Tampa Bay Rowdies, Miami FC host Nona FC, Jacksonville Armada on Tuesday night
By Official Florida FC
The national championship is back on the calendar and four Florida clubs will compete for an opportunity to face a MLS side in the third round.
USL Championship sides Miami FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies will host on Tuesday night. Neither has won in league play this season, but both would be expected to advance against less experienced opponents.
The Rowdies, who have won at least one match in their last two appearances in the cup, will host Nona FC.
The latter won its first U.S. Open Cup match in the first round with an early goal from William Eyang. The USL League Two club beat Club de Lyon II 1-0 on March 23, despite playing the last 24 minutes with 10 men.
In South Florida, Miami FC will host the Jacksonville Armada. Jacksonville, like Nona FC, advanced despite finishing the match with 10 men.
The Armada eliminated Miami United FC in the first round 9-8 in penalty kicks after the match finished 1-1. Armada goalkeeper Nicklas Rulle earned national acclaim for making two saves in the shootout and finishing off the match himself from the spot.
Armada are heading to Miami with a keeper who is a goalkeeper coach at a local university, an academy coach, a high school soccer coach, recent college graduates and multiple academy players on its roster. It is a cross section of the Northeast Florida soccer community that will look to advance to the third round of the Open Cup for the first time in five years.
“That just shows you how deep the talent pool is within the Jacksonville community,” Armada head coach Tommy Križanović said after the first round win. “This community deserves a pro team. We’re getting one now. It’s a testament to what the talent is here. It’s proven now that these boys can compete anywhere.”
The Armada will have their hands full with a Miami FC side that has allowed only 11 shots on goal in four USL Championship matches this season.