Legion FC Splits Points at Home Against Riverhounds
USL Birmingham Legion FC

Legion FC Splits Points at Home Against Riverhounds

Published on August 23, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Birmingham Legion FC News Release


Birmingham Legion FC's Ronaldo Damus in action
Birmingham Legion FC's Ronaldo Damus in action
(Birmingham Legion FC)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Debuting a new-look lineup to go along with a fresh plan and perspective, Birmingham Legion FC certainly feels like it deserved more in a 1-1 draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night at Protective Stadium. And while the squad is lamenting that it narrowly missed out on three points at home, some positive traits were shown that should be beneficial moving down the stretch of the season.

"I was really proud of the guys tonight because they left it out there," Legion FC coach Mark Briggs said afterwards. "They created opportunities, were good in transition and defensively. It was just one lapse in focus that gave Pittsburgh an opportunity, but I liked what I saw from them and I feel it gives us a lot to build on with nine games remaining."

For once, Birmingham found itself playing with a lead thanks to the 9th goal in USL Championship play from forward Ronaldo Damus in the 28th minute.

That 1-0 lead would hold through a decent spell of the second half until Pittsburgh's Augie Williams found the equalizer via the away side's first of just two shots on target.

"It's tough on all of us because everyone is trying really hard," explained defender Phanuel Kavita who wore the captain's armband in the absence of Tyler Pasher. "It's always just one slip up or lack of chances converted, it just seems like nothing is going our way at times. We gave away a bad goal, which is tough and it's driving all of us crazy.

"I liked the response from us after it happened because we kept pushing, but it just didn't happen."

Opting for more speed on the pitch to threaten a stout Pittsburgh defense, Briggs rolled out a lineup that featured an attacking front of Damus, along with Preston Tabort Etaka and Sebastian Tregarthen, while Sam McIllhatton and Sam Shashoua played behind them in the midfield.

And while the home side finished with only 40.3% of the possession, it doubled Pittsburgh in total shots with 14, including four coming inside the box. However, the finishing touch was left wanting with Birmingham only able to achieve four shots on target.

"We wanted to maximize Seba and Preston's strengths," noted Shashoua who was deployed in a deeper playmaking role for the first time since joining Legion FC on loan. "They are two guys who are really good at one-on-one, really good running in behind and bring high energy. So we wanted to try and get them in positions to do that. I think at times we were too quick in transition and we could've done a little better in holding the ball, but it's a lot to build on."

Shashoua efforted two total created chances, tied for a club-high in the match with Damus, while also completing 37 of his 42 passes and all 12 of his passes in the final third.

"I thought he was fantastic tonight," Briggs said of Shashoua. "We had an honest conversation with him last week and I wanted more and I thought tonight he gave more. He looked like the player that I wanted to bring here."

For all the chances Legion FC had in the box, ironically it was a shot from well outside of it that led to its lone goal with Damus finding space from 30 yards out after Amir Daley, making his first start in his second match for Birmingham, sprung his teammate free with a deft header from the right sideline.

After a touch, the Haitian striker got off a left-footed shot with pace, but appeared to be leading to a routine save from Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick. However, the ball bounced of his hands and nestled its way into the goal to give the home side the 1-0 advantage.

Pittsburgh would answer back in the 66th minute when Williams was able to get on the end of a cross from Chase Boone at the back post.

BOX SCORE USL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 21 1ST HALF 2ND HALF FINAL PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC (7W-7L-7D | 28 PTS) 0 1 1 BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (4W-8L-9D | 20 PTS) 1 0 1

LINEUPS PIT: Dick - GK, Biasi (Etou 45$B!l(B), Vacter, Suber, Barnes, Ahl (Jacquesson 64$B!l(B), Griffin - C, Mertz (Boone 45$B!l(B), Ydrach (Bouregy 86$B!l(B), Sample (Walti 64$B!l(B), Williams BHM: Delgado - GK, Daley, Suarez, Kavita - C, Paterson, Hamouda (McCartney 75$B!l(B), McIllhatton, Shashoua, Tregarthen (Martinez 75$B!l(B), Tabort Etaka (Laszo 70$B!l(B), Damus

GOALS PIT: Williams 66$B!l(B BHM: Damus 28$B!l(B

DISCIPLINE PIT: Barnes (Yellow) 90+1$B!l(B BHM: Daley (Yellow) 30$B!l(B; Hamouda (Yellow) 43$B!l(B; Shashoua (Yellow) 45+1$B!l(B; Suarez (Yellow) 71$B!l(B; Laszo (Yellow) 82$B!l(B

NEXT UP Legion FC will close out the month with a trip out west on Saturday, August 30 when it travels to face Orange County SC. It begins a two-match road stretch for the squad before it returns home on September 17 to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

"No matter what people say outside of our group, we've got to stick together," Briggs said. "We have to understand that it's still really tight and we haven't been as good as we can be and we're still within a shot. Everyone is writing us off and there's a lot of negativity but we can't look at that, we just got to keep plugging away."

With Saturday's draw, Legion FC pushes its point total to 20 and sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings, but just three points back of 8th place and playoff qualification.

Check out the Birmingham Legion FC Statistics

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Images from this story

Birmingham Legion FC's Ronaldo Damus in action
Birmingham Legion FC's Ronaldo Damus in action
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 23, 2025


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