Huntsville City and Crown Legacy finished level at 2-2 in MLS Next Pro Group Stage action on Thursday night before Crown Legacy won the penalty shootout 5-4. M. Smalls opened the scoring in the third minute before adding a second at the thirteen-minute mark to give the hosts a commanding lead. N. Pariano pulled one back for the visitors twenty-two minutes into the contest, and M. Veliz equalised after the hour mark to set up extra time.
By then the match had settled into a rhythm that neither side could quite break. Smalls had been everywhere in the opening exchanges, his movement off the ball creating the space for his first effort. Crown Legacy adjusted their approach at half-time, looking to plug the gaps that Huntsville had exploited so freely in the first period. The hosts kept their side in it through disciplined defending.
A. Johnson came on for Huntsville in the forty-third minute, trying to add fresh legs to an attack that had grown increasingly predictable. Crown Legacy responded with C. Gonzalez at forty-six, a move that was closing in on a deal to shift the balance. M. Thomas appeared twice in quick succession at fifty-eight and fifty-nine, suggesting confusion in the visitors' planning. M. Zambrano followed at sixty-one, and the substitution pattern told its own story.
The shootout at 120+1 saw K. Coulibaly miss for Huntsville, while N. Richmond and L. Christiano converted for Crown Legacy. H. Mbongue and M. Veliz added to the visitors' tally, and S. Ventura's miss gave Huntsville hope. Z. Yanez, W. Holt, A. Iniguez and J. Smith all scored to level things at 4-4. X. Aguilar then missed for Huntsville, and K. McDowell stepped up to seal the victory for the visitors.
Huntsville dominated possession with 44 per cent to 56, though their 5 shots on target compared to Crown Legacy's 2 told a different story about efficiency. The hosts had 88 attacks to the visitors' 100, but accuracy proved more important than volume. Huntsville registered 5 shots on target against 4 off target, while Crown Legacy managed just 2 on target with none off target.
Crown Legacy moved to the top of the table with 54 points from 26 games, maintaining their unbeaten record in terms of not losing. Huntsville sat in sixth place with 38 points from 25 matches, having lost thirteen of their outings. The visitors had beaten the hosts 3-1 on August second, and this result extended that advantage. Huntsville had not drawn a game all season, while Crown Legacy shared the same pattern.