Match Preview: Legion FC at NYRBII
April 30, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Birmingham Legion FC News Release
Legion FC's undefeated away record on the line versus the second-best team in the Eastern Conference
MATCH INFO:
Birmingham Legion FC at New York Red Bulls II
Wednesday, May 1 - 6:00PM CT Kickoff - MSU Soccer Park, Montclair, NJ
Stream - ESPN+
Legion FC hit the road for the first leg of a two-game road trip at New York Red Bulls II on Wednesday, May 1 at 6:00PM CT. Following a dramatic, last minute win at home over the weekend, the squad is confident and on a four-game unbeaten streak heading to New Jersey to face the team currently in second in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings.
After a quick turnaround from Saturday and heading into a two-game week, Assistant Coach Khano Smith said, "The most important thing is that they [the players] recover and we keep the team fresh to be ready for another good team because Red Bull's always a good team in this league. They stick to their principles and how they play, so they're going to be a difficult opponent for us."
The team is somewhat familiar with Red Bulls II after playing them in Birmingham on April 6 for 15 minutes before the game was abandoned due to severe weather. When asked about what changes in the approach, Smith said "Obviously we've got to nullify their threats - with a team like that being an MLS affiliate - you never really know who's going to play unfortunately because they have guys coming up and down, so we just have to be prepared for how they play as a team and I think they stick to their principles really well and how they do things."
"They don't really differ or change. The personnel may change but the style of play and the things they try to do always is the same. We've seen it, we've studied it enough, and we know what to expect. So now it's just about us going out and executing."
Midfielder Mikey Lopez thinks the key to the match will be coming out strong in the first 15 minutes and setting the tone, especially against a team like New York who likes to press high up the field and pressure their opponents.
"I think we've got to build on starting fast and trying to dominate from the first minute to the 90th minute and see how it goes from there. We've just got to start faster, start better."
New York Red Bulls II come in hot after defeating Indy Eleven 2-1 on Saturday behind goals from forward Tom Barlow and midfielder Jared Stroud. The game-winner was Barlow's seventh already through seven games and puts him in a four-way tie for first in the league.
The win versus Indy propelled Red Bull II up to 2nd in the USL Championship Eastern Conference, with 16 points, a 5-1-1 record, and a 4-1-1 record at home.
Marcel Appiah will miss his sixth game in a row with a calf strain, Femi Hollinger-Janzen will not make the trip due to a knock picked up against Loudoun, and loanees Brian Wright and JJ Williams are both back with their MLS clubs this week. Everyone else on the Legion FC roster is healthy and ready to go.
Follow @bhmlegion on Twitter for more info and live game updates from New Jersey. The match will also be shown live at Good People Brewing and all Legion FC fans are welcome.
Legion FC head to Memphis after New York for a match against the fellow USL Championship expansion side on Saturday, May 4 at 3:00PM CT. The boys then return home to BBVA Compass Field for a rematch against Louisville City FC on Saturday, May 11 at 7:00PM. Tickets are available at bhmlegion.com/tickets or by calling the Legion FC Ticket Office at 205-600-4635.
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