The Sharks now turn their attention to Saturday’s home matchup against Richmond
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (June 9, 2026) – Corpus Christi FC drops its second loss in USL Cup group play Tuesday, falling 3-0 to Birmingham Legion on the road.
Both teams entered the match tied at three points in Group 3 standings, with San Antonio FC sitting atop the table on eight points.
With only two matches remaining in group play, each side had its sights set on the lone Wild Card berth to the USL Cup knockout stage.
Birmingham applied pressure to CCFC’s backline from the opening whistle. In the eighth minute, Legion forward Sebastian Saucedo opened the scoring with a penalty kick after drawing a foul from Corpus Christi’s Blake Bowen inside the box.
Legion would double their advantage just four minutes later from a corner set piece, as forward Romario Williams tapped in a deflected attempt from teammate Samuel McIllhatton.
Heading into the half, Corpus Christi had been outshot 8-1 and conceded 15 fouls against one of the more disciplined sides in Group 3.
One of the leaders of the Corpus Christi backline all season, Jack Keaney did what he could to steady the defense, recording two clearances and one successful tackle on the night.
“Tough evening all around. Gave them too much respect at the start of the game, and they punished us twice which was disappointing,” said Keaney.
The first-half struggles prompted coach Eamon Zayed to make multiple tactical adjustments, bringing on Nacho Abeal, Shannon Gomez, and Jake Keegan at halftime in an effort to spark another Corpus Christi comeback.
The changes helped the Sharks increase their possession from 36% in the first half to 46% in the second, while also generating four corner kicks down the stretch. Despite the improved control, Corpus Christi failed to register a shot on target throughout the match.
Any hopes of a Sharks rally were extinguished in the 72nd minute when an errant pass in the middle third was intercepted and played forward to the top of the box. Legion forward Sebastian Tregarthen then scored his side’s third goal of the night to secure Birmingham’s victory, 3-0.
After the match, Sharks captain Paddy Langlois stressed the importance of quickly turning the page.
“Playing championship teams away is always a difficult ask. Unfortunately, we didn’t help ourselves with some key errors that led to their goals,” he said. “There’s no time to dwell on the result. All focus has to be on Saturday now.”
With the Sharks returning home on Saturday to face the Richmond Kickers, assistant coach Manny Iwabuchi echoed that sentiment, confident in the group’s ability to respond after a disappointing result.
“Tough result against a good side. This cup offers us an opportunity to compete with teams in a tier above and allows us to see where we’re at,” Iwabuchi said. “We fell flat tonight, but we’re a resilient bunch and are looking forward to getting back into league play at home against Richmond.”
Coming Up:
CCFC travels back home June 13th for a League One match against Richmond Kickers at the Cabaniss Athletic Complex.
Notable:
- Corpus Christi FC falls to 1-2-0 in the Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage, sliding them to 4th in the Group 3 standings with three points
- Their next and final group stage match will be at home July 11th vs. One Knoxville SC
Yellow Cards: Infuso (1), Dietrich (1), Zayed (1), Medina (1), Cerritos (1)
| CORPUS CHRISTI FC | BIRMINGHAM LEGION | |
| 4 | SHOTS | 14 |
| 0 | SHOTS ON TARGET | 4 |
| 1 | SAVES | 0 |
| 24 | FOULS | 12 |
| 5 | CORNERS WON | 6 |
| 5 | YELLOW CARDS | 1 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
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