Game Recaps

Fulltime Recap – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Ottawa Fury FC

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 17, 2014) – The action between the North American Soccer League’s two 2014 expansion clubs, Indy Eleven and Ottawa Fury FC, heated up quickly in a six-goal shootout that ended 4-2 in favor of the Canadian side in front of a sellout crowd of 10,285 at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

In a furiously played first 45 minutes it was Ottawa Fury FC that lit up the scoreboard first on a 16 th minute goal by midfielder Tony Donatelli. Forward Vini Dantas’ pass to Donatelli at the top of the box gave him the ability to turn and fire a shot from the top of the box toward the left side of the net and past Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht for the opening tally.

Indy Eleven quickly responded in the 19 th minute when newcomer midfielder Blake Smith, on-loan from MLS’ Montreal Impact, was taken down in the box by Fury FC’s Oliver. Referee Mark Kadlecik awarded Indy Eleven a penalty kick and forward Mike Ambersley netted the tying goal past Fury goalkeeper Devala Gorrick. The goal was Ambersley’s third on the season, giving him a share of the NASL lead in the category.

Ottawa gained the final push to go ahead in the closing minutes of the first half.  In the 40 th minute, a Fury FC corner kick by midfielder Richie Ryan landed at the feet of defender Omar Jarun, who was able to flick a header on a short angle past Nicht.  Fury FC doubled the lead quickly in the 42 nd minute on an unassisted goal by Donatelli from the same spot he scored his first of the match. The goal also pushed Donatelli into the tie for lead in the league for goals scored.

Indy was able to cut the lead back down to one goal going into half. In the 44 th minute, forward Ben Spencer touched A.J. Corrado’s long through ball into space before charging toward the left side of the box. The 20-year-old was able to roll one across the face of goal and into the right side of the net to make the score 3-2 going into the locker room.

A less intense second half still had its moments, starting in the 56 th minute when a free kick situation saw Indy Eleven get three bites of the apple without a payoff. Erick Norales was unable to make good contact on the doorstep on their second attempt in quick succession before Ottawa’s clearance fell to Eleven midfielder Brad Ring, who rifled a volley from the top of the box that sailed just over the head of Gorrick.

Fury FC pushed the lead to its eventual two-goal cushion in the 68 th minute, as a cross from forward Carl Haworth hit a falling Oliver, whose forward momentum helped deflect the ball into the net and secured the 4-2 win for Ottawa.

The defeat marked the first loss by more than one goal for Indy Eleven (0-4-2, 2 pts.), whose losing streak fell to four on the evening.  Another streak for the club also moved to four, but this one was of the positive variety as the 10,285 in attendance marked the team’s fourth sellout at Carroll Stadium in as many games to begin its NASL tenure. The search for the Eleven’s first three-point result will take the squad to Long Island next Saturday, May 24, when Indy will face the New York Cosmos (4-0-2, 12 pts.) at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium at 7:00 p.m. ET.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

“To be at home and to think that you have to score three or four goals to win the game is not really a mindset you should have.”

“Blake [Smith] has come in as a very energetic player, very crafty on the ball. He really unbalanced their defense and drew the penalty kick. He’s a very cleaver player that brought a spark to the team.”

OTTAWA FURY FC HEAD COACH MARC DOS SANTOS

 “Indy put a lot of pressure on us, but I think we were the team that was able to suffer and pay a certain price. I’m just happy for the fans in Ottawa that were able to watch the game and see us get three important points.”

“This [Indy] team is better than what people think. Offensively, they are extremely dangerous. I think if they fix a little bit in the back, they could be a very good side in the NASL.”

“[Carroll Stadium] is going to be one of the most difficult places to play eventually.”

NASL Spring Season Week 6 – Fulltime Recap

Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Ottawa Fury FC

Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Attendance:  10,285 (sellout)

Weather: 54 degrees, partly cloudy

                                                          1             2             FT

Indy Eleven                                      2             0             2            

Ottawa Fury FC                              3             1             4

Scoring Summary:

OTT – Tony Donatelli (Vini Dantas) 16’

IND – Mike Ambersley (penalty kick) 20’

OTT – Omar Jarun (Richie Ryan) 40’

OTT – Tony Donatelli (unassisted) 42’

IND – Ben Spencer (A.J. Corrado) 44’

OTT – Oliver (Carl Haworth) 68’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Erick Norales (caution) 25’

IND – Ben Spencer (caution) 45’

IND – Brad Ring (caution) 90’

Line-ups:

Indy Eleven (4-4-2) – Kristian Nicht (c); Brad Ring; Erick Norales, Jaime Frias (Don Smart 86’), Kyle Hyland; Andrew Stone; A.J. Corrado (Walter Ramirez 63’); Dylan Mares (Pedro Mendes 73’); Blake Smith; Mike Ambersley, Ben Spencer

Unused Substitutes: Jon Dawson (GK), Fejiro Okiomah, Chris Wey, Corby Moore

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Ottawa Fury FC (4-3-3) – Devala Gorick; Ramon Soria; Mason Trafford; Omar Jarun; Drew Beckie; Richie Ryan; Tony Donatelli; Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Mauro Eustaquio 90’); Oliver (Maykon 84’); Vini Dantas (Philippe Davies 73’) ; Carl Haworth

Unused Substitutes: Marcel DeBellis (GK), Andres Fresenga, Hamza Elias, Zakaria Messoudi

Head Coach: Marc Dos Santos

Officials: Referee- Mark Kadlecik; Assistant Referees- Cory Richardson, Brandoon Artis; Fourth Official- Ali Banane

Fulltime Recap – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Ottawa Fury FC

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 17, 2014) – The action between the North American Soccer League’s two 2014 expansion clubs, Indy Eleven and Ottawa Fury FC, heated up quickly in a six-goal shootout that ended 4-2 in favor of the Canadian side in front of a sellout crowd of 10,285 at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

In a furiously played first 45 minutes it was Ottawa Fury FC that lit up the scoreboard first on a 16 th minute goal by midfielder Tony Donatelli. Forward Vini Dantas’ pass to Donatelli at the top of the box gave him the ability to turn and fire a shot from the top of the box toward the left side of the net and past Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht for the opening tally.

Indy Eleven quickly responded in the 19 th minute when newcomer midfielder Blake Smith, on-loan from MLS’ Montreal Impact, was taken down in the box by Fury FC’s Oliver. Referee Mark Kadlecik awarded Indy Eleven a penalty kick and forward Mike Ambersley netted the tying goal past Fury goalkeeper Devala Gorrick. The goal was Ambersley’s third on the season, giving him a share of the NASL lead in the category.

Ottawa gained the final push to go ahead in the closing minutes of the first half.  In the 40 th minute, a Fury FC corner kick by midfielder Richie Ryan landed at the feet of defender Omar Jarun, who was able to flick a header on a short angle past Nicht.  Fury FC doubled the lead quickly in the 42 nd minute on an unassisted goal by Donatelli from the same spot he scored his first of the match. The goal also pushed Donatelli into the tie for lead in the league for goals scored.

Indy was able to cut the lead back down to one goal going into half. In the 44 th minute, forward Ben Spencer touched A.J. Corrado’s long through ball into space before charging toward the left side of the box. The 20-year-old was able to roll one across the face of goal and into the right side of the net to make the score 3-2 going into the locker room.

A less intense second half still had its moments, starting in the 56 th minute when a free kick situation saw Indy Eleven get three bites of the apple without a payoff. Erick Norales was unable to make good contact on the doorstep on their second attempt in quick succession before Ottawa’s clearance fell to Eleven midfielder Brad Ring, who rifled a volley from the top of the box that sailed just over the head of Gorrick.

Fury FC pushed the lead to its eventual two-goal cushion in the 68 th minute, as a cross from forward Carl Haworth hit a falling Oliver, whose forward momentum helped deflect the ball into the net and secured the 4-2 win for Ottawa.

The defeat marked the first loss by more than one goal for Indy Eleven (0-4-2, 2 pts.), whose losing streak fell to four on the evening.  Another streak for the club also moved to four, but this one was of the positive variety as the 10,285 in attendance marked the team’s fourth sellout at Carroll Stadium in as many games to begin its NASL tenure. The search for the Eleven’s first three-point result will take the squad to Long Island next Saturday, May 24, when Indy will face the New York Cosmos (4-0-2, 12 pts.) at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium at 7:00 p.m. ET.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

“To be at home and to think that you have to score three or four goals to win the game is not really a mindset you should have.”

“Blake [Smith] has come in as a very energetic player, very crafty on the ball. He really unbalanced their defense and drew the penalty kick. He’s a very cleaver player that brought a spark to the team.”

OTTAWA FURY FC HEAD COACH MARC DOS SANTOS

 “Indy put a lot of pressure on us, but I think we were the team that was able to suffer and pay a certain price. I’m just happy for the fans in Ottawa that were able to watch the game and see us get three important points.”

“This [Indy] team is better than what people think. Offensively, they are extremely dangerous. I think if they fix a little bit in the back, they could be a very good side in the NASL.”

“[Carroll Stadium] is going to be one of the most difficult places to play eventually.”

NASL Spring Season Week 6 – Fulltime Recap

Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Ottawa Fury FC

Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Attendance:  10,285 (sellout)

Weather: 54 degrees, partly cloudy

                                                          1             2             FT

Indy Eleven                                      2             0             2            

Ottawa Fury FC                              3             1             4

Scoring Summary:

OTT – Tony Donatelli (Vini Dantas) 16’

IND – Mike Ambersley (penalty kick) 20’

OTT – Omar Jarun (Richie Ryan) 40’

OTT – Tony Donatelli (unassisted) 42’

IND – Ben Spencer (A.J. Corrado) 44’

OTT – Oliver (Carl Haworth) 68’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Erick Norales (caution) 25’

IND – Ben Spencer (caution) 45’

IND – Brad Ring (caution) 90’

Line-ups:

Indy Eleven (4-4-2) – Kristian Nicht (c); Brad Ring; Erick Norales, Jaime Frias (Don Smart 86’), Kyle Hyland; Andrew Stone; A.J. Corrado (Walter Ramirez 63’); Dylan Mares (Pedro Mendes 73’); Blake Smith; Mike Ambersley, Ben Spencer

Unused Substitutes: Jon Dawson (GK), Fejiro Okiomah, Chris Wey, Corby Moore

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Ottawa Fury FC (4-3-3) – Devala Gorick; Ramon Soria; Mason Trafford; Omar Jarun; Drew Beckie; Richie Ryan; Tony Donatelli; Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Mauro Eustaquio 90’); Oliver (Maykon 84’); Vini Dantas (Philippe Davies 73’) ; Carl Haworth

Unused Substitutes: Marcel DeBellis (GK), Andres Fresenga, Hamza Elias, Zakaria Messoudi

Head Coach: Marc Dos Santos

Officials: Referee- Mark Kadlecik; Assistant Referees- Cory Richardson, Brandoon Artis; Fourth Official- Ali Banane

NASL Fulltime Recap – Minnesota United FC  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Three First Half Goals by United FC too Much to Overcome as Comeback Effort Falls Short Once Again on the Road

BLAINE, MN (Saturday, May 3, 2014) – Indy Eleven’s second away match tonight at Minnesota United FC played out much like its first last weekend, as the Eleven saw a late comeback effort fall just short in a 2-3 defeat in front of 4,913 fans at the National Sports Center Stadium.  The result leaves Indy Eleven at 0-2-2 (2 pts.) and still in search of its first victory in North American Soccer League play, while United FC stayed perfect during the abbreviated Spring Season, moving its record to a spotless 4-0-0 (12 pts.).

The game began fairly evenly, with Indy winning two early corners but failing to put anything on goal. Minnesota responded well against the pressure, but seemed content to sit back and play a counter attacking style when going against the stiff wind.  That strategy yielded few results for the first twenty minutes, and both sides resorted to lobbing deep balls at Minnesota’s Christian Ramirez and Indy’s Ben Spencer.

The complexion of the game changed drastically in the 23rd minute when Simone Bracalello—the hero of last week for the Loons—made an incisive run down the left flank to the endline and put a soft ball on the ground across the box. Daniel Mendes was in perfect position, but seemed off balance and side-footed a shot heading wide. Luckily for him, Christian Ramirez was perfectly positioned to turn his mistake back on goal, putting the Loons up 1-0.

The excitement had yet to subside before United struck again just two minutes later.  After an Indy Eleven set piece, Bracalello broke early into space and drew in the entire Indy defense and goalkeeper Kristian Nicht. He calmly passed the ball to Mendes, flying in on the counter from the right, who could not help but score on the empty net to double the advantage for the home side.

The balance of the game was restored after United’s two lightning strikes, with Minnesota again content to counter. Indy earned their best chance in the 28th minute on Pedro Mendes’ low free kick effort from 20 yards, which forced United keeper Matt VanOekel to make a smart diving save.

It seemed as though Minnesota would hold their advantage going into the halftime whistle, but it turned out there was a lot more in the game. Indy’s pressure eventually paid off in the 42nd minute, although in an unexpected way. Pedro Mendes put a dangerous driven cross across goal and Bracalello was unable to check his run and accidentally blasted the ball into his own net.

The unexpected own goal galvanized United to make up for the mistake. A minute into stoppage time, Miguel Ibarra made a superb run down the left, then cut back and dribbled to the corner of the box. Waiting at the top of the box was Aaron Pitchkolan who slammed a 20-yard blast past Nicht into the top corner of the net to return the two-goal cushion to the Loons heading into halftime.

Indy Eleven made one immediate change at the start of the second half to attempt to right the ship, with head coach Juergen Sommer bringing on Brazilian playmaker Kléberson for an added spark. But Minnesota effectively put numbers behind the ball and forced consistent pressure on counter attacks, forcing the game to settle into a state of equilibrium for much of the second stanza.

Indy would see its considerable advantage in possession pay off in second half stoppage time for a second straight week. A lobbed ball from the left flank by Kyle Hyland was accidentally handled by Justin Davis on the way down, earning a penalty kick. Kléberson stepped up and drilled the ball into the left corner, only to see the goal called back for an infraction. Forced to retake, the World Cup veteran went the other way instead and past Van Oekel to bring the score to 3-2. However, Indy could not get a chance to silence the home crowd in the minute that followed, and the lead held for the Loons.

After two straight 3-2 road setbacks, Indy Eleven will return to the confines of Michael A. Carroll Stadium next Saturday, May 10, when the Hoosier State side will entertain Edmonton FC (0-3-1, 1 pt.) for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Tickets remain available and can be purchased online at www.www.indyeleven.com.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

On falling behind in the first half:

“Giving away the two early goals back to back really took some wind out of our sails. We made a couple of naïve mistakes to take us out of the game a little bit. At least we went into the half with something, but it wasn’t enough.”

On the Aaron Pitchkolan goal at the end of the first half:

“We just got caught on another quick counter. The guys were pushing forward on the restart and trying to get numbers into the box to make something happen. I can’t fault them for trying to get back to level before we went into the locker room.”

On positives to take from the match:

“We’ve got to keep picking ourselves up, keep learning how to play together as a group and keep driving on. The heart and commitment is there, which you can see by the way we came back and continued to push and drive. We just have to become better pros and not go down a goal or two early, which is always difficult to come back from. There’s something to be said for getting another two goals on the road, we just have to get better defensively.”

NASL Spring Season Week 4

Minnesota United FC  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

National Sports Center Stadium – Blaine, Minn.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Attendance: 4,913

Weather: 55 degrees, windy

                                                             1              2             FT

Minnesota United FC                      3              0              3

Indy Eleven                                       1              1              2

Scoring Summary:

MNU – Christian Ramirez (Daniel Mendes)  23’

MNU – Daniel Mendes (Simone Bracalello)  25’

IND – own goal (Simone Bracalello)  42’

MNU – Aaron Pitchkolan (Miguel Ibarra)  45’+2

IND – Kleberson (penalty kick)  90’+3

Discipline Summary:

IND – Walter Ramirez (caution)  31’

MNU – Daniel Mendes (caution)  37’

MNU – Cristiano Dias (caution)  44’

IND – Jaime Frias (caution)  48’

IND – Pedro Mendes (caution)  85’

Indy Eleven (4-2-3-1) – Kristian Nicht (c); Fejiro Okiomah (Kleberson – 45’); Erick Norales, Jaime Frias, 18-Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, Dylan Mares (Corby Moore – 73’); Pedro Mendes, Mike Ambersley, Walter Ramirez (Don Smart – 73’); Ben Spencer

Unused substitutes: 35-Jon Dawson, 2-Andrew Stone, 6-Chris Estridge, 12-A.J. Corrado

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Minnesota United FC (4-5-1) – Matt VanOekel; Kevin Venegas, Tiago Calvano, Cristiano Dias, Justin Davis; Aaron Pitchkolan (c), Juliano Vicentini, Daniel Mendes, Miguel Ibarra, Simone Bracalello; Christian Ramirez

Unused substitutes: Mitchell Hildebrandt, Floyd Franks, Brian Kallman, Tyler Polak, Omar Daley

Head Coach: Manny Lagos

Officials: Referee – Daniel Radford; Assistant Referees – Kip Jackson, Ismir Pekmic; Fourth Official – Bryce Bockin

NASL Fulltime Recap – Minnesota United FC  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Three First Half Goals by United FC too Much to Overcome as Comeback Effort Falls Short Once Again on the Road

BLAINE, MN (Saturday, May 3, 2014) – Indy Eleven’s second away match tonight at Minnesota United FC played out much like its first last weekend, as the Eleven saw a late comeback effort fall just short in a 2-3 defeat in front of 4,913 fans at the National Sports Center Stadium.  The result leaves Indy Eleven at 0-2-2 (2 pts.) and still in search of its first victory in North American Soccer League play, while United FC stayed perfect during the abbreviated Spring Season, moving its record to a spotless 4-0-0 (12 pts.).

The game began fairly evenly, with Indy winning two early corners but failing to put anything on goal. Minnesota responded well against the pressure, but seemed content to sit back and play a counter attacking style when going against the stiff wind.  That strategy yielded few results for the first twenty minutes, and both sides resorted to lobbing deep balls at Minnesota’s Christian Ramirez and Indy’s Ben Spencer.

The complexion of the game changed drastically in the 23rd minute when Simone Bracalello—the hero of last week for the Loons—made an incisive run down the left flank to the endline and put a soft ball on the ground across the box. Daniel Mendes was in perfect position, but seemed off balance and side-footed a shot heading wide. Luckily for him, Christian Ramirez was perfectly positioned to turn his mistake back on goal, putting the Loons up 1-0.

The excitement had yet to subside before United struck again just two minutes later.  After an Indy Eleven set piece, Bracalello broke early into space and drew in the entire Indy defense and goalkeeper Kristian Nicht. He calmly passed the ball to Mendes, flying in on the counter from the right, who could not help but score on the empty net to double the advantage for the home side.

The balance of the game was restored after United’s two lightning strikes, with Minnesota again content to counter. Indy earned their best chance in the 28th minute on Pedro Mendes’ low free kick effort from 20 yards, which forced United keeper Matt VanOekel to make a smart diving save.

It seemed as though Minnesota would hold their advantage going into the halftime whistle, but it turned out there was a lot more in the game. Indy’s pressure eventually paid off in the 42nd minute, although in an unexpected way. Pedro Mendes put a dangerous driven cross across goal and Bracalello was unable to check his run and accidentally blasted the ball into his own net.

The unexpected own goal galvanized United to make up for the mistake. A minute into stoppage time, Miguel Ibarra made a superb run down the left, then cut back and dribbled to the corner of the box. Waiting at the top of the box was Aaron Pitchkolan who slammed a 20-yard blast past Nicht into the top corner of the net to return the two-goal cushion to the Loons heading into halftime.

Indy Eleven made one immediate change at the start of the second half to attempt to right the ship, with head coach Juergen Sommer bringing on Brazilian playmaker Kléberson for an added spark. But Minnesota effectively put numbers behind the ball and forced consistent pressure on counter attacks, forcing the game to settle into a state of equilibrium for much of the second stanza.

Indy would see its considerable advantage in possession pay off in second half stoppage time for a second straight week. A lobbed ball from the left flank by Kyle Hyland was accidentally handled by Justin Davis on the way down, earning a penalty kick. Kléberson stepped up and drilled the ball into the left corner, only to see the goal called back for an infraction. Forced to retake, the World Cup veteran went the other way instead and past Van Oekel to bring the score to 3-2. However, Indy could not get a chance to silence the home crowd in the minute that followed, and the lead held for the Loons.

After two straight 3-2 road setbacks, Indy Eleven will return to the confines of Michael A. Carroll Stadium next Saturday, May 10, when the Hoosier State side will entertain Edmonton FC (0-3-1, 1 pt.) for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Tickets remain available and can be purchased online at www.www.indyeleven.com.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

On falling behind in the first half:

“Giving away the two early goals back to back really took some wind out of our sails. We made a couple of naïve mistakes to take us out of the game a little bit. At least we went into the half with something, but it wasn’t enough.”

On the Aaron Pitchkolan goal at the end of the first half:

“We just got caught on another quick counter. The guys were pushing forward on the restart and trying to get numbers into the box to make something happen. I can’t fault them for trying to get back to level before we went into the locker room.”

On positives to take from the match:

“We’ve got to keep picking ourselves up, keep learning how to play together as a group and keep driving on. The heart and commitment is there, which you can see by the way we came back and continued to push and drive. We just have to become better pros and not go down a goal or two early, which is always difficult to come back from. There’s something to be said for getting another two goals on the road, we just have to get better defensively.”

NASL Spring Season Week 4

Minnesota United FC  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

National Sports Center Stadium – Blaine, Minn.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Attendance: 4,913

Weather: 55 degrees, windy

                                                             1              2             FT

Minnesota United FC                      3              0              3

Indy Eleven                                       1              1              2

Scoring Summary:

MNU – Christian Ramirez (Daniel Mendes)  23’

MNU – Daniel Mendes (Simone Bracalello)  25’

IND – own goal (Simone Bracalello)  42’

MNU – Aaron Pitchkolan (Miguel Ibarra)  45’+2

IND – Kleberson (penalty kick)  90’+3

Discipline Summary:

IND – Walter Ramirez (caution)  31’

MNU – Daniel Mendes (caution)  37’

MNU – Cristiano Dias (caution)  44’

IND – Jaime Frias (caution)  48’

IND – Pedro Mendes (caution)  85’

Indy Eleven (4-2-3-1) – Kristian Nicht (c); Fejiro Okiomah (Kleberson – 45’); Erick Norales, Jaime Frias, 18-Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, Dylan Mares (Corby Moore – 73’); Pedro Mendes, Mike Ambersley, Walter Ramirez (Don Smart – 73’); Ben Spencer

Unused substitutes: 35-Jon Dawson, 2-Andrew Stone, 6-Chris Estridge, 12-A.J. Corrado

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Minnesota United FC (4-5-1) – Matt VanOekel; Kevin Venegas, Tiago Calvano, Cristiano Dias, Justin Davis; Aaron Pitchkolan (c), Juliano Vicentini, Daniel Mendes, Miguel Ibarra, Simone Bracalello; Christian Ramirez

Unused substitutes: Mitchell Hildebrandt, Floyd Franks, Brian Kallman, Tyler Polak, Omar Daley

Head Coach: Manny Lagos

Officials: Referee – Daniel Radford; Assistant Referees – Kip Jackson, Ismir Pekmic; Fourth Official – Bryce Bockin

NASL Recap – Fort Lauderdale Strikers  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Kleberson Opens His Eleven Account from the Spot, but Late Erick Norales Tally Leaves Comeback One Goal Short in Indy’s First Away Affair

FORT LAUDERDALE (Saturday, April 26, 2014) – Despite a furious comeback attempt in the second half, Indy Eleven suffered defeat during its first taste of the road following a 3-2 setback against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Lockhart Stadium Saturday night.
 
An early goal from Strikers winger Martin Nuñez was canceled out on a penalty kick from Kleberson in a fast and furious opening 45 minutes. Second half goals from the Strikers' Fafà Picault and Marius Ebbers proved the difference while a late goal from Indy Eleven defender Erick Norales proved merely a consolation.

The Strikers took it to Indy Elven from the opening whistle and got on the board in just the eighth minute. Carlos Salazar spotted Nuñez on the left side of the box and some tricky footwork from the Uruguayan created just enough space for a hard, right-footed shot that went past Kristian Nicht in the Indy Eleven goal.

Indy Eleven was on the back foot following the goal, but equalized after a bit of good fortune. The Strikers were called for a handball in the box and Kleberson stepped up to take the penalty kick. Oka Nikolov guessed correctly on the shot, but the Brazilian’s effort was perfectly placed in the bottom right corner.  The strike gave the Brazilian World Cup winner his first official goal in an Indy Eleven uniform and drew the match even at 1-1 in the 26th minute.

Indy were encouraged by the goal and stepped up the attack. Mike Ambersley had a chance go wide after a Strikers giveaway in midfield, and Kleberson had a free kick destined for the upper left 90 batted away by a diving Nikolov. Moments later Mark Anderson let rip from distance but a strong hand from Nicht prevented the Strikers from taking the lead.

The visitors had a chance to go ahead at the end of the half but were denied on a goal-line clearance from Justin Chavez.  Ambersley pounced on a rebound after Nikolov had raced out of his box to deny an onrushing Indy attacker. Ambersley’s first-time effort was hard and low, but Chavez was on the line to make the goal-saving block.

Substitutions proved the difference for the Strikers in the search for more offense, including Fafà Picault, whose introduction injected pace down the right flank. The speedy winger was on hand to head home a pinpoint cross from fellow flanker Ivan Guerrero for his first goal in Strikers colors, giving Fort Lauderdale a 2-1 advantage in the 69th minute.

Guerrero, who led the Strikers in assists last season, moved up to top of the list this season with two on the night. Just four minutes after Picault’s goal, German forward Marius Ebbers got on the end of another Guerrero cross from the left to double the host’s lead.

The Eleven struck in stoppage time when Ambersley’s cross was sent home by Norales – the Honduran international’s second goal in as many games – but it was too little too late as the referee blew the final whistle on the restart.

After dropping its first road affair in league play in tough fashion tonight, Indy Eleven (0-1-2, 2 pts.) will get ready to do it all over again next Saturday, May 3, when the squad heads northwest to take on the NASL’s leader and lone unblemished team, Minnesota United FC (3-0-0, 9 pts.). Kickoff at the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minn., is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

On the way the match played out:

“I like the opportunities we created. We had probably half a dozen real good looks on goal, we just didn’t finish as many as we should have. And we gave them about as many good looks and they buried three of them. They just had the edge in finishing that we didn’t have tonight.”

On what Indy Eleven can take from the result:

“It’s a learning process for the group. It’s tough to take one on the chin like we did tonight, but this is how you move forward and how you build character. Coming on the road I thought we battled well right on through the end. It was good to see Erick Norales get another goal there at the end; it really shows his desire to win and his commitment to the team.”

On the new faces to the line-up tonight:

“I thought some of the changes in the line-up and new guys available to us, guys like Fejiro [Okiomah], Dylan [Mares] and Ben [Spencer] gave some solid contributions out there tonight. Corby Moore also came in late and did some nice things in the midfield for us.”

NASL Spring Season Week 3

Fort Lauderdale Strikers  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Lockhart Stadium – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Attendance: 3,515

Weather: 86 degrees, cloudy

                                                             1              2              FT

Fort Lauderdale Strikers               1              2              3

Indy Eleven                                        1              1              2

Scoring Summary:

FTL – Martin Nuñez 1 (Carlos Salazar 1)  8’

IND – Kleberson 1 (penalty kick)  26’

FTL – Fafà Picault 1 (Iván Guerrero 1)  69’

FTL – Marius Ebbers 1 (Iván Guerrero 2)  73’

IND – Erick Norales 2 (Mike Ambersley 1)  90’+4

Discipline Summary:

IND – Pedro Mendes (caution)  21’

IND – Kleberson (caution)  42’

FTL – Pecka (caution)  64’

IND – Kyle Hyland (caution)  78’

IND – Erick Norales (caution)  90’

Line-ups:

Indy Eleven (4-2-3-1) – 24-Kristian Nicht (C); 23-Fejiro Okiomah (13-Corby Moore- 83); 5-Erick Norales, 3-Jaime Frias, 18-Kyle Hyland; 4-Brad Ring, 8-Kleberson; 9-Perdo Mendes (17-Ben Spencer- 60), 22-Dylan Mares (7-Don Smart- 74), 21-Walter Ramirez; 15-Mike Ambersley

Unused substitutes: 35-Jon Dawson, 2-Andrew Stone, 6-Chris Estridge, 12-A.J. Corrado

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4-2-3-1) – 1-Oka Nikolov; 21-Darnell King, 13-Justin Chavez, 2-Stefan Antonijevic, 12-Iván Guerrero (C); 8-Pecka, 6-Chris Nurse; 20-Mark Anderson (17-Shawn Chin- 68), 14-Carlos Salazar (11-Fafà Picault- 64), 9-Martin Nuñez; 19-Marius Ebbers (29-Yaikel Perez- 84)

Unused substitutes: 22-Lionel Brown, 5-Matt Hall, 23-Manny Gonzalez, 27-Colin Murphy,

Head Coach: Günter Kronsteiner

Officials: Referee- Daniel Fitzgerald; Assistant Referees- Lance Vanhaitsma, Paul Berg; Fourth Official- Jose Da Silva

NASL Recap – Fort Lauderdale Strikers  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Kleberson Opens His Eleven Account from the Spot, but Late Erick Norales Tally Leaves Comeback One Goal Short in Indy’s First Away Affair

FORT LAUDERDALE (Saturday, April 26, 2014) – Despite a furious comeback attempt in the second half, Indy Eleven suffered defeat during its first taste of the road following a 3-2 setback against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Lockhart Stadium Saturday night.
 
An early goal from Strikers winger Martin Nuñez was canceled out on a penalty kick from Kleberson in a fast and furious opening 45 minutes. Second half goals from the Strikers’ Fafà Picault and Marius Ebbers proved the difference while a late goal from Indy Eleven defender Erick Norales proved merely a consolation.

The Strikers took it to Indy Elven from the opening whistle and got on the board in just the eighth minute. Carlos Salazar spotted Nuñez on the left side of the box and some tricky footwork from the Uruguayan created just enough space for a hard, right-footed shot that went past Kristian Nicht in the Indy Eleven goal.

Indy Eleven was on the back foot following the goal, but equalized after a bit of good fortune. The Strikers were called for a handball in the box and Kleberson stepped up to take the penalty kick. Oka Nikolov guessed correctly on the shot, but the Brazilian’s effort was perfectly placed in the bottom right corner.  The strike gave the Brazilian World Cup winner his first official goal in an Indy Eleven uniform and drew the match even at 1-1 in the 26th minute.

Indy were encouraged by the goal and stepped up the attack. Mike Ambersley had a chance go wide after a Strikers giveaway in midfield, and Kleberson had a free kick destined for the upper left 90 batted away by a diving Nikolov. Moments later Mark Anderson let rip from distance but a strong hand from Nicht prevented the Strikers from taking the lead.

The visitors had a chance to go ahead at the end of the half but were denied on a goal-line clearance from Justin Chavez.  Ambersley pounced on a rebound after Nikolov had raced out of his box to deny an onrushing Indy attacker. Ambersley’s first-time effort was hard and low, but Chavez was on the line to make the goal-saving block.

Substitutions proved the difference for the Strikers in the search for more offense, including Fafà Picault, whose introduction injected pace down the right flank. The speedy winger was on hand to head home a pinpoint cross from fellow flanker Ivan Guerrero for his first goal in Strikers colors, giving Fort Lauderdale a 2-1 advantage in the 69th minute.

Guerrero, who led the Strikers in assists last season, moved up to top of the list this season with two on the night. Just four minutes after Picault’s goal, German forward Marius Ebbers got on the end of another Guerrero cross from the left to double the host’s lead.

The Eleven struck in stoppage time when Ambersley’s cross was sent home by Norales – the Honduran international’s second goal in as many games – but it was too little too late as the referee blew the final whistle on the restart.

After dropping its first road affair in league play in tough fashion tonight, Indy Eleven (0-1-2, 2 pts.) will get ready to do it all over again next Saturday, May 3, when the squad heads northwest to take on the NASL’s leader and lone unblemished team, Minnesota United FC (3-0-0, 9 pts.). Kickoff at the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minn., is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.

INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER

On the way the match played out:

“I like the opportunities we created. We had probably half a dozen real good looks on goal, we just didn’t finish as many as we should have. And we gave them about as many good looks and they buried three of them. They just had the edge in finishing that we didn’t have tonight.”

On what Indy Eleven can take from the result:

“It’s a learning process for the group. It’s tough to take one on the chin like we did tonight, but this is how you move forward and how you build character. Coming on the road I thought we battled well right on through the end. It was good to see Erick Norales get another goal there at the end; it really shows his desire to win and his commitment to the team.”

On the new faces to the line-up tonight:

“I thought some of the changes in the line-up and new guys available to us, guys like Fejiro [Okiomah], Dylan [Mares] and Ben [Spencer] gave some solid contributions out there tonight. Corby Moore also came in late and did some nice things in the midfield for us.”

NASL Spring Season Week 3

Fort Lauderdale Strikers  3 : 2  Indy Eleven

Lockhart Stadium – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Attendance: 3,515

Weather: 86 degrees, cloudy

                                                             1              2              FT

Fort Lauderdale Strikers               1              2              3

Indy Eleven                                        1              1              2

Scoring Summary:

FTL – Martin Nuñez 1 (Carlos Salazar 1)  8’

IND – Kleberson 1 (penalty kick)  26’

FTL – Fafà Picault 1 (Iván Guerrero 1)  69’

FTL – Marius Ebbers 1 (Iván Guerrero 2)  73’

IND – Erick Norales 2 (Mike Ambersley 1)  90’+4

Discipline Summary:

IND – Pedro Mendes (caution)  21’

IND – Kleberson (caution)  42’

FTL – Pecka (caution)  64’

IND – Kyle Hyland (caution)  78’

IND – Erick Norales (caution)  90’

Line-ups:

Indy Eleven (4-2-3-1) – 24-Kristian Nicht (C); 23-Fejiro Okiomah (13-Corby Moore- 83); 5-Erick Norales, 3-Jaime Frias, 18-Kyle Hyland; 4-Brad Ring, 8-Kleberson; 9-Perdo Mendes (17-Ben Spencer- 60), 22-Dylan Mares (7-Don Smart- 74), 21-Walter Ramirez; 15-Mike Ambersley

Unused substitutes: 35-Jon Dawson, 2-Andrew Stone, 6-Chris Estridge, 12-A.J. Corrado

Head Coach: Juergen Sommer

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4-2-3-1) – 1-Oka Nikolov; 21-Darnell King, 13-Justin Chavez, 2-Stefan Antonijevic, 12-Iván Guerrero (C); 8-Pecka, 6-Chris Nurse; 20-Mark Anderson (17-Shawn Chin- 68), 14-Carlos Salazar (11-Fafà Picault- 64), 9-Martin Nuñez; 19-Marius Ebbers (29-Yaikel Perez- 84)

Unused substitutes: 22-Lionel Brown, 5-Matt Hall, 23-Manny Gonzalez, 27-Colin Murphy,

Head Coach: Günter Kronsteiner

Officials: Referee- Daniel Fitzgerald; Assistant Referees- Lance Vanhaitsma, Paul Berg; Fourth Official- Jose Da Silva

NASL Recap– Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Tampa Bay Rowdies

Eleven Fight Back from a Goal Down to Secure a Point in Front of Sellout Crowd of 10,412

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, April 19, 2014) – It was a night of repeats for Indy Eleven as the North American Soccer League expansion side attracted its second consecutive sellout crowd at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium in addition to its second 1-1 draw, this time against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.  Tampa Bay’s Brian Shriver, the reigning NASL Golden Boot winner, and Indy Eleven’s Erick Norales both recorded their first goals of the 2014 season for their respective teams.

The first 45 minutes of play set the stage for a competitive and physical match that would be sure to keep the 10,412 fans in attendance entertained.  After a brief settling-in period, both the home and away team were quick to push the ball forward and create dangerous opportunities.

Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson continued his recent run of good form and looked to be the most dangerous scoring option on the field in the first half.  In the 16 th minute Kleberson put himself in threatening position to receive a Walter Ramirez cross, which the Brazilian put just wide.  Two minutes later it was again Kleberson who took a stinging shot from 30 yards out that beat Tampa Bay goalkeeper Matt Pickens, only to be denied by the top of the crossbar.

After withstanding an onslaught of Indy Eleven attacks, Tampa Bay found more possession and countered with 10 minutes of sustained attacks.  Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht was up to the challenge, first tipping a Darel Russell shot from distance over the crossbar and following it up with a breakaway save against Georgi Hristov.  Later in the half Nicht would again step up to preserve the shutout, tipping Shane Hill’s shot wide in the 40 th minute.

After the halftime break it was déjà vu all over again for Indy Eleven when they conceded a goal straight out of the locker room in the 48 th minute.  After bagging 15 goals for Carolina last season, Shriver opened his Rowdies account by receiving a well-played through ball from Blake Wagner before going five-hole on Nicht to put the Floridians up 1-0.

Kleberson would continue to punish the woodwork in the 73 rd minute with a 30-yard free kick that hit the top of the left post and bounced forcefully back into play before being cleared from danger. It would be the 82 nd minute when Indy’s equalizer would come through an unlikely source in Norales. The Honduran defender was up-field for a dead ball opportunity and lingered long enough in the area to be found by midfielder Dylan Mares’ low cross. Norales cut inside his mark to deflect the ball past Pickens from close range to even things up at 1-1.

Next weekend Indy Eleven (0-0-2, 2 pts.)  will get its first taste of the road in NASL play when it heads to South Florida to take on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1-1-0, 3 pts), which fell 1-4 at the Carolina RailHawks tonight. Kickoff from Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale next Saturday is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff for a match that can be viewed online via the NASLLive.com subscription package. Fans in Central Indiana should stay tuned to www.indyeleven.com and the team’s social media channels for information on watch parties to be held in conjunction with the team’s Brickyard Battalion independent supporters group.

Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer:

On the fight of the squad:

 “It was great to see the boys fight back there and get the equalizer, especially for Erick [Norales] to step in and get the equalizer. Dylan [Mares] came in and changed the game for us like we had hoped he would and he was rewarded with getting the assist on the equalizer.”

On the Tampa Bay Rowdies:

“Tampa Bay is a very physical team that is also very crafty. They’ve got 10 or 11 veterans on their team that know how to play and manage the game well. That sort of skill comes with game experience and hopefully our guys will learn as we go forward.”

On the Atmosphere/Sellout Crowd:

“I think it really made the difference tonight. It’s what pushes us to continue to compete when we go down a goal and our heads drop. It’s a great environment. Thank you to the Brickyard Battalion and all of our supporters.”

Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach Ricky Hill:

On his team’s performance:

“I thought it was a reasonable performance from us. We weren’t settled very well for the first 20 minutes, but we got there.”

NASL Game Week 2

Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Tampa Bay Rowdies

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Attendance: 10,412 (sellout)

Scoring Summary:

TBR – Brian Shriver 1 (Blake Wagner 1) 48’

IND – Erick Norales 1 (Dylan Mares 1) 81’

Discipline Summary:

TBR – Georgi Hristov (caution) 58’

TBR – Blake Wagner (caution) 80’

TBR – Lucky Mkosana (caution) 88’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):   Kristian Nicht (c); Chris Estridge, Jaime Frias, Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, Kleberson; A.J. Corrado (Pedro Mendes, 46’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart, 90+’), Corby Moore (Dylan Mares, 78’); Mike Ambersley.

Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-4-2): Matt Pickens; Frankie Sanfilippo (c), JP Rodrigues, Takuya Yamada, Blake Wagner; Evans Frimpong, Shane Hill, Darel Russell, Anthony Wallace (Keith Savage, 81’); Georgi Hristov, Brian Shriver (Lucky Mkosoana, 72’).

NASL Recap– Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Tampa Bay Rowdies

Eleven Fight Back from a Goal Down to Secure a Point in Front of Sellout Crowd of 10,412

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, April 19, 2014) – It was a night of repeats for Indy Eleven as the North American Soccer League expansion side attracted its second consecutive sellout crowd at IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium in addition to its second 1-1 draw, this time against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.  Tampa Bay’s Brian Shriver, the reigning NASL Golden Boot winner, and Indy Eleven’s Erick Norales both recorded their first goals of the 2014 season for their respective teams.

The first 45 minutes of play set the stage for a competitive and physical match that would be sure to keep the 10,412 fans in attendance entertained.  After a brief settling-in period, both the home and away team were quick to push the ball forward and create dangerous opportunities.

Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson continued his recent run of good form and looked to be the most dangerous scoring option on the field in the first half.  In the 16 th minute Kleberson put himself in threatening position to receive a Walter Ramirez cross, which the Brazilian put just wide.  Two minutes later it was again Kleberson who took a stinging shot from 30 yards out that beat Tampa Bay goalkeeper Matt Pickens, only to be denied by the top of the crossbar.

After withstanding an onslaught of Indy Eleven attacks, Tampa Bay found more possession and countered with 10 minutes of sustained attacks.  Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht was up to the challenge, first tipping a Darel Russell shot from distance over the crossbar and following it up with a breakaway save against Georgi Hristov.  Later in the half Nicht would again step up to preserve the shutout, tipping Shane Hill’s shot wide in the 40 th minute.

After the halftime break it was déjà vu all over again for Indy Eleven when they conceded a goal straight out of the locker room in the 48 th minute.  After bagging 15 goals for Carolina last season, Shriver opened his Rowdies account by receiving a well-played through ball from Blake Wagner before going five-hole on Nicht to put the Floridians up 1-0.

Kleberson would continue to punish the woodwork in the 73 rd minute with a 30-yard free kick that hit the top of the left post and bounced forcefully back into play before being cleared from danger. It would be the 82 nd minute when Indy’s equalizer would come through an unlikely source in Norales. The Honduran defender was up-field for a dead ball opportunity and lingered long enough in the area to be found by midfielder Dylan Mares’ low cross. Norales cut inside his mark to deflect the ball past Pickens from close range to even things up at 1-1.

Next weekend Indy Eleven (0-0-2, 2 pts.)  will get its first taste of the road in NASL play when it heads to South Florida to take on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1-1-0, 3 pts), which fell 1-4 at the Carolina RailHawks tonight. Kickoff from Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale next Saturday is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff for a match that can be viewed online via the NASLLive.com subscription package. Fans in Central Indiana should stay tuned to www.indyeleven.com and the team’s social media channels for information on watch parties to be held in conjunction with the team’s Brickyard Battalion independent supporters group.

Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer:

On the fight of the squad:

 “It was great to see the boys fight back there and get the equalizer, especially for Erick [Norales] to step in and get the equalizer. Dylan [Mares] came in and changed the game for us like we had hoped he would and he was rewarded with getting the assist on the equalizer.”

On the Tampa Bay Rowdies:

“Tampa Bay is a very physical team that is also very crafty. They’ve got 10 or 11 veterans on their team that know how to play and manage the game well. That sort of skill comes with game experience and hopefully our guys will learn as we go forward.”

On the Atmosphere/Sellout Crowd:

“I think it really made the difference tonight. It’s what pushes us to continue to compete when we go down a goal and our heads drop. It’s a great environment. Thank you to the Brickyard Battalion and all of our supporters.”

Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach Ricky Hill:

On his team’s performance:

“I thought it was a reasonable performance from us. We weren’t settled very well for the first 20 minutes, but we got there.”

NASL Game Week 2

Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Tampa Bay Rowdies

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Attendance: 10,412 (sellout)

Scoring Summary:

TBR – Brian Shriver 1 (Blake Wagner 1) 48’

IND – Erick Norales 1 (Dylan Mares 1) 81’

Discipline Summary:

TBR – Georgi Hristov (caution) 58’

TBR – Blake Wagner (caution) 80’

TBR – Lucky Mkosana (caution) 88’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):   Kristian Nicht (c); Chris Estridge, Jaime Frias, Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, Kleberson; A.J. Corrado (Pedro Mendes, 46’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart, 90+’), Corby Moore (Dylan Mares, 78’); Mike Ambersley.

Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-4-2): Matt Pickens; Frankie Sanfilippo (c), JP Rodrigues, Takuya Yamada, Blake Wagner; Evans Frimpong, Shane Hill, Darel Russell, Anthony Wallace (Keith Savage, 81’); Georgi Hristov, Brian Shriver (Lucky Mkosoana, 72’).

NASL Recap – Indy Eleven 1 : 1 Carolina RailHawks

Mike Ambersley Bags First-ever Indy Eleven Goal, but Sellout Crowd of 11,048 Forced to Settle for Share of Spoils

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, April 12, 2014) – Indy Eleven’s Inaugural Game in the North American Soccer League Match did not disappoint the sellout crowd of 11,048 IUPUI's Michael A. Carrol Stadium, but the squad was forced to settle for a share of the spoils via a 1-1 draw with the Carolina RailHawks in both team's NASL Spring Season debut.

On a perfect spring evening in the Circle City, the first 45 minutes saw the home and away teams trading marginal attacking opportunities while feeling each other out in the midfield. Both teams did create some danger, however, starting in the 24th minute when Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht came up with a massive save on Carolina attacker Tiyiselani Shipalane, who found himself one-on-one with the German net minder. 

Indy Eleven found its legs – and more possession – as the half went along, and was rewarded in the 43rd minute when Mike Ambersley tallied the first official goal in club history. After a penetrating run by Eleven midfielder Corby Moore was snuffed out, midfielder A.J. Corrado played the loose ball into the 18-yard box where a waiting Ambersley took a touch by the RailHawk defender and slotted a low shot into the far post.  The goal capped off a week to remember for the St. Louis native and Indiana University alum, who celebrated the brith of his first child just days ago.

Carolina looked to quickly counter the 1-0 lead and immediately played a long ball into the box where RailHawk forward Zack Schilawski linked onto the pass.  Eager to preserve the one goal advantage, Indy Eleven defender Brad Ring made the tackle of the half, sliding in and stymying Schilawski inside the six-yard box to keep the score 1-0 heading into the break.

Carolina RailHawks Assistant Coach Greg Shields was dismissed from the game at the halftime intermission.

Carolina came out of the locker room looking to quickly jump on the home team, and it didn't take long for the RailHawks to find the equalizer. Just five minutes into the second half a good spell of possession by the RailHawks led to a Shipalane cross that Schilawski headed home powerfully from eight yards out to put Carolina equal.

Showing a positive response to the goal, Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson looked to lead the squad charging forward into the match.  A caution for Carolina’s Daniel Scott in the 62ndminute set up the Brazilian midfielder for a shot on goal from 30 yards out, which was saved by Akira Fitzgerald. Two minutes later Kleberson again looked to goal, but his shot from distance whistled just wide of the post.

Indy Eleven made three substitutions in the second half, bringing on Pedro Mendes, Don Smart and Dylan Mares. As the second half of play ticked away, Indy felt the pressure to push the ball forward and found a few late chances that brought the capacity crowd to its feet. Despite dominating the last ten minutes, the home side was forced to split the points before celebrating the effort of the sold out crowd.

Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer

On the sold out crowd of 11,048 and their support:

“The Brickyard Battalion was phenomenal tonight. The atmosphere was electric and every fan was like a 12th man for us tonight.”

On the 1-1 result against the RailHawks and managing expectations early:

“You always want to win your home opener, obviously. Again, we’re building a brand new franchise and I think we’re going to need four or five games to get a real sense of match fitness going.”

On what to take away from the match:

“I was really pleased with the character and fight of our team. Even late in the second half we were pushing forward and creating chances. Finding that game-winner will come with experience and getting matches under our belt.”

Carolina RailHawks Head Coach Colin Clarke

On falling behind in the first half:

“There were some positives for us, but I thought we were poor in the first half and we didn’t prepare for what we knew was coming. We got in behind a few times and didn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”

On gaining a result in a tough atmosphere:

“It’s a point on the road. I’m disappointed we didn’t get three because I thought we could have. This will be a tough place for teams to come in and play. Probably overall a fair result.”

NASL Spring Season Recap – Matchday 1

Indy Eleven  1 : 1 Carolina RailHawks

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Scoring Summary:

IND – Mike Ambersely (A.J. Corrado) 43’

CAR – Zack Schilawski (Tiyiselani Shipalane) 50’

Discipline Summary:

CAR – Jordan Burt (caution) 6’

CAR- Daniel Scott (caution) 62’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-5-1):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge, Jaime Frias, Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, A.J. Corrado (Don Smart, 74’), Kleberson, Walter Ramirez, Corby Moore (Dylan Mares, 84’); Mike Ambersley (Pedro Mendes, 67’).

Carolina RailHawks (4-4-2): Akira Fitzgerald; Jordan Burt, Daniel Scott, Connor Tobin, Kupono Low; Jun Marques Davidson, Nicholas Stephen Millington (Nazmi Albadawi 80’), Enzo Agustin Martinez, Cesar Gerardo Elizondo; Zack Schilawski (Aaron King 87’), Tiyiselani Shipalane.

NASL Recap – Indy Eleven 1 : 1 Carolina RailHawks

Mike Ambersley Bags First-ever Indy Eleven Goal, but Sellout Crowd of 11,048 Forced to Settle for Share of Spoils

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, April 12, 2014) – Indy Eleven’s Inaugural Game in the North American Soccer League Match did not disappoint the sellout crowd of 11,048 IUPUI’s Michael A. Carrol Stadium, but the squad was forced to settle for a share of the spoils via a 1-1 draw with the Carolina RailHawks in both team’s NASL Spring Season debut.

On a perfect spring evening in the Circle City, the first 45 minutes saw the home and away teams trading marginal attacking opportunities while feeling each other out in the midfield. Both teams did create some danger, however, starting in the 24th minute when Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht came up with a massive save on Carolina attacker Tiyiselani Shipalane, who found himself one-on-one with the German net minder. 

Indy Eleven found its legs – and more possession – as the half went along, and was rewarded in the 43rd minute when Mike Ambersley tallied the first official goal in club history. After a penetrating run by Eleven midfielder Corby Moore was snuffed out, midfielder A.J. Corrado played the loose ball into the 18-yard box where a waiting Ambersley took a touch by the RailHawk defender and slotted a low shot into the far post.  The goal capped off a week to remember for the St. Louis native and Indiana University alum, who celebrated the brith of his first child just days ago.

Carolina looked to quickly counter the 1-0 lead and immediately played a long ball into the box where RailHawk forward Zack Schilawski linked onto the pass.  Eager to preserve the one goal advantage, Indy Eleven defender Brad Ring made the tackle of the half, sliding in and stymying Schilawski inside the six-yard box to keep the score 1-0 heading into the break.

Carolina RailHawks Assistant Coach Greg Shields was dismissed from the game at the halftime intermission.

Carolina came out of the locker room looking to quickly jump on the home team, and it didn’t take long for the RailHawks to find the equalizer. Just five minutes into the second half a good spell of possession by the RailHawks led to a Shipalane cross that Schilawski headed home powerfully from eight yards out to put Carolina equal.

Showing a positive response to the goal, Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson looked to lead the squad charging forward into the match.  A caution for Carolina’s Daniel Scott in the 62ndminute set up the Brazilian midfielder for a shot on goal from 30 yards out, which was saved by Akira Fitzgerald. Two minutes later Kleberson again looked to goal, but his shot from distance whistled just wide of the post.

Indy Eleven made three substitutions in the second half, bringing on Pedro Mendes, Don Smart and Dylan Mares. As the second half of play ticked away, Indy felt the pressure to push the ball forward and found a few late chances that brought the capacity crowd to its feet. Despite dominating the last ten minutes, the home side was forced to split the points before celebrating the effort of the sold out crowd.

Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer

On the sold out crowd of 11,048 and their support:

“The Brickyard Battalion was phenomenal tonight. The atmosphere was electric and every fan was like a 12th man for us tonight.”

On the 1-1 result against the RailHawks and managing expectations early:

“You always want to win your home opener, obviously. Again, we’re building a brand new franchise and I think we’re going to need four or five games to get a real sense of match fitness going.”

On what to take away from the match:

“I was really pleased with the character and fight of our team. Even late in the second half we were pushing forward and creating chances. Finding that game-winner will come with experience and getting matches under our belt.”

Carolina RailHawks Head Coach Colin Clarke

On falling behind in the first half:

“There were some positives for us, but I thought we were poor in the first half and we didn’t prepare for what we knew was coming. We got in behind a few times and didn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”

On gaining a result in a tough atmosphere:

“It’s a point on the road. I’m disappointed we didn’t get three because I thought we could have. This will be a tough place for teams to come in and play. Probably overall a fair result.”

NASL Spring Season Recap – Matchday 1

Indy Eleven  1 : 1 Carolina RailHawks

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Scoring Summary:

IND – Mike Ambersely (A.J. Corrado) 43’

CAR – Zack Schilawski (Tiyiselani Shipalane) 50’

Discipline Summary:

CAR – Jordan Burt (caution) 6’

CAR- Daniel Scott (caution) 62’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-5-1):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge, Jaime Frias, Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, A.J. Corrado (Don Smart, 74’), Kleberson, Walter Ramirez, Corby Moore (Dylan Mares, 84’); Mike Ambersley (Pedro Mendes, 67’).

Carolina RailHawks (4-4-2): Akira Fitzgerald; Jordan Burt, Daniel Scott, Connor Tobin, Kupono Low; Jun Marques Davidson, Nicholas Stephen Millington (Nazmi Albadawi 80’), Enzo Agustin Martinez, Cesar Gerardo Elizondo; Zack Schilawski (Aaron King 87’), Tiyiselani Shipalane.

Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven  3 : 1  Indiana University

Goals from Andrew Stone, Kleberson and Don Smart Lift Eleven Past Hoosiers in Preseason Finale;

Just Eight Days Remain until Eleven’s Inaugural Game in NASL Play at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, April 4, 2014) – After going down a goal against the run of play in the first half, Indy Eleven battled back against Indiana University to earn a 3-1 victory in the NASL expansion club’s first match held at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI. Recent signee Kleberson tallied his second goal in as many games and anchored the midfield in his first start for the club. Friday night’s final preseason exhibition game matched Indy Eleven’s five Hoosier alums against their former colors.

“It was great to be here at Carroll Stadium, to see our fans in the stands and have them provide an atmosphere for our players to get used to,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “This was a really good test for us. [IU] really came out and put some pressure on us, so it was nice to have that level of competition.”

After trading giveaways for the first five minutes, the Indy Eleven midfield dominated the bulk of possession in the first half. The impressive ball movement created a bevy of dangerous chances for Indy Eleven to get on the board first, but IU goalkeeper Colin Webb looked solid in between the posts.  Eleven midfielder Walter Ramirez’s near-post effort in the ninth minute was pushed wide and Chris Estridge’s bid shortly after was also thwarted by Webb.

Despite not seeing much possession for the majority of the first half, it was the Hoosiers who got on the board first in the 39th minute. Andrew Oliver broke free from the midfield and fired a shot from about 30 yards out that pinged off the top post.  IU’s Femi Hollinger-Janzen was in the right place at the right time and headed the ball past a stranded Kristian Nicht in the Eleven goal to put the visitors from Bloomington on top.

Indy Eleven wasted little time getting back on the attack, and a hard foul on Corby Moore in the 45th minute offered the home team a chance to even it up before halftime.  Kleberson lined up to take the free kick and played a beautiful, sinking shot that forced a low save from Webb. The spilled save was waiting for a charging Stone, who smashed the rebound home and put Indy Eleven equal at 1-1.

The second half brought the same Eleven lineup as well as the same midfield dominance.  Despite a handful of dangerous attacking chances it was unsurprisingly Kleberson who was able to break the tie for the Eleven. In the 64th minute the Brazilian midfielder teed up a shot from 28 yards out that curved low and skipped inside the right post and past a diving Webb.

“[Kleberson] has been a real pro all around and his experience speaks for itself. He got a longer stretch (of play) and a start tonight and we just want to work towards getting him 90 minutes ready,” said Sommer of the Brazilian midfielder. “We have some young, talented players that are learning and enjoying playing with him every day.”

Former Indiana Hoosier and Indy Eleven trialist Dylan Mares also looked to make his mark on the game in the 72nd minute when he pinged a strike off the top post from about 35 yards out.  As the chances continued to pile up for the Eleven, it was eventually substitute midfielder Don Smart that finished the score sheet entries for the evening a minute into stoppage time.  A brilliantly placed free kick from midfield by Jaime Frias found a wide open Smart, who drove the ball into the upper corner and closed out the Hoosiers.

“We finally feel like we’ve got our group here in town now and that we’re settling into a little groove,” said Sommer. “We’ll get there. We’ll get better ever week with every game, but you can see the little combination play starting to pick up and guys making runs and creating quality chances for each other.”

Tonight’s win marked the end of Indy Eleven’s preseason, and now all sights are set on the club’s historic NASL opener on Saturday, April 12, when Indiana’s team will host the Carolina RailHawks at Carroll Stadium.  The Inaugural Game in just eight days will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and, like all home regular season matches, will be televised live on MyINDY TV-23.

Fans looking for more reaction from tonight’s contest can tune into the second edition of “Soccer Saturday, presented by Indy Eleven,” Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00 a.m. on 107.5 FM/1070 AM The Fan, also available online at www.1070TheFan.com. Tomorrow’s edition will feature Coach Sommer, defender Chris Estridge and IUPUI Men’s Soccer Head Coach Isang Jacob catching up with host Greg Rakestraw.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition

Indy Eleven  3 : 1  Indiana University (NCAA) 

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Friday, April 4, 2014

Scoring Summary:

IU – Femi Hollinger-Janzen (unassisted) 39’

IND – Andrew Stone (unassisted) 45’

IND – Kleberson (unassisted) 64’

IND – Don Smart (Jaime Frias) 91’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Don Smart (caution) 87’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge (Chris Wey 81’) , Andrew Stone, Erick Norales (Jaime Frias 69’) Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring (Baba Omosegbon 81), A.J. Corrado, Kleberson (Dylan Mares 69’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart 61’); Corby Moore (Kevin Rozo 76’), Mike Ambersley (Ben Spencer 69’).

Indiana University (4-4-2): Colin Webb; Billy McConnell, Patrick Doody, Matt Foldesy, Jack Griffith; Jamie Vollmer, Dylan Lax, Richard Ballard (Matt McKain 45’), Kyle Sparks (Michael Riedford 29’) (Kyle Sparks 45’); Andrew Oliver, Femi Hollinger-Janzen.

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)

• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 1  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy

• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Chicago Fire (MLS)

• Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven 3 : 1 Indiana University (NCAA)

• Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Indy Eleven 2014 North American Soccer League Regular Season

Apr. 12 – Indy Eleven vs. Carolina RailHawks

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Apr. 19 – Indy Eleven vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Apr. 26 – Indy Eleven at Fort Lauderdale Strikers

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven  3 : 1  Indiana University

Goals from Andrew Stone, Kleberson and Don Smart Lift Eleven Past Hoosiers in Preseason Finale;

Just Eight Days Remain until Eleven’s Inaugural Game in NASL Play at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, April 4, 2014) – After going down a goal against the run of play in the first half, Indy Eleven battled back against Indiana University to earn a 3-1 victory in the NASL expansion club’s first match held at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI. Recent signee Kleberson tallied his second goal in as many games and anchored the midfield in his first start for the club. Friday night’s final preseason exhibition game matched Indy Eleven’s five Hoosier alums against their former colors.

“It was great to be here at Carroll Stadium, to see our fans in the stands and have them provide an atmosphere for our players to get used to,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “This was a really good test for us. [IU] really came out and put some pressure on us, so it was nice to have that level of competition.”

After trading giveaways for the first five minutes, the Indy Eleven midfield dominated the bulk of possession in the first half. The impressive ball movement created a bevy of dangerous chances for Indy Eleven to get on the board first, but IU goalkeeper Colin Webb looked solid in between the posts.  Eleven midfielder Walter Ramirez’s near-post effort in the ninth minute was pushed wide and Chris Estridge’s bid shortly after was also thwarted by Webb.

Despite not seeing much possession for the majority of the first half, it was the Hoosiers who got on the board first in the 39th minute. Andrew Oliver broke free from the midfield and fired a shot from about 30 yards out that pinged off the top post.  IU’s Femi Hollinger-Janzen was in the right place at the right time and headed the ball past a stranded Kristian Nicht in the Eleven goal to put the visitors from Bloomington on top.

Indy Eleven wasted little time getting back on the attack, and a hard foul on Corby Moore in the 45th minute offered the home team a chance to even it up before halftime.  Kleberson lined up to take the free kick and played a beautiful, sinking shot that forced a low save from Webb. The spilled save was waiting for a charging Stone, who smashed the rebound home and put Indy Eleven equal at 1-1.

The second half brought the same Eleven lineup as well as the same midfield dominance.  Despite a handful of dangerous attacking chances it was unsurprisingly Kleberson who was able to break the tie for the Eleven. In the 64th minute the Brazilian midfielder teed up a shot from 28 yards out that curved low and skipped inside the right post and past a diving Webb.

“[Kleberson] has been a real pro all around and his experience speaks for itself. He got a longer stretch (of play) and a start tonight and we just want to work towards getting him 90 minutes ready,” said Sommer of the Brazilian midfielder. “We have some young, talented players that are learning and enjoying playing with him every day.”

Former Indiana Hoosier and Indy Eleven trialist Dylan Mares also looked to make his mark on the game in the 72nd minute when he pinged a strike off the top post from about 35 yards out.  As the chances continued to pile up for the Eleven, it was eventually substitute midfielder Don Smart that finished the score sheet entries for the evening a minute into stoppage time.  A brilliantly placed free kick from midfield by Jaime Frias found a wide open Smart, who drove the ball into the upper corner and closed out the Hoosiers.

“We finally feel like we’ve got our group here in town now and that we’re settling into a little groove,” said Sommer. “We’ll get there. We’ll get better ever week with every game, but you can see the little combination play starting to pick up and guys making runs and creating quality chances for each other.”

Tonight’s win marked the end of Indy Eleven’s preseason, and now all sights are set on the club’s historic NASL opener on Saturday, April 12, when Indiana’s team will host the Carolina RailHawks at Carroll Stadium.  The Inaugural Game in just eight days will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and, like all home regular season matches, will be televised live on MyINDY TV-23.

Fans looking for more reaction from tonight’s contest can tune into the second edition of “Soccer Saturday, presented by Indy Eleven,” Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00 a.m. on 107.5 FM/1070 AM The Fan, also available online at www.1070TheFan.com. Tomorrow’s edition will feature Coach Sommer, defender Chris Estridge and IUPUI Men’s Soccer Head Coach Isang Jacob catching up with host Greg Rakestraw.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition

Indy Eleven  3 : 1  Indiana University (NCAA) 

Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

Friday, April 4, 2014

Scoring Summary:

IU – Femi Hollinger-Janzen (unassisted) 39’

IND – Andrew Stone (unassisted) 45’

IND – Kleberson (unassisted) 64’

IND – Don Smart (Jaime Frias) 91’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Don Smart (caution) 87’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-4-2):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge (Chris Wey 81’) , Andrew Stone, Erick Norales (Jaime Frias 69’) Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring (Baba Omosegbon 81), A.J. Corrado, Kleberson (Dylan Mares 69’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart 61’); Corby Moore (Kevin Rozo 76’), Mike Ambersley (Ben Spencer 69’).

Indiana University (4-4-2): Colin Webb; Billy McConnell, Patrick Doody, Matt Foldesy, Jack Griffith; Jamie Vollmer, Dylan Lax, Richard Ballard (Matt McKain 45’), Kyle Sparks (Michael Riedford 29’) (Kyle Sparks 45’); Andrew Oliver, Femi Hollinger-Janzen.

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)

• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 1  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy

• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Chicago Fire (MLS)

• Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven 3 : 1 Indiana University (NCAA)

• Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Indy Eleven 2014 North American Soccer League Regular Season

Apr. 12 – Indy Eleven vs. Carolina RailHawks

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Apr. 19 – Indy Eleven vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in Indianapolis

Apr. 26 – Indy Eleven at Fort Lauderdale Strikers

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

INDY ELEVEN  1 : 3  CHICAGO FIRE (MLS)

Kleberson Conversion from Penalty Spot in Debut Not Enough to Overcome MLS Side

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (Tuesday, April 1, 2014) – A lone second half goal from Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson in his unofficial debut was not enough to overcome the Chicago Fire’s strong first half form, as the NASL expansion side fell 1-3 to the MLS squad in a preseason matchup at the Boilermaker Soccer Complex.  Kleberson’s tally came during a better second half of play for the home side, but could not erase a three-goal deficit built by Chicago in the first half.

“Chicago was a great opponent, and we want to play quality competition like that because it shows us where our strengths and weaknesses are tactically and what we need to continue to work on as the season approaches,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “That’s why we played this game, to continue to do what we need to get sharp and prepare for Friday and then, more importantly the opener the following week.”

Chicago came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and showed no sign of slowing down in the first 45 minutes of play.  The Fire enjoyed the bulk of possession and the majority of attacking opportunities in the opening stanza and opened the scoring just six minutes in when defender Lovel Palmer nodded home a corner kick from 10 yards out. In the 24th minute it was forward Luis Anongano’s turn to head in a cross from the right flank, doubling the Chicago advantage.

Although Indy Eleven’s front line was able to get into a few dangerous attacking positions, Fire goalkeeper Kyle Reynish went largely untested in the first half. Indy Eleven almost got into the locker room down just two goals, but Fire forward Chris Rolfe’s far right post finish past Eleven netminder Kristian Nicht in the 45th minute brought the Fire lead to 3-0 heading into the break.

The second half saw the introduction of Indy Eleven’s newest signing, as the World Cup champion Kleberson replaced Pedro Mendes at the interval. The midfield combination of Corby Moore, Kleberson, Brad Ring and A.J. Corrado saw Indy Eleven start to control more possession in the center of the park. One of Indy’s better scoring opportunities on the night came in the 69th minute when Don Smart broke free and looked to get in on goal but was clipped from behind about 30 yards from goal. On the ensuing free kick Kleberson put the ball into the mixer but was unable to find the head of an Eleven teammate.

Indy Eleven was finally rewarded for their improved second half form when Fire defender Chris Ritter armed down the ball in the box while attempting to make a clearance.  The referee awarded the penalty, which Kleberson stepped up to take without hesitation before slotting low past the correct-guessing Alec Mann in goal to give the Brazilian his first unofficial tally in Indy Eleven checkers and bring the match to its eventual 1-3 scoreline.

“It was great to see Kleberson get out there. You can see the qualities he brings to the game,” said Sommer. “For us it was important to give him a good 45 minutes to get his fitness up and watch the first 45 minutes to get a gauge of what his teammates’ tendencies are and learn about the group a little more.”

Indy Eleven won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as the squad will close out its spring exhibition schedule this Friday, April 4, when it welcomes the Indiana University Hoosiers to its home of Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI for a 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans should note that Friday night’s match will be limited to Indy Eleven season ticket holders in order to give Carroll Stadium a “test drive” before the team’s Inaugural Game against the Carolina RailHawks in just 11 days on Saturday, April 12.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition
Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Chicago Fire
Boilermaker Soccer Complex, Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN
Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Scoring Summary:
CHI – Lovel Palmer (Chris Rolfe) 6’
CHI – Jaun Luis Anangono (Patrick Nyarko) 24’
CHI – Chris Rolfe (Victor Pineda) 45’
IND – Kleberson (penalty kick) 73’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Pedro Mendes (caution) 19’
CHI – Chris Ritter (caution) 62’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 76’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge, *Jaime Frias (Andrew Stone  77’), Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring (*Dylan Mares 81’), Corby Moore (*Kevin Rozo  86’); Mike Ambersley, Pedro Mendes (Kleberson  45’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart 57’); Ben Spencer (*A.J. Corrado  45’)

* denotes guest player

Chicago Fire Line-up (4-4-2): Kyle Reynish (Alec Kann 45’); Lovel Palmer (Benji Joya 73’), Chris Ritter, Patrick Ianni, Marco Franco (Dasan Robinson 35’); Patrick Nyarko (Giuseppe Gentile 60’), Logan Pause, Victor Pineda, Dilly Duka; Chris Rolfe (Orr Barouch 60’), Juan Luis Anangono

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule (scheduled matches subject to change)

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)
• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 1  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)
• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy
• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven
• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Chicago Fire (MLS)
• Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven vs. Indiana University (NCAA)
• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis

INDY ELEVEN  1 : 3  CHICAGO FIRE (MLS)

Kleberson Conversion from Penalty Spot in Debut Not Enough to Overcome MLS Side

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (Tuesday, April 1, 2014) – A lone second half goal from Indy Eleven midfielder Kleberson in his unofficial debut was not enough to overcome the Chicago Fire’s strong first half form, as the NASL expansion side fell 1-3 to the MLS squad in a preseason matchup at the Boilermaker Soccer Complex.  Kleberson’s tally came during a better second half of play for the home side, but could not erase a three-goal deficit built by Chicago in the first half.

“Chicago was a great opponent, and we want to play quality competition like that because it shows us where our strengths and weaknesses are tactically and what we need to continue to work on as the season approaches,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “That’s why we played this game, to continue to do what we need to get sharp and prepare for Friday and then, more importantly the opener the following week.”

Chicago came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and showed no sign of slowing down in the first 45 minutes of play.  The Fire enjoyed the bulk of possession and the majority of attacking opportunities in the opening stanza and opened the scoring just six minutes in when defender Lovel Palmer nodded home a corner kick from 10 yards out. In the 24th minute it was forward Luis Anongano’s turn to head in a cross from the right flank, doubling the Chicago advantage.

Although Indy Eleven’s front line was able to get into a few dangerous attacking positions, Fire goalkeeper Kyle Reynish went largely untested in the first half. Indy Eleven almost got into the locker room down just two goals, but Fire forward Chris Rolfe’s far right post finish past Eleven netminder Kristian Nicht in the 45th minute brought the Fire lead to 3-0 heading into the break.

The second half saw the introduction of Indy Eleven’s newest signing, as the World Cup champion Kleberson replaced Pedro Mendes at the interval. The midfield combination of Corby Moore, Kleberson, Brad Ring and A.J. Corrado saw Indy Eleven start to control more possession in the center of the park. One of Indy’s better scoring opportunities on the night came in the 69th minute when Don Smart broke free and looked to get in on goal but was clipped from behind about 30 yards from goal. On the ensuing free kick Kleberson put the ball into the mixer but was unable to find the head of an Eleven teammate.

Indy Eleven was finally rewarded for their improved second half form when Fire defender Chris Ritter armed down the ball in the box while attempting to make a clearance.  The referee awarded the penalty, which Kleberson stepped up to take without hesitation before slotting low past the correct-guessing Alec Mann in goal to give the Brazilian his first unofficial tally in Indy Eleven checkers and bring the match to its eventual 1-3 scoreline.

“It was great to see Kleberson get out there. You can see the qualities he brings to the game,” said Sommer. “For us it was important to give him a good 45 minutes to get his fitness up and watch the first 45 minutes to get a gauge of what his teammates’ tendencies are and learn about the group a little more.”

Indy Eleven won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as the squad will close out its spring exhibition schedule this Friday, April 4, when it welcomes the Indiana University Hoosiers to its home of Michael A. Carroll Stadium at IUPUI for a 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans should note that Friday night’s match will be limited to Indy Eleven season ticket holders in order to give Carroll Stadium a “test drive” before the team’s Inaugural Game against the Carolina RailHawks in just 11 days on Saturday, April 12.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition
Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Chicago Fire
Boilermaker Soccer Complex, Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN
Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Scoring Summary:
CHI – Lovel Palmer (Chris Rolfe) 6’
CHI – Jaun Luis Anangono (Patrick Nyarko) 24’
CHI – Chris Rolfe (Victor Pineda) 45’
IND – Kleberson (penalty kick) 73’

Discipline Summary:
IND – Pedro Mendes (caution) 19’
CHI – Chris Ritter (caution) 62’
IND – Brad Ring (caution) 76’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):  Kristian Nicht; Chris Estridge, *Jaime Frias (Andrew Stone  77’), Erick Norales, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring (*Dylan Mares 81’), Corby Moore (*Kevin Rozo  86’); Mike Ambersley, Pedro Mendes (Kleberson  45’), Walter Ramirez (Don Smart 57’); Ben Spencer (*A.J. Corrado  45’)

* denotes guest player

Chicago Fire Line-up (4-4-2): Kyle Reynish (Alec Kann 45’); Lovel Palmer (Benji Joya 73’), Chris Ritter, Patrick Ianni, Marco Franco (Dasan Robinson 35’); Patrick Nyarko (Giuseppe Gentile 60’), Logan Pause, Victor Pineda, Dilly Duka; Chris Rolfe (Orr Barouch 60’), Juan Luis Anangono

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule (scheduled matches subject to change)

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)
• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 1  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)
• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy
• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven
• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Chicago Fire (MLS)
• Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven vs. Indiana University (NCAA)
• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis

Preseason Recap – University of Louisville  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

NASL Squad Fights Back from Pair of Second Half Deficits to Earn Draw in First Road Contest

LOUISVILLE (Saturday, March 22, 2014) – Forward Ben Spencer’s goal with 75 seconds remaining gave Indy Eleven a 2-2 draw against the University of Louisville Cardinals in the NASL expansion side’s first true away contest of the 2014 preseason at Cardinal Park.  Spencer’s tally marked a thrilling conclusion to a match that went into the halftime break at 0-0 and saw the visitors equalize twice in the last 18 minutes.

“It’s nice to see this type of fight from the guys,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer.  “I think Brad Ring was a real leader on that front tonight with the things he was doing in midfield, the way he continually closed guys down, being psychical, challenging for every ball. To be honest we need to see more guys stepping up and doing those sorts of things, but I think we saw more of it collectively as the game wound down. It was good to see guys not want to lose down the stretch and really step up and not just create opportunities to find goals, but to finish them off as well.”

Sommer’s focus out of the gate was clearly seeing who should occupy some of the team’s few available roster spots, as he inserted six trialists into the starting XI against Louisville.  It was the Cardinals enjoying the bulk of the ball in the opening half, but both sides would have trouble finding quality chances on goal in the first 45 minutes. Indy Eleven’s best opportunity came in the 32 nd minute when a cutback pass to the top of the penalty area found midfielder Brendan King in stride, but his first-time shot skipped off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

Indy Eleven endured a scary moment in the 39 th minute when goalkeeper Kristian Nicht collided with center back Erick Norales while punching away a cross. The two stayed down for a few minutes, and while Nicht was able to continue the Honduran international Norales was replaced by Baba Omosegbon for precautionary reasons due to a suspected concussion.

A new trio of midfielders for Indy Eleven – Walter Ramirez, Pedro Mendes and Don Smart – could not tip the scales for the road team immediately at the start of the second half, as Louisville went up 1-0 in the 54 th minute when Nolan Moore’s low shot from the back corner of the area found paydirt inside the far left post.

The Indy Eleven midfield would finally click into gear and swing the possession battle in favor of the visitors, which paid off in the 70 th minute when Spencer was fouled right on top of the penalty arc. It was Smart who would step up and take the dead ball opportunity, and the Jamaican’s strike was quick and decisive, landing inside the left post to equalize at 1-1 in the 72 ndminute.

The tie was short-lived, however, as Louisville forward Will Vitalis would push the home side back in front six minutes later, corralling his own rebounded shot before finishing with authority to the far left post from 15 yards out. But Indy Eleven wasn’t finished either, as with just over a minute left Ramirez’s pass from the right flank found Spencer to the right of the penalty spot. The 18-year-old calmly took a touch, turned and fired, his shot beating Louisville ‘keeper Joachim Ball to the left post and giving Indy Eleven a share of the spoils late.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition

University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

Cardinal Park – Louisville, KY

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Scoring Summary:

LOU – Dylan Moore (Ricardo Velazco) 54’

IND – Don Smart (unassisted) 72’

LOU – Will Vitalis (unassisted) 78’

IND – Ben Spencer (Walter Ramirez) 89’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Walter Ramirez (caution) 64’

IND – Brad Ring (caution) 71’

LOU – Michael DeGraffenreidt (caution) 71’

IND – Baba Omosegbon (caution) 74’

IND – Jaime Frias (caution) 84’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):  Kristian Nicht; *A.J. Corrado, Erick Norales (Baba Omosegbon 39’), *Jaime Frias, Chris Estridge; Brad Ring, *Paolo DelPiccolo; *Brendan King (Don Smart 46’), *Dylan Mares (Pedro Mendes 46’), *Bryan de la Fuente (Walter Ramirez 46’); Ben Spencer

Match Notes

• Smart’s goal was the second of the preseason for the Jamaican, who scored the squad’s second goal in their exhibition opener versus Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Casa Grande, Ariz., on Feb. 5  (2-3 L).
• Indy Eleven had 15 of its 16 signed players available tonight thanks to the arrival of Spencer earlier in the week. The towering target forward officially came to the Eleven on loan from Norwegian side Molde on March 11.
• The only absent player among Indy Eleven’s signed contingent was English midfielder Corby Moore, who also signed on the 11 th alongside Spencer. Moore is expected to arrive in the U.S. at some point within the next week.
• Two of Indy Eleven’s seven trialists on tonight’s roster were intimately familiar with the Cardinals. Midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo was a four-year standout for Louisville between 2009-12 before being drafted by the Montreal Impact of MLS and playing for German club Eintracht Frankfurt's U-23 team in 2013. Midfielder Dylan Mares – a native of Zionsville – spent three years at Louisville from 2010-12 before transferring to Indiana University for his redshirt-junior season last fall.
• Mares' Zionsville and IU running mate, A.J. Corrado, also supplemented the Eleven roster as a trailist this evening.
• Another trialist with Indy Eleven, former Chicago Fire midfielder Brendan King, knew the Cards quite well too, as the four-year starter for Notre Dame played against Louisville in BIG EAST Conference play while with the Irish from 2009-2012.
• Indy Eleven will have a little more than a week before it returns to match action on Tuesday, April 1, when the checkered-clad squad will host the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in West Lafayette, IN. Kickoff from the Boilermaker Soccer Complex is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
• Tickets for the Eleven vs. Fire contest are on sale for $11 & $15 dollars online at www.indyeleven.com . Portions of proceeds from the exhibition contest will be donated to the Indiana Soccer Foundation's Rachael Fiege Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will provide assistance for soccer outreach programs including TOPSocccer benefiting youth throughout Indiana.

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule (scheduled matches subject to change)

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)

• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 2  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy

• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven vs. Chicago Fire (MLS)

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven vs. Indiana University (NCAA)

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis

Preseason Recap – University of Louisville  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

NASL Squad Fights Back from Pair of Second Half Deficits to Earn Draw in First Road Contest

LOUISVILLE (Saturday, March 22, 2014) – Forward Ben Spencer’s goal with 75 seconds remaining gave Indy Eleven a 2-2 draw against the University of Louisville Cardinals in the NASL expansion side’s first true away contest of the 2014 preseason at Cardinal Park.  Spencer’s tally marked a thrilling conclusion to a match that went into the halftime break at 0-0 and saw the visitors equalize twice in the last 18 minutes.

“It’s nice to see this type of fight from the guys,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer.  “I think Brad Ring was a real leader on that front tonight with the things he was doing in midfield, the way he continually closed guys down, being psychical, challenging for every ball. To be honest we need to see more guys stepping up and doing those sorts of things, but I think we saw more of it collectively as the game wound down. It was good to see guys not want to lose down the stretch and really step up and not just create opportunities to find goals, but to finish them off as well.”

Sommer’s focus out of the gate was clearly seeing who should occupy some of the team’s few available roster spots, as he inserted six trialists into the starting XI against Louisville.  It was the Cardinals enjoying the bulk of the ball in the opening half, but both sides would have trouble finding quality chances on goal in the first 45 minutes. Indy Eleven’s best opportunity came in the 32 nd minute when a cutback pass to the top of the penalty area found midfielder Brendan King in stride, but his first-time shot skipped off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

Indy Eleven endured a scary moment in the 39 th minute when goalkeeper Kristian Nicht collided with center back Erick Norales while punching away a cross. The two stayed down for a few minutes, and while Nicht was able to continue the Honduran international Norales was replaced by Baba Omosegbon for precautionary reasons due to a suspected concussion.

A new trio of midfielders for Indy Eleven – Walter Ramirez, Pedro Mendes and Don Smart – could not tip the scales for the road team immediately at the start of the second half, as Louisville went up 1-0 in the 54 th minute when Nolan Moore’s low shot from the back corner of the area found paydirt inside the far left post.

The Indy Eleven midfield would finally click into gear and swing the possession battle in favor of the visitors, which paid off in the 70 th minute when Spencer was fouled right on top of the penalty arc. It was Smart who would step up and take the dead ball opportunity, and the Jamaican’s strike was quick and decisive, landing inside the left post to equalize at 1-1 in the 72 ndminute.

The tie was short-lived, however, as Louisville forward Will Vitalis would push the home side back in front six minutes later, corralling his own rebounded shot before finishing with authority to the far left post from 15 yards out. But Indy Eleven wasn’t finished either, as with just over a minute left Ramirez’s pass from the right flank found Spencer to the right of the penalty spot. The 18-year-old calmly took a touch, turned and fired, his shot beating Louisville ‘keeper Joachim Ball to the left post and giving Indy Eleven a share of the spoils late.

Indy Eleven Preseason Exhibition

University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

Cardinal Park – Louisville, KY

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Scoring Summary:

LOU – Dylan Moore (Ricardo Velazco) 54’

IND – Don Smart (unassisted) 72’

LOU – Will Vitalis (unassisted) 78’

IND – Ben Spencer (Walter Ramirez) 89’

Discipline Summary:

IND – Walter Ramirez (caution) 64’

IND – Brad Ring (caution) 71’

LOU – Michael DeGraffenreidt (caution) 71’

IND – Baba Omosegbon (caution) 74’

IND – Jaime Frias (caution) 84’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-2-3-1):  Kristian Nicht; *A.J. Corrado, Erick Norales (Baba Omosegbon 39’), *Jaime Frias, Chris Estridge; Brad Ring, *Paolo DelPiccolo; *Brendan King (Don Smart 46’), *Dylan Mares (Pedro Mendes 46’), *Bryan de la Fuente (Walter Ramirez 46’); Ben Spencer

Match Notes

• Smart’s goal was the second of the preseason for the Jamaican, who scored the squad’s second goal in their exhibition opener versus Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Casa Grande, Ariz., on Feb. 5  (2-3 L).
• Indy Eleven had 15 of its 16 signed players available tonight thanks to the arrival of Spencer earlier in the week. The towering target forward officially came to the Eleven on loan from Norwegian side Molde on March 11.
• The only absent player among Indy Eleven’s signed contingent was English midfielder Corby Moore, who also signed on the 11 th alongside Spencer. Moore is expected to arrive in the U.S. at some point within the next week.
• Two of Indy Eleven’s seven trialists on tonight’s roster were intimately familiar with the Cardinals. Midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo was a four-year standout for Louisville between 2009-12 before being drafted by the Montreal Impact of MLS and playing for German club Eintracht Frankfurt’s U-23 team in 2013. Midfielder Dylan Mares – a native of Zionsville – spent three years at Louisville from 2010-12 before transferring to Indiana University for his redshirt-junior season last fall.
• Mares’ Zionsville and IU running mate, A.J. Corrado, also supplemented the Eleven roster as a trailist this evening.
• Another trialist with Indy Eleven, former Chicago Fire midfielder Brendan King, knew the Cards quite well too, as the four-year starter for Notre Dame played against Louisville in BIG EAST Conference play while with the Irish from 2009-2012.
• Indy Eleven will have a little more than a week before it returns to match action on Tuesday, April 1, when the checkered-clad squad will host the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in West Lafayette, IN. Kickoff from the Boilermaker Soccer Complex is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
• Tickets for the Eleven vs. Fire contest are on sale for $11 & $15 dollars online at www.indyeleven.com . Portions of proceeds from the exhibition contest will be donated to the Indiana Soccer Foundation’s Rachael Fiege Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will provide assistance for soccer outreach programs including TOPSocccer benefiting youth throughout Indiana.

Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule (scheduled matches subject to change)

Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven  2 : 3  Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)

• Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven  1 : 3  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven  0 : 2  Portland Timbers FC (MLS)

• Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

Feb. 26 – Indy Eleven  2 : 4  Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

Mar 15 – Indy Eleven  2 : 0  Tourbeau Soccer Academy

• Westfield High School in Westfield, IN

Mar. 22 – University of Louisville (NCAA)  2 : 2  Indy Eleven

• Cardinal Park in Louisville, KY

Apr. 1 – Indy Eleven vs. Chicago Fire (MLS)

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, IN

Apr. 4 – Indy Eleven vs. Indiana University (NCAA)

• 7:30 p.m. ET at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis

Indy Eleven Falls 1-2 in Preseason Action vs. Louisville City FC

Defender Greg Janicki Equalizes with First Goal of Preseason in Chippy Affair  

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, March 21, 2015) â€“ Veteran defender Greg Janicki tallied in the 57th minute, but loads of complimenting chances and possession came up short as Indy Eleven fell 2-1 to USL outfit Louisville City FC in a preseason match Saturday afternoon at the University of Indianapolis.

Indy Eleven nearly jumped ahead in the fourth minute when forward Charlie Rugg received a misplayed ball from Louisville ‘keeper Scott Goodwin that found the forward with an open look at goal from 35 yards out. Playing in his first match since being loaned back to the club from the LA Galaxy, Rugg took a small touch before his long-range effort sailed wide right of the Louisville goal.

Indy knocked on the door eleven minutes later when forward Wojciech Wojcik picked up a bouncing ball at the top of the box before his mid-air volley forced a point-blank save from Goodwin.

The home side continued to poor on the pressure in the 19th minute when a clever combination on the right between Marco Franco and Don Smart saw Franco earn a free kick just inches off the end line. Winger Victor Pineda’s ensuing take picked out the head of Wojcik, who nodded his effort just over the bar at the far post.

Just before the half hour mark, Sergio Pena served a beautiful ball from the center circle into the right corner for Smart. The Jamaican winger cut back and served a ball for Wojcik, who saw his one-time effort blaze just wide of the right post.

After the halftime break, Indy Eleven continued to look for the go-ahead goal. In the 48th minute, Pena served a dangerous free kick into the area for Wojcik at the right post before the powerful forward flicked on a header for Indy Eleven debutant Brian Brown, but his nodded effort to the far post was just a bit too heavy.

Though Indy Eleven dominated in possession and chances, Louisville would find the first goal of the match off a misplay at the back after Greg Janicki’s square pass for Kristian Nicht saw the goalkeeper’s clearance go straight into the path of Niall McCabe. The Louisville midfielder pounced on the opportunity and, with Nicht off his line, buried his 40-yard effort in the 53rd minute.

It took the hosts only four minutes to respond, as a Pineda free kick found Janicki rising above the rest at the near post. The veteran center back nodded his effort down and past Goodwin to take the score to 1-1.

One minute later, Pineda found space 25 yards from goal and hit a knuckling ball that Goodwin spilled and claimed just before Wojcik could clean up on the door step.

Louisville City re-took the lead in the 64th minute when a corner from Charlie Adams picked out the head of Conor Shanosky, forcing a diving stop from Nicht. But the rebound couldn’t be cleared and was cleaned up by Matt Fondy on the goal line to take the score to 2-1.

Looking again for another equalizer, Wojcik found room to work before taking a crack from 30 yards out that trailed just wide of Goodwin’s post in the 81st.

Into second half stoppage time, Jaime Frias made his way down the left flank before cutting back for Brown, but the Jamaican striker trailed his effort just wide of the right post on the final kick of the match.

Indy Eleven will finish up its preseason slate a week from today on Saturday, March 28, when it welcomes the Bradley Braves to the Circle City for another closed-door affair.  Due to facility restrictions, Indy Eleven’s preseason games will be closed to the public, however, fans will be able to follow game action throughout the spring live via the team’s @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed.

Media members looking for details on the location and timing of next Saturday’s exhibition against Bradley are asked to contact the Indy Eleven Communications Department via email at media@https://www.indyeleven.com for more information.

Just 14 days remain until Indy Eleven’s 2015 NASL Spring Season opener in Atlanta on April 4, followed a week later by the team’s home opener at Carroll Stadium on Saturday, April 11, against the New York Cosmos, featuring the NASL debut of legendary Spanish striker Raul.   Limited amounts of full season and partial season ticket packages remain, while single game tickets are also now available, starting at just $10.  For full ticket information, visit www.www.indyeleven.com/tickets or call 317-685-1100.

For Indy Eleven’s full 2015 NASL regular season schedule, visit https://www.indyeleven.com/schedule, or click here to download a PDF version.

 

Preseason Exhibition

Indy Eleven  1 : 2  Louisville City FC (USL)

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Scoring Summary
LOU – Niall McCabe (unassisted) 53’
IND  – Greg Janicki (Victor Pineda) 57’
LOU – Matt Fondy (unassisted) 64’

Misconduct Summary
LOU – Juan Guzman (caution) 21’
IND – Sergio Pena (caution) 34’
LOU – Charlie Adams (caution) 36’
LOU – Adam West (caution) 42’

IND – Marco Franco (caution) 43’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (caution) 66’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-1-3-2): Kristian Nicht (Jon Dawson 65’); Marco Franco, Greg Janicki, Erick Norales (Cory Miller 60’), Jaime Frias; Sergio Pena (Brad Ring 65’); Don Smart (Judson McKinney 75’), Dylan Mares (Kleberson 75’), Victor Pineda (Kyle Hyland 75’); Charlie Rugg (Brian Brown 46’), Wojciech Wojcik

Louisville City FC Starting Line-up: Scott Goodwin, Niall McCabe, Matt Fondy, Charlie Adams, Guy Abend, Tarek Morad, Adam West, Conor Shanosky, Magnus Ragnussmen, Juan Guzman, Bryan Burke

 

2015 Indy Eleven Preseason Schedule/Results

Friday, March 6 at Indiana University (NCAA)

Indiana University  2 : 1  Indy Eleven (9-v-9 scrimmage)

*** Mellencamp Pavilion in Bloomington, IN

 

Wednesday, March 11: at Saint Louis FC (USL)

Saint Louis FC  0 : 2  Indy Eleven

*** Saint Louis Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo.

 

Sunday, March 15: vs. University of Dayton (NCAA)

Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Dayton Flyers

*** IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium

 

Saturday, March 21: vs. Louisville City FC (USL)

Indy Eleven  1 : 2  Louisville City FC

*** UIndy's Key Stadium

 

Saturday, March 28: vs. Bradley University (NCAA)

Contact media@https://www.indyeleven.com for location and time details

 

Indy Eleven Falls 1-2 in Preseason Action vs. Louisville City FC

Defender Greg Janicki Equalizes with First Goal of Preseason in Chippy Affair  

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, March 21, 2015) â€“ Veteran defender Greg Janicki tallied in the 57th minute, but loads of complimenting chances and possession came up short as Indy Eleven fell 2-1 to USL outfit Louisville City FC in a preseason match Saturday afternoon at the University of Indianapolis.

Indy Eleven nearly jumped ahead in the fourth minute when forward Charlie Rugg received a misplayed ball from Louisville ‘keeper Scott Goodwin that found the forward with an open look at goal from 35 yards out. Playing in his first match since being loaned back to the club from the LA Galaxy, Rugg took a small touch before his long-range effort sailed wide right of the Louisville goal.

Indy knocked on the door eleven minutes later when forward Wojciech Wojcik picked up a bouncing ball at the top of the box before his mid-air volley forced a point-blank save from Goodwin.

The home side continued to poor on the pressure in the 19th minute when a clever combination on the right between Marco Franco and Don Smart saw Franco earn a free kick just inches off the end line. Winger Victor Pineda’s ensuing take picked out the head of Wojcik, who nodded his effort just over the bar at the far post.

Just before the half hour mark, Sergio Pena served a beautiful ball from the center circle into the right corner for Smart. The Jamaican winger cut back and served a ball for Wojcik, who saw his one-time effort blaze just wide of the right post.

After the halftime break, Indy Eleven continued to look for the go-ahead goal. In the 48th minute, Pena served a dangerous free kick into the area for Wojcik at the right post before the powerful forward flicked on a header for Indy Eleven debutant Brian Brown, but his nodded effort to the far post was just a bit too heavy.

Though Indy Eleven dominated in possession and chances, Louisville would find the first goal of the match off a misplay at the back after Greg Janicki’s square pass for Kristian Nicht saw the goalkeeper’s clearance go straight into the path of Niall McCabe. The Louisville midfielder pounced on the opportunity and, with Nicht off his line, buried his 40-yard effort in the 53rd minute.

It took the hosts only four minutes to respond, as a Pineda free kick found Janicki rising above the rest at the near post. The veteran center back nodded his effort down and past Goodwin to take the score to 1-1.

One minute later, Pineda found space 25 yards from goal and hit a knuckling ball that Goodwin spilled and claimed just before Wojcik could clean up on the door step.

Louisville City re-took the lead in the 64th minute when a corner from Charlie Adams picked out the head of Conor Shanosky, forcing a diving stop from Nicht. But the rebound couldn’t be cleared and was cleaned up by Matt Fondy on the goal line to take the score to 2-1.

Looking again for another equalizer, Wojcik found room to work before taking a crack from 30 yards out that trailed just wide of Goodwin’s post in the 81st.

Into second half stoppage time, Jaime Frias made his way down the left flank before cutting back for Brown, but the Jamaican striker trailed his effort just wide of the right post on the final kick of the match.

Indy Eleven will finish up its preseason slate a week from today on Saturday, March 28, when it welcomes the Bradley Braves to the Circle City for another closed-door affair.  Due to facility restrictions, Indy Eleven’s preseason games will be closed to the public, however, fans will be able to follow game action throughout the spring live via the team’s @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed.

Media members looking for details on the location and timing of next Saturday’s exhibition against Bradley are asked to contact the Indy Eleven Communications Department via email at media@https://www.indyeleven.com for more information.

Just 14 days remain until Indy Eleven’s 2015 NASL Spring Season opener in Atlanta on April 4, followed a week later by the team’s home opener at Carroll Stadium on Saturday, April 11, against the New York Cosmos, featuring the NASL debut of legendary Spanish striker Raul.   Limited amounts of full season and partial season ticket packages remain, while single game tickets are also now available, starting at just $10.  For full ticket information, visit www.www.indyeleven.com/tickets or call 317-685-1100.

For Indy Eleven’s full 2015 NASL regular season schedule, visit https://www.indyeleven.com/schedule, or click here to download a PDF version.

 

Preseason Exhibition

Indy Eleven  1 : 2  Louisville City FC (USL)

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Scoring Summary
LOU – Niall McCabe (unassisted) 53’
IND  – Greg Janicki (Victor Pineda) 57’
LOU – Matt Fondy (unassisted) 64’

Misconduct Summary
LOU – Juan Guzman (caution) 21’
IND – Sergio Pena (caution) 34’
LOU – Charlie Adams (caution) 36’
LOU – Adam West (caution) 42’

IND – Marco Franco (caution) 43’
IND – Wojciech Wojcik (caution) 66’

Indy Eleven Line-up (4-1-3-2): Kristian Nicht (Jon Dawson 65’); Marco Franco, Greg Janicki, Erick Norales (Cory Miller 60’), Jaime Frias; Sergio Pena (Brad Ring 65’); Don Smart (Judson McKinney 75’), Dylan Mares (Kleberson 75’), Victor Pineda (Kyle Hyland 75’); Charlie Rugg (Brian Brown 46’), Wojciech Wojcik

Louisville City FC Starting Line-up: Scott Goodwin, Niall McCabe, Matt Fondy, Charlie Adams, Guy Abend, Tarek Morad, Adam West, Conor Shanosky, Magnus Ragnussmen, Juan Guzman, Bryan Burke

 

2015 Indy Eleven Preseason Schedule/Results

Friday, March 6 at Indiana University (NCAA)

Indiana University  2 : 1  Indy Eleven (9-v-9 scrimmage)

*** Mellencamp Pavilion in Bloomington, IN

 

Wednesday, March 11: at Saint Louis FC (USL)

Saint Louis FC  0 : 2  Indy Eleven

*** Saint Louis Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo.

 

Sunday, March 15: vs. University of Dayton (NCAA)

Indy Eleven  1 : 1  Dayton Flyers

*** IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium

 

Saturday, March 21: vs. Louisville City FC (USL)

Indy Eleven  1 : 2  Louisville City FC

*** UIndy’s Key Stadium

 

Saturday, March 28: vs. Bradley University (NCAA)

Contact media@https://www.indyeleven.com for location and time details