After winning consecutive games for the first time in nearly a year, Birmingham Legion are not ready to slow down.

Returning home tonight after a two-game away stretch, the Three Sparks hope to make it three-in-a-row against a struggling Indy Eleven.

“We’ve just got to take each game at a time,” Mark Briggs said. “It’s just building blocks. We’ve got to continue, we’ve got the momentum. The guys are showing a better mindset, a better focus, and when all the details are taken care of, that’s when you start to get results.”

Like Legion, Indy Eleven have endured a rough start to their USL Championship season. But also like the Three Sparks, they’ve contrasted it with a perfect record in the USL Jägermeister Cup.

The two teams will face a second time to essentially determine the winner of Group 3 at the end of the month, but Briggs and his players said the focus right now is fully on the league game.

Despite their league struggles, Indy provide a serious threat to a Legion team that will be without some key players. Most notably, centerbacks Phanuel Kavita and Ramiz Hamouda are both off on international duty, representing Rwanda and the USMNT U17s, respectively.

With a few more defensive players potential injury doubts heading into the game, Briggs said he might have to get creative.

“People have to step up and we have to put a piece in the puzzle that might not fit perfectly,” Briggs said. “We’ve got to try and give them clarity on what’s expected in those positions and just hope we can perform, and as a group have the right mentality to help them in front of them.”

One player who could play a key role is recent-arrival Erik Centeno. The fullback was thrown straight into the mix just days after signing for the club and played the full 90 in both games since.

With the versatility to play either right or left back, he will provide some flexibility to the diminished backline.

“I’m ready for whoever they’re going to put next to me,” Centeno. “We’ll help each other and try to get the win and those three points. … I’ll play wherever the team needs me and do my best for the team.”

Briggs will be buoyed by the performance of some of his fringe players in Tulsa. Despite rotating half the starting XI from the club’s previous game, the team still put in a resilient win to grind out an important away result.

Briggs said the rotation was in part to deal with the short turnaround — Legion played Saturday night, while Indy have had a full week’s rest — but it also provided some players a chance to stake their claim for more gametime. Several of them did just that, and that competition for places will only push the team forward.

“I’ve said to them since I came here, it’s a squad game,” Briggs said. “I have to keep everyone engaged, I have to keep everyone involved, and then if we can do that we have a chance of people coming in and performing at a decent level to help the team.

“That’s what we did last week,” he continued. “And those guys that did come in, they’ve put themsevles in a position that now they’re competing.”

One such player is Sebastian Tregarthen. The young winger has been in-and-out of the starting lineup since Briggs’ arrival, but got the chance from the start against Tulsa.

Having scored the game-winning goal, the first of his professional career, the Uruguayan is itching for more.

“After the goal, I think I have a little more confidence in myself,” Tregarthen said. “I think that day-by-day I’m building on confidence. And Mark has seen that.”

Birmingham Legion are currently eighth in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Indy Eleven having played a game more. A loss would therefore see the visitors leapfrog the Three Sparks into that final playoff place.

Though it’s too soon in the season to put much stock in exact positions, Briggs said both teams will be desperate to add points on the board and climb that table. He said Indy are a very experienced team with a real ability to hurt Legion, especially from set pieces.

Because Indy possess a lot of big players, Briggs said he is particularly weary of their threat from balls into the box.

“Set pieces, long throw ins, corner kicks, free kicks, we want to avoid giving those away,” Briggs said. “We want to defend properly and not give up cheap fouls. Those are opportunities where they can put balls in the box, and they’re miles bigger than us.”

Tiago Suárez, Legion’s 6’5″ centerback, could have a busy night. But after earning a third consecutive appearance in the league’s Rising Stars list, there is real confidence he will be up for the challenge.

At the other end of the pitch, Ronaldo Damus will likely be crucial. The Haitian forward leads the team with seven goals from 12 starts and scored in the Three Sparks’ last two wins.

Briggs said he wants his players to focus on what they can do to hurt Indy rather than on what Indy bring to the table. After satisfying practices, he feels the team is ready for a good showing if his players approach the game in the correct, professional manner.

If the team can clinch the three points, they will head into a bye week riding some serious momentum. It could be the perfect moment for everyone to truly come together and kick the season up a notch.

“I think we’re building something big after these two wins,” Tregarthen said. “We expect to keep growing, especially [tonight]. We have a difficult game for the league, and hopefully we make it three.”

Birmingham Legion host Indy Eleven at 7 p.m. tonight at Protective Stadium.

Follow Timothy Belin on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky for more Legion coverage.