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Gameday Report: Switchbacks Continue Winning Start in Birmingham

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 03/26/22, 9:40PM EDT

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Second-half goals by Ngalina, Mines pave way to 2-0 victory against Legion FC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Michee Ngalina and Ben Mines both scored in the second half as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC took a 2-0 victory against Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday night at Protective Stadium to earn their third win in as many games to start the new campaign.

Colorado Springs carved out the first good chance of the night in the eighth minute as Zach Zandi got in behind the defense and shot low to the left corner from the right side that forced a good low save by Birmingham’s Matt VanOekel. Zandi had another effort denied in the 22nd minute with a curling shot toward the top-right corner, while Birmingham’s Prosper Kasim fired a shot on target from 25 yards out nine minutes before the break that was well handled by the Switchbacks’ Jeff Caldwell, but the game went to halftime without a breakthrough.

The Switchbacks’ put the ball in the net to open the second half as Ngalina lifted a finish home from the right side of the penalty area, only for the offside flag to be raised, but the Congolese winger had another chance a few minutes later that he fired just over the crossbar from an angle. The visitors continued to carry more attacking thread, and VanOekel had to make another good save to keep out Elvis Amoh in the 64th minute. With 20 minutes to go, however, Ngalina struck as Zandi found him in the right side of the penalty area before the winger roofed his finish into the top-right corner.

The visitors locked up a third consecutive victory to start the season with a minute to go when Hadji Barry found a channel in the right side of the penalty area and delivered a low pass to Mines as he cut into the penalty area for a first-time finish at the near post.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Cam Lindley, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Lindley was a force creatively and in midfield, registering seven chances created while winning 6 of 6 duels and 2 of 3 tackles and recording 10 recoveries.

Scoring Summary
COS
– Michee Ngalina (Zach Zandi) 70’
COS – Ben Mines (Hadji Barry) 89’

Full Box Score

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