PREVIEW: Armada hit the Road Again for Final Battle in Minnesota

Armada FC Communications | Sept. 29, 2016

The Jacksonville Armada FC will wrap up another busy week when they head north to face Minnesota United FC Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota. The match marks the final meeting of the two clubs in North American Soccer League Competition as the Loons will make the move to Major League Soccer in 2017.

The Armada will be looking to earn their first result in Minnesota Saturday. While the Loons remain winless in Jacksonville at Community First Park (3-3 on 7/31/15 and 0-0 on 8/20/16), the Armada have lost on three separate occasions at NSC Stadium (3-2 on 5/23/15, 4-0 on 7/15/15, 2-0 on 5/14/16).

In the Armada‘s last meeting with United, the two teams played to a scoreless draw on a stifling 93 degree August afternoon at Community First Park. The Armada managed to keep the Loons at bay holding the ball 63 percent of the time and completing 276 passes. Jacksonville finished with an impressive 91.6 percent passing accuracy clip and had 501 total passes. However, Armada failed to convert their chances, even after Ibson was shown a red card in the 77th minute for a high kick that connected on Kevan George and the game ended in a draw. 

Fresh off a scoreless draw with FC Edmonton on Wednesday night, the Armada stretched its unbeaten streak to three games and five at home.

Jacksonville heavily dominated possession throughout the entire match, but were unable to penetrate a firm Edmonton defense. Cameroonian striker Charles Eloundou, who made club history scoring a goal in three straight games prior to Wednesday, was especially dangerous throughout the contest. The Armada held the Eddies to less than 40 percent of possession and launched five shots on goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

Minnesota returns home Saturday following three straight defeats, and only one win in seven matches. United dropped three points for the second consecutive week against the Ottawa Fury last Saturday which have left the Loons barely clinging to the fourth and final spot in a tight race for the NASL postseason.

Below is a breakdown of the teams and the matchup.

WHEN & WHERE
Saturday, Oct.1 at 8:00 p.m. ET | NSC Stadium
Buy Tickets | Weather

THE TEAMS
Jacksonville Armada FC (2W-7D-7L, 13 pts., 12th NASL Fall, 3W-11D-12L, 20 pts., 11th NASL Combined)
Minnesota United FC (5W-5D-6L, 20 pts., 5th NASL Fall, 10W-6D-10L, 36 pts., 4th NASL Combined)

THE COACHES
Jacksonville Armada FC – Mark Lowry, 1st season
Minnesota United FC – Carl Craig, 1st season

SERIES HISTORY
United lead, 3-2-0

LAST RESULT 
Armada 0, United 0, - 8/20/16 in Jacksonville, Fla. | Recap | Final Stats

CLUB QUICK LINKS
Armada FC: News | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats
United FC: News | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats

WATCH
- ESPN3 Nationally

READ
- Live Twitter updates on @ArmadaFCgameday – #MNUvJAX
- Live stats on ArmadaFC.com

POTENT NOTABLES

- The Armada have never lost or drawn when scoring first against Minnesota. Jemal Johnson scored in the fifth minute to give the Armada an early lead on July 31, 2016.

- Charles Eloundou is the first player under the age of 30 to score more than four goals for the Armada and currently leads the team with five goals this season.  

- Jacksonville has gone with 24 different lineups this season and has had the same back-to-back starting 11 just twice (June 4 at Carolina, June 11 vs. Tampa Bay; July 11 vs. Puerto Rico FC, July 14 at New York Cosmos).

BY THE NUMBERS

5 – Goals that Armada have scored against Minnesota all time.

112 – The number of clearances for defender Tyler Ruthven, currently fourth in the NASL.

1097 – The total number of passes completed by Kevan George, which leads the team.

CLUB CONNECTIONS

Minnesota goalkeeper Steward Ceus and Armada defender Mechack Jerome are teammates on the Haitian national team ... Ceus and Armada defender Anthony Wallace were teammates on the Colorado Rapids (MLS) from 2010-13 ... both Loons goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock and Armada forward Charles Eloundou hail from the same hometown of Yaoundé, Cameroon ... Loons goalkeeper Kristian Nicht and Armada midfielder Zach Stein-berger were teammates on Indy Eleven in 2015 ... Loons goalkeeper Aaron Perez and Armada defender Beto Navarro were teammates on the Orange County Blues (USL) in 2015... Loons defender Jeb Brovsky and Armada defender Karl Ouimette were teammates on the Montreal Impact (MLS) from 2012-14 ... Loons midfielder Greg Jordan and Armada defender Matt Bahner were teammates on the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) in 2013 ... Loons midfielder Aaron Pitchkolan and Armada goalkeeper coach Daryl Sattler were teammates on defunct NASL side San Antonio Scorpions in 2012 ... Loons midfielder Jamie Watson was teammates with Armada goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo at the Austin Aztex/Orlando City SC (USL) from 2009-13 ... Watson was also teammates with Jerome at Orlando City SC from 2011-12 ... Watson was also teammates with Armada defender Bryan Burke at Orlando City in 2013... Loons forward Bernardo Añor, who was on Sporting Kansas City's (MLS) roster in 2015, trained with Armada forward Danny Barrow when he was on trial with Sporting KC in 2015 ... Añor, Loons forward Ben Speas and Armada midfielder Kevan George were teammates at Columbus Crew (MLS) from 2012-14 (Speas and George were also teammates at the Crew in 2015) ... Speas and Armada forward Alex Dixon were teammates at the University of North Carolina in 2011, where they won the NCAA College Cup ... Dixon and Loons forward J.C. Banks and Armada forward Alex Dixon were teammates at the Rochester Rhinos (USL) in 2014.

LOOKING AHEAD

Up next, the Armada return home to face NASL Spring Season Champions Indy Eleven at Community First Park presented by We Got Soccer on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. ET. Come support the Armada FC by calling 1.844.2.ARMADA to reserve your seats.