For the second time in club history, Crown Legacy FC have won the MLS NEXT Pro Southeast Division with the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, claiming the #1 Seed in the East for the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.
With their 1-2 victory over FC Cincinnati 2 in Ohio, the Legacy finished the regular season with 58 points and the second overall record in the league.
CLFC also ended the season with the most goals scored in MLS NEXT Pro with 67.
“[I’m] very proud of all the players and staff for all the work they have put in over the last 8 months to put us in this position,” Crown Legacy FC head coach Kevin Sawchak told Soccer Sheet. “Winning the Eastern Conference shows the consistency and the mentality this group has to fight for the Club. It also shows the Club is continuing to improve from the Academy up. Now we are going to freshen up the players and start to prepare for the Playoffs.”
CLFC needed a result to clinch the championship as second place Chattanooga FC also won today, ending the season with 56 points to the Crown’s 58.
When Cincinnati got the first goal after a scoreless first half, the championship was in question. Then, Crown Legacy’s two top scorers on the season got to work.
Hugo Mbongue (assisted by Magic Smalls) and Nathan Richmond (assisted by Mikah Thomas) scored in quick succession. With a final score of 1-2, Crown Legacy finished first in the Eastern Conference — as well as the Southeast Division.
Mbongue would finish the season with 14 goals and 4 assists, while Richmond led the Legacy in goal contributions with 19, from 9 goals and 10 assists.
The MLS NEXT Pro Cup
As Charlotte FC’s second team, the primary focus of Crown Legacy is player development — for example, you can thank them raising the game Patrick Agyemang — but they’re still out to win. This year, they have the opportunity to do something none of Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s pro teams has ever done: win a trophy.
The MLS NEXT Pro Cup awaits.
After a play-in match between the teams that finished 8th and 9th in the East — Red Bull New York II and Huntsville City FC — Crown Legacy’s Conference Quarterfinal match will take place October 16 – 18, and the Legacy will both host the elimination match and have the opportunity to pick their opponent from seeds 5-8 this Wednesday, September 23.
As the first seed, the Legacy will retain both the home field advantage and the ability to pick their opponent through the Eastern Conference final should they advance. As the second overall team after Austin FC II, Crown Legacy would host the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final against any Western Conference team except Austin.
MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs Schedule:
Play-in Round: October 9-11 (one match per conference)
Conference Quarterfinals: October 16 – 18 (four matches per conference)
Conference Semifinals: October 23 – 25 (two matches per conference)
Conference Finals: October 30 – November 1 (one match per conference)
MLS NEXT Pro Cup: November 6-8
