The Armada visit Fort Lauderdale tonight with every possibility of taking three points from the Strikers in the Battle for the Atlantic. Jacksonville has never won on the road in the club’s short history, and though many players weren’t around last season, there is still an air of expectancy about the record around the club.

Looking Forward: Three points will take Jacksonville up to six total in the league, and would do the same in the Coastal Cup. Pending other results, the Armada could be sitting as high as second place in the league with a win tonight. In the Coastal Cup table, three points would mean a gap of four points at the top for the Armada, a decently-sized lead.

The Strikers have just one point (A draw with Miami in week one) from two matches this season. A win for them would get the club back on track and push them as high as sixth in the league table, pending other results. They would, however jump into the lead in Coastal Cup standings on four points, as they currently have one from the aforementioned draw with Miami.

Keys to Victory: For Jacksonville, look for Matt Fondy to have a key part in today’s game. Fort Lauderdale’s defense is disjointed and lacks chemistry. The Armada can put the game away if they get Fondy involved early and often. On the flip side, the Strikers defense must step up to the plate if they hope to achieve any sort of result. Fort Lauderdale’s hopes all hinge on how well Luis Zapata and Julius James play tonight.

Other players whose performances will impact the match tonight are Miguel Gallardo and PC. The Armada have pretty lived and died by Miggy’s performances, and tonight won’t be much different. If he has an ok-to-good game, the Armada have every chance of their first road win. Otherwise, it will be a difficult hill to climb. PC is always a threat for the Strikers, as well. He can frustrate opponents in the midfield and will also get forward and score goals. He’s not afraid to get a little dirty either, so tonight will probably get physical.

Game Info: It all kicks off at 7pm in Fort Lauderdale tonight. If you aren’t watching at Lockhart Stadium, you can watch on CW-17 locally or ESPN3 nationally.