JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Armada FC will try to keep its North American Soccer League Championship hopes alive at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday when it hosts Ottawa Fury FC at Community First Park.
It will for all intents and purposes be a must-win for the Armada because of their drastic deficit in any goal differential tiebreaker they would face. And if Jacksonville loses or Fort Lauderdale wins or draws against San Antonio on Wednesday, the Armada will be eliminated for contention.
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Ottawa has already secured its spot in The Championship but is playing for one of the top two seeds, which goes to the Spring and Fall Season champions and comes with a home match in the semifinals. Fury FC will clinch the Fall Season title with a draw but will need to finish with more points than the New York Cosmos, which won the Spring Season championship, in the Combined Standings in order to secure the top overall seed.
Jacksonville is coming off perhaps the greatest win in its young history. Last Saturday at Community First Park against FC Edmonton, the Armada went a man down after forward Alhassane Keita received his second yellow in the 51st minute. It eventually allowed the Eddies to overtake the Armada's 1-0 lead and score two goals in three minutes (62nd and 65th minutes). But a costly penalty by FC Edmonton on Akeil Barrett in the 66th allowed Jacksonville to mount an improbable comeback.
Forward Pascal Millien fooled FC Edmonton 'keeper Matt VanOekel into diving to the right, and he darted a shot into the top left of the goal to get the equalizer. Then just three minutes later, Barrett took control of a deflected Jemal Johnson shot and fired a shot past VanOekel that caromed off the far left post and into the net. After that, Jacksonville clamped down and got some clutch saves from goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo to preserve the win.
Ottawa is coming off a 1-0 win over the San Antonio Scorpions last Saturday in Ottawa. After a scoreless first half, Fury FC midfielder Mauro Eustaquio, who was recently called up to the Canadian National Team, netted the game-winner in the 68th minute on a long range strike that was assisted by a back-heel pass from midfielder Julian de Guzman. Ottawa goalkeeper Romuald Peiser recorded his 14th shutout, a new modern-era NASL record.
Wednesday will be the first meeting between the Armada and Fury FC since July 5 when the Fury came out on top 2-0 in Ottawa in the Fall Season opener. Ottawa got on the board in the 13th minute when Mason Trafford headed in a corner, and from there, the Fury extinguished every attack the Armada fired their way. Ottawa forward Tom Heinemann put the match away in the 86th minute when he chipped a shot over a diving Gallardo and into the back of the net.