NASL Jacksonville Armada FC

Match Preview | Armada FC Set for Rematch with Silverbacks in Atlanta

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


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (July 9, 2015) - The Jacksonville Armada FC will seek a crucial win on the road at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday when they head to Atlanta to take on the Atlanta Silverbacks.

The Armada are coming off a 2-0 loss to Ottawa Fury FC last Sunday in Ottawa and will seek three points on the road for the first time in club history. Despite a barrage of pressure from the Jacksonville attack, which was led by Jemal Johnson's team-high five shots, Ottawa held strong and countered.

Atlanta fell 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Saturday in Tampa despite getting on the scoreboard first. The Silverbacks have not won an NASL match since a 2-1 victory over the Carolina RailHawks in Cary, N.C., on April 18.

Interestingly enough, the Silverbacks' last matchup with the Armada on May 16 in Atlanta, a 1-1 draw, was the last time they recorded a point in the NASL standings. Since then, they have lost five-straight league contests. Atlanta got on the board first in that match with a strike from forward Hans Denissen 26 seconds in. Armada FC forward Alhassane Keita tallied the equalizer on a Marcos Flores assist in the 20th minute but later sustained a hamstring injury during the match and missed the final four spring fixtures as a result.

Below is a breakdown of each team and the match.

WHEN & WHERE

Sunday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET | http://www.atlantasilverbacksfc.com/stadium Silverbacks Park

THE TEAMS

Jacksonville Armada FC (0W-0D-1L, 0 pts., 10 th NASL Fall; 3-3-5, 12 pts., 8th NASL Combined) Atlanta Silverbacks (0W-0D-1L, 0 pts., 8th in NASL Fall; 1-5-5, 8 pts., 11th NASL Combined)

SERIES HISTORY

Tied 0-1-0

LAST RESULT

Silverbacks 1, Armada FC 1 - 5/16/15 in Atlanta |

WATCH - CW17 in Jacksonville | Cole Pepper - PXP, Bob Veal - Color and Krissty Andaur - Sideline - http://www.armadafc.com/watch-live ESPN3

LISTEN - Sports Radio 930-AM in Jacksonville | Stuart Webber - PXP and Andy Kidd - Color - Also streamed live on sportsradiojax.iheart.com

READ - Live Twitter updates on @ArmadaFCgameday - #ATLvJAX - http://www.armadafc.com/match-center/944/atl-vs-jax#tabs-4 Live stats on ArmadaFC.com

WHAT'S AT STAKE

With each team dropping its Fall Season opener, a win rather than a draw would be helpful in making up ground in the standings, especially the all-important combined table.

For Jacksonville, it will be a chance to record its first win on the road against a team it outplayed last time out. Had it not been for the early goal allowed, the Armada could have notched an important three points on the standings as they dominated possession 58 to 42 percent and owned a five to one advantage in shots on goal.

With Atlanta's 11th place finish and eight points in the NASL Spring Season standings, a strong showing in the Fall Season could be its more likely path to a spot in the NASL Championship. However, the Silverbacks will have to play Saturday's contest without their starting goalkeeper, Steward Ceus, who along with Armada FC forward Pascal Millien is on international duty with the Haitian national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jacksonville: With Keita back in the lineup, Jacksonville should be considered armed and dangerous. Before going down in the spring, Keita led the Armada in scoring with three goals and was named NASL Player of the Week once and earned Team of the Week honors three times. His dynamic playmaking ability is even more crucial to the team since it is without Millien. Johnson, who was named Farah & Farah Man of the Match in the Armada's loss to Ottawa, will also be one to watch on the wing with his furious attacking style.

Atlanta: With Ceus out of the mix and backup 'keeper CJ Cochran thrust into the starting role, Atlanta's core backline trio of Paul Black, Rauwshan McKenzie and Simon Mensing, along with Christopher Christian, will have to shoulder more of the burden of trying to contain Jacksonville's furious attack. Black, McKenzie and Mensing have all played a team-leading 990 minutes. McKenzie also notched Atlanta's goal last Saturday against Tampa Bay.

NOTABLES

- Jacksonville will play its second of three-straight road matches to start the Fall Season. The Armada will wrap up the road swing in their first league mid-week match on Wednesday in Minnesota. In their last three-game road slate in May, which included a US Open Cup match at the Richmond Kickers, the Armada went 0-1-2.

- The Silverbacks come into the match tied with Ottawa for the fewest goals scored and have the least amount of shots with 29. In contrast, Jacksonville is sixth in scoring with 15 goals and second in shots taken with 85.

LOOKING AHEAD The Armada will head to Blaine, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. ET fixture against Minnesota United FC on Wednesday, July 15. It will be a rematch of a 3-2 win for United on May 23 in Minnesota. Jacksonville will make its Fall Season debut at home on Saturday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET against the New York Cosmos at Community First Park.

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