Loudoun’s poor first half was the difference.
Following another last-minute disappointment at Segra Field, Loudoun United could not be faulted for wanting to go on the road and find a turn in their fortunes, but the team never could get out of first gear in the first half, allowing three en route to a 3-0 loss to the Birmingham Legion at Protective Stadium.
From D.C. United, Jeremy Garay, Jacob Greene and Hayden Sargis started, as did Academy player Kristian Fletcher. Fellow Academy players Matai Akinmboni, Ignacio Alem and Isaac Espinal were on the bench.
The Legion went for it early with the game’s first seven shots, and eventually capitalized with Bruno Lapa’s goal:
BRUNOOOO @brunoolapaa puts @bhmlegion on the board first! #BHMvLDN pic.twitter.com/igNlx6vOXw
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 28, 2022
Houssou Landry, playing at left back following an early substitution for an injured Grant Lillard, fouled Marlon in the area, and Prosper Kasim converted:
Prosper Kassim finishes from the spot #BHMvLDN | @bhmlegion pic.twitter.com/mGxMKgfqfq
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 28, 2022
Lapa found his brace just before halftime:
@brunoolapaa with his second!#BHMvLDN | @bhmlegion pic.twitter.com/tN8INavHU7
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 28, 2022
And just after halftime, completed the hat trick after Landry fouled Mateo Bunbury in the area for a Legion PK and Landry’s red:
It’s a hat trick for @brunoolapaa! #BHMvLDN | @bhmlegion pic.twitter.com/lOt6pFD8UX
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 28, 2022
Kristian Fletcher got his first pro goal for Loudoun:
Kristian Fletcher with a curler to get one back for @LoudounUnitedFC #BHMvLDN pic.twitter.com/BDvIwOKnx4
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) July 28, 2022
Mateo Bunbury (Teal’s younger brother) converted a late penalty to push the lead back to 4:
Numba 1⃣✨ @MataeoBunbury
| #BHMvLDN pic.twitter.com/ljzKjJafxs
— Birmingham Legion FC (@bhmlegion) July 28, 2022
And in the last kicks of the game, Grayson Dupont put the exclamation point on:
Sweet, sweet six! Here’s your first-ever professional goal @graysondupont
| #BHMvLDN pic.twitter.com/q5aJ8rqoAV
— Birmingham Legion FC (@bhmlegion) July 28, 2022
The next game for Loudoun (4-13-3, 15 pts) is Saturday at 7:30 pm when they host Monterey Bay FC.
Box Score
USL Championship Regular Season – Game 20
Birmingham Legion 6 (Lapa 22, 43, 49 (PK), Kasim 31 (PK), Bunbury 88 (PK), Dupont 90+3)
Loudoun United FC 1 (Fletcher 54)
Lineups:
Birmingham (4231): Trevor Spangenberg; Jonathan Dean, Alex Crognale, Phanuel Kavita (C), Mikey Lopez; Anderson Asiedu (Grayson Dupont 71), Bruno Lapa; Prosper Kasim (Mateo Bunbury 45), Marlon Santos (Edi Horvat 62), Ryan James, Enzo Martinez (Matthew Corcoran 58)
Loudoun (4231): Joe Rice; Jacob Greene (Matai Akinmboni 66), Jalen Robinson (C), Hayden Sargis, Grant Lillard (Azaad Liadi 20); Nicky Downs (Tyler Freeman 66), Jeremy Garay (Ignacio Alem 76); Zoumana Diarra, Houssou Landry, Kristian Fletcher (Isaac Espinal 76), Skage Simonsen
Bookings:
Birmingham – Cocoran 77
Loudoun – Greene 47, Landry 48 (RC)