PREVIEW | Armada FC vs. Fury FC

With just four spots available in The Championship in November, every match counts. And even though last week’s loss to Carolina officially eliminated Jacksonville Armada FC from NASL Spring Season title contention, the club can put itself in an ideal starting spot for the Fall Season. In addition to finishing with the best record in the Spring and Fall Season, the other two playoff spots are awarded to the two teams finishing with the best combined record of each season.

With a win over Ottawa Fury FC followed with a victory over the New York Cosmos in the final week of the Spring Season, Jacksonville (3W-1D-4L, 10 points) could finish out the spring as high as second place in the table.

Also out of contention for a Spring Season title is Ottawa, whose scenario is nearly identical to Jacksonville’s. With matches remaining against the Armada FC and Scorpions, Fury FC (2-3-3, 9) could jump to second place in the Spring Season standings with wins in their final two matches and finish with a respectable 15 points in the combined standings.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jacksonville: Forward Pascal Millien earned Farah & Farah Man of the Match in the Armada FC’s May 30 loss to the Carolina RailHawks after leading a vibrant second-half attack. The 29-year-old Haitian is tied for second on the team with two goals scored in 580 minutes of action. Off the bench, 22-year-old Jamaican forward Akeil Barrett has provided a noticeable spark when called into action. Barrett entered last week’s match against the RailHawks in the 52nd minute and had a near goal in the 77th minute.

Ottawa: Ottawa is led on the pitch by 34-year-old former Canadian national team member (78 caps) and ex-Bundesliga, La Liga, and Toronto FC performer Julian de Guzman as well as 35-year-old Frenchman and veteran goalkeeper Romuald Peiser, who is tied for second in the NASL with 19 saves.

NOTABLES

• Fury FC is 1-3-4 all-time against NASL teams from Florida. The club is 1-1-1 in games played in the Sunshine State, however, this is Ottawa’s first trip to Florida of 2015. Fury FC is 0-1-3 on the road this season.
• Jacksonville and Ottawa are polar opposites of each other when it comes to scoring. Fury FC are the lowest-scoring team in the league of the spring, notching five goals in eight games, while the Armada FC have scored 12 goals, which is tied for fourth.
• This weekend will mark the first regular season match played on Sunday for the Armada FC. Jacksonville faced off against the Charleston Battery on Sunday, March 8, in a 2-0 preseason loss at Community First Park. Including preseason friendlies and U.S. Open Cup play, the Armada FC are 1-3 in games not played on Saturday.