Birmingham Legion FC vs. Inter Miami CF Breakdown

Winners in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup will not play in the semifinals until Wednesday, Aug. 23. The reason for the lengthy gap between the rounds is due to the inaugural Leagues Cup and its one-month pause to the MLS season this year.

Two of the eight sides remaining in the quest for the trophy are USL Championship sides. Both are playing MLS opposition this week, including the game we focus on today.

Birmingham Faces Off Against Inter Miami Wednesday

Fans of gridiron football are already familiar with Protective Stadium in Birmingham. Wednesday night, however, one of the hub stadiums in the USFL goes from football to futbol.

Birmingham Legion FC (5-1-7, 16 points) plays its first match in a week and a half when it takes on MLS side Inter Miami CF (5-0-11, 15 points.) Over the weekend, the Legion took in some football between the Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars.

Thank you to our friends @USFLStallions for inviting us to their game today! #HammerDown | #GiddyUp🐎 pic.twitter.com/7kv6xI629b

— Birmingham Legion FC (@bhmlegion) June 3, 2023

Prior to qualifying for the quarterfinals, Legion FC had been originally slated to battle Memphis 901 FC in league play on Wednesday night. Upon the Open Cup contest being booked for the same evening, the Championship rescheduled this fixture for Sept. 20.

Live coverage of the match begins at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT and will be streamed on the CBS Sports Golazo channel. Viewers can access Golazo on any number of platforms, including Paramount Plus.

Birmingham Comes in on Decent Form

Legion FC enters the US Open Cup quarterfinals having gone 3-0-2 in its last five matches across all competitions. Over the Memorial Day weekend, Birmingham traveled up north to Michigan to play Detroit City FC and came up on the wrong end of a 1-0 score.

After the match, Legion FC manager Tommy Soehn didn"t mince words on his side"s performance.

“[Detroit] is a team that doesn"t score much, but they don"t give up a lot because they"re content with sitting and parking," Soehn began. “So when you have an opportunity like that, you got to finish it. That"s how you open things up."

With Birmingham having had last weekend off to prepare for a US Open Cup fixture midweek, did the bye come at the right time? The first 15 or so minutes of the match could have the answer to that question.

Can Prosper Kasim Come Up Big Again?

In the round of 16 tie between Legion FC and Charlotte FC of MLS, the hero for the home team was center-forward Proper Kasim. With the game level at 0-0 just past the hour mark, he beat Charlotte netminder Kristijan Kahlina with a left-footed tally to eventually send them to the quarterfinal round.

Kasim has saved his goals for the season"s biggest matches. All four of his tallies have come in this tournament.

If Proper Kasim turns it on again this Wednesday and scores his fifth goal of the tournament, Birmingham will be semifinal-bound two months from now.

US Open Cup Highlight of Inter Miami"s Season

If the 2023 MLS season were to end today, Inter Miami would be watching the MLS Cup Playoffs on television. As of now, Miami ranks dead last in the league"s Eastern Conference at 5-0-11, only mustering 15 points throughout 16 matches in league play.

Thus, it goes without saying that the club has had troubling form of late across all competitions. Heading into Wednesday"s match, Miami has posted a 1-0-4 mark in the last five contests across all competitions.

The lone win in that stretch came two weeks ago in the preceding round of this very tournament. That night, Miami eliminated Nashville SC from the field by a 2-1 final. Both goals were scored after halftime.

Miami Still in Search of First Win After Neville"s Sacking

Inter Miami"s poor performance on the pitch would lead to a managerial change. Last week, a few days prior to the club"s 2-1 home loss to DC United, Phil Neville was let go as the head coach.

“I have watched him work incredibly hard and with real commitment towards the ambition we set out for the club," mentioned Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham on Neville"s termination. “Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions, and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change."

Beginning with last Saturday"s match, Javier Morales, a member of the departed Neville"s technical staff, assumed managerial duties on an interim status. This year"s US Open Cup is Inter Miami"s best and only shot at a trophy. Will a win on Wednesday turn things around for the club?

Final Thoughts

This looks to be the most interesting match in the quarterfinal round. You"ve got two teams at a crossroads in their respective seasons in league play.

Birmingham Legion FC currently sit in sixth place in the USL Championship. Had the Championship"s season ended today, they"d be on the road in the opening round of postseason play versus the third-place Tampa Bay Rowdies.

In the other corner, Inter Miami just fired its head coach and are struggling to find their identity at midseason. Who will win the day?

Prediction: Birmingham Legion FC 2, Inter Miami 0.

✌️ days… until the Open Cup quarterfinals! #HammerDown | #AllForBHM pic.twitter.com/vusRbtuxHW

— Birmingham Legion FC (@bhmlegion) June 5, 2023

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