In a matchup between two aspiring playoff teams, Old Glory DC fell to the San Diego Legion, 10-29, in a chilly and chippy contest. Old Glory DC kicked off their first home match of the season at the Maryland SoccerPlex following an emotional last-minute road win against the Miami Sharks in Week 1. Their next challenge? Perennial playoff contender, the San Diego Legion. San Diego arrived in town brimming with confidence after back-to-back victories, including a win against last year’s championship finalist, the Seattle Seawolves, and a dominant performance against Anthem Rugby Carolina in Week 2.
The opening quarter was played largely in Old Glory’s half, with San Diego applying sustained pressure. The Legion struck first in the 17th minute when San Diego touched down in the corner. Old Glory responded in the 26th minute, clawing back three points off Jason Robertson’s boot following a San Diego penalty. However, the visitors extended their lead when Bradley Wilkin crossed the try line in the 33rd minute. With the conversion successful, the first half ended with Old Glory trailing 3-12.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with San Diego scoring tries on both sides of an Old Glory effort. The home side’s lone try came in the 54th minute, courtesy of a brilliant individual effort from substitute winger Owen Sheehy. Sheehy, who had come on early in the first half after Perry Humphreys was forced off due to injury, finished off a well-executed scrum play. Scrumhalf Connor Buckley picked the ball off the base, Jason Emery ran a well-timed dummy line, and Buckley offloaded to Sheehy. The local winger cut through the seam, broke a tackle, and dotted down between the posts for a well-earned try.
Red zone efficiency and unforced errors told the story of the match for Old Glory DC. San Diego capitalized on their opportunities inside the DC 22, while Old Glory had their chances but failed to convert.
Despite fighting until the final whistle, Old Glory was unable to add to their tally. The match ended in bizarre fashion when San Diego had two front-row players sent off with yellow cards in the last three minutes. However, Old Glory was unable to exploit the two-man advantage, and the match concluded with a final score of 10-29.
Old Glory will aim to bounce back next week when they remain at the Maryland SoccerPlex to take on Anthem Rugby Carolina. That match is scheduled for March 8th at 3 PM Eastern Time.
