DCFC wins second straight, moves into eighth place
Detroit City FC scored goals a minute apart late in the second half and posted a crucial, 3-2 victory over Birmingham Legion FC in a United Soccer League Championship match Sunday afternoon at Birmingham, Alabama.
Birmingham opened the scoring in the 29th minute after DCFC's Rhys Williams was called for a foul in the penalty area for obstructing Enzo Martinez, and Neco Brett converted the penalty.
The lead was short-lived, as following a turnover Williams found himself with the ball to the left of Birmingham's crease, and his perfect cross through the goal area was put home by Ben Morris in the 31st minute.
Birmingham regained the lead in the 38th minute. Michael Bryant was called for tripping Diba Nwegbo in the penalty area and Martinez scored Birmingham's second PK goal of the match.
The match turned in the 44th minute, when Morris intercepted a bad pass at midfield and booted a 50-yard shot past Birmingham keeper Matt Van Oekel, who was well out of his his goal, and into the net to level the score at 2.
Le Rouge netted the winner only a minute later, when Williams closed in on the left post, and his drop pass bounced off the leg of Birmingham defender Phanuel Kavita and into the net for an own goal and a 3-2 lead.
Birmingham nearly equalized in the 69th minute when Nwegbo curled a beautiful shot around DCFC keeper Nate Steinwascher, but it hit the inside of the far upright and caromed back through the crease, just outside the goal line.
DCFC averted another disaster in the 79th minute when Martinez, bidding for his second of the match, drilled a shot off the bottom of the crossbar that stayed out.
DCFC withstood another Birmingham flurry in the 81st minute with defenders blocking a couple of dangerous shots, but that ended the scoring opportunities for the match.
DCFC's second straight victory put it into playoff position at 8-12-6, a point ahead of FC Tulsa for the eighth and final Eastern Conference spot with one game in hand. Birmingham Legion FC is six points ahead of Le Rouge in seventh place.
Detroit returns to Keyworth Stadium next Saturday for a match against Memphis 901 FC. Kickoff is at 7:30.