Armada FC Public Relations | July 30, 2015

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Armada FC will try to keep its winning momentum rolling on Friday when it hosts Minnesota United FC at Community First Park at 7:30 p.m., presented by Winn-Dixie.

After taking last weekend off during a bye week, the Armada will try to duplicate the excitement of their 1-0 win over North American Soccer League Spring Season champions New York Cosmos on July 18 in Jacksonville. Hometown forward Tommy Krizanovic tapped in a Jaime Castrillón header in the 54 th minute, giving goalkeeper David Sierra all he needed to preserve the shutout. Sierra recorded a season-high seven saves and his eighth-career clean sheet. Jacksonville was also without regular starters Alhassane Keita (red card suspension), Marcos Flores (injured), Matt Bahner (injured), Miguel Gallardo (coach's decision) and Pascal Millien (international duty).

Minnesota has won two straight and is fresh off a 4-3 win over 2014 NASL champions San Antonio Scorpions last Saturday evening in San Antonio. Both Christian Ramirez and Kalif Alhassan took part in all of the Loons' goals. Alhassan notched two assists, tallying one on Ramirez's 11 th minute goal, another on Ibson's 37 th minute strike. Alhassan also netted a goal in the 48 th minute. Ramirez recorded an assist on Justin Davis' 22 nd minute score.

It will be the first meeting in Jacksonville between the teams and the first time the Armada has played a home match at Community First Park on a Friday night. United FC owns a 2-0-0 series advantage, winning the previous meetings 3-2 on May 23 and 4-0 on July 15 in Blaine, Minn. The Armada were shorthanded in the July 15 match, playing without Bahner and most of the match without Flores, who went down with an injury in the 35 th minute, and Keita, who received a red card in the 45 th minute. Jacksonville's best two scoring chances came from forward Jemal Johnson, with one attempt just missing in the 54 th minute and the other being saved in the 70 th minute by United FC goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock.

Prior to Friday night’s match, the Armada will join with Winn-Dixie in hosting a food drive in support of the Feeding Northeast Florida food bank. Fans who contribute a non-perishable food item will receive a buy one, get one ticket voucher for the Armada’s next home match on Wednesday, Aug. 12 against Carolina RailHawks.

Below is a breakdown of each team and the match.

WHEN & WHERE

Friday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Community First Park at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville

Buy Tickets | Weather



THE TEAMS

Jacksonville Armada FC (1W-0D-3L, 3 pts., 11 th NASL Fall; 4-3-7, 15 pts., 10 th NASL Combined)

Minnesota United FC (2W-1D-1L, 7 pts., 3 rd in NASL Fall; 5-6-0, 21 pts., 5 th NASL Combined)

SERIES HISTORY

Minnesota leads, 2-0-0

LAST RESULT

United FC 4, Armada FC 0 - 7/15/15 in Blaine, Minn. | Recap | Video Highlights

CLUB QUICK LINKS

Armada FC: News | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats

United FC: News | Roster | Schedule | Season Stats

WATCH

- CW17 in Jacksonville | Cole Pepper - PXP, Bob Veal - Color and Krissty Andaur - Sideline

- ESPN3



LISTEN

- Sports Radio 930-AM in Jacksonville | Stuart Webber - PXP and Matt Hollyoak - Color

- Also streamed live on sportsradiojax.iheart.com

READ

- Live Twitter updates on @ArmadaFCgameday - #JAXvMNU

- Live stats on ArmadaFC.com

WHAT'S AT STAKE

With Jacksonville's recent win over Spring Season champion New York, the Armada have found a new wave of momentum and will try to keep it going. Another three points could vault Jacksonville to as high as sixth place on the Fall Season and Combined tables.

United FC currently sits in third on the Fall Season table, so a win would catapult them to second place and potentially put them in a tie with Ottawa for first in the Combined standings.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jacksonville: Jacksonville's frontline will be a good place to focus on for this match with the return of leading goal scorer Pascal Millien from his tour of international duty with the Haitian national team and Alhassane Keita, who served a one-match suspension from the red card he received in the Armada's last match against Minnesota. Millien scored in the 71 st minute of the Armada's first meeting with the Loons on May 23, while Johnson also scored in the 83 rd minute.

Minnesota: The Armada might key in on both Ramirez and Campos. Ramirez, the 2014 NASL Golden Boot winner, and Campos, the league's all-time leading goal scorer, have each netted goals in both matches against Jacksonville.

NOTABLES

Friday's match will be the second in a stretch of four home matches in a span of five overall. The Armada are 3-1-1 at Community First Park and 4-1-1 overall in Jacksonville.



Jacksonville has a tendency get out to a fast start in wins. When scoring first, the Armada are 4-0-0.



The Armada will have a new forward available on Friday. The club announced the signing of 19-year-old Derek Gebhard on Thursday . Gebhard recently played with NPSL side Jacksonville United FC and played a season of college soccer at Florida Gulf Coast University.