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Recap – Indy Eleven 4 : 0 Arizona United

Indy Eleven Attack Explodes in 4-0 win Over Arizona United

All Tallies Come in Second Half, Paced by Forward Wojciech Wojcik’s Hat Trick

 
CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA (Friday, March 4, 2016) – Indy Eleven forward Wojciech Wojcik registered a hat trick and winger Duke Lacroix added another goal – all in the second half – to pace the Hoosier State squad to a 4-0 victory over USL side Arizona United FC in exhibition play at the Grande Sports World complex.

Fans can catch reactions from Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson on today’s match and the rest of the squad’s visit to Arizona on tomorrow morning’s edition of 93.5/1070 The Fan’s Soccer Saturday with host Greg Rakestraw. Visit www.1070thefan.com/listen to see how to tune in.

Indy Eleven would be the aggressor in the opening stages of a first half that saw it enjoy the better of the few quality chances created by the two sides. However, it was United getting the first real dangerous looks in the 15th minute, when Jose Cuevas collected a rebounded shot, only to scuff the chance in space from 10 yards out.

Four minutes later Indy could have opened the scoring when Lacroix’s hustle allowed him reach a ball on the endline and bend back a cross for Eamon Zayed, but after sizing the ball up at the far post the striker headed the chance just wide.

The second half was Indy Eleven’s undoing in Wednesday’s defeat to Ottawa Fury FC, but the “Boys in Blue” flipped the script today with a four-spot in the second 45 minutes. It was Wojcik getting on the board first, heading guest midfielder Mike Klain’s cross from the right endline off the underside of the crossbar from the top of the six-yard box in the 55th minute.

Arizona nearly found an equalizer in the 65th minute when an attacker, on the turf after tangling with Indy defender Marco Franco, still managed to get a shot off from inside the six that forced a point-blank save by Eleven netminder Keith Cardona.

Lacroix would get a well-earned goal just before exiting the match in the 69th minute, making no mistake with a low shot to the left post after a deflected through ball popped to him in space 15 yards out. Just two minutes later it was Wojcik causing havoc again, reaping the reward from the corner he drew with a saved shot seconds earlier by accepting midfielder Dylan Mares’ recycled ball and hammering home from close range to make it 3-0.

Wojcik would complete the hat trick in the 80th minute by finishing off a well-worked break down the left flank. Midfielder Nicki Paterson picked out the center channel run by Wojcik, who collected and calmly finished from 15 yards out to finish off the scoring.

With the team’s Casa Grande nine-day trip now more than halfway complete, Indy Eleven will get a couple more days of work in before finishing the exhibition portion of the stay with Monday’s game against another USL side, Orange County Blues FC, at 8:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local MT). Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the team’s third season of NASL play beginning in April.


Scoring Summary:
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Mike Klain) 55’
IND – Duke Lacroix (Neil Shaffer) 69’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Dylan Mares) 71’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Nicki Paterson) 80’

Indy Eleven 1st Half XI (4-2-3-1, L -> R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki, Colin Falvey, Lovel Palmer; Gorka Larrea, Nicki Paterson; Justin Braun, Siniša Ubiparipović, Duke Lacroix; Eamon Zayed

Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (4-2-3-1): Keith Cardona; Neil Shaffer, Nemanja Vuković (Greg Janicki 70’)  Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Dylan Mares, Don Smart; Duke Lacroix (Lovel Palmer 70’), Siniša Ubiparipović (Nicki Paterson 70’), Mike Klain; Wojciech Wojcik
 

www.www.indyeleven.com / Follow @IndyEleven on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Snapchat

Indy Eleven Attack Explodes in 4-0 win Over Arizona United

All Tallies Come in Second Half, Paced by Forward Wojciech Wojcik’s Hat Trick

 
CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA (Friday, March 4, 2016) – Indy Eleven forward Wojciech Wojcik registered a hat trick and winger Duke Lacroix added another goal – all in the second half – to pace the Hoosier State squad to a 4-0 victory over USL side Arizona United FC in exhibition play at the Grande Sports World complex.

Fans can catch reactions from Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson on today’s match and the rest of the squad’s visit to Arizona on tomorrow morning’s edition of 93.5/1070 The Fan’s Soccer Saturday with host Greg Rakestraw. Visit www.1070thefan.com/listen to see how to tune in.

Indy Eleven would be the aggressor in the opening stages of a first half that saw it enjoy the better of the few quality chances created by the two sides. However, it was United getting the first real dangerous looks in the 15th minute, when Jose Cuevas collected a rebounded shot, only to scuff the chance in space from 10 yards out.

Four minutes later Indy could have opened the scoring when Lacroix’s hustle allowed him reach a ball on the endline and bend back a cross for Eamon Zayed, but after sizing the ball up at the far post the striker headed the chance just wide.

The second half was Indy Eleven’s undoing in Wednesday’s defeat to Ottawa Fury FC, but the “Boys in Blue” flipped the script today with a four-spot in the second 45 minutes. It was Wojcik getting on the board first, heading guest midfielder Mike Klain’s cross from the right endline off the underside of the crossbar from the top of the six-yard box in the 55th minute.

Arizona nearly found an equalizer in the 65th minute when an attacker, on the turf after tangling with Indy defender Marco Franco, still managed to get a shot off from inside the six that forced a point-blank save by Eleven netminder Keith Cardona.

Lacroix would get a well-earned goal just before exiting the match in the 69th minute, making no mistake with a low shot to the left post after a deflected through ball popped to him in space 15 yards out. Just two minutes later it was Wojcik causing havoc again, reaping the reward from the corner he drew with a saved shot seconds earlier by accepting midfielder Dylan Mares’ recycled ball and hammering home from close range to make it 3-0.

Wojcik would complete the hat trick in the 80th minute by finishing off a well-worked break down the left flank. Midfielder Nicki Paterson picked out the center channel run by Wojcik, who collected and calmly finished from 15 yards out to finish off the scoring.

With the team’s Casa Grande nine-day trip now more than halfway complete, Indy Eleven will get a couple more days of work in before finishing the exhibition portion of the stay with Monday’s game against another USL side, Orange County Blues FC, at 8:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local MT). Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the team’s third season of NASL play beginning in April.


Scoring Summary:
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Mike Klain) 55’
IND – Duke Lacroix (Neil Shaffer) 69’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Dylan Mares) 71’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (Nicki Paterson) 80’

Indy Eleven 1st Half XI (4-2-3-1, L -> R): Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki, Colin Falvey, Lovel Palmer; Gorka Larrea, Nicki Paterson; Justin Braun, Siniša Ubiparipović, Duke Lacroix; Eamon Zayed

Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (4-2-3-1): Keith Cardona; Neil Shaffer, Nemanja Vuković (Greg Janicki 70’)  Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Dylan Mares, Don Smart; Duke Lacroix (Lovel Palmer 70’), Siniša Ubiparipović (Nicki Paterson 70’), Mike Klain; Wojciech Wojcik
 

www.www.indyeleven.com / Follow @IndyEleven on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Snapchat

RECAP – Indy 0 : 3 Ottawa

CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA (Wednesday, March 2, 2016) – It was a tale of two halves for Indy Eleven in its proper preseason opener today against fellow NASL squad Ottawa Fury FC, as the Canadian side scored all of its goals in a 3-0 win during the second 45 minutes.

The match, the first of three for Indy Eleven across the next week at the Grande Sports World training complex, was the first full-field, 11-v-11 run out for the squad during the 2016 preseason and comes a month out from the 2016 NASL regular season opener at Tampa Bay on Saturday, April 2.

“I was quite pleased with the progress the first group made from last Friday’s scrimmage (at IU) to today. We had the better of the play and chances in the first 45 minutes, which is an encouraging sign,” said Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson. “The second half was clearly not what we were looking for, especially defensively. It showed that there’s a lot to work on still, but that is what the preseason is all about.”

After a feeling out period across the first 10 minutes, Indy Eleven started to take hold of the proceedings with repeated forays into the final third. New forward Eamon Zayed proved to be a handful around the quarter hour but couldn’t convert a pair of opportunities. Winger Justin Braun had the best chance of the half in the 26th minute, nodding Zayed’s back post cross on frame only to see Fury FC ‘keeper Marcel DeBellis scurry across his line to keep it out of goal.

A few minutes later it was Kyle Porter barging forward to take the best look of the half for Ottawa, but the defender sprayed his shot from 10 yards out wide after finding plenty of space in the right side of the Eleven area. Indy Eleven would have a handful of dangerous looking set pieces in the final quarter hour of the half, but couldn’t push one past DeBellis, leaving things scoreless.

Indy’s second group continued to play things even through the first 15 minutes of the second half, but an 11-minute stretch just after the hour mark would see Ottawa do all of its damage. The barrage started in the 63rd minute when Fury FC forward Pablo Dyego achieved the endline and cut back a pass for Paulo Junior, who slotted a low shot from 12 yards out inside the far left post to open the scoring.

Three minutes later it was Dyego creating havoc again after being played down the right flank and into the top of the Eleven area. From there he caught Keith Cardona between two minds, chipping past the stranded Indy goalkeeper and into the upper left 90 to double the Ottawa lead.

In the 73rd minute it was Paulo Junior creating a kick from the penalty spot when he was fouled inside the area by a recovering Greg Janicki. A minute later it was Gerardo Bruna converting the PK by going low and left, pushing the score to its eventual 3-0 finish.

Indy Eleven won’t have much time to dwell on today’s result, as it will continue its nine-day stay in Casa Grande with a scrimmage against the Arizona United of the USL on Friday evening at 5:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. local). Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the team’s third season of NASL play beginning in April.


Scoring Summary:
OTT – Paulo Junior (Pablo Dyego) 63’
OTT – Pablo Dyego – 66’
OTT – Gerardo Bruna (penalty kick) – 74’


Indy Eleven 1st Half XI (4-2-3-1, L -> R): Jon Busch; Stephen DeRoux, Nemanja Vuković, Colin Falvey, Lovel Palmer; Nicki Paterson, Brad Ring; Justin Braun, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Duke Lacroix; Eamon Zayed


Ottawa Fury FC 1st Half XI (4-3-3): Marcel DeBellis; Zoom Langwa, Fernando Timbo, Rafael Alves, Kyle Porter; Johnny Steele, Lance Rozeboom, Mauro Eustaquio; Carl Haworth, Dennis Chin, Brandon Poltronieri


Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (4-2-3-1): Keith Cardona; Neil Shaffer, Cory Miller, Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Daniel Keller, Dragan Stojkov; Duke Lacroix (Lovel Palmer 71’), Dylan Mares, Don Smart; Wojciech Wojcik


Ottawa Fury 2nd Half IX (4-3-3): Romuald Peiser; Rich Balchan, Rafael Alves (Jeff Addai 74’), Kyle Venter, Marcel de Jong; James Bailey, Julian de Guzman, Mozzi Gyorio; Paulo Junior, Gerardo Bruna, Paulo Dyego (Carl Haworth 85’)

 

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CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA (Wednesday, March 2, 2016) – It was a tale of two halves for Indy Eleven in its proper preseason opener today against fellow NASL squad Ottawa Fury FC, as the Canadian side scored all of its goals in a 3-0 win during the second 45 minutes.

The match, the first of three for Indy Eleven across the next week at the Grande Sports World training complex, was the first full-field, 11-v-11 run out for the squad during the 2016 preseason and comes a month out from the 2016 NASL regular season opener at Tampa Bay on Saturday, April 2.

“I was quite pleased with the progress the first group made from last Friday’s scrimmage (at IU) to today. We had the better of the play and chances in the first 45 minutes, which is an encouraging sign,” said Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson. “The second half was clearly not what we were looking for, especially defensively. It showed that there’s a lot to work on still, but that is what the preseason is all about.”

After a feeling out period across the first 10 minutes, Indy Eleven started to take hold of the proceedings with repeated forays into the final third. New forward Eamon Zayed proved to be a handful around the quarter hour but couldn’t convert a pair of opportunities. Winger Justin Braun had the best chance of the half in the 26th minute, nodding Zayed’s back post cross on frame only to see Fury FC ‘keeper Marcel DeBellis scurry across his line to keep it out of goal.

A few minutes later it was Kyle Porter barging forward to take the best look of the half for Ottawa, but the defender sprayed his shot from 10 yards out wide after finding plenty of space in the right side of the Eleven area. Indy Eleven would have a handful of dangerous looking set pieces in the final quarter hour of the half, but couldn’t push one past DeBellis, leaving things scoreless.

Indy’s second group continued to play things even through the first 15 minutes of the second half, but an 11-minute stretch just after the hour mark would see Ottawa do all of its damage. The barrage started in the 63rd minute when Fury FC forward Pablo Dyego achieved the endline and cut back a pass for Paulo Junior, who slotted a low shot from 12 yards out inside the far left post to open the scoring.

Three minutes later it was Dyego creating havoc again after being played down the right flank and into the top of the Eleven area. From there he caught Keith Cardona between two minds, chipping past the stranded Indy goalkeeper and into the upper left 90 to double the Ottawa lead.

In the 73rd minute it was Paulo Junior creating a kick from the penalty spot when he was fouled inside the area by a recovering Greg Janicki. A minute later it was Gerardo Bruna converting the PK by going low and left, pushing the score to its eventual 3-0 finish.

Indy Eleven won’t have much time to dwell on today’s result, as it will continue its nine-day stay in Casa Grande with a scrimmage against the Arizona United of the USL on Friday evening at 5:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. local). Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the team’s third season of NASL play beginning in April.


Scoring Summary:
OTT – Paulo Junior (Pablo Dyego) 63’
OTT – Pablo Dyego – 66’
OTT – Gerardo Bruna (penalty kick) – 74’


Indy Eleven 1st Half XI (4-2-3-1, L -> R): Jon Busch; Stephen DeRoux, Nemanja Vuković, Colin Falvey, Lovel Palmer; Nicki Paterson, Brad Ring; Justin Braun, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Duke Lacroix; Eamon Zayed


Ottawa Fury FC 1st Half XI (4-3-3): Marcel DeBellis; Zoom Langwa, Fernando Timbo, Rafael Alves, Kyle Porter; Johnny Steele, Lance Rozeboom, Mauro Eustaquio; Carl Haworth, Dennis Chin, Brandon Poltronieri


Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (4-2-3-1): Keith Cardona; Neil Shaffer, Cory Miller, Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Daniel Keller, Dragan Stojkov; Duke Lacroix (Lovel Palmer 71’), Dylan Mares, Don Smart; Wojciech Wojcik


Ottawa Fury 2nd Half IX (4-3-3): Romuald Peiser; Rich Balchan, Rafael Alves (Jeff Addai 74’), Kyle Venter, Marcel de Jong; James Bailey, Julian de Guzman, Mozzi Gyorio; Paulo Junior, Gerardo Bruna, Paulo Dyego (Carl Haworth 85’)

 

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RECAP – IU 1 : 1 Eleven

Indy Eleven Draws IU 1-1 in Opening Preseason Exhibition

Forward Eamon Zayed Nets Goal for “Boys in Blue” in 9-v-9 Affair versus Hoosiers

 
BLOOMINGTON, IN (Friday, February 26, 2016) – Indy Eleven opened the exhibition portion of its 2016 preseason with a 1-1 draw against the Indiana University Hoosiers this evening in a 9-v-9 scrimmage played at the Mellencamp Pavilion on the Bloomington campus.

Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson elected to start the match with mostly new additions to the squad, with Brad Ring the only incumbent Indy player amongst the nine players at the start of the game. It was the Hoosiers getting the better of the chances in the first 45 minutes, forcing new Indy Eleven goalkeeper Jon Busch into action on a few occasions in the opening half hour.

However, it was the Circle City side getting on the board first in the 33rd minute on a play started by Ring, as the former Hoosier’s heavy shot from 30 yards was blocked right into the path of Don Smart. The Jamaican midfielder played an early cross to the back post, where a waiting Eamon Zayed leaped to meet the ball eight yards out, nodding home past the recovering IU netminder.

The Indy Eleven lead would last all of five minutes, as an IU attacker found space in the right side of the area and fired a low shot that went through the legs of an Eleven defender and past a shielded Busch to knot things up at 1-1 in the 38th minute.  The Hoosiers could have made it 2-1 late in the half if not for Busch, who made a crucial double save at this right post in the 42nd minute to keep the proceedings even heading into the halftime break.

Mirroring the first half selection, Hankinson went with all returning players at the start of the second have, save for new left back Neil Shaffer.  It was winger Duke Lacroix proving to be a sparkplug in attack across the second 45 minutes, the second year man out of UPenn first getting on the end of a Wojciech Wojcik cross in the 63rd minute, only to see his nodded shot deflected and cleared from the six. In the 76th minute it was Lacroix playing provider to reward Shaffer’s run into the left side of the Hoosiers area, but his promising, side-winding shot would be blocked right off his foot.

IU wouldn’t be able to test Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona much in the second half, but the one time he was needed in the 60th minute he was on the spot, racing well off his line and looking big to deflect a shot out for a corner. Defender Greg Janicki also helped out as well three minutes from time, sliding in to block a shot deep inside the Eleven area as Cardona scrambled into position.

Up next on Indy Eleven’s preseason calendar is a nine-day trip to Casa Grande, Arizona, where Indy Eleven will play three more exhibition games while it camps at the Grande Sports World complex starting on Monday. The next game on the docket comes on Wednesday, March 2, when the “Boys in Blue” will face off against fellow NASL rival Ottawa Fury FC. Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the squad’s April 2nd regular season opener at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. 
 

Scoring Summary:
INDY – Eamon Zayed (Don Smart) 33’
IU – 38’

Indy Eleven 1st Half IX (3-1-3-1): Jon Busch; Lovel Palmer, Colin Falvey, Nemanja Vukovic; Nicki Paterson; Brad Ring, Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Don Smart 30’), Justin Braun; Eamon Zayed

Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (3-1-3-1): Keith Cardona; Marco Franco (Don Smart 77’), Cory Miller, Neil Shaffer; Daniel Keller; Dragan Stojkov, Dylan Mares, Duke Lacroix; Wojciech Wojcik (Greg Janicki 67’) 

Indy Eleven Draws IU 1-1 in Opening Preseason Exhibition

Forward Eamon Zayed Nets Goal for “Boys in Blue” in 9-v-9 Affair versus Hoosiers

 
BLOOMINGTON, IN (Friday, February 26, 2016) – Indy Eleven opened the exhibition portion of its 2016 preseason with a 1-1 draw against the Indiana University Hoosiers this evening in a 9-v-9 scrimmage played at the Mellencamp Pavilion on the Bloomington campus.

Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson elected to start the match with mostly new additions to the squad, with Brad Ring the only incumbent Indy player amongst the nine players at the start of the game. It was the Hoosiers getting the better of the chances in the first 45 minutes, forcing new Indy Eleven goalkeeper Jon Busch into action on a few occasions in the opening half hour.

However, it was the Circle City side getting on the board first in the 33rd minute on a play started by Ring, as the former Hoosier’s heavy shot from 30 yards was blocked right into the path of Don Smart. The Jamaican midfielder played an early cross to the back post, where a waiting Eamon Zayed leaped to meet the ball eight yards out, nodding home past the recovering IU netminder.

The Indy Eleven lead would last all of five minutes, as an IU attacker found space in the right side of the area and fired a low shot that went through the legs of an Eleven defender and past a shielded Busch to knot things up at 1-1 in the 38th minute.  The Hoosiers could have made it 2-1 late in the half if not for Busch, who made a crucial double save at this right post in the 42nd minute to keep the proceedings even heading into the halftime break.

Mirroring the first half selection, Hankinson went with all returning players at the start of the second have, save for new left back Neil Shaffer.  It was winger Duke Lacroix proving to be a sparkplug in attack across the second 45 minutes, the second year man out of UPenn first getting on the end of a Wojciech Wojcik cross in the 63rd minute, only to see his nodded shot deflected and cleared from the six. In the 76th minute it was Lacroix playing provider to reward Shaffer’s run into the left side of the Hoosiers area, but his promising, side-winding shot would be blocked right off his foot.

IU wouldn’t be able to test Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona much in the second half, but the one time he was needed in the 60th minute he was on the spot, racing well off his line and looking big to deflect a shot out for a corner. Defender Greg Janicki also helped out as well three minutes from time, sliding in to block a shot deep inside the Eleven area as Cardona scrambled into position.

Up next on Indy Eleven’s preseason calendar is a nine-day trip to Casa Grande, Arizona, where Indy Eleven will play three more exhibition games while it camps at the Grande Sports World complex starting on Monday. The next game on the docket comes on Wednesday, March 2, when the “Boys in Blue” will face off against fellow NASL rival Ottawa Fury FC. Visit www.www.indyeleven.com/preseason for the full details on Indy Eleven’s preseason itinerary leading up to the squad’s April 2nd regular season opener at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. 
 

Scoring Summary:
INDY – Eamon Zayed (Don Smart) 33’
IU – 38’

Indy Eleven 1st Half IX (3-1-3-1): Jon Busch; Lovel Palmer, Colin Falvey, Nemanja Vukovic; Nicki Paterson; Brad Ring, Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Don Smart 30’), Justin Braun; Eamon Zayed

Indy Eleven 2nd Half IX (3-1-3-1): Keith Cardona; Marco Franco (Don Smart 77’), Cory Miller, Neil Shaffer; Daniel Keller; Dragan Stojkov, Dylan Mares, Duke Lacroix; Wojciech Wojcik (Greg Janicki 67’) 

RECAP – CAR v IND

Indy Eleven Downed 3-1 by Carolina RailHawks in 2015 Finale

Marvin Ceballos Tallies, Kleberson Makes Late Cameo in Defeat

CARY, NC (Friday, October 30, 2015) – The Carolina RailHawks enjoyed a new beginning off the field and successful ending on it on Friday, defeating Indy Eleven 3-1 this evening in both teams’ NASL Fall Season finale at WakeMed Soccer Park.

New Carolina owner Stephen Malik, whose acquisition of the RailHawks was announced earlier in the day, was on hand to watch his team jump out to an early lead through goals by veteran attackers Nacho Novo and Tiyi Shipalane. Indy Eleven midfielder Marvin Ceballos would pull the visitors to within one in the 24th minute, but the “Boys in Blue” fought for over an hour to find an equalizer in vain as RailHawks midfielder Alex Perez scored an insurance goal with four minutes remaining in regulation.

The RailHawks would start pressuring the Eleven area early, beginning in the 7th minute when a Leo Osaki effort got through traffic and forced Indy ‘keeper Keith Cardona into a low reaction save. It would take just two more minutes for Carolina to break through, when Shipalane’s darting cross from the right endline found a waiting Novo inside the six, the former Mexican international redirecting easily to put the home side up 1-0.

Carolina continued to step up the pressure and doubled the lead in the 16th minute, this time with Shipalane doing the deed. The South African striker, who earlier in the day inked a contract extension for 2016, raced up field to catch defender Futty Danso’s ball over the top before poking around Indy defender Marco Franco and slipping a shot past Cardona and inside the right post.

Down a pair, Indy Eleven finally found its offensive footing midway through the half, and it was Ceballos that would put the visitors on the board. Defender Jaime Frias pushed up and fired a shot from 20 yards that took a deflection in traffic and forced a fine save from Hunter Gilstrap that ricocheted off the crossbar.  The rebound would bounce inside the six, where Ceballos rushed in to tap into an open net to cut the deficit to 2-1.

A minute later Ceballos was at it again, beating three RailHawks on the dribble to push into the left side of the area, only to drag his near post shot into the outside netting.  The best chance of the half from either team there on out fell to Indy in the 40th minute when midfielder Dylan Mares was sprung behind the backline, but Gilstrap went low to save the initial 1-v-1 attempt before Mares popped up the rebounded effort.

The first 40 minutes of the second half belonged to the Indy Eleven attack, which compiled a slew of crosses and shots from distance that kept Gilstrap plenty busy. Gilstrap nearly helped Indy find its equalizer in the 72nd minute when he strolled 20 yards outside his area and just beat onrushing Eleven forward Brian Brown to a ball out of the back. Ten minutes later Brown and substitute Duke Lacroix had another quality chance on a 2-v-2 break, but it ended with the rookie Lacroix scuffing a shot to Gilstrap.

Carolina would extend its lead back to a pair in the 86th minute, the scoring play set up when Austin Da Luz drew a foul 10 yards outside the Eleven penalty area. Mark Anderson swung in the ensuing free kick into the path of Perez, who nodded home from 10 yards to push the Carolina lead to 3-1.

One bright spot down the stretch for Indy Eleven was the return to the field of Kleberson, the Brazilian midfielder getting his only minutes of the 2015 season after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending Achilles injury during the Spring Season. His seven-minute cameo included one of his patented long-range efforts, a 25-yard blast that looked destined for the goal before taking a deflection and missing just wide.

With four more games of league action to go in the NASL’s final weekend, Indy Eleven ends its second season of play temporarily in 8th place in the Combined Season standings (8W-9D-13L, 33 pts.) and in 9th place on the Fall Season table (5W-5D-10L, 20 pts.).

 

NASL Fall Season
Carolina RailHawks  3 : 1  Indy Eleven
Friday, October 30, 2015
WakeMed Soccer Park – Cary, N.C.
Attendance: 6,272

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 5W-5D-10L (20 pts.)
Combined: 8W-9D-13L (33 pts.)

Carolina RailHawks:
Fall Season: 6W-3D-11L (21 pts.)
Combined: 9W-8D-13L (35 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
CAR – Nacho Novo (Tiyi Shipalane) 9’
CAR – Tiyi Shipalane (Futty Danso) 16’
IND – Marvin Ceballos (unassisted) 24’
CAR – Alex Perez (Mark Anderson) 86’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Sergio Peña (caution) 33’
CAR – Leo Osaki (caution) 64’
IND – Dylan Mares (caution) 90+

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt.), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Don Smart, Sergio Peña (Kleberson 83’), Zach Steinberger (Brad Ring 73’), Marvin Ceballos (Duke Lacroix 73’); Dylan Mares, Brian Brown

Indy Eleven bench: Jon Dawson (GK), Judson McKinney, Cory Miller, Wojciech Wojcik

Carolina RailHawks (4-2-3-1): Hunter Gilstrap; Kupono Low, Connor Tobin, Futty Danso, Steven Miller; Leo Osaki (Mark Anderson 77’), Alex Perez; Neil Hlavaty (Wells Thompson 56’), Austin Da Luz, Tiyi Shipalane; Nacho Novo (Dzenan Catic 90’)

RailHawks bench: Akira Fitzgerald (GK), Daniel Scott, Tyler Engel, Daniel Jackson

Indy Eleven Downed 3-1 by Carolina RailHawks in 2015 Finale

Marvin Ceballos Tallies, Kleberson Makes Late Cameo in Defeat

CARY, NC (Friday, October 30, 2015) – The Carolina RailHawks enjoyed a new beginning off the field and successful ending on it on Friday, defeating Indy Eleven 3-1 this evening in both teams’ NASL Fall Season finale at WakeMed Soccer Park.

New Carolina owner Stephen Malik, whose acquisition of the RailHawks was announced earlier in the day, was on hand to watch his team jump out to an early lead through goals by veteran attackers Nacho Novo and Tiyi Shipalane. Indy Eleven midfielder Marvin Ceballos would pull the visitors to within one in the 24th minute, but the “Boys in Blue” fought for over an hour to find an equalizer in vain as RailHawks midfielder Alex Perez scored an insurance goal with four minutes remaining in regulation.

The RailHawks would start pressuring the Eleven area early, beginning in the 7th minute when a Leo Osaki effort got through traffic and forced Indy ‘keeper Keith Cardona into a low reaction save. It would take just two more minutes for Carolina to break through, when Shipalane’s darting cross from the right endline found a waiting Novo inside the six, the former Mexican international redirecting easily to put the home side up 1-0.

Carolina continued to step up the pressure and doubled the lead in the 16th minute, this time with Shipalane doing the deed. The South African striker, who earlier in the day inked a contract extension for 2016, raced up field to catch defender Futty Danso’s ball over the top before poking around Indy defender Marco Franco and slipping a shot past Cardona and inside the right post.

Down a pair, Indy Eleven finally found its offensive footing midway through the half, and it was Ceballos that would put the visitors on the board. Defender Jaime Frias pushed up and fired a shot from 20 yards that took a deflection in traffic and forced a fine save from Hunter Gilstrap that ricocheted off the crossbar.  The rebound would bounce inside the six, where Ceballos rushed in to tap into an open net to cut the deficit to 2-1.

A minute later Ceballos was at it again, beating three RailHawks on the dribble to push into the left side of the area, only to drag his near post shot into the outside netting.  The best chance of the half from either team there on out fell to Indy in the 40th minute when midfielder Dylan Mares was sprung behind the backline, but Gilstrap went low to save the initial 1-v-1 attempt before Mares popped up the rebounded effort.

The first 40 minutes of the second half belonged to the Indy Eleven attack, which compiled a slew of crosses and shots from distance that kept Gilstrap plenty busy. Gilstrap nearly helped Indy find its equalizer in the 72nd minute when he strolled 20 yards outside his area and just beat onrushing Eleven forward Brian Brown to a ball out of the back. Ten minutes later Brown and substitute Duke Lacroix had another quality chance on a 2-v-2 break, but it ended with the rookie Lacroix scuffing a shot to Gilstrap.

Carolina would extend its lead back to a pair in the 86th minute, the scoring play set up when Austin Da Luz drew a foul 10 yards outside the Eleven penalty area. Mark Anderson swung in the ensuing free kick into the path of Perez, who nodded home from 10 yards to push the Carolina lead to 3-1.

One bright spot down the stretch for Indy Eleven was the return to the field of Kleberson, the Brazilian midfielder getting his only minutes of the 2015 season after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending Achilles injury during the Spring Season. His seven-minute cameo included one of his patented long-range efforts, a 25-yard blast that looked destined for the goal before taking a deflection and missing just wide.

With four more games of league action to go in the NASL’s final weekend, Indy Eleven ends its second season of play temporarily in 8th place in the Combined Season standings (8W-9D-13L, 33 pts.) and in 9th place on the Fall Season table (5W-5D-10L, 20 pts.).

 

NASL Fall Season
Carolina RailHawks  3 : 1  Indy Eleven
Friday, October 30, 2015
WakeMed Soccer Park – Cary, N.C.
Attendance: 6,272

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 5W-5D-10L (20 pts.)
Combined: 8W-9D-13L (33 pts.)

Carolina RailHawks:
Fall Season: 6W-3D-11L (21 pts.)
Combined: 9W-8D-13L (35 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
CAR – Nacho Novo (Tiyi Shipalane) 9’
CAR – Tiyi Shipalane (Futty Danso) 16’
IND – Marvin Ceballos (unassisted) 24’
CAR – Alex Perez (Mark Anderson) 86’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Sergio Peña (caution) 33’
CAR – Leo Osaki (caution) 64’
IND – Dylan Mares (caution) 90+

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt.), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Don Smart, Sergio Peña (Kleberson 83’), Zach Steinberger (Brad Ring 73’), Marvin Ceballos (Duke Lacroix 73’); Dylan Mares, Brian Brown

Indy Eleven bench: Jon Dawson (GK), Judson McKinney, Cory Miller, Wojciech Wojcik

Carolina RailHawks (4-2-3-1): Hunter Gilstrap; Kupono Low, Connor Tobin, Futty Danso, Steven Miller; Leo Osaki (Mark Anderson 77’), Alex Perez; Neil Hlavaty (Wells Thompson 56’), Austin Da Luz, Tiyi Shipalane; Nacho Novo (Dzenan Catic 90’)

RailHawks bench: Akira Fitzgerald (GK), Daniel Scott, Tyler Engel, Daniel Jackson

Recap – IND v FTL

Indy Eleven Scores Early, Survives Late in 2-1 Victory over Fort Lauderdale

Goals by Jamaican Duo Don Smart & Brian Brown Disrupt Strikers’ Chase for The Championship

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, October 24, 2015) – Indy Eleven once again played spoiler in regards to a contender for The Championship, opening up an early lead and hanging on late to defeat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2-1 in front of 9,213 fans in the 2015 home season finale at Carroll Stadium.

With tonight’s result, Fort Lauderdale no longer controls its own destiny in the chase for the fourth and final spot in the NASL’s postseason format, now trailing in-state rival Tampa Bay Rowdies by a single point heading into next weekend’s final matches. Meanwhile, Indy Eleven closed out its home slate with back-to-back wins over top half teams for a second straight season, pushing into seventh place on the league’s 2015 Combined Season table in the process.

While Indy Eleven started to open up an advantage in possession, the majority of the match’s opening quarter hour was played in the middle third of the field.  Even the first serious look came from near the midfield stripe in the 18th minute when Indy midfielder Sergio Pena hit a surprise strike that forces Strikers goalkeeper David Meves to tip away from the upper corner of his goal.

The “Boys in Blue” once again were able to break through first just two minutes later on a low shot by midfielder Don Smart that beat Meves low and to his left side. Receiving a tight pass from midfielder Marvin Ceballos near the center circle, Smart used a series of touches to bring the ball onto his right foot and blast the Eleven to an early 1-0 lead.

Indy continued to utilize the middle of the field and looked to build on their lead through set pieces. Reviving a far post corner into the center of the 18-yard box, Peña saw his feed received by defender Greg Janicki who headed the ball onto the foot of Brian Brown. Meves was up to the task, but continued to be tested by a relentless Indy Eleven attack.

Indy Eleven put an exclamation point on its productive first half when a perfectly placed free kick from Dylan Mares found the head of Brown, whose shot from near the penalty spot tied him with the Mares for the team lead on five goals. In extra time of the first half, Smart appeared to have struck once again, but the referee deemed the Jamaican handled the ball before getting off his shot.

On the other end of the field, Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht saw his first real test 54 minutes into the match. With time and space, Strikers scoring leader Stefano Pinho fired a heavy shot from 30 yards out, but the veteran Nicht was up to the task, diving high and left to knock out for a corner.

After being subbed in at halftime, Strikers attacker Jose Angulo was the recipient of an Erick Norales turnover inside the Eleven defensive third. With no pressure, Angulo had time to set up and beat Nicht from 20 yards out to cut Indy’s lead in half, 2-1, just before the hour mark.

Another haltime sub, Dani Sánchez, nearly evened things up in the 64th minute when he looked to catch Nicht off his line, but the German netminder scrambled back to tip the long-distance effort over his crossbar. On the ensuing corner kick, the Eleven were able to jam the defensive box, blocking multiple shots to retain the lead.

The Indy Eleven defense held up despite plenty of pressure from Fort Lauderdale in the last 20 minutes and amid a key injury to the captain Norales, who exited the match in the 85thminute and was replaced by Cory Miller. Blocking two crucial free kicks, Nicht also punched out a pivotal cross by former teammate Walter Ramirez in a lengthy extra time to go along with his four saves that preserved the win.

Indy Eleven will be one of the first teams to close out its 2015 slate next Friday, October 30, when it takes to the road to face the Carolina RailHawks at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the match from WakeMed Park in Cary, N.C., online via the ESPN3 streaming video feed, which will be screened at Indy Eleven Watch Parties across the Hoosier State. The match will also air live via Spanish language radio on La Pura Mega 88.1 FM and www.LaPuraMega.com.
 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  2 : 1  Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,213

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 5W-5D-9L (20 pts.)
Combined: 8W-9D-12L (33 pts.)

Fort Lauderdale Strikers:
Fall Season: 7W-6D-6L (27 pts.)
Combined: 10W-8D-11L (38 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
IND – Don Smart (Marvin Ceballos) 20’
IND – Brian Brown (Dylan Mares) 43’
FTL – Jose Angulo (unassisted) 59’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Don Smart (caution) 29’
IND – Zach Steinberger (caution) 34’
IND – Kristian Nicht (caution) 90+’
FTL – Hendry Thomas (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt.) (Cory Miller 85’), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Don Smart, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger, Marvin Ceballos (Duke Lacroix 68’); Dylan Mares(Brad Ring 74’), Brian Brown

Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Daniel Keller, Wojciech Wojcik

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4-2-3-1): David Meves; Iván Guerrero (Gabriel 75’), Jordan Graye, Frankie Sanfilippo, Jonathan Borrajo; Hendry Thomas, James Marcelin (Capt.) (Dani Sánchez 45’); Walter Ramirez, Marlon Freitas, Shawn Chin (Jose Angulo 45’); Stefano Pinho  

Strikers bench: Lionel Brown (GK), Manny Gonzalez, Daniel Navarro, Bruno Nunes

Indy Eleven Scores Early, Survives Late in 2-1 Victory over Fort Lauderdale

Goals by Jamaican Duo Don Smart & Brian Brown Disrupt Strikers’ Chase for The Championship

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, October 24, 2015) – Indy Eleven once again played spoiler in regards to a contender for The Championship, opening up an early lead and hanging on late to defeat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2-1 in front of 9,213 fans in the 2015 home season finale at Carroll Stadium.

With tonight’s result, Fort Lauderdale no longer controls its own destiny in the chase for the fourth and final spot in the NASL’s postseason format, now trailing in-state rival Tampa Bay Rowdies by a single point heading into next weekend’s final matches. Meanwhile, Indy Eleven closed out its home slate with back-to-back wins over top half teams for a second straight season, pushing into seventh place on the league’s 2015 Combined Season table in the process.

While Indy Eleven started to open up an advantage in possession, the majority of the match’s opening quarter hour was played in the middle third of the field.  Even the first serious look came from near the midfield stripe in the 18th minute when Indy midfielder Sergio Pena hit a surprise strike that forces Strikers goalkeeper David Meves to tip away from the upper corner of his goal.

The “Boys in Blue” once again were able to break through first just two minutes later on a low shot by midfielder Don Smart that beat Meves low and to his left side. Receiving a tight pass from midfielder Marvin Ceballos near the center circle, Smart used a series of touches to bring the ball onto his right foot and blast the Eleven to an early 1-0 lead.

Indy continued to utilize the middle of the field and looked to build on their lead through set pieces. Reviving a far post corner into the center of the 18-yard box, Peña saw his feed received by defender Greg Janicki who headed the ball onto the foot of Brian Brown. Meves was up to the task, but continued to be tested by a relentless Indy Eleven attack.

Indy Eleven put an exclamation point on its productive first half when a perfectly placed free kick from Dylan Mares found the head of Brown, whose shot from near the penalty spot tied him with the Mares for the team lead on five goals. In extra time of the first half, Smart appeared to have struck once again, but the referee deemed the Jamaican handled the ball before getting off his shot.

On the other end of the field, Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht saw his first real test 54 minutes into the match. With time and space, Strikers scoring leader Stefano Pinho fired a heavy shot from 30 yards out, but the veteran Nicht was up to the task, diving high and left to knock out for a corner.

After being subbed in at halftime, Strikers attacker Jose Angulo was the recipient of an Erick Norales turnover inside the Eleven defensive third. With no pressure, Angulo had time to set up and beat Nicht from 20 yards out to cut Indy’s lead in half, 2-1, just before the hour mark.

Another haltime sub, Dani Sánchez, nearly evened things up in the 64th minute when he looked to catch Nicht off his line, but the German netminder scrambled back to tip the long-distance effort over his crossbar. On the ensuing corner kick, the Eleven were able to jam the defensive box, blocking multiple shots to retain the lead.

The Indy Eleven defense held up despite plenty of pressure from Fort Lauderdale in the last 20 minutes and amid a key injury to the captain Norales, who exited the match in the 85thminute and was replaced by Cory Miller. Blocking two crucial free kicks, Nicht also punched out a pivotal cross by former teammate Walter Ramirez in a lengthy extra time to go along with his four saves that preserved the win.

Indy Eleven will be one of the first teams to close out its 2015 slate next Friday, October 30, when it takes to the road to face the Carolina RailHawks at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the match from WakeMed Park in Cary, N.C., online via the ESPN3 streaming video feed, which will be screened at Indy Eleven Watch Parties across the Hoosier State. The match will also air live via Spanish language radio on La Pura Mega 88.1 FM and www.LaPuraMega.com.
 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  2 : 1  Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,213

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 5W-5D-9L (20 pts.)
Combined: 8W-9D-12L (33 pts.)

Fort Lauderdale Strikers:
Fall Season: 7W-6D-6L (27 pts.)
Combined: 10W-8D-11L (38 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
IND – Don Smart (Marvin Ceballos) 20’
IND – Brian Brown (Dylan Mares) 43’
FTL – Jose Angulo (unassisted) 59’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Don Smart (caution) 29’
IND – Zach Steinberger (caution) 34’
IND – Kristian Nicht (caution) 90+’
FTL – Hendry Thomas (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt.) (Cory Miller 85’), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Don Smart, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger, Marvin Ceballos (Duke Lacroix 68’); Dylan Mares(Brad Ring 74’), Brian Brown

Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Daniel Keller, Wojciech Wojcik

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4-2-3-1): David Meves; Iván Guerrero (Gabriel 75’), Jordan Graye, Frankie Sanfilippo, Jonathan Borrajo; Hendry Thomas, James Marcelin (Capt.) (Dani Sánchez 45’); Walter Ramirez, Marlon Freitas, Shawn Chin (Jose Angulo 45’); Stefano Pinho  

Strikers bench: Lionel Brown (GK), Manny Gonzalez, Daniel Navarro, Bruno Nunes

RECAP – IND v MNU

Indy Eleven Notches 3-1 Win Over Minnesota in Penultimate Home Match

“Boys in Blue” Control Both Sides of the Ball in Snapping United FC’s 11-game Undefeated Streak


INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Saturday, October 17, 2015) – Indy Eleven controlled both sides of the ball and utilized the speed of their forwards en route to a commanding 3-1 victory over a heavily-favored Minnesota United FC in front of 9,085 fans at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven used goals by Dylan Mares, Brian Brown and Brad Ring to cruise to a big cushion before Minnesota’s Brent Kallman snagged a late consolation goal for the visitors.

Matching Minnesota in physicality following the first whistle, it appeared as if the “Boys in Blue” had struck first when Brown finished a Don Smart cross in the sixth minute, only to see the play ruled correctly offside by the linesman. Continuing to stifle the Loons’ short passing in the midfield, Zach Steinberger added a long distance chance of his own while Mares also fired an early shot which helped establish the tone early for the Eleven.

Indy Eleven continued to dominate possession thanks to strong play up front, with Mares receiving a 19th minute chip from Steinberger before firing a shot that was deflected by United FC goalkeeper Sammy N’Djock and swept away by Aaron Pitchkolan before it could trickle past the goal line.

Defensively, the Indy backline received its first test in the 26th minute when Minnesota forward Kalif Alhassan rushed the box and nearly finished a short pass past Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht, but Eleven defender Marco Franco swept away the chance without incident.

The relentless Eleven continued pressing in the 37th minute, when Duke Lacroix turned and fired a shot from 16 yards that forced N’Djock into a leaping tip save. The deserved breakthrough for the home side would finally come two minutes later when Mares capitalized for his second strike in as many games and team-high fifth goal on the season. The Indy midfielder and NASL Young Player of the Year candidate fired a shot from 10 yards out into the back of the net, setting up his goal with a slicing pass to Daniel Keller who sprinted down the left wing before hitting Mares with a cutback feed.

Indy began the second half as it did the first, controlling possession and producing chances using effective wide play and blazing quick counter attacks. Smart continued a strong performance minutes after both teams returned to the field, firing a chance that scraped the outside of the Minnesota net.

The Jamaican duo of Smart and Brown reunited to capture Indy’s second goal of the game in the 55th minute, a play started with Sergio Peña’s strong tackle in midfield. Steinberger would push forward quickly and deposit a pass to Smart, who slid a low cross across the box past a sliding Minnesota defender and onto the left foot of Brown, who kissed a low shot off the inside of the right post to double the advantage.

On the other end, Smart defended the Eleven net as well, clearing a Minnesota corner kick that bounced past Nicht. Playing with a two-goal advantage, the men in checkers were not done yet, their continued pressure paying off in the 82nd minute with a golazo off the foot of the substitute Ring.  Settling a blocked Brown shot, Lacroix gathered the ball near the edge of United’s 18-yard box before laying off for an onrushing Ring, who rocketed a textbook upper-90 drive off the hand of a diving N’Djock for Indy’s third goal of the game. 

Thanks in part to the defense in front of him, Nicht finished the night with a pair of saves in his return to the Indy Eleven net, only being bested by Kallman’s header off a Kevin Venegas corner kick once the game was out of reach in the 85th minute of play.

While other results across the NASL tonight officially ended Indy Eleven’s longshot bid for the fourth and final spot in The Championship postseason tournament, the shock display allowed Indy to snap Minnesota’s 11-game undefeated streak and play spoiler for the Loons’ Fall Season title hopes for a second straight season.

Indy Eleven’s final home match of the 2015 campaign comes next Saturday, October 24, with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers traveling to the Circle City for a 7:30 pm kickoff at Carroll Stadium. Tickets for Fan Appreciation Night presented by XFINITY and Community Health Network start at just $10 and are available at www.www.indyeleven.com. With it being the final home tilt of the season, Indy Eleven is pulling out all the stops, including a number of one-time-only deals on concessions and merchandise plus a halftime Halloween costume parade and a “Dia de Los Muertos” themed celebration throughout the evening.
 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven 3 : 1 Minnesota United FC
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,085

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 4W-5D-9L (17 pts.)
Combined: 7W-9D-12L (30 pts.)

Minnesota United FC
Fall Season: 10W-5D-3L (35 pts.)
Combined: 13W-10D-5L (49 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
IND – Dylan Mares (Daniel Keller) 39’
IND – Brian Brown (Don Smart) 55’
IND – Brad Ring (Duke Lacroix) 82’
MNU – Brent Kallman (Kevin Venegas) 85’

Discipline Summary:
MNU – Kevin Venegas (caution) 81’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 89’
MNU – Aaron Pitchkolan (caution) 90’
MNU – Brent Kallman (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Daniel Keller, Erick Norales (Capt.) (Cory Miller 45’), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Duke Lacroix, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger, Don Smart; Dylan Mares (Brad Ring 71’), Brian Brown (Marvin Ceballos 86’)

Indy Eleven Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Jaime Frias, Wojciech Wojcik

Minnesota United FC (4-1-4-1): Sammy N’Djock; Tyler Polak, Aaron Pitchkolan, Brent Kallman, Kevin Venegas; Greg Jordan; Kalif Alhassan, Ibson (Geison Moura 69’), Christian Ramirez, Daniel Mendes (Alejandro Vela 53’); Pablo Campos (Yago Silva 61’).

Minnesota United FC Bench: Mitch Hildebrandt (GK), J.C. Banks, Brian Kallman

Indy Eleven Notches 3-1 Win Over Minnesota in Penultimate Home Match

“Boys in Blue” Control Both Sides of the Ball in Snapping United FC’s 11-game Undefeated Streak


INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Saturday, October 17, 2015) – Indy Eleven controlled both sides of the ball and utilized the speed of their forwards en route to a commanding 3-1 victory over a heavily-favored Minnesota United FC in front of 9,085 fans at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven used goals by Dylan Mares, Brian Brown and Brad Ring to cruise to a big cushion before Minnesota’s Brent Kallman snagged a late consolation goal for the visitors.

Matching Minnesota in physicality following the first whistle, it appeared as if the “Boys in Blue” had struck first when Brown finished a Don Smart cross in the sixth minute, only to see the play ruled correctly offside by the linesman. Continuing to stifle the Loons’ short passing in the midfield, Zach Steinberger added a long distance chance of his own while Mares also fired an early shot which helped establish the tone early for the Eleven.

Indy Eleven continued to dominate possession thanks to strong play up front, with Mares receiving a 19th minute chip from Steinberger before firing a shot that was deflected by United FC goalkeeper Sammy N’Djock and swept away by Aaron Pitchkolan before it could trickle past the goal line.

Defensively, the Indy backline received its first test in the 26th minute when Minnesota forward Kalif Alhassan rushed the box and nearly finished a short pass past Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht, but Eleven defender Marco Franco swept away the chance without incident.

The relentless Eleven continued pressing in the 37th minute, when Duke Lacroix turned and fired a shot from 16 yards that forced N’Djock into a leaping tip save. The deserved breakthrough for the home side would finally come two minutes later when Mares capitalized for his second strike in as many games and team-high fifth goal on the season. The Indy midfielder and NASL Young Player of the Year candidate fired a shot from 10 yards out into the back of the net, setting up his goal with a slicing pass to Daniel Keller who sprinted down the left wing before hitting Mares with a cutback feed.

Indy began the second half as it did the first, controlling possession and producing chances using effective wide play and blazing quick counter attacks. Smart continued a strong performance minutes after both teams returned to the field, firing a chance that scraped the outside of the Minnesota net.

The Jamaican duo of Smart and Brown reunited to capture Indy’s second goal of the game in the 55th minute, a play started with Sergio Peña’s strong tackle in midfield. Steinberger would push forward quickly and deposit a pass to Smart, who slid a low cross across the box past a sliding Minnesota defender and onto the left foot of Brown, who kissed a low shot off the inside of the right post to double the advantage.

On the other end, Smart defended the Eleven net as well, clearing a Minnesota corner kick that bounced past Nicht. Playing with a two-goal advantage, the men in checkers were not done yet, their continued pressure paying off in the 82nd minute with a golazo off the foot of the substitute Ring.  Settling a blocked Brown shot, Lacroix gathered the ball near the edge of United’s 18-yard box before laying off for an onrushing Ring, who rocketed a textbook upper-90 drive off the hand of a diving N’Djock for Indy’s third goal of the game. 

Thanks in part to the defense in front of him, Nicht finished the night with a pair of saves in his return to the Indy Eleven net, only being bested by Kallman’s header off a Kevin Venegas corner kick once the game was out of reach in the 85th minute of play.

While other results across the NASL tonight officially ended Indy Eleven’s longshot bid for the fourth and final spot in The Championship postseason tournament, the shock display allowed Indy to snap Minnesota’s 11-game undefeated streak and play spoiler for the Loons’ Fall Season title hopes for a second straight season.

Indy Eleven’s final home match of the 2015 campaign comes next Saturday, October 24, with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers traveling to the Circle City for a 7:30 pm kickoff at Carroll Stadium. Tickets for Fan Appreciation Night presented by XFINITY and Community Health Network start at just $10 and are available at www.www.indyeleven.com. With it being the final home tilt of the season, Indy Eleven is pulling out all the stops, including a number of one-time-only deals on concessions and merchandise plus a halftime Halloween costume parade and a “Dia de Los Muertos” themed celebration throughout the evening.
 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven 3 : 1 Minnesota United FC
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,085

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 4W-5D-9L (17 pts.)
Combined: 7W-9D-12L (30 pts.)

Minnesota United FC
Fall Season: 10W-5D-3L (35 pts.)
Combined: 13W-10D-5L (49 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
IND – Dylan Mares (Daniel Keller) 39’
IND – Brian Brown (Don Smart) 55’
IND – Brad Ring (Duke Lacroix) 82’
MNU – Brent Kallman (Kevin Venegas) 85’

Discipline Summary:
MNU – Kevin Venegas (caution) 81’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 89’
MNU – Aaron Pitchkolan (caution) 90’
MNU – Brent Kallman (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Daniel Keller, Erick Norales (Capt.) (Cory Miller 45’), Greg Janicki, Marco Franco; Duke Lacroix, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger, Don Smart; Dylan Mares (Brad Ring 71’), Brian Brown (Marvin Ceballos 86’)

Indy Eleven Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Jaime Frias, Wojciech Wojcik

Minnesota United FC (4-1-4-1): Sammy N’Djock; Tyler Polak, Aaron Pitchkolan, Brent Kallman, Kevin Venegas; Greg Jordan; Kalif Alhassan, Ibson (Geison Moura 69’), Christian Ramirez, Daniel Mendes (Alejandro Vela 53’); Pablo Campos (Yago Silva 61’).

Minnesota United FC Bench: Mitch Hildebrandt (GK), J.C. Banks, Brian Kallman

Recap – IND v SAS

Indy Eleven Downed 1-2 by Defending Champion San Antonio

Dylan Mares’ Team-high Fourth Goal Evens Things Late, but “Boys in Blue” Can’t Hold Onto Result

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, October 10, 2015) – In what amounted to an elimination game to keep The Championship hopes alive, San Antonio Scorpions midfielder Marvin Chavez helped create a pair of goals to lift the visitors to a 2-1 win over Indy Eleven in front of 10,090 fans at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

Completing a quickly developing play, newly signed Scorpion Kris Tyrpak posted his second goal in as many games for San Antonio in the 79th minute to quickly change the momentum of the match and bury Indy just 10 minutes after the “Boys in Blue” had equalized. The beneficiary of Chavez’s second assist of the night, Tyrpak fired low and snuck the shot under Indy Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona and inside the right post for the decisive goal of the match.

With his team-high fourth goal of the season, Indy Eleven midfielder Dylan Mares was the beneficiary of an excellent team play, posting the equalizing in the 69th minute after crashing the net on the weak side of the play. Wide open, Mares received a pass from Marvin Ceballos, who scrapped with four Scorpions inside the six-yard box, before settling and firing the equalizer into an open net. Eleven forward Duke Lacroix set up the play on the other side of the field, working the ball into the center before Ceballos maneuvered through traffic.

The Indy Eleven goal neutralized San Antonio’s first counterattack goal, capitalizing on a few touches to move from the Eleven’s 18-yard box into the back of Cardona’s net. It was the seventh time in the last eight matches Indy has conceded the first goal, and the Eleven are now 1W-3D-9L when being scored on first during the Fall Season. Sprawling to his left, Cardona could not get a hand on the low shot off the boot of Scorpions striker Giuseppe Gentile. His first goal of the season in 12 appearances, Gentile was set up wide after Chavez kept their march down the field alive.

Both teams struggled to get much going early in the first half, with San Antonio’s quick counter off a Dragan Stojkov corner kick on the other side of the pitch being the first fluid play of the match. Indy Eleven would take 10 shots up the opening half, but couldn’t put one on frame to test Scorpions ‘keeper Daniel Fernandes.

While things opened up dramatically for Indy Eleven in the last half hour, the only chance to truly put Fernandes on edge outside the Mares goal was a poke in the 83rd minute by Ceballos, but the scrambling Scorpions netminder made a recovering kick save after getting stranded off his line seconds earlier.

Indy Eleven continues its final homestand of the season Saturday, October 17, when it takes on Minnesota United FC at Carroll Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, with a Fall Frolic theme highlighting a night of fun at “The Mike”. Fans 21 & over can purchase tickets to a pregame pumpkin beer tasting, with 11 different beers slated to be available.

Indy Eleven, in partnership with The Villages, will also be hosting a "Musical Chairs 4 Kids" Fundraiser before the game with where fans 21-and-over can purchase a $25 ticket-and-fundraiser which will include a game ticket, participation in the musical chairs event, a donation to The Villages, a special event t-shirt and swag bag with coupons and giveaways from promotional partners.  Fans that already have a ticket to the match can join in the fun by purchasing a “Musical Chairs 4 Kids” add-on package for $20.


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – INTERIM HEAD COACH TIM REGAN

On Indy Eleven getting victimized on a pair of counter attacks on the defensive end:
“When you push to attack you’re going to get stretched a little. It wasn’t like there weren’t people back. It wasn’t like it was a 3-on-2. There’s enough players back to make a play, and sometimes their guy just does better.

“I think we saw that whether it’s just a little angle the defender goes at the attacking guy, he gets an easy chance where it should be more difficult. In that way it’s not like there was 20 counterattacks, there was only a couple and they scored.”

On the effort of Indy Eleven’s forwards on the night:
“It was a tough game because [San Antonio] really got up close and didn’t leave much room. For Brian Brown, the work ethic was fantastic. He put a great 90-minute shift in and the only thing that would have topped it off would have been a goal.”

On having to adjust to Dane Richards’ early injury:
“It throws off the idea of how we were going to play and how we manage the 90 minutes. It’s difficult at any position any time you have to make a change in the first few minutes, but especially when it’s a guy like Dane.”

On how he’s approaching the last three games:
“It’s a chance to look at guys for 2016. Whether it’s a certain tactical lineup, or to see them at certain positions and certain moments, that’s what we’ll take advantage of down the stretch.”


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – MIDFIELDER DYLAN MARES

On scoring his team-high fourth goal of the season:
“That’s a good goal for anyone because it gives you a little bit of confidence, knowing that you can still put it in the back of the net. It brought us back into the game for a little bit, then they came back down and immediately scored, it made things really difficult for us.”

On entering the game off the bench as he continues to return from a recent knee injury:
“It was tough coming into the game being down, but I knew I had to give the team a lift a little bit. I did what I could; Tim (Regan) told me to stay high on the pitch, and it’s kind of tough playing with two attacking midfielders because Marvin (Ceballos) and I communicate in two different languages. But, we try to sort it out between us and I just tried to stay as high as I could and just be around the goal to have something like that happen.”

On how the players will approach the final three games now out of postseason contention:
“To be honest, I think we play to get better regardless of the next game whether and prove to ourselves that we can play with every team in this league. I think it’s just important to stay positive and keep working hard because we’re not going to get anything out of coming out with a negative attitude.”

On having the next two matches back at Carroll Stadium:
“It definitely helps being at home three games in a row. You have that mindset already that you have the city behind you. It just comes down to us and the players that are on the team staying focused and staying sharp the rest of the season because it’s better to end up in a place above last. Again, we’re fighting for our jobs out there and I think that’s something that’s going to push people to keep working hard.”


NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  1 : 2  San Antonio Scorpions
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 10,090

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-5D-9L (14 pts.)
Combined: 6W-9D-12L (27 pts.)

San Antonio Scorpions
Fall Season: 4W-5D-7L (17 pts.)
Combined: 7W-8D-11L (29 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
SAS – Giuseppe Gentile (Marvin Chavez) 19’
IND – Dylan Mares (Marvin Ceballos) 69’
SAS – Kristopher Tyrpak (Marvin Chavez) 79’

Discipline Summary:
SAS – Adrian Cann (caution) 25’
IND – Sergio Peña (caution) 56’
IND – Cory Miller (caution) 72’
SAS – Daniel Fernandes (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-5-1):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt), Cory Miller, Dragan Stojkov (Dylan Mares 63’); Duke Lacroix, Victor Pineda (Wojciech Wojcik 81’), Sergio Peña, Marvin Ceballos, Dane Richards (Don Smart 14’); Brian Brown

Indy Eleven Bench: Kristian Nicht (GK), Greg Janicki, Daniel Keller

San Antonio Scorpions (4-2-3-1): Daniel Fernandes; Stephen DeRoux, Joseph Nane, Adrian Cann (Capt.), Milton Palacios; Tyler Gibson; Rafael Castillo; Giuseppe Gentile (Billy Forbes 77’), Marvin Chavez (Brad Rusin 88’), Kristopher Tyrpak; Omar Cummings (Eric Hassli 68’)

San Antonio Scorpions Bench: Matthew Cardone (GK), Billy Forbes, Julio Garcia, Zourab Tsiskaridze

Indy Eleven Downed 1-2 by Defending Champion San Antonio

Dylan Mares’ Team-high Fourth Goal Evens Things Late, but “Boys in Blue” Can’t Hold Onto Result

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, October 10, 2015) – In what amounted to an elimination game to keep The Championship hopes alive, San Antonio Scorpions midfielder Marvin Chavez helped create a pair of goals to lift the visitors to a 2-1 win over Indy Eleven in front of 10,090 fans at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

Completing a quickly developing play, newly signed Scorpion Kris Tyrpak posted his second goal in as many games for San Antonio in the 79th minute to quickly change the momentum of the match and bury Indy just 10 minutes after the “Boys in Blue” had equalized. The beneficiary of Chavez’s second assist of the night, Tyrpak fired low and snuck the shot under Indy Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona and inside the right post for the decisive goal of the match.

With his team-high fourth goal of the season, Indy Eleven midfielder Dylan Mares was the beneficiary of an excellent team play, posting the equalizing in the 69th minute after crashing the net on the weak side of the play. Wide open, Mares received a pass from Marvin Ceballos, who scrapped with four Scorpions inside the six-yard box, before settling and firing the equalizer into an open net. Eleven forward Duke Lacroix set up the play on the other side of the field, working the ball into the center before Ceballos maneuvered through traffic.

The Indy Eleven goal neutralized San Antonio’s first counterattack goal, capitalizing on a few touches to move from the Eleven’s 18-yard box into the back of Cardona’s net. It was the seventh time in the last eight matches Indy has conceded the first goal, and the Eleven are now 1W-3D-9L when being scored on first during the Fall Season. Sprawling to his left, Cardona could not get a hand on the low shot off the boot of Scorpions striker Giuseppe Gentile. His first goal of the season in 12 appearances, Gentile was set up wide after Chavez kept their march down the field alive.

Both teams struggled to get much going early in the first half, with San Antonio’s quick counter off a Dragan Stojkov corner kick on the other side of the pitch being the first fluid play of the match. Indy Eleven would take 10 shots up the opening half, but couldn’t put one on frame to test Scorpions ‘keeper Daniel Fernandes.

While things opened up dramatically for Indy Eleven in the last half hour, the only chance to truly put Fernandes on edge outside the Mares goal was a poke in the 83rd minute by Ceballos, but the scrambling Scorpions netminder made a recovering kick save after getting stranded off his line seconds earlier.

Indy Eleven continues its final homestand of the season Saturday, October 17, when it takes on Minnesota United FC at Carroll Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, with a Fall Frolic theme highlighting a night of fun at “The Mike”. Fans 21 & over can purchase tickets to a pregame pumpkin beer tasting, with 11 different beers slated to be available.

Indy Eleven, in partnership with The Villages, will also be hosting a “Musical Chairs 4 Kids” Fundraiser before the game with where fans 21-and-over can purchase a $25 ticket-and-fundraiser which will include a game ticket, participation in the musical chairs event, a donation to The Villages, a special event t-shirt and swag bag with coupons and giveaways from promotional partners.  Fans that already have a ticket to the match can join in the fun by purchasing a “Musical Chairs 4 Kids” add-on package for $20.


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – INTERIM HEAD COACH TIM REGAN

On Indy Eleven getting victimized on a pair of counter attacks on the defensive end:
“When you push to attack you’re going to get stretched a little. It wasn’t like there weren’t people back. It wasn’t like it was a 3-on-2. There’s enough players back to make a play, and sometimes their guy just does better.

“I think we saw that whether it’s just a little angle the defender goes at the attacking guy, he gets an easy chance where it should be more difficult. In that way it’s not like there was 20 counterattacks, there was only a couple and they scored.”

On the effort of Indy Eleven’s forwards on the night:
“It was a tough game because [San Antonio] really got up close and didn’t leave much room. For Brian Brown, the work ethic was fantastic. He put a great 90-minute shift in and the only thing that would have topped it off would have been a goal.”

On having to adjust to Dane Richards’ early injury:
“It throws off the idea of how we were going to play and how we manage the 90 minutes. It’s difficult at any position any time you have to make a change in the first few minutes, but especially when it’s a guy like Dane.”

On how he’s approaching the last three games:
“It’s a chance to look at guys for 2016. Whether it’s a certain tactical lineup, or to see them at certain positions and certain moments, that’s what we’ll take advantage of down the stretch.”


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – MIDFIELDER DYLAN MARES

On scoring his team-high fourth goal of the season:
“That’s a good goal for anyone because it gives you a little bit of confidence, knowing that you can still put it in the back of the net. It brought us back into the game for a little bit, then they came back down and immediately scored, it made things really difficult for us.”

On entering the game off the bench as he continues to return from a recent knee injury:
“It was tough coming into the game being down, but I knew I had to give the team a lift a little bit. I did what I could; Tim (Regan) told me to stay high on the pitch, and it’s kind of tough playing with two attacking midfielders because Marvin (Ceballos) and I communicate in two different languages. But, we try to sort it out between us and I just tried to stay as high as I could and just be around the goal to have something like that happen.”

On how the players will approach the final three games now out of postseason contention:
“To be honest, I think we play to get better regardless of the next game whether and prove to ourselves that we can play with every team in this league. I think it’s just important to stay positive and keep working hard because we’re not going to get anything out of coming out with a negative attitude.”

On having the next two matches back at Carroll Stadium:
“It definitely helps being at home three games in a row. You have that mindset already that you have the city behind you. It just comes down to us and the players that are on the team staying focused and staying sharp the rest of the season because it’s better to end up in a place above last. Again, we’re fighting for our jobs out there and I think that’s something that’s going to push people to keep working hard.”


NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  1 : 2  San Antonio Scorpions
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 10,090

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-5D-9L (14 pts.)
Combined: 6W-9D-12L (27 pts.)

San Antonio Scorpions
Fall Season: 4W-5D-7L (17 pts.)
Combined: 7W-8D-11L (29 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
SAS – Giuseppe Gentile (Marvin Chavez) 19’
IND – Dylan Mares (Marvin Ceballos) 69’
SAS – Kristopher Tyrpak (Marvin Chavez) 79’

Discipline Summary:
SAS – Adrian Cann (caution) 25’
IND – Sergio Peña (caution) 56’
IND – Cory Miller (caution) 72’
SAS – Daniel Fernandes (caution) 90+’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-5-1):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias, Erick Norales (Capt), Cory Miller, Dragan Stojkov (Dylan Mares 63’); Duke Lacroix, Victor Pineda (Wojciech Wojcik 81’), Sergio Peña, Marvin Ceballos, Dane Richards (Don Smart 14’); Brian Brown

Indy Eleven Bench: Kristian Nicht (GK), Greg Janicki, Daniel Keller

San Antonio Scorpions (4-2-3-1): Daniel Fernandes; Stephen DeRoux, Joseph Nane, Adrian Cann (Capt.), Milton Palacios; Tyler Gibson; Rafael Castillo; Giuseppe Gentile (Billy Forbes 77’), Marvin Chavez (Brad Rusin 88’), Kristopher Tyrpak; Omar Cummings (Eric Hassli 68’)

San Antonio Scorpions Bench: Matthew Cardone (GK), Billy Forbes, Julio Garcia, Zourab Tsiskaridze

RECAP – JAX v IND

Indy Eleven Capitalize Late for 1-1 Draw

Brian Brown’s Late Tally Evens Indy to Earn Standings Point

JACKSONVILLE, FL (Saturday, October 3, 2015) – Indy Eleven forward Brian Brown’s 83rd minute strike pushed the Eleven to a 1-1 draw against Jacksonville Armada FC in a Saturday night showdown at Community First Park in Jacksonville.   

Brown’s late equalizer was his third goal in checkers, placing him in a now four-way tie atop the Indy Eleven goals leaderboard. Rushing behind the Armada back line, Brown deposited a long chip that sailed over the Armada defense from Wojciech Wojcik to even the match deep into regulation time.

The goal capped off 20 minutes of offense that rained down on the Armada after Jacksonville defender Mechack Jérôme was sent off with a 63rd minute red card for kicking Wojcik as he lay prone with the ball atop his legs. After previously playing with a defensive mindset, the Boys in Blue elevated the pace and used tight passes near the box to set up numerous chances.

Jacksonville’s lone success of the first 45 came on the counter, turning an Indy Eleven corner kick on one end of the pitch into a cross and header that bested Eleven starter Keith Cardona.

Dribbling through the middle of the field, Armada midfielder Jaime Castrillón attempted to draw a foul after pushing the ball wide but referee Juan Guzman, Jr. allowed the play to continue. With the ball just outside the box, Pascal Millien chipped a cross over the head of the Indy defender allowing Castrillón to streak into the box and deposit a header that put the Eleven down 1-0 early.

Roughly four minutes later, Dane Richards dribbled down the side of the field countering for the Boys in Blue, breaking through a Lucas Scaglia tackle before the play was whistled dead. Scaglia earned his 11th yellow card of the 2015 NASL season for his trouble, while a visibly frustrated Richards was unable to continue pressing down the sideline.

Entering the second half with just 41% possession, Indy continued to battle back and seek out quality chances whenever possible. Wojcik finished the match with four credited shots including a header that nearly evened the match while Marvin Ceballos and Duke Lacroix added stout chances of their own but couldn’t beat Armada goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.

Following Brown’s game-tying goal, the Eleven were quickly forced to defend. Putting the ball back in play instantly, a sequence of passes found Akeil Barrett had netted a goal but the referee ruled it was a handball on the attacking Armada forward after Cory Miller defenseman disrupted his dribble and sent the ball skyward.

Tested early three times, Cardona made his final and most important save of the game in the 90th minute of the match, diving to stuff a Lucas Scaglia blast from the top of the box and salvaging a crucial standings point.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.

 

NASL Fall Season

Jacksonville Armada FC 1 : 1  Indy Eleven

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Community First Park – Jacksonville, FL

Attendance: 6734

 

Indy Eleven:

Fall Season: 3W-5D-8L (14 pts.)

Combined: 6W-9D-11L (27 pts.)

 

Jacksonville Armada FC

Fall Season: 4W-4D-8L (16 pts.)

Combined: 9W-8D-9L (35 pts.)

 

Scoring Summary:

JAX – Jaime Castrillón (Pascal Millien) 29’

IND – Brian Brown (Wojciech Wojcik) 83’

 

Discipline Summary:

JAX – Lucas Scaglia (caution) 33’

JAX – Mechack Jérôme (ejection) 63’

JAX – Nurdin Hrustic (caution) 79’

JAX – Jemal Johnson (caution) 88’

 

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Kyle Hyland, Greg Janicki (capt) (Brian Brown 76’), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Victor Pineda, Marvin Ceballos, Daniel Keller (Dylan Mares 64’), Dragan Stojkov (Duke Lacroix 67’); Wojciech Wojcik, Dane Richards

Indy Eleven Bench: Jon Dawson (GK), Erick Norales, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger

 

Jacksonville Armada FC (4-3-3): Miguel Gallardo (Second Half Capt); Lucas Trejo, Matt Bahner, Mechack Jérôme, Shawn Nicklaw; Nicolas Perea, Jaime Castrillón (Fabricio Ortiz 74’), Lucas Scaglia; Jemal Johnson, Alhassane Keita (First Half Capt) (Akeil Barrett 45’), Pascal Millien (Nurdin Hrustic 65’)

Jacksonville Armada FC Bench: Marcos Flores, Bochy Hoyos, Tommy Krizanovic, David Sierra (GK)

Indy Eleven Capitalize Late for 1-1 Draw

Brian Brown’s Late Tally Evens Indy to Earn Standings Point

JACKSONVILLE, FL (Saturday, October 3, 2015) – Indy Eleven forward Brian Brown’s 83rd minute strike pushed the Eleven to a 1-1 draw against Jacksonville Armada FC in a Saturday night showdown at Community First Park in Jacksonville.   

Brown’s late equalizer was his third goal in checkers, placing him in a now four-way tie atop the Indy Eleven goals leaderboard. Rushing behind the Armada back line, Brown deposited a long chip that sailed over the Armada defense from Wojciech Wojcik to even the match deep into regulation time.

The goal capped off 20 minutes of offense that rained down on the Armada after Jacksonville defender Mechack Jérôme was sent off with a 63rd minute red card for kicking Wojcik as he lay prone with the ball atop his legs. After previously playing with a defensive mindset, the Boys in Blue elevated the pace and used tight passes near the box to set up numerous chances.

Jacksonville’s lone success of the first 45 came on the counter, turning an Indy Eleven corner kick on one end of the pitch into a cross and header that bested Eleven starter Keith Cardona.

Dribbling through the middle of the field, Armada midfielder Jaime Castrillón attempted to draw a foul after pushing the ball wide but referee Juan Guzman, Jr. allowed the play to continue. With the ball just outside the box, Pascal Millien chipped a cross over the head of the Indy defender allowing Castrillón to streak into the box and deposit a header that put the Eleven down 1-0 early.

Roughly four minutes later, Dane Richards dribbled down the side of the field countering for the Boys in Blue, breaking through a Lucas Scaglia tackle before the play was whistled dead. Scaglia earned his 11th yellow card of the 2015 NASL season for his trouble, while a visibly frustrated Richards was unable to continue pressing down the sideline.

Entering the second half with just 41% possession, Indy continued to battle back and seek out quality chances whenever possible. Wojcik finished the match with four credited shots including a header that nearly evened the match while Marvin Ceballos and Duke Lacroix added stout chances of their own but couldn’t beat Armada goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.

Following Brown’s game-tying goal, the Eleven were quickly forced to defend. Putting the ball back in play instantly, a sequence of passes found Akeil Barrett had netted a goal but the referee ruled it was a handball on the attacking Armada forward after Cory Miller defenseman disrupted his dribble and sent the ball skyward.

Tested early three times, Cardona made his final and most important save of the game in the 90th minute of the match, diving to stuff a Lucas Scaglia blast from the top of the box and salvaging a crucial standings point.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.

 

NASL Fall Season

Jacksonville Armada FC 1 : 1  Indy Eleven

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Community First Park – Jacksonville, FL

Attendance: 6734

 

Indy Eleven:

Fall Season: 3W-5D-8L (14 pts.)

Combined: 6W-9D-11L (27 pts.)

 

Jacksonville Armada FC

Fall Season: 4W-4D-8L (16 pts.)

Combined: 9W-8D-9L (35 pts.)

 

Scoring Summary:

JAX – Jaime Castrillón (Pascal Millien) 29’

IND – Brian Brown (Wojciech Wojcik) 83’

 

Discipline Summary:

JAX – Lucas Scaglia (caution) 33’

JAX – Mechack Jérôme (ejection) 63’

JAX – Nurdin Hrustic (caution) 79’

JAX – Jemal Johnson (caution) 88’

 

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Kyle Hyland, Greg Janicki (capt) (Brian Brown 76’), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Victor Pineda, Marvin Ceballos, Daniel Keller (Dylan Mares 64’), Dragan Stojkov (Duke Lacroix 67’); Wojciech Wojcik, Dane Richards

Indy Eleven Bench: Jon Dawson (GK), Erick Norales, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger

 

Jacksonville Armada FC (4-3-3): Miguel Gallardo (Second Half Capt); Lucas Trejo, Matt Bahner, Mechack Jérôme, Shawn Nicklaw; Nicolas Perea, Jaime Castrillón (Fabricio Ortiz 74’), Lucas Scaglia; Jemal Johnson, Alhassane Keita (First Half Capt) (Akeil Barrett 45’), Pascal Millien (Nurdin Hrustic 65’)

Jacksonville Armada FC Bench: Marcos Flores, Bochy Hoyos, Tommy Krizanovic, David Sierra (GK)

RECAP – TBR 1 : 1 IND

Jaime Frias Goal Earns Indy Eleven Precious Road Point

Defender’s first foray into the back of the net in 2015 pulls Eleven even with Rowdies

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (Wednesday, September 30, 2015) – Countering a deficit and commandeering the tempo late, Indy Eleven opened a two game stretch in the Sunshine State with a 1-1 draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida.  

Attacking after facing their first and only deficit of the night, Indy midfielder Duke Lacroix approached the Rowdies box and drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box to set up a critical free kick. Capturing a bouncing ball that hit the defensive wall, Eleven defender Jaime Frias capitalized on the traffic in front of the net to tally his first strike of the season in the 67th minute.

With the equalizer, Frias became the 14th man wearing checkers to score during the 2015 NASL campaign, the most in the league.

Rowdies forward Long Tan opened the scoring in the 63rd minute prior, capitalizing on set piece miscommunication to best Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona and volley home from six yards out to put Indy in a 1-0 hole.

Indy Eleven withstood Tampa’s early attack and countered at the 13’, when midfielder Dylan Mares saw a low strike beat Rowdies netminder Matt Pickens but ricochet off the left post and back into traffic.

Returning to the starting lineup after not seeing action last time out, Eleven midfielder and Butler University product Zach Steinberger found paydirt in the 38th minute after recovering his own deflected pass, but said pass was deemed offside, nullifying the apparent score.

With the score still nodded at zeroes, Rowdies mid Richard Menjivar grabbed Steinberger as he cleared the center circle, drawing the Rowdies second yellow card of the half. While Indy was kept on their heels and drew 44% possession through 45 minutes, the Eleven made the most of their possession attacking eight times and posting four shots on target in the first half.

Despite the “Boys in Blue” being forced to dig in their heels to start the second half, Indy once again countered with a quality chance. Streaking down the left side of the pitch, Lacroix fed a first-time cross towards the net and trapped Pickens in no-mans-land, but forward Brian Brown reach the rolling feed to deliver Indy a lead.

Following the trading of goals by Tan and Frias four minutes apart in the middle of the half, the best look for either side down the stretch came in the 90th minute when Indy Eleven right winger Don Smart had space in the right side of the area, but Pickens cut off the angle and went low to block the shot out for a corner.

Despite technically holding 11th place in the NASL’s Combined Season standings, tonight’s road point actually pulled Indy Eleven into a four-way tie for eighth place on the table with five games to go in the season.

The “Boys in Blue” will continue their Sunshine State swing this Saturday, Oct. 3, when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the expansion Armada FC. Kickoff from Community First Park in Jacksonville for the NASL’s first game of the final month of regular season contests is set for 7:30 p.m. and can be seen online via ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.

 

NASL Fall Season
Tampa Bay Rowdies  1 : 1  Indy Eleven
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL
Attendance: 4,691

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-4D-8L (13 pts.)
Combined: 6W-8D-11L (26 pts.)

Tampa Bay Rowdies
Fall Season: 4W-3D-8L (15 pts.)
Combined: 9W-7D-9L (34 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
TBR – Long Tan (Freddy Adu) 63’
IND – Jaime Frias (unassisted) 67’

Discipline Summary:
TBR – Juan Guerra (caution) 14’
TBR – Richard Menjivar (caution) 41’
TBR – Tamika Mkandwawire (caution) 88’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias (Dragan Stojkov 67’), Erick Norales (capt), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Duke Lacroix, Zach Steinberger, Sergio Peña (Daniel Keller 86’), Don Smart; Brian Brown (Dane Richards 63’), Dylan Mares

Indy Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Greg Janicki, Victor Pineda, Marvin Ceballos

Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-4-2): Matt Pickens; Rich Balchan, Stefan Antonijevic, Tamika Mkandawire, Darnell King; Brian Shriver (Corey Hertzog 59’), Richard Menjivar, Juan Guerra, Freddy Adu; Georgi Hristov, Long Tan

Tampa Bay Bench: Kamil Constofalsky, Gale Agbossoumonde, Martin Nunez, Marcelo Saragosa, Justin Chavez, Robert Hernandez

Jaime Frias Goal Earns Indy Eleven Precious Road Point

Defender’s first foray into the back of the net in 2015 pulls Eleven even with Rowdies

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (Wednesday, September 30, 2015) – Countering a deficit and commandeering the tempo late, Indy Eleven opened a two game stretch in the Sunshine State with a 1-1 draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida.  

Attacking after facing their first and only deficit of the night, Indy midfielder Duke Lacroix approached the Rowdies box and drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box to set up a critical free kick. Capturing a bouncing ball that hit the defensive wall, Eleven defender Jaime Frias capitalized on the traffic in front of the net to tally his first strike of the season in the 67th minute.

With the equalizer, Frias became the 14th man wearing checkers to score during the 2015 NASL campaign, the most in the league.

Rowdies forward Long Tan opened the scoring in the 63rd minute prior, capitalizing on set piece miscommunication to best Eleven goalkeeper Keith Cardona and volley home from six yards out to put Indy in a 1-0 hole.

Indy Eleven withstood Tampa’s early attack and countered at the 13’, when midfielder Dylan Mares saw a low strike beat Rowdies netminder Matt Pickens but ricochet off the left post and back into traffic.

Returning to the starting lineup after not seeing action last time out, Eleven midfielder and Butler University product Zach Steinberger found paydirt in the 38th minute after recovering his own deflected pass, but said pass was deemed offside, nullifying the apparent score.

With the score still nodded at zeroes, Rowdies mid Richard Menjivar grabbed Steinberger as he cleared the center circle, drawing the Rowdies second yellow card of the half. While Indy was kept on their heels and drew 44% possession through 45 minutes, the Eleven made the most of their possession attacking eight times and posting four shots on target in the first half.

Despite the “Boys in Blue” being forced to dig in their heels to start the second half, Indy once again countered with a quality chance. Streaking down the left side of the pitch, Lacroix fed a first-time cross towards the net and trapped Pickens in no-mans-land, but forward Brian Brown reach the rolling feed to deliver Indy a lead.

Following the trading of goals by Tan and Frias four minutes apart in the middle of the half, the best look for either side down the stretch came in the 90th minute when Indy Eleven right winger Don Smart had space in the right side of the area, but Pickens cut off the angle and went low to block the shot out for a corner.

Despite technically holding 11th place in the NASL’s Combined Season standings, tonight’s road point actually pulled Indy Eleven into a four-way tie for eighth place on the table with five games to go in the season.

The “Boys in Blue” will continue their Sunshine State swing this Saturday, Oct. 3, when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the expansion Armada FC. Kickoff from Community First Park in Jacksonville for the NASL’s first game of the final month of regular season contests is set for 7:30 p.m. and can be seen online via ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.

 

NASL Fall Season
Tampa Bay Rowdies  1 : 1  Indy Eleven
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL
Attendance: 4,691

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-4D-8L (13 pts.)
Combined: 6W-8D-11L (26 pts.)

Tampa Bay Rowdies
Fall Season: 4W-3D-8L (15 pts.)
Combined: 9W-7D-9L (34 pts.)

Scoring Summary:
TBR – Long Tan (Freddy Adu) 63’
IND – Jaime Frias (unassisted) 67’

Discipline Summary:
TBR – Juan Guerra (caution) 14’
TBR – Richard Menjivar (caution) 41’
TBR – Tamika Mkandwawire (caution) 88’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Keith Cardona; Jaime Frias (Dragan Stojkov 67’), Erick Norales (capt), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Duke Lacroix, Zach Steinberger, Sergio Peña (Daniel Keller 86’), Don Smart; Brian Brown (Dane Richards 63’), Dylan Mares

Indy Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Greg Janicki, Victor Pineda, Marvin Ceballos

Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-4-2): Matt Pickens; Rich Balchan, Stefan Antonijevic, Tamika Mkandawire, Darnell King; Brian Shriver (Corey Hertzog 59’), Richard Menjivar, Juan Guerra, Freddy Adu; Georgi Hristov, Long Tan

Tampa Bay Bench: Kamil Constofalsky, Gale Agbossoumonde, Martin Nunez, Marcelo Saragosa, Justin Chavez, Robert Hernandez

RECAP – IND v FCE

Indy Eleven Falls to FC Edmonton 0-2 at Home

Second Half Tallies by Daryl Fordyce and Sainey Nyassi Sees FCE Snap Indy’s Recent Run of Success at “The Mike”

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, September 19, 2015) – After collecting shutout wins the last two times out at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium, Indy Eleven couldn’t duplicate that success tonight against FC Edmonton, falling to an 0-2 defeat in front of 9,840 fans.  Edmonton tallies by Daryl Fordyce and Sainey Nyassi after the break would give the Albertan side enough cushion on the scoreboard thanks to Matt Van Oekel’s three-save clean sheet.

Indy Eleven forward Dane Richards would shoot out of the gate with the game’s first good look just 35 seconds after the opening whistle after getting put into the area on a counter by running mate Wojciech Wojcik, but the Jamaican would push his chance wide of the far left post.

It would be nothing but half chances for either side for the next half hour until the 32nd minute, when Edmonton midfielder Pablo Cruz got past Indy’s high backline. After drawing Indy Eleven ‘keeper Kristian Nicht off his line Cruz squared for a wide open Dustin Corea, who had trouble adjusting to the bouncing ball and sent a weak attempt goal-bound, allowing Nicht to recover and paw it away for a corner kick.

Cruz created the only other truly dangerous chance for the rest of the half when he crossed into the heart of the area off a short corner in the 44th minute, but captain Albert Watson would push his header from 10 yards out just wide left.

Wojcik would almost put Indy Eleven up in the 54th minute when his header off a corner kick missed just high, but it would be Edmonton moving the scoreboard first just a minute later through Fordyce. The FC Edmonton striker accepted midfielder Lance Laing’s cross from the left flank with one touch at the top of the six before going five-hole on Nicht to give the Eddies the 1-0 advantage.  The goal marked the first tally conceded by the “Boys in Blue” at Carroll Stadium in 259 minutes of action dating back to Aug. 8 versus Ottawa Fury FC.

Indy would be the aggressors from there on out as FC Edmonton looked content to absorb its slim advantage. The visitors were able do just that, and do it effectively, limiting Indy’s scoring opportunities to latching onto loose balls on corner kicks. Midfielder Dragan Stojkov’s low chance from 10 yards out in the 58th minute was grabbed by Van Oekel first, and it would be another 20 minutes until defender Cory Miller’s crashing redirect from near the six yard box in the 77th flashed wide of the far right post.

FC Edmonton would double its advantage through a pair of substitutes in the 85th minute, when Ritchie Jones nudged a square ball to the top of the arc for Sainey Nyassi, who finished hard and low past a stranded Nicht to put the score at its final 2-0 margin.  Nyassi could have very well had a second in the final minutes of regulation with Frank Jonke put him behind the Indy backline with a splendid diagonal through ball, but the Gambian forward pushed his attempt wide past an advancing Nicht.

Indy Eleven will enjoy its final bye week of 2015 next weekend before embarking on a two-stop road trip to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday, Sept. 30 (televised on ONE World Sports, online in Central Indiana on ONEWorldSports.com), and Jacksonville Armada FC (online on ESPN3.com) three days later on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – HEAD COACH TIM REGAN

On not being able to break through offensively:

“Between their back four and their holding midfielder they were really tight, and that made them very hard to break down. We took some decent service – especially in the first half – where I thought we should have gotten on the end of a couple of them, but to their credit they kept us from being too dangerous.  We hit the post and had a couple of half-chances, but we also created a couple of clear looks on goal that we just didn’t connect on. There was enough there to get a goal.”

On any adjustments made at halftime:

“I think everyone was comfortable at halftime. The defending wasn’t great at the start but it improved throughout the first half. We were organized and kept them from creating anything too dangerous outside of our own giveaways. The idea in attack was simple – to keep pushing, to keep getting service and chances at goals.”

On the debut of midfielder Daniel Cuevas:

“I thought he’d get at their right back and create chances, and I thought he made a couple of good runs in the first half.  He did a good job at finding some open spaces, but he didn’t always get the ball. That’s something to maybe where he hasn’t played with us a lot and the guys weren’t used to where he would find those spaces. He was always going to be limited in the number of minutes he’d be available, but he kept fighting and trying to be dynamic throughout his 60 minutes.”

 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  0 : 2  FC Edmonton
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,840

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-3D-8L (12 pts.)
Combined: 6W-7D-11L (25 pts.)

FC Edmonton
Fall Season: 6W-4D-4L (22 pts.)
Combined: 8W-7D-9L (31 pts.)

Scoring Summary: 
FCE – Daryl Fordyce (Lance Laing) 55’
FCE – Sainey Nyassi (Ritchie Jones) 85’

Discipline Summary:
FCE – Mallan Roberts (caution) 45’
FCE – Dustin Corea (caution) 47’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 72’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Kyle Hyland, Erick Norales (capt), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Daniel Cuevas (Duke Lacroix 56’), Brad Ring, Daniel Keller, Dragan Stojkov (Don Smart 77’); Wojciech Wojcik (Marvin Ceballos 66’), Dane Richards

Indy Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Greg Janicki, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger

FC Edmonton (4-1-4-1): Matt VanOekel; Allan Zebie, Mallan Roberts, Albert Watson (capt), Eddie Edwards (Ritchie Jones 71’); Christian Raudales; Lance Laing, Pablo Cruz (Sainey Nyassi 77’), Dustin Corea, Johann Smith; Daryl Fordyce (Frank Jonke 82’)

Edmonton Bench: Tyson Farago (GK), Marko Aleksic

Indy Eleven Falls to FC Edmonton 0-2 at Home

Second Half Tallies by Daryl Fordyce and Sainey Nyassi Sees FCE Snap Indy’s Recent Run of Success at “The Mike”

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, September 19, 2015) – After collecting shutout wins the last two times out at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium, Indy Eleven couldn’t duplicate that success tonight against FC Edmonton, falling to an 0-2 defeat in front of 9,840 fans.  Edmonton tallies by Daryl Fordyce and Sainey Nyassi after the break would give the Albertan side enough cushion on the scoreboard thanks to Matt Van Oekel’s three-save clean sheet.

Indy Eleven forward Dane Richards would shoot out of the gate with the game’s first good look just 35 seconds after the opening whistle after getting put into the area on a counter by running mate Wojciech Wojcik, but the Jamaican would push his chance wide of the far left post.

It would be nothing but half chances for either side for the next half hour until the 32nd minute, when Edmonton midfielder Pablo Cruz got past Indy’s high backline. After drawing Indy Eleven ‘keeper Kristian Nicht off his line Cruz squared for a wide open Dustin Corea, who had trouble adjusting to the bouncing ball and sent a weak attempt goal-bound, allowing Nicht to recover and paw it away for a corner kick.

Cruz created the only other truly dangerous chance for the rest of the half when he crossed into the heart of the area off a short corner in the 44th minute, but captain Albert Watson would push his header from 10 yards out just wide left.

Wojcik would almost put Indy Eleven up in the 54th minute when his header off a corner kick missed just high, but it would be Edmonton moving the scoreboard first just a minute later through Fordyce. The FC Edmonton striker accepted midfielder Lance Laing’s cross from the left flank with one touch at the top of the six before going five-hole on Nicht to give the Eddies the 1-0 advantage.  The goal marked the first tally conceded by the “Boys in Blue” at Carroll Stadium in 259 minutes of action dating back to Aug. 8 versus Ottawa Fury FC.

Indy would be the aggressors from there on out as FC Edmonton looked content to absorb its slim advantage. The visitors were able do just that, and do it effectively, limiting Indy’s scoring opportunities to latching onto loose balls on corner kicks. Midfielder Dragan Stojkov’s low chance from 10 yards out in the 58th minute was grabbed by Van Oekel first, and it would be another 20 minutes until defender Cory Miller’s crashing redirect from near the six yard box in the 77th flashed wide of the far right post.

FC Edmonton would double its advantage through a pair of substitutes in the 85th minute, when Ritchie Jones nudged a square ball to the top of the arc for Sainey Nyassi, who finished hard and low past a stranded Nicht to put the score at its final 2-0 margin.  Nyassi could have very well had a second in the final minutes of regulation with Frank Jonke put him behind the Indy backline with a splendid diagonal through ball, but the Gambian forward pushed his attempt wide past an advancing Nicht.

Indy Eleven will enjoy its final bye week of 2015 next weekend before embarking on a two-stop road trip to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday, Sept. 30 (televised on ONE World Sports, online in Central Indiana on ONEWorldSports.com), and Jacksonville Armada FC (online on ESPN3.com) three days later on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Indy Eleven will begin its final homestand of the season – a three-game run on consecutive Saturdays – on Saturday, October 10, when it welcomes the San Antonio Scorpions to Carroll Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for the match starting at just $10 are available at www.www.indyeleven.com, while a special “Inside the Front Office” seminar package – including a Sideline or East Goal Bottom section ticket and access to a two-hour pre-game Q&A/networking session with nine Indianapolis sports executives – are available for $25 at http://frontoffice.https://www.indyeleven.com.


INDY ELEVEN QUOTE SHEET – HEAD COACH TIM REGAN

On not being able to break through offensively:

“Between their back four and their holding midfielder they were really tight, and that made them very hard to break down. We took some decent service – especially in the first half – where I thought we should have gotten on the end of a couple of them, but to their credit they kept us from being too dangerous.  We hit the post and had a couple of half-chances, but we also created a couple of clear looks on goal that we just didn’t connect on. There was enough there to get a goal.”

On any adjustments made at halftime:

“I think everyone was comfortable at halftime. The defending wasn’t great at the start but it improved throughout the first half. We were organized and kept them from creating anything too dangerous outside of our own giveaways. The idea in attack was simple – to keep pushing, to keep getting service and chances at goals.”

On the debut of midfielder Daniel Cuevas:

“I thought he’d get at their right back and create chances, and I thought he made a couple of good runs in the first half.  He did a good job at finding some open spaces, but he didn’t always get the ball. That’s something to maybe where he hasn’t played with us a lot and the guys weren’t used to where he would find those spaces. He was always going to be limited in the number of minutes he’d be available, but he kept fighting and trying to be dynamic throughout his 60 minutes.”

 

NASL Fall Season
Indy Eleven  0 : 2  FC Edmonton
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,840

Indy Eleven: 
Fall Season: 3W-3D-8L (12 pts.)
Combined: 6W-7D-11L (25 pts.)

FC Edmonton
Fall Season: 6W-4D-4L (22 pts.)
Combined: 8W-7D-9L (31 pts.)

Scoring Summary: 
FCE – Daryl Fordyce (Lance Laing) 55’
FCE – Sainey Nyassi (Ritchie Jones) 85’

Discipline Summary:
FCE – Mallan Roberts (caution) 45’
FCE – Dustin Corea (caution) 47’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 72’

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Kyle Hyland, Erick Norales (capt), Cory Miller, Marco Franco; Daniel Cuevas (Duke Lacroix 56’), Brad Ring, Daniel Keller, Dragan Stojkov (Don Smart 77’); Wojciech Wojcik (Marvin Ceballos 66’), Dane Richards

Indy Bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Greg Janicki, Sergio Peña, Zach Steinberger

FC Edmonton (4-1-4-1): Matt VanOekel; Allan Zebie, Mallan Roberts, Albert Watson (capt), Eddie Edwards (Ritchie Jones 71’); Christian Raudales; Lance Laing, Pablo Cruz (Sainey Nyassi 77’), Dustin Corea, Johann Smith; Daryl Fordyce (Frank Jonke 82’)

Edmonton Bench: Tyson Farago (GK), Marko Aleksic

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