Paradise Coast Sports Complex | Naples, FL. — May 17, 2026

The Sporting JAX men’s team closed out a busy week of Prinx Tires USL Cup action on Sunday, falling to FC Naples 1-1 (3-1) in a penalty kick shootout.

Early Offense

It didn’t take long for Sporting JAX to find its way onto the scoreboard, as Ahmad Al-Qaq converted in the 17th minute off an assist from Edgardo Rito to grab the lead. This marks the forward’s third goal in the last three matches.

The sequence directly followed a strong defensive stand, with Jordan Rossiter denying a quality chance for FC Naples. The ensuing counterattack saw Sporting JAX take an early lead, and exhibiting end-to-end excellence both defensively and offensively.

“It takes great positioning from everybody and quick decisions to form the right pass to form the right pass with the right weight depending on how much space the other team gives us,” Al-Qaq said. “We have been doing a lot of counterattack work in training for a while now, as we know we have players that can hurt the other team in transition,” defender Harvey Neville added.

Chances Created

Sporting JAX’s early aggression carried throughout the match, keeping the Naples defense honest during all stages of the match.

Head coach Liam Fox expressed optimism with what the team’s attack showed Sunday evening.

“We created loads of chances, and not just half-chances, but we created really good chances,” Fox said. “Over the next couple of days, we’ll watch the game back and reflect on that, but we have to be more ruthless in both boxes.”

Looking Ahead

Sunday’s result yields Sporting JAX an additional point in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. The squad sits third in the Group 7 table.

Sporting JAX receives a brief break from the action, returning to USL Championship play next Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. when they host San Antonio FC at Hodges Stadium. Fans nationwide can tune into CBS Sports Network to watch the first nationally-broadcast match in Sporting JAX history.