Come-From-Behind Victory Thrills Crowd, Avenges Ayoze - Indy Eleven V Charlotte Independence REVIEW

Ben Speas an early sub opened the scoring for Indy (Photo: James Cormack)

Two subs — Speas and Starikov — combine for a goal, then defenders Mitchell and Ayoze do same

By REBECCA TOWNSEND (aka The Pitch Bitch)


(INDIANAPOLIS, Lucas Oil Stadium) —— The injuries and the subs began within the first 17 minutes. First, Ben Speas entered for rogue hamstring victim Justin Braun. Then Kevin Venegas, also clutching a hammie, opted off the field and in came former New York Cosmos forward Eugene Starikov.

The silver lining was evident in the final score: 2-1 defeat of visitors Charlotte Independence. Speas and Starikov were crucial contributors to that scoreline in that they combined for Indy's first goal of the night, which came after the team trailed for 12 minutes in the second half.

Luck would have it that just when the team needed a goal — like really, really, really needed a goal worse than the Pitch Bitch has needed a goal all season (except for the Open Cup!) — Starikov makes a one-touch headed redirection from one of Ayoze's lovely passes and the ball lands perfectly in the path of Speas, rushing down the center of the 18 and nailing a left-footed shot on the fly! 

And, to add a juicy cherry, an Ayoze corner kick — for the second time this season — finds Carlyle Mitchell's head for a clean kill shot on goal. Defenders working together to score = happiness!

The win lifts Indy to fourth place in the USL's Eastern Conference standings.

Own goal victim to match-winning hero in three days, Carlyle Mitchell (Photo: James Cormack)

Early on in the match, players displayed evidence of sportsmanship, extending hands after bumping someone down and such. Looking to be charitable, maybe, overall, more players were cooperative and respectful of general sportsmanship than not. 

Still, the physicality picked up and this observer's attention was so distracted by the antics of Charlotte midfielder Alex Martinez of Uruguay that she was seeing red. He lit and accelerated the fire of the Pitch Bitch's indignant fury in 34th minute with what appeared to be a brazen from-behind, full-armed elbow in the back of an unwitting Ayoze, who was laid flat for minutes with the air knocked out of him. 

On top of that, one could see from 50 yards away his aura, which suggested a cocky, bleached-blond hot airbag, the kind who tries to make up for his deficiencies (including, one wagers, erectile dysfunction) with his dirty play and his flapping jaw.

The first half was scoreless. Then the unthinkable happened: The hosts allowed the Jackasses to take a 1-0 lead 5 minutes into the second half! 

Charlotte defender Sam Vines connected with Jorge Herrera, the team's leading scorer (33 goals for his club coming into the match), who, from the center of the box top, split defenders Mitchell and Ouimette and sent the ball beyond Owain Fôn Williams to find a home inside the net at the right post.

The goal places Herrera, who is the USL's second-highest career goal scorer, only six goals away from Dane Kelly's lead of 67 goals. Herrera is the second USL player to cross the 50-goal career scoring mark.

So, bully for Charlotte! 

Jorge Herrera of Charlotte lines up to shoot past Indy's defense (Photo: James Cormack)

DePauw University head men's soccer coach, Brad Hauter, made a good point in his broadcast observation that soft pressure on plays through the midfield and along the sidelines preceded the ultimate lapse on Herrera ... And as for losing Herrera, "there's a couple of players you just can't lose sight of," Hauter said. (True that, sir!)

The prospect of losing to any team with that punk Martinez had the Pitch Bitch running crazy daydreams about the USL going co-ed, enabling her to extract some impactful field revenge on that jerk. Not only for Ayoze but for every other player that had to put up with Martinez's mouth and his fouls. What is it about soccer that sometimes makes a generally calm and centered peace lover want to absolutely lose her shit? 

For some reason, it was one of those nights. So, imagine the ecstatic thrill when the Boys in Blue take care of business in a smooth and professional manner. (The visitors had five yellow cards — with accumulation nailing the team's captain with a red card ejection in the 70th minute — while the hosts were perfect gentlemen, at least in that the refs did not see it fit to issue them any cards.) 

Not often that reality is better than Pitch Bitch fantasies. But Saturday was her night!

Congratulations to Speas for nailing that shot! Since arriving in Indy, he's been consistent in play in practices and games and patient in sharing playing time. Coach Rennie commented after the game that he was happy to see the Ohio native score, as his long-demonstrated work ethic deserved to be rewarded.

Post-game comments from Coach Martin Rennie following @IndyEleven's 2-1 defeat of @CLTIndependence #downtownindy https://t.co/a6DiOqHv1p

— The Pitch Bitch (@IndyPitchBitch) July 8, 2018

In the previous two games (in which the team tied and lost), the goals conceded were "unfortunate" twists of fate, "a little bit cruel," Rennie said he told the players before the game. He added, "It's not always like that. We have to fight for each other and when we were down, we did, that we fought for each other."

Speas and Starikov "had to come off the bench to do that ... it showed good concentration," Rennie said. The match marks the second time the team earned a victory with a two-day recovery time while its opponent had a week off, which Rennie said, "shows the determination and fitness of the players."

Speas and Starikov (a native of Odessa, Ukraine) both did stellar jobs at holding space, bodying their opponents off the ball during duels and enduring hard fouls (both called and uncalled) to keep the crucial advantage.  

Eugene Starikov an early sub in for Venegas gave assist for Speas goal. (Photo: James Cormack)

Though coaches appeared to scream at refs and talk back to lip-giving opposing players — and Fôn Williams had animated words for either the sideline ref or members of the opposition on the sidelines or both, post-game Rennie was as calm as Buddha. 

He had no comment on any particular player's sins of aggression.

The match, Rennie said, was "a little chippy at times — everyone is fighting to get up the table. Everyone wants to win." He had nothing to say about Martinez.

Parting shots from the Pitch Bitch game notes:

Ayoze is like a master surgeon, the way he can slice a ball and clinically place it just where he wants it.

Ouimette almost had another goal as he headed an Ayoze freekick just outside the right goal post. Watson, Starikov and Soony Saad almost connected for an excellent opportunity at the top of the 18. Speas had a nice leave for Saad at the top of the 18: Saad almost had a goal but Dykstra ran out from his line for the last-ditch interception. Saad also almost had a goal with a 79th-minute free kick.

Indy Captain Matt Watson's work rate was top notch — and he picked up some hits for his efforts. At one point he was literally dragged down by Charlotte's captain, Bilal Duckett, earning Duckett his first of two yellows of the evening. The second followed in the 77th minute, giving Indy extra advantage.

Nico Mattern (the Germany native and Indiana Wesleyan grad) provided solid, reliable presence through the midfield, as well. Bringing down an aerial pass with his chest and passing it on in a smooth, controlled manner that began an on-target shot sequence.

Seth Moses dropped to the back line when Venegas subbed off with hamstring tightness. Just as he typically does in the midfield, Moses offered solid defensive presence and good penetration. Likewise, Brad Ring, exhibited his trademark steadfast presence and, perhaps, penetrated into the attacking third a little more than usual on Saturday, as he put in a full 90 before succumbing to what appeared to be cramping.

Brad Ring put in a solid shift before leaving the field late in the game. (Photo: James Cormack)

Tight passing sequences in the defensive third, under pressure from hungry Charlotte attackers, succeeded in building through midfield and then springing a timely switch into attacking third. 

Reiner Ferreira, the Brazilian defender who had been sidelined since an injury in Indy's first home game of the season, is looking fit enough to return to the field soon. And the plucky and speedy Ty Pasher is also back for duty after a weeks-long absence, so Indy continues to build its ability to keep create attacks from the defensive third in an endless series of threatening combinations.

Credit to the visitors for 1.) Cordell Cato's impressive speed, which totally sliced the Indy defense at one point, enabling him to launch a solid shot. (Thanks for being on point Fôn Williams!) 2.) Andrew Dykstra blocking a solid Starikov shot from the top right corner of the 18 hooking straight for the upper left corner of the goal. 3.) Eamon Zayed, for not giving us a reason to miss him. (Though we know he has plenty of gorgeous goals in his future, glad to see he couldn't muster one at Lucas Oil.) And, respect, he almost nailed us 15 minutes into the game, but Owain Fôn Williams saw the shot and protected his goal.

The team's next four games will be on the road at Charleston, Tampa Bay, Bethlehem (revenge match to make up for the May loss to them at home; time to return the favor) and Louisville on July 11, 21, 26 and Aug. 5, respectively.

No goals and no win for EZ but good to see him back in Indy. (Photo: James Cormack)

The win was important for the team, though its home record (4-3-2, W-L-D) must improve in the second half of the season, Coach Rennie said in the post-game media scrum.

So far, the team holds an 8-4-4 record overall with 17 games left total, of which seven will be at home.

"It was important to win today and important to do in exciting fashion for the fans who won't see us in weeks," Rennie said. 

Fans must wait more than a month until the next home game. North Carolina FC visits Indy Aug. 15, kicking off at 7 p.m. 

Fee-free tickets are available for purchase through the Brickyard Battalion supporters club at BYBtix.com. The team has plenty of good deals, as well, at IndyEleven.com. 

Good Head, Sloppy Seconds: Indy Forces Music City Submission - Nashville SC V Indy Eleven REVIEW

Watching Indy's away match from the Brickyard Battalion's Broad Ripple home: Union Jack 

By: Rebecca Townsend (aka The Pitch Bitch)

(Union Jack Pub, Broad Ripple, Indianapolis) — Nashville SC had a lot riding on the match it hosted Tuesday night against Indy Eleven: The club hadn't been beaten in league play since April 14, not since the last time they met Indy Eleven. And they'd never been beaten — or even trailed — at home.

This time, even home advantage was no help: Indy dominated, 2-0. A shutout that launched the club to 4th in the Eastern Conference and a 4-1-2 record on the road.

Karl Ouimette is the Pitch Bitch Man of the Match (even though the whole team deserves to share credit for working together so well!) because he played solid defense but also galvanized the evening's attack. In the opening minutes, he made a great defensive stick which neutralized a worrisome Nashville effort toward the goal. Then, after a header from Justin Braun was deflected out of bounds by host keeper Matt Pickens, Ouimette's head connected with Ayoze's incoming corner to put the visitors up 1 with the majority of the first half still to play.

And speaking of good headers ... Thanks to Ayoze's positioning and quick reflexes on Indy's goal line during a second-half Nashville set piece, a ball headed straight for the back of the net instead was redirected out into the field of play. The broadcasters (whose narrative was running about 5 seconds ahead of the accompanying video feed, by the way, which enabled those of us watching at the pub to learn we scored before we could actually see the ball in the net) were smitten. "Ayoze, clever on the line," one of the men comments. "He really can do it all! This guy's amazing, one of my favorites in the back!"]

Nashville dominated shots in the first half (9 to Indy's 4) and held the majority of possession, but Indy made the most of their time on the ball. This efficiency in working as a unit is evolving with Indy and its incredibly talented and versatile roster of players, which is unsettling opponents unsure of from what angle or with what tools the Eleven will strike.

Indy keeper Owain Fôn Williams definitely found himself in some tight spots, but he remained on point throughout the match and managed to hold on to a shutout while his field players kept working. With about 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Justin Braun launched a longshot from the left corner of the 18 (from the attacker's perspective) across the mouth of the goal. The shot did not appear to be super threatening, but Pickens could not keep the ball contained and it found the far-post corner to give the visitors a two-point advantage that held solid for the rest of the match. 

A hot and sweaty but successful night for Indy and the traveling support.

The win was not for a lack of effort on Nashville's part. They were just outclassed by Indy. A Kevin Venegas shot that ricocheted into the path of Jack McInerney almost gave Indy a three-point advantage before the half. Even though this and all subsequent efforts did not find the net, the pressure was phenomenal, even as the team recovered when defensive duties called — working together to neutralize what at times were very potent threats.

Seth Moses had a great defensive presence and good connectivity with Matt Watson in the midfield, which stopped many of the host's efforts from developing and planted the seeds for many gallant counter attacks from their own squad. But it really is impossible to choose favorites because, from back to front, the team was a cohesive unit. And the work rate was impressive. For instance, just before the half, an errant pass from McInerney led to a turnover. But instead of accepting the loss, McInerney chased down the interceptor and stole the ball back. Good form.

Around the 70th minute, Nashville launched a threatening attack that had the defense scrambling to organize its pressure and cover. But Indy did manage efficient and effective resource allocation, slowing the player with the ball and manning up on all his friends quickly enough for the Indy midfield to drop in and provide the necessary cover. Minutes later, Venegas neutralizes another Nashville effort with a slide tackle that was at once both tough and beautiful.

Indy will close out a successful month by hosting Penn FC on June 30. The match will kickoff at 7 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium. Tickets are available at IndyEleven.com and (if you want to avoid a fee and support the supporters) at brickyardbattalion.com/byb-tix/. A mid-week, holiday match at Lucas Oil will follow: The USL selected Indy's at-home July 4th match against Ottawa FC as its Game of the Week.

* * *

A footnote bitch: While noticing that the temporomandibular joint of the Nashville FC coach was at risk because, not only is he a gum chewer, but he chews it like he wants to kill it with aggressive maceration, she began to worry about his health. But then she watched him spit his wad straight out on the field. No trash can. Gross. Who does such a thing? An 8-year-old maybe, but a coach?! Minutes later, he was chomping on another piece. Indy will not meet Nashville again in regular season 2018 games, but if and when this dude returns to the Circle City, operations better keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't try to defile our facilities with his uncouth style.

Indy 2 Tough 2 B Bothered By Atlanta United 2 - Indy Eleven V Atlanta United 2 REVIEW

Watson stripped Atlanta of the ball and opened the scoring for Indy (Photo: James Cormack)

By: Rebecca Townsend (aka The Pitch Bitch)

Indy Eleven took a good 30 minutes to feel out their guests, Atlanta United FC 2, in front of a crowd estimated by the team to have topped 10,000 people Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

And then the Eleven turned on the heat. 

Captain Matt Watson returned to the starting line-up just in time to score the critical morale-boosting goal around the 30th minute, after intercepting a mis-timed Atlanta pass at midfield and proceeding to cut past Atlanta keeper Paul Christensen, who was far upfield

 of his goal line, and taking one more cut wide around a final defender, before turning his hips back toward his opponent’s goal and using his less-favored, but better-situated left foot to drive the ball past the line to score.

With Brad Ring, Zach Steinberger and Ben Speas on the bench, the starting midfield featured Watson, Soony Saad, Juan Guerra, Nico Matern and Seth Moses, who earned his first start of the season.  Justin Braun played target striker and, from left to right, Ayoze, Karl Ouimette, Carlyle Mitchell and Kevin Venegas made up the back line.

Two members of that backline, Ayoze and Mitchell, combined nicely when a corner kick dished from the former connected with the perfectly timed running header of the latter, propelling the ball to the back of Atlanta’s net to bring the hosts a 2-0 lead 10 minutes

into the second half.

Carlyle Mitchell nodded home his first goal for Indy Eleven to bring the score to 2-0 (Photo: James Cormack)

When the ref signaled the game’s final whistle, the hosts managed to protect the win — and a clean sheet in the match (though Indy keeper Owain Fon Williams was a bit roughed up in stopping a last-minute drive into Indy’s box). All in all, a refreshing change of pace for Indy fans who had not had a home win since its May 5 win against Louisville City FC.

Another change of pace for the Indy lineup. Forward Eugene Starikov brought a refreshing intensity in his first appearance back at a home game since the season opener.

Picking a sprig of wild mint from a Fletcher Place patio about an hour before game time, the Pitch Bitch wondered if that vibrant shot of revitalizing aromatherapy could be teasing an emerging theme for the evening: Revitalization.

Reviewing the first-half notes, a refreshing theme does emerge: repeated examples of the team maintaining possession through a series of several passes, not rushing … working together to build. Furthermore, this possession was not mindless. When the team found itself within striking distance, players would shoot or drive into the opposition’s back line.

Seth Moses showed aggression and a different dynamic in midfield for Indy (Photo: James Cormack)

The Pitch Bitch game notes recorded several examples of these continuous building efforts in the minutes leading up to halftime:

* Indy threatens, is dragged down before cross sent pack in …

* Venegas manages to weave a cross through... Soony meets it, but couldn’t get a proper foot on it.

* Watson and Guerra had a promising moment only to have Atlanta keeper Christensen right on point.

* At 41: Indy makes a good team effort to work it around, then lost when they took too many touches, opting to dribble instead of making a quick pass. (But on the edge of the attacking third — which is where Indy was at this juncture, the risk of dispossession is worth the chance of a goal. Keep up the pressure, Indy! You are on the right track!)

Post-win #soccertalk with @IndyEleven Coach Martin Rennie ... #IndyForever  https://t.co/9w0dcziqAy

— Rebecca Townsend (@hoosierchild) June 10, 2018

The game marked the “best performance so far this season” from the Boys in Blue, according to Indy head coach Martin Rennie, who said he was happy to have a full week of training in before the evening’s match. Throughout May, the team had so many games, full training weeks were impossible, he added.

Coaches Rennie and Dos Santos prepare for Indy's first game of June (Photo: James Cormack)

The productive and energetic teamwork reflected the past week’s training, the coach said.

“In May, we didn’t really get to train because we had so many games*...a lot of the fundamental things that we’d worked on were not on show. And that’s not that surprising with new players. But we can’t revert back now that we’ve set the standard.”

Rennie is likely to look at the season’s first repeat lineup as he looks forward to the team’s next challenges: away games to Toronto and Nashville before returning home to host Penn FC on June 30.

“We’ve not been able to play the same lineup twice ever, so that would really help us,” Rennie said.

Working on other things, the team forgot about fundamental lessons players felt they had mastered early on. Now, they’re returning to their roots.

It means, according to Captain Watson, “back to basics, hard work.”

He summarized tactical issues his team faces and presented his ideas for improvement:

“When we sit back and don’t press the ball, we’re not very good.

“It’s mostly about making sure we are moving as a group .. sometimes we get spread out where the back line is really deep, the forwards are high, and the midfield is huge and we can’t cover the whole field. So it’s important that we talk.

Matt Watson showed how much he has been missed on Saturday against Atlanta (Photo: James Cormack)

“Communication is key. Sometimes I like to press. If I go, they’ll stretch the field. So, when I go, we all need to go. And press higher to make it harder for them to play balls in behind. Hopefully, we have a high line and can play them offsides. We’ve got great guys back there who can, if it goes over the top, get there first. It’s all about moving all around the field as a group. Something fundamental that we got away from …

“Is there a communication hierarchy when it comes to heat-of-the-moment communication on the field?” the Pitch Bitch asked Cpt. Watson.

“It’s situational on the field,” Watson said. “It’s about balance. Sometimes there’s not one right answer. Sometimes, if I go, people may say I’m wrong because I’m stretching the field, but if I win the ball like I did today … every play in soccer is situational, there’s not one right or wrong answer. You kind of look at it and say, ‘What’s best for the team? No one player is bigger than the team."

*The team played six USL games in May, plus its tragic loss to Mississippi Brilla in the US Open Cup.

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com  and show some love to The Pitch Bitch and Wurst Eleven. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast has returned and is available on iTunes, Stitcher, or directly from Soundcloud. Plans are to have at least one show per month.

Indy's Maiden Voyage Against Charleston Battery A Bit Rough - Indy Eleven V Charleston Battery REVIEW

Ayoze scored his third and fourth goals for the season, three from the penalty spot.

By: Rebecca Townsend, aka The Pitch Bitch 

Anyone who left the Indy Eleven game early on Wednesday night missed the evening’s most intense action: four goals were scored after the 80th minute, two within a minute of each other in stoppage time. 

In the end, visiting team Charleston Battery, left the field with an unsullied unbeaten streak, which now stands at 11. Indy, which held a 1-0 lead at halftime, was lucky to hold on to a 3-3 tie. 

Before proceeding to the meat of the match, let us first recognize that this Charleston Battery team that came from such a deficit to snatch victory away from the hosts in the final minute (or so) of stoppage time is coached by not just a product of Indiana University (where he was part of the 1988 NCAA national championship-winning squad), but a native son. Congratulations to Fort Wayne's own Mike Anhaeuser for bringing Indy a heck of a game! 

Now, deep thoughts on formations: "Who is the "2" in the supposed 4-4-2?" she wonders, because watching Indy defend Charleston building out of its backline usually meant watching Jack McInerney in a 3-or-4 on one situation as the rest of his teammates collapsed into a more compact hive clogging the central channels.

Jack McInerney as solitary forward has to cover a lot of ground and sometimes has to go get the ball himself.

This thought builds into a scribbled idea, "Indy does ok defending vertical channels, but when they go horizontal, they’re in trouble." This does not mean just the backline. This is a team-wide situation. It's part of how these weakside threats keep coming in unchecked. It means all opponents in Indy's defensive half need to be tracked; no weakside runs are unchecked. 

Please note: Somewhere between minute 25 and 32, Charleston almost nails Indy (with a bullet dodged — where? — on the far side). Lucky for Indy an unchecked weakside runner fails to connect meaningfully with his tasty, close-range volley opportunity. 

When Indy strikers aren't trying to harvest "Hail Mary" miracle passes from the sky, they also work hard to create open channels only to be snubbed. 

The Pitch Bitch sees you out there Jack McInerney, calling for the ball ... totally ignored. Surely that makes you want to say some bad words. Keep it positive! Maybe along with a solid pat on the back you could say something like, "Hey buddy, next time I'm open right in front of your face and all I have to do is turn on one square defender and just get one step before I'm one on one with the keeper ... feed me that ball, dude! That is if you enjoy scoring in the actual open flow of a soccer game." 

While we're at it Jack, nice idea about trying to chip their keeper from distance. We have to dream to do, but that was pretty dang hopeful brother. The Pitch Bitch wants to see you taking people on - and stuffing the ball down their throats when you have equal numbers in your attacking half. Something tells her you're good at that. Same with you, Justin Braun! Keep going at them with all you have and it will yield results.

Zach Steinberger wins possession and pushes forward against Charleston Battery.

Zach Steinberger, this applies to you also. In the 75th minute as the Pitch Bitch notes you, well in the attacking half, intentionally delay your pacing to find a pass — instead of charging their keeper. At that point, there were two defenders between you and the goal, neither right on you — and a mountain of space. The notes say, "Zach has stellar ball control and the strength to really take it to those defenders — and possibly beat them. He has a strong enough shot that he can throw everything off balance and maybe give himself or another player crashing the box a chance to score a rebound shot." 

Bottom line: Get hungry, brothers! You've got it in you! Take it to their back line — on the ground! 

It's not that the midfielders aren't working. They are. And hard. Same with the forwards. It's just that in the defensive half, the opposition needs a tighter leash. On the attacking half, Indy needs to leash their opponent's backline and have their bevy of bodacious attacking artillery in the front line and midfield test defenders' boundaries and wandering patterns. Can those defenders be moved in predictable ways? Can that be exploited in Indy's favor? 

Yes, yes they can! Walk opposition D as you would walk your dog Indy. Literally, make them your bitches. And while one or two of you walks the backline over to one side or another, the rest of you pounce on the resulting opening. Don't leave Jack up there by himself when we're moving on the attack or when Owain Fôn Williams is getting ready to distribute. Pressure! 

Throughout the match, recurring thoughts of a shape that was tending heavily toward central and deep. The Pitch Bitch believes the team can develop more dynamism in the wide channels during attacking and defending.

Trinidad nationals Nathan Lewis and Neveal Hackshaw wrestle in Charleston's left corner.

She noted that the team lost a ball in the 10th minute by trying to plow through the middle - and a mess of Charleston D - instead of taking a totally open pass up the perimeter. Perhaps, instead of long, crazed passes out wide, some beautiful leading or even directly connecting passes out wide. Then pressing the full unit into attack mode using width and depth to its advantage, working angles, easing closer and closer while looking for weaknesses or opportunities to appear. 

Just prior to McInerney earning a PK in the 85th minute, the Pitch Bitch notes, "The shape problem is this: We clog the middle. Which is a good thing when strong opposing players are trying to stuff an attack down the middle, but we are not getting the flanks shut down? We are allowing those crosses in - and we suffer as a result. 

"The sweat-ethic of the team is decent. People aren’t lazy. But our resources aren’t yet being utilized with prime efficiency and efficacy." 

In the first 20 minutes, Indy was already switching play over the top instead of using easier, more direct passes on the ground. Switch away, but try switching with rhythmic, quick-released, closer (or at least more open) passes on the carpet, instead of trying for the one-and-done, over-the-top miracle or trying to dribble through a clogged mid-channel.

Soony Saad lashes in another great strike from Brad Ring's layoff to open the scoring.

In the minutes before the evening's opening goal: a free kick goes nowhere and no one seems expecting to receive it. Why not try a weak-side run and collect the trash? Maybe there's an opportunity there. 

At one point Indy midfielder Juan Guerra works hard to muscle off his opponents and feed up the ball up the channel. But the pass finds no one, though Guerra and Nathan Lewis seemed to communicate immediately after the play about an opportunity lost. 

"Perhaps it will work next time," she thinks. 

Minutes later, Soony Saad asks for a long switch from his D, gets it, but can’t control it and ends up fouling the Battery while trying to control the ball, a call which displeased him so much that he was sure to communicate with the ref. 

Still, Indy reclaimed possession, only to have Guerra taken out by Charleston's Tah Anunga. Indy Captain Brad Ring set the resulting free-kick rolling and Saad smashed it home in the 44th minute. A later attempt at a repeat, with Ring again setting a free kick for Saad in the second half, results in Charleston rejecting the kick before it even reached the top of its arc, causing the hosts to complain that their guests had not honored the 10-yard rule. Coach Martin Rennie also protested. But the play was already in the rearview and the game moved on. 

In the minutes before the Battery's first goal of the evening, Jack McInerney took an overly hopeful shot at trying to chip the keeper from distance and then, when Indy regained possession, his teammates failed to send him an easy, up-field pass for which he was open. Next thing the spectators see: O'Brian Woodbine bury a goal on a deflected shot he was happy to clean up from an unchecked weak-side run.

Neveal Hackshaw chasing Saad, carved through Indy's midfield on the way to Charleston's third goal.

If one were to draw a vertical line through the field in the second before Woodbine shoots, one can see that Ayoze is charged with covering two players in vitally threatening positions on the left flank/corner of the box, while 5 Indy players swarm three players with the ball on the right side of the defensive third. The goal is scored when an unguarded weakside runner takes advantage of his teammate's overly ambitious shot (rejected by Indy's defensive). The deflection sets him to scramble to beat Fôn Williams and deliver a one-touch tap across the face of the goal and into the far side netting. 

Charleston added to their score in the 80th minute when the Battery's Nico Rittmeyer made an unchecked run into Indy's wide left flank and completed a low cross across the mouth of the goal where Ataulla Guerra runs to meet it from the center for a well-controlled one touch to the far corner of the net. Again, Indy struggles to make a timely shift and get the top of their box shut down. 

The visitors looked poised to issue the host an embarrassing upset, leading 2-1 with 10 minutes left in the game. But then McInenery earns a PK and Ayoze nails it for the team, tying the game. Then, miracle of all miracles, Indy earns a free kick in stoppage time and Ayoze manages to convert it into a goal for Indy! The hosts look poised to win only to have the euphoric celebrations deflated when ... 

From a review of the so-called highlight reel, in the plays leading up to heartbreak for the home side, we have Indy with essentially a 4-3 advantage around the center circle as the Battery begins to dribble by them by pushing a bit wide, skirting the line between Indy's wide right and the right central channels. Meanwhile, his teammate takes off upfield on the same line, running to split three Indy defenders in the area. 

One of the three defenders pops up to meet the oncoming dribbler, but not in time to prevent a pass upfield to the feet of the splitting runner who beautifully slows pace as three Indy defenders descend around him. He launches a pass back to the center of the field at the top of the box to the feet of the onrushing Tah Anunga, who was all too happy to use his right foot to shoot to the far right netting, just past the fingers of the outstretched and crestfallen Fôn Williams. 

Indy’s next match will be at home. Kick off against Atlanta United FC 2 will be at 7 p.m. June 9 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Fee-free tickets are available for purchase through the Brickyard Battalion supporters club at BYBtix.com.

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Pleasure And Pain Aplenty, Parting Shots From A Rough Ride - Indy Eleven V FC Cincinnati REVIEW

Ayoze from the spot gets his first goal for Indy Eleven (Photo: Clyde Townsend)

By: Rebecca Townsend

Minute 5, Cincy’s Corben Bone is not shut down as he streamed into Indy’s left defensive channel and launches a cross into the box where his striker Emery Welshman escaped a brief interaction with Brad Ring, somewhat akin to a do-si-do, before what looked from the press box to be rather incidental, off-balance contact with Carlyle Mitchell. To the ref it looked like a PK. Cincy midfielder Kenney Walker nails his shot. 1-0.

The hosts redoubled their efforts to regain the upper hand. It did not take them long.

Hungry Indy striker Jack McInerney worked for his meat, feasting on his interception of a Cincy pass in the 24th minute, Cool Jack Mack drives a shot toward Spencer Richey that sent the visiting goalie into full panic mode. In diving to block McInerney’s first effort, Richey set his rival up for a rebound shot. McInerney, a veteran of MLS and the U.S. Men’s National Team, embodied cool, calm, collected focus and, with ease, guided the ball into the net. 1-1.

The loins of Indy’s collective fan base grew moist because in that moment Cool Jack embodied such a lovely balance of hard and smooth, a truly delicious combination for a striker. Yummy!

McInerney’s example can serve as inspiration as the team reflects on moments when more patience is warranted once control and possession are established.

Soony Saad awarded the penalty that would put Indy Eleven a goal in front (Photo: Clyde Townsend)

Salivating hunger for goals and the willingness to work for them is a trait shared by Indy’s entire strike force. Justin Braun looked hungry Wednesday, as did Soony Saad, who managed to draw a PK in one of his drives into the Cincy box.

Indy defender Ayoze took the shot and launched Indy ahead 2-1.

The host’s euphoria did not make it to halftime.

Welshman (the same one who headed in a goal for FC Cincy the last time they were in town) set up Corben Bone’s sweet chip to a speedy, wily Jimmy McLaughlin who opened Indy’s defense with an arching run across the 18 from left to right, only to demonstrate artful control by receiving the chip and executing a decisive, one-touch strike from back across the face of goal, past all of Indy’s defense and into the far, left net. Plenty of material for the team to review in terms of marking strategies on this one. 2-2.

Around minute 55, Mike Lahoud’s dish to Corben Bone yields an undeniable cannon of a shot into Indy’s lower left corner for the game-winning strike. The Bitch congratulates Cincinnati, as abhorrent as it may feel. Indeed, Indy deserved it. When all the video review is said and done, it’s likely Indy will find that it has the potential to stop goals like Cincy’s. 3-2.

Marking strategy is something worth considering in greater detail. Several examples could be seen Wednesday of the team communicating about marking needs, which, in short order upgrade from low to high priority. Perhaps the “bitch” of the night could involve the dissatisfaction felt when one witnesses - on at least two occasions - the communication becomes a distraction, meaning players are pointing fingers about who should be where while, meanwhile, those very opponents slide by.

Here’s coach Townsend’s golden rule: the pecking order starts with the goalie, whose word trumps everyone else’s on the field. The defensive line has the second most power: when a defender points to a player and tells a midfielder or striker to get there, the recipients of that message need to shut up, listen and move to shut down the identified opponent.

Soony Saad and Jack McInerney now both have 2 goals for Indy Eleven (Photo: Clyde Townsend)

Wait: one more bitch. This one for the refs. If I were to choose one goof, perhaps it would be that time around minute 75 when you called a foul against Jack McInerney. From the press box, it’s a bet that McInerney was the victim of that altercation.

Notes from the game’s final minutes: “Saad could be concussed from the whiplash he's probably getting from being pushed in the back so hard. Justin was taken down from behind…”

To counter the bitchiness, some positive notes:

High five to Carlyle Mitchell for a nice, hard committed tackle to prevent a Cincy one-on-one against Fon Williams in the 74th minute. Also to Matt Watson for great presence in stopping a threatening counter-attack as the game was winding down.

The Pitch Bitch once soaked up some wisdom from a dear friend with a lifetime of professional soccer playing experience that pertains to the next few days for Indy. It’s about holding your head up and moving forward.

“What do you do to help keep your head up in hard times?” she asked, as they commiserated about the heartlessness of the business of soccer — of deals made and broken — of salary dreams and salary realities.

“Win,” he said. “It always helps to win.” Indy lost this battle, but the war is not over. To win, when we are knocked down, we get up and keep fighting harder. Even though the Pitch Bitch has confessed an irrational expectation that her teams win all games, she accepts reality — for the most part. So, if games must be lost, let one (or two) be lost early on — and let the victories come later. We have one more regular season match against Cincinnati — and they will host it at 7:30 on Sept. 29. (Road trip anyone?)

Indy Eleven has 28 games remaining in 2018, 14 at home. We've got what has to be one of the greatest stadiums in the league. We've got 70,000 seats. Let's party like soccer players and win a damn championship! Then maybe the powers that be will deem it feasible to give Hoosiers the world-class grass they deserve for the world-class players performing for our entertainment and education.

Thanks to the Indy Eleven communication team for the following information:

“It's always disappointing to lose,” said Indy Eleven head coach Martin Rennie. “I think it's a little bit frustrating that we lost goals at the start of each half. It was certainly an exciting game for the fans. From a coaching perspective, I would expect that it'll be an improved performance when we come back to it on Saturday.”

Indy Eleven will finish their three-game stretch this Saturday at 12:00 p.m as defending USL champions Louisville City FC travel to Indianapolis. Fans cans grab tickets to the early afternoon match for as low as $15 at Indy Eleven Tix or by calling (317)685-1100.

If you would like to stand in the supporters section and support the BYB you can buy General Admission tickets with no service charges at BYBTIX and $1 from each ticket helps the supporters group with game day and tailgate finances.

USL Regular Season

Indy Eleven 2:3 FC Cincinnati

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN 

Scoring Summary:

CIN – Kenney Walker (PK) – 7'

IND – Jack McInerney – 24'

IND – Ayoze (PK) – 30'

CIN – Jimmy McLaughlin (Corben Bone) – 41'

CIN – Corben Bone (Michael Lahoud) – 54'

Discipline Summary:

CIN – Forrest Lasso – 60'

CIN – Emery Welshman – 72'

CIN – Kenney Walker – 75'

IND – Ayoze - 88' 

Indy Eleven lineup (4-2-3-1): Owain Fôn Williams (GK); Brad Ring, Ayoze Garcia. Carlyle Mitchell, Karl Ouimette; Tyler Pasher, Ben Speas (Matthew Watson 60'), Juan Guerra (Justin Braun 78'), Zach Steinberger (Nathan Lewis 60'); Soony Saad, Jack McInerney

Indy Eleven bench: Jordan Farr (GK); Brad Rusin, Kevin Venegas; Nico Matern, Matt Watson; Justin Braun, Nathan Lewis

FC Cincinnati lineup (4-4-2): Spencer Richey (GK); Matt Bahner, Paddy Barrett, Forrest Lasso, Blake Smith; Michael Lahoud, Kenney Walker, Corben Bone (Will Seymore 81'); Jimmy McLaughlin, Daniel Haber (Manu Ledesma 67'), Emery Welshman (Tomi Ameobi 86')

FC Cincinnati bench: MarkVillage (GK); Sam De Wit, Lance Laing; Will Seymore, Russell Cicerone, Manu Ledesma; Tomi Ameobi