by Timothy Belin
With no wins from their first five games of 2025, Birmingham Legion FC are currently experiencing their worst start to a season in club history.
Heading into their fourth league game of the season, the Legion had dropped their season opener against Loudoun United and followed it up with comeback draws against Louisville City and Detroit City either side of an embarrassing cup loss to USL League Two’ Little Rock Rangers. They traveled to Pittsburgh looking to change their early season fortunes, knowing full well history did not favor them.
In 10 prior encounters between the two teams, the Three Sparks had recorded just one win. In five games at Pittsburgh’s Highmark Stadium, their sole point came in last season’s 1-1 draw.
Pittsburgh goals in the 39th and 70th minute ensured the Black and Gold didn’t improve any of those records. The Legion struggled to make any real impact on the game — their first shot on target came in the 55th minute — and will now head into their bye week with their worst start to a season in club history.
Pittsburgh was on the front foot from the first whistle, forcing Matt van Oekel into a sweeping intervention just five minutes into the game. A pair of corners followed in the 10th minute, before van Oekel was once again forced into action with a crucial low save in the 21st.
By the half-hour mark, the Legion had barely more than 30% of possession and less than half their passes had found their intended targets in the Riverhounds’ half of the field.
Pittsburgh’s dominance eventually led to the opener in the 39th minute. The Riverhounds found space down the right side and cut the ball back to the edge of the box. While Jake Rufe did well to get a block on the first shot, the rebound fell kindly for Pittsburgh’s Robbie Mertz to send home.
Like in their draws against Louisville and Detroit, going behind helped the Three Sparks up their energy levels, but it was not enough to make an impact before the referee blew for halftime. At the break, the Black and Gold had just one shot (off target) and three failed crosses to their attacking numbers.
While the second half was more evenly contested, the game never truly seemed in doubt for the home team. A swift attacking move straight down the middle of the field ended with Danny Griffin converting on a through ball in the 70th minute to double the Pittsburgh lead.
Legion responded by bringing on Danny Trejo, who hadn’t featured since his halftime concussion sub in Matchday 1, and Tyler Pasher, making his first appearance of the 2025 season following an injury of his own, to no avail. Roman Torres got the team’s best chance in the 79th minute, but his powerful shot was straight at the Pittsburgh keeper.
The game ended 2-0 to the Riverhounds, making it two draws and three losses (2D, 2L in league play) from the first five games of the season.
The Three Sparks will need to use their upcoming bye week to turn the tide if they are to have any hope of erasing last year’s disappointment, where they missed out on the postseason for the first time in club history.
They will be back in action at 4 p.m. April 13, hosting El Paso Locomotive at Progressive Stadium.