Indy Blanks in Miami But Remain Undefeated - Miami FC V Indy Eleven REVIEW (6/4/2016)

Smells Like Team Spirit!

By: James Cormack

This isn't really going to be a review, it is more going to be a recap and an appreciation of where our team is at right now. I am not going to sugar coat things, there is a lot I am not happy about in numerous games that we have drawn, we have had the chance to control our own destiny several times this year and in those times we have fallen short against lesser teams where we have risen like giants at the time when it is most needed.

The game in Miami ended 0-0. I was as nervous about that Cosmos game in Ft. Lauderdale as I was about our own. Everything was going according to plan, The Strikers did everyone a favor and stuck it on New York and all that was left was for Indy Eleven to rise like giants again and win, this would put us in pole position for the Spring Championship. It didn't happen, yes it is disappointing and yes I was sad, but honestly, realistically, it's impossible to not be happy about our team right now.

I won't dissect the game, I only saw the last half hour live. I was lucky enough to witness our NPSL team beat the league leaders AFC Cleveland 2-1 at Grand Park and drove home during the second half of the Miami game with my phone between my legs refreshing the LiveScore and almost crashing a couple times. We drew 0-0, there were times we could have passed when we didn't, there were chances we could have finished but we didn't, we could have lost but we didn't!

For those who don't know, in order to win the Spring Championship, we have to first win 4-0 next week over Carolina Railhawks to get it done and dusted. The tiebreaker rules in NASL are as follows - 1. Goal Difference (we are currently 3 behind Cosmos, we need 4-0 to win outright) 2. Goals Scored (we are 4 behind Cosmos so we need to level a score of 4-1 is acceptable) 3. Head to Head (we beat them so it's not a problem) 4. Away goal difference/Away goals scored, it's actually two tiebreakers in one, currently on away GD both Cosmos and Indy are +1, on goals scored they have us beat by 3, but it will not come to this anyway.

Short version, we win 4-0 we win on superior goal difference, we win 4-1 we are level on GD and GS and it goes to head 2 head and everyone knows we beat the Cosmos. So instead of worrying about why we did not beat Miami, or why we did not beat Ottawa or Edmonton, I'll just end this by reminding every Indy Eleven supporter why they should be enjoying the best days of their lives right now.

ELEVEN Reason To Be Cheerful..........

1. We are the only undefeated team in the NASL after nine games. If we win this Saturday we finish level on points with New York Cosmos and everyone already knows we are better than them!
2. We are the only team with a realistic chance of taking the Spring Championship from the Cosmos and we are sitting in second place. We finished Spring with 13pts in 2015 and now we have the opportunity to finish on 18 in 2016.
3. As of around midnight last night we are the only undefeated mens professional soccer team in North America. Real Monarchs defeat of Vancouver Whitecaps II in the USL sealed that. ONLY UNDEFEATED MENS PRO TEAM IN NORTH AMERICA! (read it again)
4. We are looking forward to a US Open Cup 4th round game against Chicago Fire of MLS. We defeated Louisville City, the strongest team in the USL and we started with what could be described as a reserve team, our roster is BADASS!
5. Our Indy Eleven NPSL side, who are already Midwest Champions won SIX points in two days defeating Erie Commodores and league leaders AFC Cleveland. Not only that they made their debut in the US Open Cup an won through their first game and narrowly lost to FC Cincinnati who are achieving bigger attendances than our NASL team.
6. WE STILL have the largest average attendance in the NASL, we have achieved this for THREE seasons in a row now!
7. We have one of the best tactical coaches in the NASL, if not THE best and to date, Tim Hankinson has not let us down, regardless of your armchair opinion, by now you should trust him more, we are undefeated in ten professional games
8. Our assistant coach TIM REGAN would still be playing now but for a career ending injury, despite that he has still managed to get SENT OFF two times in two years.. and he is still here, why? Because he is as passionate about this team as we are #TimmyForever
9. We have the BEST Front Office Staff in the NASL hands down, possibly even in the USA. They have always been the best and they are as responsible for our current success as the players and coaches themselves, and the supporters. They spoil us!
10. Did I mention we are the only team in the NASL to have never been beaten by the New York Cosmos, and we beat them first, because we are obviously better than them!
11. Oh lets talk about ELEVEN, this should not come last but anyway we have the best SUPPORTERS any team could wish for, our team is playing for each other and they love us, when things don't go well it hurts them because they know how much it hurts us, never forget that. These are the best of times!

That's all I have to say for right now. I have been following the game for more years to mention and followed one of the greatest teams in the world, but nothing really compares to how I feel about this team right now, we are the best team in the league right now, and anyone who wants to try an beat us... BRING IT!

Next week we play Carolina Railhawks at home, the most important thing to think about before that game is not the result, it's about packing the stadium, it is going to be a great night! Even if you already have a ticket, think about buying another. Invite a friend, bring someone who have never been to a game before. 

If you have a ticket and cannot go make sure someone else uses it! The attendance for the US Open Cup game was shocking, there are no excuses, it was not the weather it wasn't because it was a School night people just failed in turning up! TURN UP AND TURN OUT! Support this team and show the rest of the league why we are the best! PACK THE MIKE!

I'll leave you with this short Public Service Announcement....... Don't Worry, Be Happy!