#TBRvIND Preview
Indy Eleven vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Saturday, October 26, 2024 – 7:30 p.m. ET
IMG Academy Stadium – Bradenton, Fla.
Follow Live
TV: WNDY 23
Stream: ESPN+
In-game updates: IndyElevenLive
Stats: #TBRvIND MatchCenter at USLChampionship.com
2024 USL Championships Records
Indy Eleven: 14-10-9 (+2), 51 pts; 4th in Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Rowdies: 13-12-8 (+6), 47 pts; 6th in Eastern Conference
DRIVING TO THE PLAYOFFS
Indy Eleven will host its first USL Championship home playoff game since 2019 on Sunday, November 3 at Carroll Stadium. The game time and opponent have not been determined yet. The Boys in Blue will be the #3 or #4 seed in the Eastern Conference depending on results from the final night of the regular season on Saturday. The USLC Playoffs presented by Terminix begin with the conference quarterfinals on November 1-3. The top four seeds in each conference will host first-round action.
The Boys in Blue are on a five-match unbeaten streak (3-0-2) in the last month, their second-longest unbeaten run of 2024. Since its match in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on August 27, the Eleven are 4-1-4 with the only loss at North Carolina on September 21.
Indy is in fourth place in the East with a 14-10-9 record and 51 points. The 14 victories and 51 points this season are the second best in franchise USLC history, trailing only 2019 (19-9-6, 63 points).
The Eleven clinched its fourth playoff berth in six full USLC seasons with its 3-2 victory over Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday. The last time that the Boys in Blue recorded consecutive playoff appearances was in 2018 and 2019.
Indy Eleven USL Championship Playoff History
2024: 14W-10L-9D, 51 pts., +2 GD (4th in East)
– USL Championship Playoffs
2023: 13W-11L-10D, 49 pts., +8 GD (6th in East)
– Lost in Eastern Conf. Quarters (5-0 at CHS)
2019: 19W-9L-6D, 63 pts., +19 GD (3rd/18 in East)
– Lost in Eastern Conf. Final (3-1 in aet vs. LOU)
2018: 13W-11L-10D, 49 pts., +3 GD (7th/16 in East)
– Lost in Eastern Conf. Quarters (4-1 at LOU)
SERIES VS. TAMPA BAY
Saturday marks the 19th meeting, with Tampa Bay holding a 5-3-10 series lead.
TB Leads 5-3-10 | GF 19, GA 23
FAMILIAR FOE
Indy Eleven and Tampa Bay Rowdies have six players who have competed for both sides in this series.
TBR-IND
Jack Blake at TBR 1 season (loaned), 500+ min, 1G, 2A
Sebastian Guenzatti at TBR 6 seasons, 11,000+ min, 65G, 19A
IND-TBR
Manuel Arteaga at IND 2 seasons, 3,800+ min, 15G, 5A
Jordan Farr at IND 4 seasons, 2,000+ min, 101S, 10CS
Nick Moon at IND 2 seasons, 2,900+ min, 5G, 6A
Assistant Coach
Nicky Law at IND 2 seasons, 3,700+ min, 4G, 5A
| IND | TBR | |
| 33 | Games | 33 |
| 49 | Goals | 52 |
| 47 | Goals Conceded | 46 |
| 33 | Assists | 33 |
| 148 | SOT | 179 |
| 144 | Shots Faced | 137 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 10 |
USLC FRANCHISE RECORD FOR GOALS
Indy Eleven broke its season mark for regular-season goals in a campaign in USLC play with 49 in 2024. The previous best was 48 in 2019.
The Boys in Blue have scored 26 first half goals this season, good for a tie for third with Charleston in the USL Championship. They are tied for fifth in the USLC in goals, with at least one tally in 26 of their 33 matches.
Indy scored in 15 straight USLC matches to open the 2024 campaign. The streak, which ended on June 22 against Orange County, is the longest to open a USLC season and is the longest run overall within the same campaign for the club. In total, Indy scored in 18 straight regular season matches dating back to Sept. 30, 2023.
8 FOR #8
For the eighth time this season, Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake has been named to the USL Championship “Team of the Week”. The 30-year-old Blake was also voted to the USLC “Team of the Week” on March 12, March 19, April 9, May 7, May 28, August 27, and September 17.
Blake’s honor marks the fourth consecutive week that a Boys in Blue player has been on the “Team of the Week” during the current five-match unbeaten streak (3-0-2).
Blake led the Boys in Blue to a playoffs-clinching victory against Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday with a goal and three chances created while completing 29 of 41 passes and recording seven recoveries and two clearances.
Just more than 90 seconds after the Eleven had taken a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute, forward Douglas Martinez passed it back to Blake who took one touch to control at the top of the penalty area and unleashed a brilliant strike across his body into the top-left corner of the net. That score is a nominee for the USL Championship Fans’ Choice “Goal of the Week” presented by Select.
It was Blake’s 10th goal of the season, and it came in his 50th start in two years for the Boys in Blue. His 10 goals in 2024 equal his best professional regular-season total for the Jacksonville Armada in the NASL in 2017.
The Nottingham, England, native is one shy of the 11 total goals that he scored for the Real Monarchs SLC in 2019 when he helped them win the USLC Championship. He is tied for fourth in Indy Eleven franchise USLC history with 13 goals.
MARTINEZ MAKES IT HAPPEN
Forward Douglas Martinez was a key figure on both Indy Eleven first-half goals on Saturday. In the 14th minute, captain Aodhan Quinn centered a bending cross from the left sideline to Martinez for a header that Birmingham defender Phanuel Kavita inadvertently directed into his own goal.
Then a minute later, Martinez recorded his third assist of the season by setting up Jack Blake’s goal. The Olanchito, Honduras, native has three goals and three assists in 2024.
The 27-year-old Martinez, who tied for team-high honors with three tackles won vs. Birmingham, has started all four October matches.
WOOTTON WITH THE WINNER
Midfielder Laurence Wootton scored the game-winner in the 86th minute vs. Birmingham. Midfielder Ben Mines dribbled down the right sideline and delivered a cross that was deflected to Wootton, whose first touch went into the bottom right corner of the net.
It was the second goal this season for the England native. The two-time Big Ten “Midfielder of the Year” at Ohio State had a season-high two shots on target in the match, with his strike in the 72nd minute off a feed from Jack Blake punched over the crossbar.
On loan from the MLS Chicago Fire, the 24-year-old Wootton recorded assists in back-to-back games vs. Rhode Island and New Mexico United in August.
MINING FOR GOALS
Midfielder Ben Mines brought energy to the Indy Eleven attack after he entered in the 72nd minute on Saturday. The 24-year-old Mines set up Laurence Wootton’s game-winning goal by winning a 50/50 ball and delivering a cross that was deflected to Wootton for a one-touch finish. The Ridgefield, Connecticut, native had three duels won, two fouls won, and a shot in 18 minutes.
AODHAN ATTACK
Captain Aodhan Quinn led the Boys in Blue attack with 40 completed passes, including 18 in the final third, in Saturday’s match. The versatile Quinn had three chances created and two clearances while playing the full 90 for the fifth time this season.
His comeback from a season-ending injury in September of 2023 is featured in GRATEFUL: Aodhan Quinn’s ACL Journey, an Indy Eleven Docuseries. Parts one and two are available on the Indy Eleven YouTube Channel.
ALL-AROUND AEDAN
Defender Aedan Stanley continued his strong play with eight recoveries, seven crosses attempted, six clearances, two tackles won, an interception, and 30 completed passes against Birmingham.
The 24-year-old Stanley has logged a team-high 2,880 minutes for the Eleven this season, starting and playing the full 90 in 32 of the team’s 33 matches (DNP August 24 at Las Vegas).
The former Duke collegian is third in the USLC in crosses (221), 16th in chances created (49), and tied for 27th in clearances (98).
The Columbia, Illinois, native is tied for fourth in the USL Championship with seven assists, which includes his first career multi-assist game, a two-helper performance against his old club Miami FC on May 12. He also tied for a team-high two in Open Cup games. Stanley has 15 career USL Championship assists.
HIGH FIVES
Defender Logan Neidlinger recorded a career-high five clearances and he matched his best in tackles with five vs. Birmingham. The 19-year-old Neidlinger added six duels won, an interception, and a shot while playing the full 90 for the sixth time this season.
ROAD RED
Indy is 6-5-5 (8-6-5 overall) away from Carroll Stadium in 2024, matching the second-best road season victory total in a USLC campaign from 2019.
The Eleven finished the 2023 regular season 8-5-4 on the road, the most regular season wins away from home in the club’s USLC history.
