition was not only the responsibility of the defenders, but of the entire eleven as well as the technical staff.

“The only response is to come back out and learn from some really hard lessons right now.”

Perhaps as salient as any question over the group at the moment is the continued absence of stalwart holding midfielder Paolo Del Piccolo, sidelined by an inflammation slow to respond to treatment.

Although asserting that there are a lot of leaders in the locker room, Hack described his injured captain as “integral”. “He brings some of that bite … leadership … and never-say-die mentality that we need right now”.

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LouCityKiwi’s PLAYER RATINGS OUT OF 10:

Ben: 7

Might have given himself a chance of saving the first Legion goal had he advanced from his line. Little chance with the other two, however. Did make what might have been a game saving play with an incredible reflex grasp on his goal line to deny Wright.

Oscar: 5 1/2

Caught out on the first goal and might have clinched three points for City had he taken his golden opportunity near the end, though did create several chances from out wide.

Paco: 5 1/2

Somewhat below his own high bar. Not as authoritative as is expected and needs to better organize a sometimes ragged defensive unit. Useful aerially when pushed forward after the 3rd Legion goal.

ASAY: 5 1/2

Not always alert to danger and a factor in the allowing of the winning goal. 

Sean Totsch: 6:

Some through balls that went astray in promising situations. Allowed Chandler Hoffman the room he needed for Legion’s 2nd goal. However, desperately close to converting with his first half gambit to the far post.

Speedy: 6

Noticeably less effective without Paulo alongside and not able to clamp down the midfield on his own.

Ownby: 6

Began very brightly but struggled with execution as the game progressed, giving the ball away on too many occasions. Disappointingly not getting a shot at redemption as subbed off after sustaining an injury, albeit preventing a goal in the process.

Magnus: 7

Terrific soaring header to give City the lead however, though enthusiastic in and around the opponents’ area, needs to impose himself more in midfield at times – that said, he is not the only one.

George Davis IV : 5 1/2

A step back again. Not physical enough often and mostly not able to emulate his previous week’s improved performance. 

Luke: 6

Good seeing him getting a number of touches in and around the Birmingham area though – his fine goal last week notwithstanding – the stand-in skipper has been struggling to prevail up front, particularly in his traditional strong suit: aerially.

Abdou Mbacke Thiam: 6 1/2:

Inconsistent after subbing on for Brian and curiously confined to a left wing role. First touch not so effective, but crosses got better when switching back to his right, one of which led directly to the own goal equalizer. Unfortunate to have one hand on the baby when it was dropped headfirst near the end.

Lucky: 5 

Plenty of playing time, getting well over 30 minutes as a sub, but failed to show the guile and the gullotine needed in order to chase his 11 goal 2018 season at Penn FC.

Shaun Francis: 6

Came in late for Magnus. Quality of his specialist left foot lacking on a crucial free kick chance in the waning seconds.

“LOS MORADOS NO. 1 ⭐️ OF THE GAME”

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Niall McCabe⭐️⭐️⭐️: 7 1/2

Energetic and hardworking. Outstanding in the 1st half, buzzing around all over the top of midfield. A little less so in the 2nd, but still the most catalytic player on the day. Would have earned a more fulsome heavenly haul had he converted on one or two of his promising goal opportunities.

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Match Highlights: