corporate-logo
#UnitedForSoccer

Indy Eleven

The World's Game, Indiana's Team

HomeNewsFOLLOW: #MIAvIND
Game Previews News

PREVIEW: #MIAvIND

Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview
Indy Eleven at The Miami FC
Saturday, June 4, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET
FIU Stadium – Miami, FL

 

Team Records:

  • Indy Eleven: 3W-5D-0L, 14 pts, 2nd in NASL Spring standings
  • Miami FC: 1W-3D-4L, 6 pts, 10th in NASL Spring standings

Watch Live:

  • Local: WISH-TV
  • National: None
  • Online: ESPN3.com

 

Follow Live:

 

Media Game Notes:

  • Indy Eleven game notes
  • The Miami FC game notes

 

Indy Eleven began their 2016 run at the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night when it hosted the USL's Louisville City FC at Carroll Stadium.

 

Going a goal down midway through the first half at the feet of City FC's top scorer Chandler Hoffman, the "Boys in Blue" were once again in position to fight back. Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed were injected into the game just six minutes apart (40' & 46') and the move proved effective as Indy's terrible twosome began to wreak havoc on the visitor's back line.

In the 58th minute, the tide turned in Indy's favor for good. Omar Gordon intercepted a howler of a pass by LCFC 'keeper Greg Ranjetsingh and, after some tidy footwork, the Jamaican used his left foot to find the back of the net from 20 yards and square the match. Ten minutes later, it was Zayed's turn to put his name up in lights as a neat 1-2-3 between Mares, Lacroix, and Zayed resulted in the Irishman tapping home from three yards. Full-time saw "Indiana's Team" advance to the Fourth Round of #USOC2016 with a trip to Chicago to face the Fire SC on June 15. For the full www.indyeleven.com recap.

 

In their U.S. Open Cup debut, Miami FC fell in surprising fashion to USL side Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 at its FIU Stadium home. The hosts went 2-nil down in the opening five minutes of the game after Hammerheads forward Jeff Michaud and midfielder Justin Moose scored in the second and fourth minutes, but the NASL side would not go quietly.

Though trailing by two goals at the break, it took just seven minutes into the second half for the NASL expansion side to pull one back – this time through 28-year-old striker Jaime Chavez, the first of his Miami FC career. Drama ensued in the 80th minute with Chavez again at the center of the action, winning a penalty after a challenge from Wilmington 'keeper Eric Ati. Miami forward Dario Cvitanich stepped forward to the penalty spot and fired a low drive to the left side of the net, but Ati chose his dive correctly and stopped the spot kick to hold the Hammerheads lead. In the end, Miami FC dropped the Open Cup game and now has all eyes on finishing the Spring Season strongly. For a full recap, click here.

 

Laundry List of Injuries

It's a testament to the will and depth of Indy Eleven that it has gotten to this point in the season undefeated with the amount of injury trouble the squad has faced. Unfortunately for Coach Hankinson's crew, that injury trouble persists.

Brad Ring has been sidelined since the beginning of May with a nagging MCL sprain, Lovel Palmer has missed the last two games and is out indefinitely with a leg injury, Sinisa Ubiparipovic has been on and off with a hip issue and Greg Janicki has also sat out two games while recovering from a terrible twosome of a concussion and facial fracture … and that's just the beginning. Though Janicki and “Ubi” are for certain making the trip to South Beach, both Ring and Lovel Palmer will not travel. And now in recent days, the Eleven saw Don Smart and Jair Reinoso exit Wednesday night's U.S. Open Cup match having picked up a couple of knocks, though their status for this weekend's game is still up in the air.

While the injuries have allowed some fresh (albeit familiar) faces into the lineup (see Cory Miller, Marco Franco, etc.), consistency has been a difficult thing to achieve. As the Spring Season winds down with a potential championship battle set up for next weekend (pending this weekend's results), health will be a major factor in "Indiana's Team" finding success down the stretch – and achieving the six points it needs to chase the crown.

 

The Chase Continues

The "Boys in Blue" head into their fourth Florida contest of the 2016 Spring Season sitting second in the NASL table with the very real possibility of jumping to the top by the June 11 finale. To win the title, Indy Eleven needs:

 

  • To take six points out of six in its next two games and have the New York Cosmos draw or lose at Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night, OR
  • Take four points out of the next two games, have New York lose on Saturday, AND stay above the chasing pack of FC Edmonton, Minnesota United FC, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale
  • Take four points out of the next two games, have New York Draw Fort Lauderdale on Saturday AND leap the Cosmos in goal differential, AND stay above the five-team chasing pack

 

Obviously, Indy would prefer to go with the first scenario, which means the other match in South Florida at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday is every bit as important as its own 43 miles away at FIU Stadium.

While the team realizes the ultimate goal, it's imperative to Coach Hankinson that the focus remains solely on Saturday night, as dropped points against Miami FC would rule it out of the title chase. The squad’s three games in the State of Florida have not been cruel to the Eleven – but they haven’t been kind either, the “Boys in Blue” earning a point via draws at Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale and, most recently, last weekend in Jacksonville.

While Saturday's opposition is looking up the table at Indy, The Miami FC remains just as much a real threat to the Spring title chase as anyone "Indiana's Team" has faced so far.

Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: FW Justin Braun

After not scoring in an Indy Eleven shirt until the game against Minnesota United FC two weeks ago, Braun has been on an absolute tear – scoring two goals and his last three games while also tacking on an assist. While not on the scoresheet against Louisville City FC midweek, his introduction into the match helped inject some energy into attack, creating the space and drive going forward that Indy would eventually exploit in its 2-1 win. 

Additionally, Braun was the hero in last week's 1-1 draw with Armada FC as he helped to salvage a point with a crucial 73rd minute equalizer. If his recent performances are any indication of what we will see Saturday night, Indy's workhorse will be as active as ever when it goes for the win.

Who to Watch, Miami FC edition: MF Ariel Martinez

Though the Miami club fell in the USOC midweek, their NASL form as of late was capped with a significant 1-0 victory – its first three point result in club history – over previous title challengers FC Edmonton thanks to a goal from the midfielder Martinez. Having started seven games in as many seven appearances, Martinez has scored twice for Alessandro Nesta's side and helped them take four points from their last two games against FCE and the Carolina Railhawks.

The 30-year-old Cuban international will be deployed behind a front two of Jaime Chavez and Dario Cvitanich, both of whom will be enough of a test, and will look to play as a traditional No.10 ahead of an Eleven back four that may yet see more changes at the weekend. Though Miami FC have been light in the scoring department, Martinez and Cvitanich have been responsible for five of their six league goals, leaving Coach Hankinson a pair of clear choices on who to mark.

 

Match-up to Mark: MIA MF Richie Ryan vs. IND MF Nicki Paterson

After arriving to Miami as part of one of the biggest financial transfers in NASL history, Richie Ryan has been at the heart of the club's midfield in his only two league games since leaving Jacksonville Armada FC. Spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Ottawa Fury FC, Ryan left the Canadian club for the Armada in the offseason, only for him to join Nesta & Co. in the middle of May. A smooth midfielder operating dead center of the pitch, Ryan will be the facilitator for Miami when the pair clash at FIU Stadium.

 

His opposite number will be Indy Eleven midfielder Nicki Paterson, who after serving his delayed USOC suspension from 2013 with the Charleston Battery on Wednesday night, will be one of the fresher pairs of legs at Coach Hankinson's disposal. Being deployed centrally all season, Paterson has shifted from a starting role to a bench role but may again find himself on the pitch from the first minute on with the injury trouble the squad is still wrestling with. That, and the set piece threat he has proven himself to be, may see him have a major impact on the match.

PREVIEW: #MIAvIND

Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview
Indy Eleven at The Miami FC
Saturday, June 4, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET
FIU Stadium – Miami, FL

 

Team Records:

  • Indy Eleven: 3W-5D-0L, 14 pts, 2nd in NASL Spring standings
  • Miami FC: 1W-3D-4L, 6 pts, 10th in NASL Spring standings

Watch Live:

  • Local: WISH-TV
  • National: None
  • Online: ESPN3.com

 

Follow Live:

 

Media Game Notes:

  • Indy Eleven game notes
  • The Miami FC game notes

 

Indy Eleven began their 2016 run at the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night when it hosted the USL’s Louisville City FC at Carroll Stadium.

 

Going a goal down midway through the first half at the feet of City FC’s top scorer Chandler Hoffman, the “Boys in Blue” were once again in position to fight back. Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed were injected into the game just six minutes apart (40′ & 46′) and the move proved effective as Indy’s terrible twosome began to wreak havoc on the visitor’s back line.

In the 58th minute, the tide turned in Indy’s favor for good. Omar Gordon intercepted a howler of a pass by LCFC ‘keeper Greg Ranjetsingh and, after some tidy footwork, the Jamaican used his left foot to find the back of the net from 20 yards and square the match. Ten minutes later, it was Zayed’s turn to put his name up in lights as a neat 1-2-3 between Mares, Lacroix, and Zayed resulted in the Irishman tapping home from three yards. Full-time saw “Indiana’s Team” advance to the Fourth Round of #USOC2016 with a trip to Chicago to face the Fire SC on June 15. For the full www.indyeleven.com recap.

 

In their U.S. Open Cup debut, Miami FC fell in surprising fashion to USL side Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 at its FIU Stadium home. The hosts went 2-nil down in the opening five minutes of the game after Hammerheads forward Jeff Michaud and midfielder Justin Moose scored in the second and fourth minutes, but the NASL side would not go quietly.

Though trailing by two goals at the break, it took just seven minutes into the second half for the NASL expansion side to pull one back – this time through 28-year-old striker Jaime Chavez, the first of his Miami FC career. Drama ensued in the 80th minute with Chavez again at the center of the action, winning a penalty after a challenge from Wilmington ‘keeper Eric Ati. Miami forward Dario Cvitanich stepped forward to the penalty spot and fired a low drive to the left side of the net, but Ati chose his dive correctly and stopped the spot kick to hold the Hammerheads lead. In the end, Miami FC dropped the Open Cup game and now has all eyes on finishing the Spring Season strongly. For a full recap, click here.

 

Laundry List of Injuries

It’s a testament to the will and depth of Indy Eleven that it has gotten to this point in the season undefeated with the amount of injury trouble the squad has faced. Unfortunately for Coach Hankinson’s crew, that injury trouble persists.

Brad Ring has been sidelined since the beginning of May with a nagging MCL sprain, Lovel Palmer has missed the last two games and is out indefinitely with a leg injury, Sinisa Ubiparipovic has been on and off with a hip issue and Greg Janicki has also sat out two games while recovering from a terrible twosome of a concussion and facial fracture … and that’s just the beginning. Though Janicki and “Ubi” are for certain making the trip to South Beach, both Ring and Lovel Palmer will not travel. And now in recent days, the Eleven saw Don Smart and Jair Reinoso exit Wednesday night’s U.S. Open Cup match having picked up a couple of knocks, though their status for this weekend’s game is still up in the air.

While the injuries have allowed some fresh (albeit familiar) faces into the lineup (see Cory Miller, Marco Franco, etc.), consistency has been a difficult thing to achieve. As the Spring Season winds down with a potential championship battle set up for next weekend (pending this weekend’s results), health will be a major factor in “Indiana’s Team” finding success down the stretch – and achieving the six points it needs to chase the crown.

 

The Chase Continues

The “Boys in Blue” head into their fourth Florida contest of the 2016 Spring Season sitting second in the NASL table with the very real possibility of jumping to the top by the June 11 finale. To win the title, Indy Eleven needs:

 

  • To take six points out of six in its next two games and have the New York Cosmos draw or lose at Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night, OR
  • Take four points out of the next two games, have New York lose on Saturday, AND stay above the chasing pack of FC Edmonton, Minnesota United FC, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale
  • Take four points out of the next two games, have New York Draw Fort Lauderdale on Saturday AND leap the Cosmos in goal differential, AND stay above the five-team chasing pack

 

Obviously, Indy would prefer to go with the first scenario, which means the other match in South Florida at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday is every bit as important as its own 43 miles away at FIU Stadium.

While the team realizes the ultimate goal, it’s imperative to Coach Hankinson that the focus remains solely on Saturday night, as dropped points against Miami FC would rule it out of the title chase. The squad’s three games in the State of Florida have not been cruel to the Eleven – but they haven’t been kind either, the “Boys in Blue” earning a point via draws at Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale and, most recently, last weekend in Jacksonville.

While Saturday’s opposition is looking up the table at Indy, The Miami FC remains just as much a real threat to the Spring title chase as anyone “Indiana’s Team” has faced so far.

Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: FW Justin Braun

After not scoring in an Indy Eleven shirt until the game against Minnesota United FC two weeks ago, Braun has been on an absolute tear – scoring two goals and his last three games while also tacking on an assist. While not on the scoresheet against Louisville City FC midweek, his introduction into the match helped inject some energy into attack, creating the space and drive going forward that Indy would eventually exploit in its 2-1 win. 

Additionally, Braun was the hero in last week’s 1-1 draw with Armada FC as he helped to salvage a point with a crucial 73rd minute equalizer. If his recent performances are any indication of what we will see Saturday night, Indy’s workhorse will be as active as ever when it goes for the win.

Who to Watch, Miami FC edition: MF Ariel Martinez

Though the Miami club fell in the USOC midweek, their NASL form as of late was capped with a significant 1-0 victory – its first three point result in club history – over previous title challengers FC Edmonton thanks to a goal from the midfielder Martinez. Having started seven games in as many seven appearances, Martinez has scored twice for Alessandro Nesta’s side and helped them take four points from their last two games against FCE and the Carolina Railhawks.

The 30-year-old Cuban international will be deployed behind a front two of Jaime Chavez and Dario Cvitanich, both of whom will be enough of a test, and will look to play as a traditional No.10 ahead of an Eleven back four that may yet see more changes at the weekend. Though Miami FC have been light in the scoring department, Martinez and Cvitanich have been responsible for five of their six league goals, leaving Coach Hankinson a pair of clear choices on who to mark.

 

Match-up to Mark: MIA MF Richie Ryan vs. IND MF Nicki Paterson

After arriving to Miami as part of one of the biggest financial transfers in NASL history, Richie Ryan has been at the heart of the club’s midfield in his only two league games since leaving Jacksonville Armada FC. Spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Ottawa Fury FC, Ryan left the Canadian club for the Armada in the offseason, only for him to join Nesta & Co. in the middle of May. A smooth midfielder operating dead center of the pitch, Ryan will be the facilitator for Miami when the pair clash at FIU Stadium.

 

His opposite number will be Indy Eleven midfielder Nicki Paterson, who after serving his delayed USOC suspension from 2013 with the Charleston Battery on Wednesday night, will be one of the fresher pairs of legs at Coach Hankinson’s disposal. Being deployed centrally all season, Paterson has shifted from a starting role to a bench role but may again find himself on the pitch from the first minute on with the injury trouble the squad is still wrestling with. That, and the set piece threat he has proven himself to be, may see him have a major impact on the match.

Sponsors