CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Juan Agudelo scored a pair of goals to lead Birmingham Legion FC to a 4-1 victory against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC in the Second Round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night at CHI Memorial Stadium.

The visitors went close to taking the lead shortly before halftime when Agudelo’s shot from the top of the penalty area was saved by Red Wolves goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez Jr., but the veteran forward made no mistake from close range in stoppage time as he arrived at the back-post for a first-time finish after Grayson Dupont had created space for a chipped delivery from the right.

Legion FC wasted little time in adding to its lead in the second half as FC Dallas loanee Collin Smith notched his first for the club with a powerful strike from the right side of the penalty area that picked out the top-left corner of the net. Birmingham was reduced to 10 players when Dupont was sent off for his second yellow card of the game in the 57th minute, but six minutes later Agudelo put home his second of the night as he was found in space in the left side of the penalty area for a clinical finish into the far corner.

Chattanooga pulled a goal back with 11 minutes to go through Aaron Lombardi, but Legion FC ensured there would be no chance of a late comeback as Diba Nwegbo scored his first goal of the season with a beautiful curled finish into the top-right corner in the 87th minute to ensure safe passage to the Third Round for the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference leaders.