In-form striker Neco Brett netted his eighth goal of the United Soccer League season, to be one of four Jamaicans on the scoresheet last weekend as Deshane Beckford, Brian Brown and Rojay Smith all found the target with contrasting results for their respective teams.
Playing on Saturday at the Michael A Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, the 29-year-old Brett converted from the penalty spot in the eighth minute, a goal that proved to be the decider in a tight contest as Birmingham Legion defeated Indy Eleven 1-0 in the United States midwest.
Karl Ouimette pulled down JJ Williams in the box following a tangle and Brett stepped up to send goalkeeper Robert Edwards the wrong way.
Brett had opportunities to double his tally, first in the 65th minute when full back Ayoze Garcia was dispossessed 25 yards out and the ball fell to his feet at the edge of the 18-yard box, but Edwards saved from close range at the near post.
And on the stroke of full time, Brett was teed up again on the edge of the box but put his volley just over the crossbar.
The win was Legion’s second straight and fourth in five games, putting them top of the Central Division on 22 points, with Indy Eleven back in fourth on 14 points following their third loss in five games.
Also on Saturday, Brown scored four minutes before half-time but New Mexico United conceded two second-half goals to slump to a 2-1 defeat to El Paso Locomotive at Southwest University Park.
The 28-year-old Brown thought he had put New Mexico in a strong position to break their two-game losing streak when he drove in a low free kick from 22 yards.
However, Dylan Mares scored twice in the space of two minutes to hand El Paso the lead for good in the 57th minute.
Their third win in five outings lifted El Paso to second on 18 points in the Mountain Division with New Mexico remaining on 14 points in fifth.
In the west, meanwhile, Beckford tucked in his third of the campaign to help Colorado Springs to a 3-1 win over Real Monarchs at Weidner Field on Sunday.
The 23-year-old opened the scoring for the hosts in the 16th minute when he got on the weaker side of his marker inside the box, to squirt Michee Ngalina’s cross from out wide past goalkeeper Jeffrey Dewsnup.
Beckford turned provider for Colorado’s second goal five minutes later, getting in behind the Real defence courtesy of a Jose Torres through-ball to then set up Guinean international Hadji Barry who finished from point blank range.
Aris Briggs pulled one back for the visitors in the 28th but Michael Edwards restored the two-goal cushion four minutes later.
Real squandered the chance to set up a tense finish when Edwards brought down Douglas Martinez in the box in the 86th minute but Noah Powder had his spot kick saved by goalkeeper Sean Melvin.
The win, Colorado’s fourth in five appearances, pushed them to third on 17 points in the Mountain Division with Real Monarch bottom on 10 points following their sixth defeat in 12 matches.
And late last Friday, Smith notched his fourth of the season but his Sporting Kansas FC were hammered 4-2 by Louisville City at home at Children’s Mercy Park, to suffer their fourth-straight defeat and remain winless in five outings in the Central Division.
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