The Florida heat was an issue, but not as much as Zach Steinberger.

The league’s leading goal scorer added a brace to his tally in the first half as Jacksonville Armada FC knocked off North Carolina FC, 2–1 in Jacksonville.

Tiyi Shipalane did find the back of the net in stoppage time, but the Oaks could not mount anything else in the 90 minutes that preceded it.

The Armada (4–4–1, 16 pts.) avenged an earlier 3–1 loss to NCFC and snapped the Oaks’ road unbeaten streak at 2. The Oaks had not won three in a row on the road since the 2011 season.

For North Carolina FC (4–2–3, 14 pts.), there were limited shots on goal even while matching possession with the Armada. Jacksonville leaped over the Oaks for second place in the league behind Miami FC.

Jacksonville had an early attempt at goal when J.C. Banks found the ball in a scramble in front of goal in the 5th minute, but Brian Sylvestre was able to jump in front and clear out the danger.

Billy Schuler and Kareem Moses tried to connect inside the penalty area midway into the first half, but Schuler’s delivery was easily scooped up by Caleb Patterson-Sewell.

While Jacksonville had double the possession time through the midpoint of the half, the Armada were unable to capitalize. The Oaks, on the other hand, managed their fair share of attacking points, but were also not able to connect.

Battling the 95-degree heat, it was Jacksonville that found the first opening of the game when Zach Steinberger found the back of the net twice in two minutes.

The first goal came in the 30th minute when he found a rebound off a Sylvestre save.

In the 32nd minute, it was a turnover by the Oaks that gave the ball to Jacksonville deep on the NCFC side. Steinberger connected on a shot that went up past a diving Sylvestre to put the Armada up 2–0 quickly.

It marked Steinberger’s fourth goal in 94 minutes for the Armada.

Jonny Orlando attempted to drive a ball into the net in the 36th minute, but his delivery went well over the crossbar.

Sylvestre continued to be tested in stoppage time when Jonathan Glenn worked around Connor Tobin. Glenn’s shot went right to Sylvestre who dove to push the ball out of danger.

The Armada out-possessed NCFC in the first half as the Oaks managed just one shot on goal.

NCFC pushed offensively to start the second half trying to pepper Patterson-Sewell to no avail.

Aggressiveness got the better of the Oaks’ defense when Christian Ibeagha drew a yellow card after challenging Steinberger in the 54th minute.

Brian Shriver had a great look at goal in the 87th minute with a diving header, but Patterson-Sewell jumped in to collect the ball and keep the Oaks off the board.

It was Shipalane that finally gave the Oaks a tally with a blast from distance in stoppage time. But, it was not enough as NCFC could not get any more than that.

UP NEXT: The Oaks return to Sahlen Stadium for the next round of the U.S. Open Cup where they will host the Charlotte Independence on May 31. The Independence of the USL knocked off the Charlotte Eagles in the Charlotte derby in the second round. NCFC will resume league play at 4 p.m. June 4 when they host the New York Cosmos. The Cosmos are one point back of the Oaks with a game in hand. New York suffered a 3–2 loss at Reading United FC in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup, and thus will not play on Wednesday.

Highlights

Lineups

Jacksonville Armada FC: Patterson-Sewell (GK), Pitchkolan, Jerome, Ryden, Beckie, George, Blake, Johnson, Steinberger, Banks, Glenn.

North Carolina FC: Sylvestre (GK), Tobin, Moses, Ibeagha, Ruhaak, Shipalane, Akinyode, Albadawi, Marcelin, Orlando, Schuler.

Cautions

Christian Ibeagha (NCFC) 54’, James Marcelin (NCFC) 89’.