The Sporting JAX men’s team fell 2-1 on the road to Indy Eleven, despite taking a first-half lead in a tightly-contested match.

A Breakthrough Moment

Sporting JAX struck first just before halftime, as Ahmad Al-Qaq found the back of the net in the 45th minute, assisted by Emil Jääskeläinen. The finish marked Al-Qaq’s first professional goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage heading into the break.

“I was happy, it boosted the team morale going into the second half,” Al-Qaq said.

GOOOALLLL
#11 Ahmad Al-Qaq pic.twitter.com/BK1COCeruD

— Sporting JAX (@sporting_jax) May 9, 2026

The opening half showcased a disciplined performance from Sporting JAX, who made the most of their chances while taking on pressure from the home side.

“We did well in the first half, weathering the storm,” Al-Qaq added. “Not always having control of the ball, but made the most of our opportunities.”

Defensive Resilience Tested

Indy Eleven responded in the second half, capitalizing on their attacking pressure to score twice and overturn the deficit. The hosts finished with more than 25 shots, including nine on target, along with 12 corner kicks.

Sporting JAX goalkeeper Christian Olivares delivered a standout performance, recording nine saves and keeping his side in contention throughout the match.

Pure highlight material 🧤⚡

Christian earns the @pricedotcom Save of the Match.#ProSoccerProJAX pic.twitter.com/yCymbdtRF7

— Sporting JAX (@sporting_jax) May 10, 2026

“It was a really close game, we were very much in the game,” Head Coach Liam Fox said. “We knew they’d have a tough reaction coming out of halftime and they punished us… but it’s good learning for our younger players, and how fine the margins are in the USL Championship. There’s super small margins in those moments.”

Looking Ahead

With a quick turnaround, Sporting JAX will look to respond next week in a pair of Prinx Tires USL Cup matches against Sarasota Paradise on Wednesday, May 13 and FC Naples on Sunday, May 17, before returning home on May 27 to face San Antonio FC.

“No team is ever complete, we need to keep working, and keep believing in ourselves and the work we’re doing,” Fox said. “I keep reminding them, it’s never going to be easy, we’ll keep working, there’s no hiding away from it, we’ll continue to work and do our best.”