When professional soccer debuts Sunday in the Magic City, the game between Birmingham Legion FC and Bethlehem Steel FC should be an intriguing opening challenge for the home team.

The visiting team from Pennsylvania -- an affiliate team of the Philadelphia Union of the MLS -- comes into its United Soccer League 2019 season opener on a roll from last year.

The Steel made history last year when it claimed its first USL Championship Cup playoff victory before falling the week in the Eastern Conference semifinals against eventual Cup champion Louisville City FC, but the playoff appearance was important for the squad’s development.

The new Birmingham team will become familiar to the Steel over the coming seasons, as both teams compete in the same conference.

"Birmingham Legion FC has lofty goals for their franchise and the city, and that dream begins this weekend."

Column on the vision of Birmingham's new soccer team, which begins its inaugural season on Sunday.@bhmlegion @MCBrigade14 @bhambackline https://t.co/UfUfVJ1Efu — Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) March 8, 2019

Bethlehem Steel FC is a veteran team led for the fourth straight season by midfielder and captain James Chambers. In last year’s playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Chambers scored on a free kick goal in the 109th minute and then scored in the penalty-kick shootout.

Birmingham Legion FC, of course, will be playing for the first time together as a team, but what the squad lacks in team experience it might make up for in individual experience.

According to Bethlehem Steel FC head coach Brendan Burke, the combination of youth and experience on Birmingham’s team will be a challenge on Sunday.

“Physicality is not somewhere where we are going to probably have the upper hand because their players are experienced in every position. Details on both sides of the ball will leave us in a better position to keep the game close as long as we can,” Burke said.

Burke said Birmingham’s individual player excellence was on display in the preseason games he watched.

“I think I have a very clear vision of how Birmingham will play," he said. "The biggest hurdle for us is winning those individual battles. With all of their individual experience, that will be the tallest task on the day for us. We feel like we’ve prepared well, we feel like we are fit and it’s just a matter of now executing, which is that hardest thing to do.”

What, then, can Birmingham do to make its USL debut a success?

Appropriately, it may hinge on the play of Birmingham native Chandler Hoffman and how well and quickly the talented individuals learn to play together.

Hoffman enters the 2019 season ranked third on the USL Championship’s all-time scoring list with 59 regular-season goals. And he knows that he’s expected to continue that prolific scoring with his new team.

"My biggest strength is scoring goals. That's what they've brought me in for and what I'll be judged on," Hoffman said. "I need to be that person."

While clearly the face of the newest USL team, Hoffman isn’t Birmingham’s only experienced player. Legion FC has brought in key, experienced veterans for their inaugural season, including goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel, midfielder Mikey Lopez, midfelder Daniel Johnson, midfielder Daigo Kobayashi, defender Kyle Fisher and defender Eric Avila. All played on MLS squads.

Balancing out those veteran players are youngsters who’ve played internationally--and two (Mathieu Laurent and Gael Mabiala) who’ve played locally for UAB and the Birmingham Hammers.

Hoffman said that the mix of players is exciting, and his new teammates have combined to create a unified locker room.

Sunday’s game against Steel FC follows preseason action that saw Birmingham beat USL League One Side Chattanooga Red Wolves 3-1, then lose 3-0 to Eastern Conference foe Nashville SC.

The game against Bethlehem Steel FC is slated to begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday at BBVA Stadium on the UAB campus.