BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Goals early in either half by Jason Johnson and Dario Suarez sent FC Tulsa to a 2-1 victory against Birmingham Legion FC on Sunday evening at BBVA Field as the visitors claimed their second win in three games between the sides this season and boosted their playoff chances with a second win in the past three games.

Tulsa made a positive start and went close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute as a cross from the right by Eric Bird found Johnson for a header that went just over the crossbar from eight yards. Johnson found the net in the eighth minute, however, as he latched onto a beautiful back-heeled flick by Lebo Moloto into the right side of the penalty area and fired him his first goal for Tulsa in at the near post.

The hosts almost leveled six minutes later as Junior Flemmings controlled possession between two defenders after a looping pass upfield from Neco Brett and then laid off possession to his Jamaican compatriot before Brett’s shot was denied by Tulsa’s Sean Lewis after coming off his line well. Legion FC went close again in the 21st minute as Prosper Kasim slid a pass for Flemmings to break onto in the right side of the penalty area he sent over the crossbar.

Kasim had a chance of his own just past the half-hour mark from outside the penalty area that went high over the crossbar, while Flemmings on a counterattack beat his defender one-on-one seven minutes before halftime as he cut into the left side of the penalty area but fired into the near side-netting.

Having held onto its lead into the second half, however, Tulsa added a second in the 56th minute as Bird sent a through-ball for Suarez into the left channel from his own half, setting up the Cuban for a one-on-one chance that Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel got a hand to but was unable to keep out of the right side of the net.

Legion FC had a chance to pull a goal back just past the hour mark as Anderson Asiedu moved onto a pass by Jonathan Dean into the left side of the penalty area before cutting back onto his right foot for a near-post shot that Lewis got down well to turn wide. The hosts struck in the 68th minute, though, as Thomas Vancaeyezeele delivered a corner from the right that Flemmings headed home for his fifth goal of the season to halve the deficit.

Birmingham grew further after the goal and almost leveled in the 81st minute as Kasim picked out a pass to Brett inside the left side of the penalty area for a shot that was beautifully turned aside by Lewis. As Legion FC pushed for a late equalizer, however, the visitors held firm defensively to come away with a vital three points on the road for their postseason aspirations.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Eric Bird, FC Tulsa – Bird played a perfect pass for Dario Suarez’s second-half goal and had three key passes overall while completing 47 of 54 passes and winning 6 of 10 duels to help see the hosts through to victory.

Scoring Summary
TUL – Jason Johnson (Lebo Moloto) 8’
TUL – Dario Suarez (Eric Bird) 56’
BHM – Junior Flemmings (Thomas Vancaeyezeele) 68’

Full Box Score