WEEKEND RESULTS
Through Sun Oct 27
Image credit: Birmingham Legion (Preston Tabort-Etaka)
Birmingham Legion went to Oakland with nothing to play for but pride. Okland Roots had an up a and down regular season, but are bound for the playoffs. Roots started 20 year-old Timothy Syrel in goal, just his sixth appearance this season. Birmingham took advantage of Oakland's decision, and brutalized the young keeper with five goals. The scoring started early, and Legion took a 4-0 lead into halftime, two of those being scored by Preston Tabort-Etaka. Enzo Martinez got one more late, to finish the game with a 5-0 win (Enzo also got sent off in stoppage time on a questionable second yellow card). It was the second time in six appearances that Syrel has given up five goals, and he truly looked lost at times. It was a strange decision for an interim coach to put him in goal, and get a beat down right before the playoffs start. Legion will take the win, moving up to ninth to finish the season.
FC Birmingham faced Albion Atlanta on the road, another mid-table team that hadn't lost at home. FCB came away with three points, winning 4-3.
FCB2 headed to Atlanta to face Club the Strongest. Both teams were fighting to get higher in the table, and the result was a 3-3 draw.
The Adjacency
Fountain City got a big win on the road against FC Atlanta. Tristan Shytle is starting to find his way in the Premier division, scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory.
FC Columbus Elite faced second place Atlanta Ignite in a match that had big implications in the standings. Elite fell short, losing 3-4. All three Elite goals were scored by Augustine Ipelokhor, raising his season total to 9 goals.
Columbus Knight Eagles lost a tough match that they were expected to win. Georgia Impact is a mid-table team that has been great on the road, and hadn't won a game at home. CKE were looking for the road win, but came up short, losing 1-2.
Other news and tidbits
Dalton United advanced in Open Cup qualifying. They outshot Mint Hill 4-3 in penalty kicks, after the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
North Carolina and Pittsburgh both won on Saturday, eliminating Hartford from the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island finished fifth, tied on points with Indy Eleven. Coach K will hit the road to face that same Indy team in the first round of the playoffs.