Armada remain unbeaten after 1-1 draw with Cosmos

Jacksonville stays in first place in NASL

Armada midfielder J.C. Banks scored his second goal of the year to help Jacksonville remain unbeaten in a 1-1 draw with the New York Cosmos. (NASL/New York Cosmos)

BROOKLYN, N,Y. – JC Banks' equalizing goal in the 67th minute earned the Armada a 1-1 road draw against the New York Cosmos and kept Jacksonville atop the North American Soccer League standings.

New York scored first when Walter Restrepo found Javi Marquez in the penalty area. Marquez's left footed shot got past Armada FC goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewall, marking the first goal the Armada had conceded in 2017.

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The Cosmos had the best of the ball in the first half, but Jacksonville responded after halftime. Banks' goal, his second of the season, came off a brilliant individual run. Working from outside the left boundary of the penalty area, Banks moved the ball to his right foot and then from 16 yards out, rifled it past New York goalkeeper Jimmy Mauer. 

Within moments of the goal, Armada FC head coach Mark Lowry was sent off under unclear circumstances.

The rest of the match included several Armada chances, including good opportunities from Zach Steinberger and Charles Eloundou, however, neither side could find the net the rest of the way.

With the draw, Jacksonville (2W-2D-0L) remains atop the NASL standings, two points clear of second place San Francisco.

The Armada will return home to face Indy Eleven at 7 p.m on Saturday at UNF's Hodges Stadium. The game will be broadcast on THIS TV channel 4.2, Comcast 231.