First Atlanta United 2020 preseason game announced

Atlanta United and the Birmingham Legion both announced this morning that United will be making the short trip west on I-20 to Birmingham for a preseason game at BBVA Field on February 8th at 3:30pm. This will be 10-12 days before United kicks off the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League campaign against Motagua.

The Birmingham Legion is entering its second season in the USL championship, having qualified for the playoffs in its inaugural season. On the way to the playoffs they defeated Atlanta United 2 twice by an aggregate score of 9-0. The Legion is managed by Tom Soehn, who has experience managing several MLS teams. The team’s general manager is Jay Heaps, whom United fans may remember as the New England Revolution coach dismissed shortly after the 7-0 shellacking at Mercedes-Benz Stadium back in 2017. The most recognizable player on the Legion squad, for Atlanta fans at least, is Anderson Asiedu, who made a splash when picked by Atlanta in last year’s SuperDraft, and played 10 games for the 2’s before being waived.

(Disclosure: the author is a Hoover, AL resident and a Birmingham Legion season ticket holder)