The Birmingham Legion are headed to the next round of the U.S. Open Cup, but not without some battle scars provided by the Chattanooga Football Club.
With their third-round match tied at 1 after 120 minutes — including two overtime periods — on Wednesday night at Alabama Soccer Stadium in Tuscaloosa, the USL Championship team prevailed on the fifth and final penalty kick in the deciding shootout.
Birmingham midfielder Enzo Martinez delivered the winning kick, which was followed by a block by keeper Trevor Spangenberg to seal the thrilling victory with a 4-3 advantage in the shootout.
Chattanooga FC's first loss of the season kept it from being one of the final 32 teams in the U.S. Open Cup bracket.
CFC keeper Jean Antoine and the defense held strong late in regulation and stoppage time, not allowing anything off six corner kicks for Birmingham from the 73rd minute to the 92nd. Antoine finished with four saves, two of them brilliant plays as he punched away a header going toward the top of the net and stopped another shot from in close by diving to his right.
Birmingham opened the scoring in the 31st minute off a cross from Prosper Kasim that went into a back corner of the net. CFC answered in the 68th on a penalty kick by Markus Naglestad. For the second straight match, Taylor Gray drew a penalty kick for Chattanooga with a strong run into the box, where he was fouled.
CFC made its first, third and fourth kicks in the shootout as Naglestad, Anatolie Prepelita and Mutaya Mwape converted.
CFC is 3-0 in National Independent Soccer Association competition and returns to league play against the host Michigan Stars (1-0-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Compiled by Patrick MacCoon. Contact him at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.