Sporting JAX Men Seeking First Win against Miami FC in Midweek Match
USL Sporting Club Jacksonville

Sporting JAX Men Seeking First Win against Miami FC in Midweek Match

Published on March 24, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sporting Club Jacksonville News Release


The Sporting Club Jacksonville (0-1-1, 1 pt) men's team returns to USL Championship league play, taking on Miami FC (0-1-1, 1 pt) on Wednesday night at Hodges Stadium.

Sporting JAX vs. Miami FC

Wednesday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Hodges Stadium | Jacksonville, FL

Watch on CW17 locally and stream on Golazo! Network

Up to Speed

Similar to the club's women's team in its earliest days, Sporting JAX hasn't had the smoothest sailing to begin their inaugural USL Championship campaign. This is to be expected for an expansion team with a roster full of players that haven't played much together. Progress was shown on March 14 when the squad rallied late and fought adversity to earn a point on the road against Rhode Island.

Now, it's time to turn that progress into results. With another week and a half under their belt, chemistry is continuing to build within the team and with talented players like these, success will likely come sooner rather than later.

While Rafferty Pedder will go down as the team's first goal scorer, it was Emil Jaaskelainen that created the opportunity with a missile of a strike. Jaaskalainen has been in the mix early and will look to continue generating chances, whether they be for him or his teammates. Another early takeaway has been the play of goalkeeper Christian Olivares, who made a series of incredible saves in the last outing to make the 1-1 draw possible.

The Opponent

Miami FC's 2026 season got off to a rough start quickly, dropping their opener to Louisville City FC 4-1 last week. In their defense, though, Lou City has begun the year at a torrid pace, winning their first three matches by a combined advantage of 10-4.

Miami did bounce back, securing a point after a scoreless draw on the road at Loudoun United FC. Speaking of the road, Wednesday's match marks Miami's third consecutive away fixture to begin the season. A return to the 305 is on the horizon, but this is the final test before that day arrives on Saturday.

Ultimately, this is an important year for Miami FC. The 2025 season saw the team finish second-to-last in the Eastern Conference, and like Sporting JAX, they are currently winless through two matches to start the season. They'll look to capitalize on Jacksonville's newness to earn their first win of the season.

One player to watch for Miami is Jurgen Locadia, a forward that represents 2026 FIFA World Cup cult favorite Curaçao. Locadia has been the lifeblood of the Miami offense thus far, leading the team in shots (5). Additionally, defender Alessandro Milesi has emerged as an offensive threat, creating four chances and scoring the team's lone goal in 2026.

The Verdict

Sporting JAX towed the line and lived dangerously their last time out. Despite ripping off more than 20 shots throughout, Rhode Island only scored once. This is not the most sustainable way to live on the pitch, which head coach Liam Fox addressed post-match, saying he wants to see improvement from his side regarding possession. Nevertheless, they survived and earned an important first point. The focus has shifted to earning three points, which they will have a fair chance of doing on Wednesday.

Miami FC is formidable in its own right, but they have struggled recently and a home match at Hodges Stadium offers an appealing opportunity for Sporting JAX to secure its first-ever USL Championship match win. Possession, which was solid in the season opener, will have to be better. Likewise, quality chances can't be squandered. Fans have seen Olivares keep his team in games, but it's time for the attack to find the back of the net. Do this on Wednesday and three points could be on the forecast.

Check out the Sporting Club Jacksonville Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 24, 2026


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