Protective Stadium | Birmingham, AL — Aug. 22, 2026
The Sporting JAX men’s team brought the numbers against Birmingham Legion FC in a competitive second-half duel, resulting in their second win of the season, 3-2.
Emil’s Immediate Response
After a scoreless first half, Birmingham came out early with a goal in the 55th minute from Ronaldo Domus. The Sporting JAX men, however, would not be deterred.
Two minutes later, after a ball was knocked out of play, midfielder Jean Mota took the corner kick, and delivered a perfectly placed ball into the box. Forward Emil Jääskeläinen took a steep dive and headed the ball to the far left corner, out of the keeper’s reach for an outstanding goal.
“We’ve been there before at halftime,” said Jääskeläinen. “You have a good half but you need to keep it going in the second and we were able to do that and get the win which was perfect.”
He’s the Wan
In just his second game back after his national team debut, midfielder Wan Kuzain proved that his impact can be felt in every corner of the world.
A fierce goal from Kuzain in the 75th minute resulted in a Sporting JAX lead – something that fueled the fire for this high-tempo game.
“It was an amazing three to four weeks [in Malaysia],” said Kuzain. “I just wanted to bring all those experiences here and it proved to help tonight.”
Wilson for the Win
Birmingham did not go down easy. In the 92nd minute, Romario Williams took advantage of a small opening, and threaded one straight to the back of the net.
The ensuing Sporting JAX response was electric.
In the 101st minute, another corner kick was headed out by the Birmingham defense. Forward Ahmad Al-Qaq gathered it in at the top of the box and sent it straight towards the corner net where defender Danny Wilson, a recent signing and long-time veteran of the game, was waiting to tip it in.
“It was a tough game,” said Wilson. “I think the boys did really well to get ahead. Ahmad kept the ball alive and gave us a great chance and we managed to capitalize on it.”
Looking Ahead
Sporting JAX proved that they can pull out a last minute showstopper, but hope to improve their game to keep from future nailbiters.
“In those moments, it can be quite difficult, but they showed great composure,” said Liam Fox, men’s head coach. “One thing we tell them is the harder you work, the luckier you get, and they worked hard tonight and had the result to show for it, so it’s full credit to them.”
As the team continues on the road next week to face Brooklyn FC at Maimonides Park, the desire to keep the winning momentum is strong. With plenty of games left in the season, the men continue to look toward the next result. To support the club in their inaugural season and purchase tickets, you can visit https://www.sportingjax.com/usl-championship-tickets/.
