Behind closed doors, Jacksonville Armada Football Club faced off against the New York Red Bulls in Orlando, FL on Sunday morning. This scrimmage featured as the cherry on top of the first full week of training for the boys in blue, and was the first opportunity for Tony Meola and company to positively assess the team against another club.

New York pulled no punches

Regarding the match as a scrimmage meant nothing for New York. Losing to the Columbus Crew in the Conference Final last year in MLS has sparked a motivation into the side. The Red Bulls sent out a strong lineup featuring their best talent including the likes of Dax McCarty, Sacha Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sal Zizzo, Lloyd Sam, and Felipe to begin the game against Jacksonville Armada. 

New look for Jacksonville

After a dismal 2015 year, in which the Fleet finished 11th in the NASL, many changes were needed to be made to the team. With nine new players entering the club, and near the same number exiting, a total revamp meant a brand new lineup on the team sheet for Sunday’s match against NYRB. Most notable was the formation that head coach Tony Meola displayed.

Five defenders started for the Armada in a notable 5-3-2 formation, one that fans have not seen before, but is near identical and can also be played as a 3-5-2, depending on how far pushed up the wing-backs play. Miguel Gallardo got the start between the sticks while Jacksonville’s back line consisted of Beto Navarro, Mechak Jérôme, Tyler Ruthven, Matt Bahner, and Bryan Burke. In the center of the park, Nico Perea and Lucas Scaglia slotted in as holding midfielders on the left and right side underneath attacking midfielder Pascal Millien. Finally, up top was the forward duo of Alhassane Keita and Derek Gebhard, a partnership driven by pace on and off the ball. Many of the players who featured as starters today will be regulars in the starting XI during the season.

Jacksonville opens the scoring

The Red Bulls began the match quickly in the opening minutes, as Kljestan viciously opened up the Armada defense and sent midfielder Gonzalo Verón in towards Gallardo’s net, but the Argentine took too heavy of a touch around the Armada goalkeeper and the ball went out of play. Just two minutes later Verón was delivered a ball through the Fleet’s back line again, but his squared pass to Bradley Wright-Phillips was blocked out for a corner. Surprisingly though, against the run of play, Alhassane Keita struck the back of the net sending Jacksonville into the lead for a 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute. The next ten minutes settled down, allowing for numerous amounts of possession for both sides, but no clear cut chances until the 24th minute for New York Red Bulls. Once again, Verón raced down Armada’s defensive third and played in a delectable pass to Kljestan in the box, but the U.S. International popped his shot just over the crossbar.

New York equalizes

The downfall began for Jacksonville when they gave up a penalty by taking down McCarty in the area in the 27th minute. Wright-Phillips stepped up to the spot and slotted home to Gallardo’s right side to equalize. New York continued on the front foot carrying the momentum for most of the match and carved up another opportunity as Lloyd Sam sprang down the right sideline and whipped in a ball to Gonzalo Verón, whose shot was deflected out for an NYRB corner. On the stroke of halftime, New York gained an advantage in the match. The persistent attacking partnership between Verón and Kljestan finally connected to give New York a 2-1 lead. Verón broke away from the midfield, running again at the Armada defense and delivered a beautiful pass to Kljestan who hit the ball first time past Gallardo.

At the end of the first half, Jacksonville Armada found themselves down 2-1 to New York Red Bulls. Full lineup changes were made by both teams at halftime.

New York's second half line-up read: Reynish, Lade, Cochran, Carroll, Duvall, Grella, Davis, Adams, Bezecourt, Bonomo, Cooper. Meanwhile, Jacksonville's second half line-up read: Krizanovic, Dixon, Barrett, Barrow, Ryan, Lewis, Johnson, Navarro, Norton, Nicklaw, Evers. 

Cooper, Grella headline the second period

The two big names for NYRB playing in the second half were the 2016 debuts of new signing Kenny Cooper from Montreal, and electric attacking midfielder/winger Mike Grella.

The Armada debuted two trialists in Norton and Lewis, and also handed striker Danny Barrow and dynamic midfielder Richie Ryan their first appearances for Jacksonville.

High scoring second period

Out of the gates, Jacksonville leveled the affair at 2-2 as 20-year old West Bromwich Albion academy player Danny Barrow struck home in his first appearance for the club. That scoreline lasted just two minutes before Grella raced into the Armada zone and banked a shot in off the post from the tightest of angles to send the Red Bulls ahead 3-2 in the 52nd. Just eight minutes later, Grella attempted a laser of a shot from 35 yards out that just fizzed by the goal post. In the 73rd minute, New York doubled their advantage to 4-2. Grella cut open the Armada defense with a scything pass to attacker Bonomo, who slid it right by keeper Sebastian Evers. Chance after chance presented itself for Red Bulls and just a few minutes later Kenny Cooper’s cross found the head of Sean Davis, but a fantastic save by Evers denied the midfielder a goal and New York’s fifth.

New York wrapped up the scrimmage with another goal to make the score 5-2. Davis led the charge of a counter attack, playing a pass to defender Connor Lade, who calmly and coolly finished off the brilliant attack brushing the ball by Evers.

Next on the schedule for Jacksonville is another encounter with MLS opposition in the Philadelphia Union on February 6th, whom they defeated last year 3-1 in their inaugural game in history. The New York Red Bulls faced off against Montverde Academy right after defeating the Armada 5-2 on Sunday morning. After losing to Montverde 1-0 in what was a match for the youth, the Red Bulls will next play Montreal Impact on February 4th.

These two sides, Jacksonville Armada and New York Red Bulls, will take part in a rematch on February 27th in Jacksonville, just over a week before the 2016 MLS season kicks off.