Hodges Stadium | Jacksonville, FL — June 13, 2026

The Sporting JAX men’s team faced Detroit City FC late Saturday night at Hodges Stadium, falling, 6-2, in a match that was delayed over two hours due to inclement weather.

A Strong Start

After a long delay to the match’s original kickoff time, one may have expected a calm, measured beginning. Instead, Sporting JAX blew things open in the 9th minute when forward Emil Jääskeläinen found the back of the net with help from a Rafferty Pedder corner kick.

“We’ve been working on set pieces a lot, so it was great to see one finally go in,” Jääskeläinen said.

“I actually thought we started the game really well tonight,” Sporting JAX Head Coach Liam Fox added. “We passed the ball really well, we were pressing well, and then we got the goal.”

Kieran Keeps It Going

Detroit City FC took the lead, but Sporting JAX fiercely sought a response. It culminated in the 69th minute when midfielder Kieran Sadlier got hold of a ricocheted ball in the box, striking it past the goalkeeper.

“I always try to make an impact where I can, whether I start or not, coming off the bench making a goal,” said Sadlier.

Saturday marked the second-consecutive match in which Sadlier scored, following a goal in the second half of Wednesday’s match against Monterey Bay FC. He now has six goals scored this season.

Looking Ahead

Sporting JAX stays at home next weekend, taking on another Eastern Conference foe, Charleston Battery FC, at 7 p.m. Fans are invited to attend as the club celebrates the Lift Every Voice Match.

“There’s always another game, we don’t just finish the season now, we’ve got to carry on and try to find something and improve big time,” Sadlier said.