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Birmingham Legion FC played its first match at its new Dunnavant Valley training facility as the team faced off against Chattanooga FC in front of season ticket holders. (Reporter Photos/Andrew Simonson)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

NORTH SHELBY – Birmingham Legion FC made history on Saturday, Feb. 8 as the men’s first team took the field for the first match at their North Shelby training facility.

Legion FC invited season ticket holders to watch the team play MLS Next Pro side Chattanooga FC for a preseason friendly at Dunnavant Valley Fields. While they ended up on the losing side of a 3-2 scoreline, the team was excited to welcome fans to their new home away from Protective Stadium.

“We were thrilled to be able to be able to invite our season ticket holders out to our training facility and watch the squad in action,” Legion FC marketing and communications director Trey Mongrue said. “The weather was perfect, and it was a cool, intimate setting that helps remind us why we love the game in the first place. We look forward to doing more of this in the future including hosting matches for Legion FC and Legion WFC as well.”

In addition to seeing the first team ahead of the start of the USL Championship season on March 8, fans were invited after the match to tour the training facility, which opened in Aug. 2024 and features a gym, locker room, offices and dedicated physical therapy facilities.

As for the match itself, Birmingham’s starters had the performance from their first friendly against the MLS’ Atlanta United FC in the back of their mind and put the pressure on Chattanooga from the opening whistle.

After forcing seven saves from CFC’s Eldin Jakupovic in the opening 20 minutes, the Legion broke through the wall in net as new signing Sebastian Tregarthen sent a ball into the box for the team’s highly-anticipated new striker Ronaldo Damus. Damus put a ball skill on a defender before firing the shot to the top right corner for the 1-0 lead.

However, that lead would be short-lived as CFC scored on just its second shot of the match to level the score at 1-1. Neither team could score again in the fast-paced first half and the sides went to the halftime huddles knotted up at a goal apiece.

After each team made major changes at the break to put their backups and trialists in, Chattanooga wasted little time putting itself up 2-1 and increasing the pressure on the Legion to respond.

Birmingham got another string of chances in the open field, but it would take a CFC tackle in the penalty box to produce the equalizer. New forward Lucca Dourado stepped up to the spot, and the UCF product chose the right side to shoot at as he hit the bottom right corner of the net to tie the match at 2-2.

However, a defensive breakdown allowed Chattanooga to make a run at the goal and fire a quality shot into the far post for the game-winning goal.

The match was just the second that Legion FC has played in Shelby County after Birmingham played Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at the University of Montevallo on April 17, 2024 as part of the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Legion FC has played its home league matches in downtown Birmingham since its 2019 inception, first at UAB’s PNC Field before moving to Protective Stadium in 2022.

However, the team has been open to playing matches like preseason friendlies and early rounds of the U.S. Open Cup at smaller venues throughout Alabama. Mongrue and the club hope to host more matches at Dunnavant Valley Fields in the future along with the men’s second team, Birmingham Legion FC II, and the women’s side, Birmingham Legion WFC.

Those teams already have their roots in Shelby County as some of the area’s best soccer players have suited up for the Legion after graduating, including Spain Park’s Tatum Ahlemeyer, Briarwood Christian’s Matthias Leib, Chelsea’s Kaleb Bass and Indian Springs’ Norah Roller.

The Legion will play their next friendly at Protective Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 15 against Chattanooga Red Wolves, but the match is closed to fans and media.

Birmingham will finish up the preseason with a match against Huntsville City FC on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at John Hunt Park, the home of the AHSAA state soccer championships, before the regular season home opener on Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m. against Loudoun United FC at Protective Stadium.

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