The World Cup thriller in Miami wasn’t Florida’s only wild soccer finish on Saturday.
Jacksonville produced a different kind of soccer battle, about 330 miles north of the highlights from England and France.
Mikhail Keise delivered the deciding penalty kick and goalkeeper Jackson Bennett produced a clutch save as the Jacksonville Armada U-23’s rallied past FC Strive to win the Florida Champions League soccer final on July 18 at Patton Park, 4-2 in a penalty shootout after regulation finished 3-3.
Fleming Island native Noah Daniels scored late in regulation for the Armada to earn the first-ever championship in the new league, which consists mostly of college players competing during the NCAA off-season.
David Mejia got the Armada off to a strong start in the shootout, and after a Strive miss and then Bennett’s save in the fourth round, Keise stepped to the penalty spot with a chance to win it. The 6-4 defender, who played college soccer at South Florida but has recently transferred to the University of North Florida, drilled the game-winner.
The Armada had to fight back from 3-1 down in the final four minutes to force extra time. Mejia’s free kick set up Moritz Zettl for one goal, and then Daniels — a former Liberty University defender scheduled to play at USC Upstate for the fall college season — struck in the 90th minute.
FC Strive struck inside the opening five minutes before the Armada equalized, with Flagler College forward Tim Wahlborg finishing off an assist by Kamanzi Alibaruho.
The Armada completed their 10-game campaign undefeated.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Armada wins soccer league after wild finish, PK shootout
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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By Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
