PREVIEW | Kickers vs. Armada FC

In a season of many firsts, Wednesday will have another one in store for Jacksonville Armada FC, as they play their first ever Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match at the Richmond Kickers at 7 p.m. ET.

The Armada FC is coming off a close 3-2 loss at Minnesota United FC last Saturday in NASL play, while the Kickers fell 2-1 at the hands of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at home on Saturday in a United Soccer League match.

For any team competing in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a championship win gives that team the right to call itself the best soccer club in the United States and the right to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The winner of Wednesday’s contest would host Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew SC on Wednesday, June 17 in the fourth round.

The Kickers are quite familiar with the U.S. Open Cup, hoisting the trophy in 1995 and has made it to the quarterfinal round five times (1995, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2011) and the semifinal round twice (1995, 2011) in addition to knocking out multiple Major League Soccer teams including the Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew, and Sporting Kansas City. In 2011, the Kickers became the first lower division team to defeat back-to-back MLS teams on the road.

Despite making their first ever appearance in the tournament, Jacksonville’s roster is loaded with U.S. Open Cup experience. Twelve Armada FC players – Matt Bahner, Jaime Castrillon, Jordan Gafa, Miguel Gallardo, Jemal Johnson, Tommy Krizanovic, Pascal Millien, Shawn Nicklaw, Nicolas Perea, Lucas Rodriguez, Ramak Safi, and Tyler Williams – have played in U.S. Open Cup matches. Gallardo has the most appearances of the group with nine (eight with Orlando City SC and one with Austin Aztex) and has recorded two clean sheets.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jacksonville: Millien scored his second goal of the NASL Spring Season in the 71st minute against Minnesota United FC last Saturday, while Johnson notched his third goal of the season in the 83rd minute. Johnson is currently tied for third in the NASL for goals scored. Bahner, who has been a standout performer on the back line so far, was a second-team All-USL selection for the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2014 and spent two seasons with the club. It was Bahner’s squad that downed the Kickers, 3-2, in the semifinals of the 2014 USL Playoffs, and he recorded an assist in the win.

Richmond: Midfielder Nate Shiffman earned his first start and his first goal for his hometown team during last week’s U.S. Open Cup Second Round victory. The native of Midlothian, Va., and former James River High School standout signed with the Kickers prior to the 2015 campaign, following his rookie season with OKC Energy. Defender Hugh Roberts earned back-to-back starts last week, anchoring the back line in eight games during his sophomore season. Amassing nearly 1,800 minutes over two seasons, the native of Olney, Md., was discovered at the Kickers’ 2014 Pro Tryouts after making 69 appearances at George Mason University.

NOTABLES

• Jacksonville is one of five NASL teams hitting the road for the U.S. Open Cup Third Round. The Armada FC joins Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Minnesota as the NASL’s road clubs, while New York, Indy, Carolina, and San Antonio will host.
• The Armada FC went 0-2 against the USL in preseason friendlies earlier this year, falling twice to the Charleston Battery. Jacksonville lost 1-0 on Feb. 18 in Charleston and fell 2-0 on March 8 in Jacksonville. Richmond drew 2-2 with the Battery on May in Richmond. Charleston is hosting the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the Open Cup third round.
• The NASL had a 2-1 record against the USL in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup. Carolina defeated the Charlotte Eagles 2-0 and Indy Eleven took down Dayton Dutch Lions 5-2 while Tampa Bay fell 4-1 to Orlando City SC (then USL).