JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The biggest home crowd of the season including several dressed as ghosts and goblins dressed for an early Halloween witnessed the Jacksonville Armada score a 1-1 draw against North Carolina F.C., moving the home squad temporarily into a playoff position in the NASL standings.
On a night that featured a post-match fireworks show, it was the Armada that provided early fireworks. The home team opened up the scoring in the 22nd minute, when Tony Taylor hit Zach Steinberger on a perfect cross, which Steinberger easily volleyed into the back of the net.
However, the lead did not last long as North Carolina's Renan Gorne beat Armada goalie Caleb Patterson-Sewell for the equalizer in the 36th minute, The Armada and home fans thought the goal scorer was offsides but the arguments fell on deaf ears.
Both teams had opportunities in the second half but neither team could find the back of the net.
The match drew a Hodges Stadium Armada record of 4,967.
.@JaxArmadaFC takes a 1-0 lead on a Zach Steinberger goal off a Tony Taylor cross in the 22nd minute #TeamSideline pic.twitter.com/EhgfzaNBhL
— Neal Bennett (@nbace) October 14, 2017
Jacksonville returns to action Wednesday night October 18 for a home match with F.C. Edmonton. The Armada sits in fourth place in the NASL standings, a position that would qualify them for their first playoff spot in team history. However, they are only one point ahead of the New York Cosmos, who play Saturday against Edmonton in Brooklyn, NY.