USL CHAMPIONSHIP: Legion Win PK’s After Tying at Red Wolves
- Philip Farrell
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
EAST RIDGE, Tn. — The Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and Birmingham Legion FC played out a tempestuous draw on Saturday evening in Group 3 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Birmingham, the USL Championship side, went on to earn a bonus point by winning the penalty shootout after tying 1-1 with their League One hosts.
On a perfect May evening in Eastern Tennessee, Birmingham began the game looking the stronger of the two teams. Their goalkeeper Trevor McMullen didn’t touch the ball for over twenty minutes as they went in search of an early goal and dominate the Red Wolves. They controlled possession, moving and passing seemingly in sync with the beat of the drums from their large travelling support.
But Chattanooga weathered the early storm well and by the end of the first-half, looked to match their higher league opposition, possibly even bettering them.
The second half saw the game become heated with several players keeping referee Natalie Simon busy, not just issuing cards for fouls but handling a lot of back-talk and dissent. She handled the occasion well, as did her fourth official who had verbal admonishings from both benches to weather. Birmingham Head Coach Jay Heaps was even yellow carded at one point.
The deadlock was broken by one substitute and restored by another. Firstly, Birmingham winger Sebastián Saucedo found the net a mere six minutes after coming on. Good work from Gevork Diarbian on the right wing, the ball flew low into the box past several players where it met Saucedo on the other end. The 29-year-old was unmarked and had the space and time to take one touch with his left before shooting with the same foot, uncontested. The ball technically hit Red Wolves’ defender Eric Kinzner before going in, but it was going in anyway. Nothing goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez, who enjoyed an excellent game, could do about it. Saucedo’s first goal of the season and his second for Birmingham since joining just under a year ago.
But Red Wolves’ Head Coach Scott Mackenzie had an ace up his own sleeve, in the form of forward Greyson Mercer. He came on in the 63rd minute, and within 15 minutes had equalized. A Chattanooga free-kick on the halfway line found Omar Hernández on the left-wing. His cross landed in front of McMullen who spilled the ball directly in front of Mercer to tap in. A howler from the inexperienced McMullen on only his second game for the Legion, but no more than the Red Wolves deserved for their efforts. For Mercer, it was his second of 2026.
With the match still tied after 90 minutes, Legion triumphed in the shootout, converting through Dawson McCartney, Saucedo and Serge Ngoma to earn a 3-2 shootout victory. Chattanooga’s PKs were converted by Yanis Lelin and Matthew Acosta.
The result keeps Birmingham unbeaten in regulation through two USL Cup group-stage matches. They now sit in fourth after two draws from two matches in Group 3, with one goal scored and one goal conceded. For the Red Wolves, while their USL Cup campaign will probably go no further than the group stage, they can take heart from having held a Championship to a draw after 90 minutes. Both teams look next to road games in league action next weekend.
Box Score Chattanooga Red Wolves SC v Birmingham Legion FC
USL Prinx Tires Cup - Group 3
Venue: CHI Memorial Stadium | East Ridge, TN
Attendance: 1,551
Final Score: Red Wolves 1-1 Legion (Birmingham won 3-2 on penalties)
Referee: Natalie Simon
Scoring summary: 67’: S. Saucedo (BHM) 77’: G. Mercer (CHA)
Shootout summary:
X 0-0: O. Hernández (CHA)
X 0-0: T. Pasher (BHM)
X 0-0: M. Bentley (CHA)
✓ 0-1: D. McCartney (BHM)
X 0-1: J. Ramos (CHA)
✓ 0-2: S. Saucedo (BHM)
✓ 1-2: M. Acosta (CHA)
X 1-2: K. Hughes (BHM)
✓ 2-2: Y. Lelin (CHA)
✓ 2-3: S. Ngoma (BHM)
Discipline: 72’: S. Saucedo (BHM) 83’: M. Acosta (CHA) 84’: J. Ayimbila (CHA) 87’: R. Williams (BHM) 90+4’: S. Antwi (BHM)
Man of the Match: Ricardo Jérez (CHA) - The veteran shotstopper was influential in ensuring Legion didn’t hit the back of the next more, both in regulation time and the PK shootout. Without him, the result could have been very different. Still immensely talented, in spite of his winter years.
Line-ups:
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (5-3-2): Ricardo Jérez; Yanis Lelin, Jordan Ayimbila, Eric Kinzner, Angelo Kelly-Rosales, Joshua Ramos; Pedro Hernández (C) (Omar Gómez 63’), Matthew Acosta, Jesse Maldonado (Omar Hernández 68’); Ropapa Mensah (Greyson Mercer 63’), Matt Bentley
Substitutes not used: Jason Smith, Austin Montoya, Tobi Adewole, Nathan Donoho
Head Coach: Scott Mackenzie
Birmingham Legion FC (4-2-3-1): Trevor McMullen; Dawson McCartney, Phanuel Kavita (C) (Bryce Washington 61’), Amir Daley (Leo Duru 45’); Seth Antwi, Kadeem Cole; Gevork Diarbian (Serge Ngoma 90’), Tyler Pasher, Peter-Lee Vassell (Sebastián Saucedo 61’); Ronaldo Damus (Romario Williams 80’)
Substitutes not used: Jassem Koleilat, Ramiz Hamouda, Nico Brown
Head Coach: Jay Heaps
Next Games • Saturday 23 May, 19:00 (CT): Union Omaha v Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Morrison Stadium, Omaha, NE (USL League One) • Saturday 23 May, 19:00 (PT): Monterey Bay FC v Birmingham Legion FC, Cardinale Stadium, Seaside, CA (USL Championship)
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