NASL Jacksonville Armada FC

First Shutout in Club History Catapults Armada FC into Second Place

Published on May 9, 2015 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Jacksonville Armada FC News Release


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - An hour after the Jacksonville Armada FC's 1-0 win over Indy Eleven, the grounds crew peeled back the two-week-old sod that covered the infield of a baseball diamond, officially signifying the end of the club's first homestand.

And you couldn't call it anything other than a resounding success.

For the second week in a row, the Armada FC played and won in front of more than 8,000 fans at Community First Park, this time thanks to a headed goal by midfielder Bochy Hoyos in the 50th minute that gave the team its first win streak and put an end to Indy's nine-game unbeaten run that stretched back to last season.

After two losses on the road, these two wins have been an immense confidence boost, and the North American Soccer League's newest team now stands in second place (3W-0D-2L, nine points).

"The first few games we felt maybe a little unlucky, but they say you make your own luck," said defender Matt Bahner, who assisted on Hoyos' goal. "We wanted to turn things around, and this home stretch we thought was a great time for that. The game last week was really a breakthrough for us."

If last week's San Antonio match was a breakthrough because of a late winning goal, Saturday night signified a step forward at the other end.

After second-half goals spoiled results on the road in Weeks 2 and 3, the Armada FC made sure to buckle down on defense this time, finishing in uncharacteristic fashion by making three defensive subs and riding out the final minutes.

The result of that workmanlike effort was hard to argue with: their first ever shutout, and three points.

"We don't only focus on the offense," Hoyos said. "Today, we were able to put on those overalls to hold the score at the end."

Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo made perhaps the biggest play in the 87th minute, when he tipped the ball over the crossbar after Indy had pinged it around in the box. Defender Fabricio Ortiz cleared the ensuing header off the line, and when Gallardo latched onto a cross in stoppage time, he secured the 28th clean sheet of his career.

That nervy finish came after three lax passes among the back line (from Gallardo, Ortiz and substitute Joseph Toby) that left the Eleven with an open goal to attack, but all three times the Armada FC avoided disaster.

It would have been hard to imagine that scenario in the first half, when the home side looked their familiar all-out-attacking selves and controlled play.

Other than Gallardo and central defenders Ortiz and Lucas Trejo, pretty much everyone else pushed forward. Bahner often led the charge forward from his position at right back, winning two corners and forcing a save in the first five minutes.

Marcos Flores displayed his deft touch with a number of well-placed passes - include one from his backside after being taken down - and forwards Alhassane Keita, Jemal Johnson and Pascal Millien pestered the Indy defense with speed and skill.

In all, the Armada FC won seven corners in the first 12 minutes (they led 9-0 for the half) but couldn't convert any into goals.

"The way the team played and controlled was important, especially in the beginning," co-head coach Guillermo Hoyos said, via a translator. "They played at a much higher level, being able to pass the ball around very fast. That's the way we like to play."

After that opening assault, the game slowed when Keita took an elbow to the forehead and suffered a cut that landed him in the locker room.

Rather than sub off the reigning NASL Player of the Week, Hoyos opted to play with 10 men for more than 10 minutes. It was a risky move, but the Armada still mostly controlled play and nearly snatched a goal when holding midfielder Lucas Scaglia's shot went wide left.

Hoyos' patience was rewarded in the 28th minute, when Keita came trotting out with a bandage on his head and an ovation from the crowd. Within five minutes, he had taken a shot and won a free kick.

"With [Keita] being so humble and noble, and the faith we have in him - that gave me the patience (to wait)," Guillermo Hoyos said. "Risk is part of my life. If not, I wouldn't be here."

Some of the best chances of the half came at the end. Flores was called offside while awaiting a pass at the back post, Indy nearly converted on two free kicks, and Bahner had a dangerous cross controlled by Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona.

Just after the half, Bahner helped break the deadlock.

He chased down a through-ball into the corner and sent a line-drive cross into the box that took a slight deflection off a defender and angled toward Bochy Hoyos, who had to lean back to get his head on it. He did just enough, popping a soft header into the back of the net.

But as has been the case too often this season, a post-goal defensive lapse followed. Gallardo had to make a great save to stymie an open shot from forward Wojciech Wojcik, and Indy nearly was gifted a goal a moment later. Gallardo, standing outside his goal to the right, played a curious pass across the open net to Trejo, who misplayed it in front of an on-rushing Victor Pineda. With a second to spare, Trejo regained control and sprinted by the attacker to end the threat.

A few minutes later, another moment of lax defending struck as Ortiz played a soft back pass to Gallardo. An Eleven attacker pounced on the ball and had a teammate open in front of an empty net, but the pass was too strong and was cleared by Trejo.

Flores nearly put the game away in the 66th when he threaded a perfect pass through the defense to the far post, but Keita couldn't direct it into the net. Keita came close two other times as well.

First, after Trejo cleared the ball in the 82nd, Keita beat defender Marco Franco and was off to the races until Franco pulled him down, drawing a yellow card. Then, in stoppage time, Bahner and substitute Shawn Nicklaw combined to feed a cross in front of goal, but Keita couldn't get a foot on it as Cardona rushed out of the net.

The Armada FC will take their winning streak on the road next week, traveling to face the Atlanta Silverbacks next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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