Jesters season ends with loss to Pensacola FC

New Orleans, LA.  The New Orleans Jesters lost 2-0 to Pensacola FC tonight at Pan American Stadium.  Pensacola scored a goal in each half and held on with ten men for the last 30 minutes to book their place in the playoffs and in the process eliminate New Orleans.

Kendrick Hernandez opened the scoring for Pensacola in the 23rd minute after a defensive miscue allowed Hernandez to tap home into an empty net.

Ricardo Gomez came close for New Orleans in the 30th minute with a strike from distance that forced a save from Gabriel Mendoza.

Pensacola were reduced to ten men in the 59th minute with a second yellow card shown to forward Tom Preston.

Penscaola doubled its lead in the 62st minute after Jabari Hylton picked out Kainan Dos Santos inside the box who fired the ball under Jourdan Schumacher to make it 2-0.

Gomez forced another save from Mendoza in the 75th minute as New Orleans pressed forward and then Blanche fired wide in the 84th minute.

Two minutes later Blanche hit the post as the Jesters continued to throw everything at Pensacola, trying to find a way back into the game.

With time running out New Orleans were awarded a penalty-kick but Sheldon Green’s attempt was saved superbly by Mendoza to preserve his clean sheet.

The Jesters season finishes with the loss as Pensacola FC advances to the Gulf Coast Conference playoffs.