Birmingham, AL (June 20, 2026) — Loudoun United FC earned a point on the road, playing Birmingham Legion FC to a 1-1 draw at Protective Stadium in USL Championship action. Abdellatif Aboukoura gave Loudoun the lead in the second half, but Birmingham found a late equalizer to split the points.
Match Summary
Birmingham opened the match looking to control possession and build through the middle of the field, while Loudoun remained organized defensively and looked for opportunities to attack quickly when the ball turned over.
The hosts saw more of the ball throughout the opening half, but Loudoun stayed disciplined and limited Birmingham’s ability to turn its possession into clear chances. Loudoun grew into the match and found success moving the ball into wide areas, testing the Birmingham back line with crosses into the box.
Both teams continued to search for the breakthrough after halftime, with Loudoun creating several dangerous moments in the attacking third. The visitors’ pressure paid off in the 67th minute when Abdellatif Aboukoura found the back of the net to give Loudoun a 1-0 lead. Birmingham pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but Loudoun continued to defend well inside its own half.
Loudoun came close to adding a second goal, striking the woodwork and forcing Birmingham’s goalkeeper into five saves. The hosts continued to apply pressure late and eventually found the equalizer through Sebastian Tregarthen in the 89th minute.
Thoughts from the Club
Head Coach Anthony Limbrick on the team’s performance:
“I thought we had some really good moments in the first half, and I thought we should have gone into halftime leading. We probably just weren’t clinical enough in front of goal. They had a little bit more of the ball than us in the first half, but I thought we created the better chances and were probably the better team. In the second half, we did well to score a great goal, and I’m really pleased for Aboukoura after he came back from injury. It was the most minutes he has played since returning, so I was really pleased for him to score. We then tried to see the game out, but we ended up getting a little too deep. We didn’t want to get that deep. We wanted to keep attacking and try to get the second goal, but they put bodies forward and got into some good areas. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see it out at the end, so we’re disappointed to concede so late in the game. I feel like we deserved to win and should have won.”
Abdellatif Aboukoura on scoring his first goal of the season and the team’s performance:
“It felt very, very nice. It has been a long season coming back from surgery and injury, so it was nice to get that off my shoulders and just keep pushing. It was also good to get more minutes in the tank with the guys around me and continue building that chemistry with them. I think the result is frustrating because we could have and should have come away with the three points. This was a game we needed to win, but there were also a lot of positive signs from the group tonight. We fought together, and even though we didn’t get the three points, we can take that confidence into the next game.”
Notes
Bolu Akinyode moves into sole possession of fourth place all-time in USL Championship regular season appearances with 284.
Abdellatif Aboukoura moves into a tie for fourth place all-time in appearances across all competitions for Loudoun United FC with 89 matches.
About Loudoun United FC
Loudoun United FC is the highest-level professional soccer club in Virginia, competing in the USL Championship. The club is committed to advancing the game, developing top talent, and providing a high-quality experience for players, supporters, and the local community. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.loudoununitedfc.com.
