PREVIEW | Silverbacks vs. Armada FC
With each team dropping its Fall Season opener, a win rather than a draw would be helpful in making up ground, especially the all-important combined standings.
For Jacksonville Armada FC, it will be a chance to record its first win on the road against a team it outplayed last time out. Had it not been for the early goal allowed, the Armada FC could have notched an important three points on the standings as they dominated possession 58 to 42 percent and owned a five to one advantage in shots on goal.
With the Atlanta Silverbacks’ 11th place finish and eight points in the NASL Spring Season standings, a strong showing in the Fall Season could be their more likely path to a spot in the NASL Championship. However, the Silverbacks will have to play Saturday’s contest without their starting goalkeeper, Steward Ceus, who along with Armada FC forward Pascal Millien, is on international duty with the Haitian national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jacksonville: With Keita back in the lineup, Jacksonville should be considered armed and dangerous. Before going down in the spring, Keita led the Armada FC in scoring with three goals and was named NASL Player of the Week once and earned Team of the Week honors three times. His dynamic playmaking ability is even more crucial to the team since it is without Millien. Johnson, who was named Farah & Farah Man of the Match in the Armada FC’s loss to Ottawa, will also be one to watch on the wing with his furious attacking style.
Atlanta: With Ceus out of the mix and backup ’keeper C.J. Cochran thrust into the starting role, Atlanta’s core back line trio of Paul Black, Rauwshan McKenzie, and Simon Mensing, along with Christopher Christian, will have to shoulder more of the burden of trying to contain Jacksonville’s furious attack. Black, McKenzie and Mensing have all played a team-leading 990 minutes.
NOTABLES
- Jacksonville will play its second of three-straight road matches to start the Fall Season. The Armada FC will wrap up the road swing in their first league midweek match on Wednesday in Minnesota. In their last three-game road slate in May, which included a U.S. Open Cup match at the Richmond Kickers, the Armada FC went 0-1-2.
- The Silverbacks come into the match tied with Ottawa for the fewest goals scored and have the least amount of shots with 29. In contrast, Jacksonville is sixth in scoring with 15 goals and second in shots taken with 85.
