Don Smart waits and prepares to open the scoring for Indy Eleven from the penalty spot
By: James Cormack Indy Eleven felt they had a point to prove after Tuesdays 1-1 draw with the Cosmos in New York. As intimated by Coach Hankinson and Colin Falvey in the post match interviews (see foot of page for audio) he and the players felt they were robbed of a third consecutive win after Emmanuel Ledesma blatantly simulated a foul for a penalty late in that match and denying Indy a 1-0 victory on Independence Day.
The Boys in Blue fielded the same starting lineup for the fourth consecutive match, and in this return game in the series with New York it was Indy who were given favor at the penalty spot early in the game. In the 15th minute the Cosmos were penalized for holding on Justin Braun? Who cares, at least we don't dive. Don Smart was given the opportunity to convert from the spot and he did so successfully giving Indy Eleven a 1-0 lead.
The Cosmos replied to the opener some ten minutes later through the aforementioned Ledesma. A little bit of a nosebleed at the back for Indy Eleven failing to get bodies in front of a rifling shot from the top of the 18 yard box that was unreachable by Jon Busch. The game was tied up at 1-1 before the half hour mark.
Jimmy Maurer and his defense left helpless after Justin Braun's game winning goal.
Justin Braun continues to thrive and improve as a player every time he steps onto the field, even during a little position jostling last night he worked tirelessly and aggressively throughout the match and was not about to let the Cosmos spoil the teams evening in front of their own fans.
From the corner spot in the 75th minute Nemanja Vukovic sent over a great ball towards the far post and Braun managed to throw off his defender and find position to head the ball past Jimmy Maurer and restore a lead for Indy Eleven that they would carry successfully to the final whistle. Justin leads the scoring for the Boys in Blue with seven goals and also leads on assists.
With a stable consistent starting lineup for Indy Eleven they have now taken 10pts from a possible 12 in their last four games with back to back wins over North Carolina and a win and a draw over New York. Injury woes are mostly behind us and the combination of starting players returning and a humiliating loss to Jacksonville on June 10th appear to be the catalyst that the team needed to get back in the saddle. Momentum and confidence is building and with it comes results.
The Spring season is over, while Indy Eleven nicked another three points at home Miami FC gave San Francisco a solid 7-0 thrashing in Florida to win their first NASL silverware in their second year. Indy finished spring 16pts behind the leaders and from here on in it is all about the fall season and combined standings as we push for a playoff spot, that is our focus now and despite our poorest start to a year since 2014 we look like a team that can cause problems for any team in this league.
Indy Eleven's leading goalscorer giving challenge to NYC's Ryan Richter
Next up for Indy Eleven is another home game and a chance to make up valuable ground in the playoff race against Jacksonville Armada. As mentioned previously the last time these two teams met the 4-1 defeat at home for the Eleven was humiliating and soul destroying, it was our all time low in 2017. This sets another target for our rejuvenated squad and another chance to restore pride against a team we know we are better than and a team that are still above us in the standings.
The race for the playoffs now will be all about keeping the teams below us where they are and pulling ourselves above the teams that lay ahead of us in the standings. There is no guarantee that we will remain injury free for the rest of the year, but the silver lining from a poor start to the season has been the game time and experience our squad players have achieved. This could prove invaluable as the season progresses.
Bizarre confusion surrounds the end of the game after only three of four stoppage minutes are played.
By: James Cormack
It wouldn't be a 2017 Indy Eleven game if we did not have some kind of new injury before the start. No sign of Eamon Zayed in the starting lineup or on the bench, contact in the previous match against Edmonton triggered a back injury, Craig Henderson also missing with possible hamstring. No immediate return to the starting lineup for Marco Franco either but he did make the bench along with the return of Don Smart and Ben Speas.
Indy's Starting XI
Indy Eleven lined up for the start with Jon Busch in goal, Lovel Palmer, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Colin Falvey and Daniel Keller across the back, Brandon Poltronieri, Gerardo Torrado, Tanner Thompson and Jason Plumhoff in midfield and David Goldsmith partnered Justin Braun up front in the absence of Zayed.
Miami FC had an injury of their own with Stefano Pinho missing, replaced by Jaime Chávez. Michael Lahoud was also unavailable for the home side.
Miami FC lined up with Vega, Bernstein, Freeman, Kcira, Trafford, Mares, Rezende, Ryan, Chávez, Poku and Renella.
Three Indy Eleven players made their starting debut, David Goldsmith, Brandon Poltronieri and Jason Plumhoff. Unfamiliar lineups are nothing new for Indy Eleven this year but in this match probably only 5 of the players on the field when the whistle blew would be considered part of a preferred starting eleven.
Indy prove mildly successful at damage limitation.....
Okay maybe that's a bit harsh. It could pretty much be guaranteed from the onset of this game that Miami FC were going to throw everything and several kitchen sinks at Indy Eleven from the onset.
Barely a minute had passed in the game when Jon Busch was called upon to make a great save when Enzo Rennella unleashed a shot from outside Indy Eleven's box. Moments later Miami FC worked into a position to pass the ball across the face of goal leaving Busch stranded but Miami's attack couldn't arrive fast enough to push the ball into goal.
This was a pattern that would ensue for almost the entire first half, Miami FC working themselves into great positions and creating opportunities but failing on the final ball. Indy Eleven had to play spoiler and weather the storm for as long as they could. The first good look for Indy came in the 24th minute when David Goldsmith made room for himself to shoot from the center of the box and forced a fine fingertip save from Daniel Vega.
Miami FC continued to miss clear cut chances in the final third and as the half wore on and Miami appeared to be slowing down it looked like Indy Eleven would be able to go into half time still level. At this point in the game it is fair to say has Miami been more clinical in front of goal it could easily be 3-0 already.
Then a hammer blow was dealt in stoppage time of the first half. In the 46th minute of the game Enzo Rennella who had threatened the Indy goal multiple times already picked up on a ball from Poku and struck with his left foot at the top of the box and curled the ball past Jon Busch to give Miami a lead going into the break.
It can be demoralizing to let a goal in right at the half, when players and coaches are already preparing themselves to get to the break and plan for the second half, but Indy Eleven were not ready to roll over just yet.
Coach Hankinson appeared to use this game as an opportunity to bring players in his depleted roster up to match fitness. Brandon Poltronieri and Jason Plumhoff who had seen some good touches in the first half were replaced for the second 45 by Ben Speas and Anthony Manning, no doubt in an effort to gain fitness for the upcoming games against Michigan Bucks and Miami FC at home.
With only 10 minutes of the second half played and despite a considerable reshuffle in the Indy lineup, the Eleven found themselves level in the game again. Ben Speas delivered a corner from Miami's left and in an attempt to head clear Miami defender Hunter Freeman redirected the ball into the far side of his own net. The game was tied at 1-1 and I am sure many Indy Eleven fans watching would have loved the game to end at that point.
Indy Eleven's hopes faded in a flurry of activity from 60-65 minutes in the game, after spurning many chances in the game up until this point Miami FC found the net twice in the space of a few minutes. Dylan Mares broke some hearts by putting his team 2-1 ahead in the 61st minute. Setting up a one two with team mate Enzo Rennella, Lovel Palmer closed the pass down but it came back off the heel of Rennella and into the path of Mares who slammed the ball low past Jon Busch.
Only four minutes later Hunter Freeman the guilty party in Indy Eleven's equalizing goal played a cross that found Robert Kcira and his right footed shot from outside the box found the back of the net to give Miami a two goal lead in the game, it was a superb goal. It was also a crushing goal and at this point in the game you had to wonder just how bad it might get from this point.
Don Smart was another welcome sight returning to the field after several weeks out, he entered in the 72nd minute to replace David Goldsmith. Indy looked for more width to try and press Miami, there was little point in trying to be defensive in a game that looked already lost.
Smart was instrumental in helping the Boys in Blue pull another goal back in the game. In the 83rd minute the usual trickery from Don deep in the corner allowed hi to split two defenders and send a low pass in front of goal, one that looked a little too easy to gather. A complete breakdown in communication between keeper Vega and his defense allowed the ball to roll on past everyone and Justin Braun slotted home to reduce the deficit to only one goal.
The second goal offered a glimmer of hope for Indy and they never gave up on finding the equalizer right until the final whistle when Tanner Thompson worked well inside the Miami box but his final shot on goal was blocked and the game was over. Indy Eleven received their first taste of defeat in 2017 at the hands of league leaders Miami FC.
Well we thought it was finished, in one of the most bizarre moments I have seen in a game, both sides complained to the referee that he had stopped the game one minute before the allocated four minutes of stoppage time and after some back and forth the game was restarted for one minute. The score remained the same, credit to Alessandro Nesta, his team had already won but he seemed hell bent on getting that minute played and he pulled it off. Where do we go from here?
There is an old saying that until you can never really be a winner until you have tasted defeat. The season to date has been a struggle for Indy Eleven that goes without saying, they have fought well to earn every point they have, but there is a breaking point. I think it was Éamon Zayed who was quoted last year as saying "it is how you react to defeat that defines you as a player and as a team".
The best way to remove that bitter taste is to move on and win. Indy despite their injury issues have had opportunities to give new players and returning players game time with the aim of bringing all players up to match fitness and this will pay off in the long run. In the coming weeks with a little luck we may be in an enviable position of having too many players to choose from. It still is very difficult to be disappointed with this team.
It may seem puzzling to some to see two substitutes being used at half time in the game, all games are important, but as I mentioned in a preview for this match, it is probably the least critical of the three we have to play this week. Hankinson has used this game to give Plumhoff, Poltronieri, Goldsmith, Manning, Speas and Don Smart valuable game time.
The midweek game against Michigan Bucks in the US Open Cup I am sure will not be taken lightly, but again it offers us further opportunity to bring fitness back to multiple players within the roster. By the time May 20th and the home tie against Miami FC rolls around, our opposition will no doubt see a much changed side from the one they have just defeated. Indy Eleven need a first home win, and also have an unbeaten home record to protect. If you want to answer critics, you may as well do it against the toughest opponent you can find.
Ben Speas, Marco Franco and Adrian Ables on the bench behind the bench.
By: James Cormack There are times when fate can conspire to make life tough, and then there are times when fate just seems to be having a laugh. Indy Eleven have now had their fair share of misfortune, with a mounting injury list and now suspension, one wonders how much longer it will be before Lady Luck smiles upon us again. In the run up to Indy Eleven's sixth consecutive league draw last weekend there was a feeling that the time was right for Indy Eleven to get their first win, and prior to the match we saw the unwelcome sight of Marco Franco not dressed to play and sitting on the bench reserved for those unable to play any part in the game.
Franco's unavailability brought our injury list to six which also includes Don Smart, Ben Speas, Nemanja Vukovic, Anthony Manning, and Adrian Ables. Against FC Edmonton only four outfield players were available as subs and only two of those were signed for the commencement of the 2017 season, Craig Henderson and David Goldsmith. Jason Plumhoff and Brandon Poltronieri were announced as signing for the team just days before the match and both saw time on the field. As if things were not already bad enough, head coach Tim Hankinson had to leave the match knowing he would be without starting center mid Brad Ring for the next game after two really unnecessary yellow cards. Will that be the straw that breaks the camels back, or will this roster continue to galvanize and support each other in avoiding defeat?
Don Smart in good spirits.
When life gives you lemons.... If all matches were decided on paper, then I could end this preview now by telling you that Indy Eleven have suffered their first defeat of the 2017 season at the hands of Miami FC, current league leaders and many a pundit's favorite to dominate NASL this year. Yes on paper Miami FC have a roster that most other teams in the league would just like to have half of. Their list of players is strong to the point that even with an injury crisis of their own they could still field an enviable starting team. Indy Eleven will play three games in seven days starting with Miami FC in Florida followed by a US Open Cup match in Pontiac, Michigan against Michigan Bucks before meeting Miami FC again in Indianapolis on May 20th. Brad Ring will be an obvious omission from this weekends starting lineup due to suspension but the starters and bench will most likely be a mystery unsolved and presumably based on the importance on the following two games. One other certainty to be missing is Nemanja Vukovic, a relative newbie to the injury list, we may not see him again until Indy Eleven return to action at Carroll Stadium.
Prior to kickoff last Saturday I was informed Marco Franco's condition was not too serious and mostly precautionary, it is likely he will be available to start against Miami. Don Smart looked chipper and even had time for some impromptu pre-match free styling. Ben Speas looked comfortable on his feet but bored as he took a seat to watch the game. Both Smart and Speas look ready for some game time, the question is do you start them in the first of a series of three games away from home?
I highly doubt that Don Smart or Ben Speas will start against Miami, if either do it is more likely to be Don, it would be an aggressive move from Hankinson and an unnecessary one. If I were to prioritize the importance of the next three games then the home game against Miami and the USOC game in Michigan are probably going to take precedence.
Indy Eleven have come through six games defiantly and remain undefeated, still without a win but proving very difficult to beat. There will be a little bit of juggling this week again, Gerardo Torrado will be without Brad Ring for the first time and will hold down the center of midfield most likely with Ubiparipović in front of him. Hankinson can opt for a little pace on the flanks this week if he chooses to start Plumhoff and Thompson together or even David Goldsmith.
Sixes then Sevens?
Miami FC's Dylan Mares traded dark blue for light and Indy will debut their new white Adidas kit this weekend.
It's going to be tough, but we still have enough to be able to make this game difficult. I am as tired of draws as the next man, and as cliche as it is I have to say "I will take the draw now!". Indy Eleven have played six games, drawn six games, scored six goals, conceded six goals and sit on six points. Will all those sixes change to sevens this week, it's highly possible.
If Indy Eleven can come away from Miami still undefeated it could be a very pivotal result when it comes down to the end of the regular season. Miami are the team to beat this year, but there is no insurmountable gap between them nor any other team so far. We may not be able to start the players we want to, nor play the way we wish to, but we can still force teams to drop points in their own house as we proved in Jacksonville.
If there is a way to win this game there is no doubt Indy will look to exploit it, but the main objective will be not losing and this is achievable, we may have to put up with one more tied game before we see a win, and I'm okay with that and staying 5pts from Miami FC. We will then have an opportunity in the US Open Cup to perhaps dabble a bit and give returning players more game time in preparation for Miami's visit to Indianapolis. "We seem to be back to the Indy Eleven of old where we're hard to play against, we just need to turn the corner now and find the back of the net and turn those one points into three because that's what it's all about" - Colin Falvey following 0-0 tie with FC Edmonton.
If you have not seen the 3rd round matchups for the US Open Cup, Indy Eleven if they progress will play either NPSL's FC Wichita or USL's St Louis FC on the 31st of May at Carroll Stadium with a 7pm kick off.
Solid play from Marco Franco and Colin Falvey helped earn Indy their first clean sheet of 2017.
By: Caleb Ramp The start of the 2017 NASL season has been frustrating for supporters of Indy Eleven. Spoiled, perhaps, by the ease in which they would dismantle teams at home in the latter stages of last season -- outscoring opponents 25-5 in the fall season. Four draws from four matches (including a squandered 2-0 lead) have left many trying to determine who or what to blame. Being held scoreless at home for the first time in the Tim Hankinson era only adds fuel to the fire. Soccer is a game of thin margins, however. If a few pivotal moments thus far had gone Indy's way -- had Braun's third goal against Puerto Rico not been disallowed, or had any number of painfully close chances from Indy's forwards this season found their target -- the narrative would undoubtedly be different.
The impact of key injuries should also be taken into account -- though it could be argued that the very apparent lack of depth (especially when compared to last season) is a failure in and of itself. Broken Wings: Injuries to Don Smart and Ben Speas (both expected to miss another few weeks, per Tim Hankinson) resulted in Gerardo Torrado and Craig Henderson starting on the outside of a 4-4-2 diamond. Unsurprisingly, neither looked particularly comfortable. Torrado, to his credit, linked up well with Sinisia Ubiparipovic (who found himself in the starting lineup for the first time in 2017) -- but the Indy attack repeatedly fizzled in the final third. After the game, Hankinson criticized the number of unnecessary touches and low-percentage passes the Eleven had taken: "We weren't thinking productively enough." On the right, Henderson had a game to forget. Turnovers, misplayed passes, inaccurate cross attempts, and defensive errors plagued him from the opening whistle. The absence of Don Smart -- and the lack of a suitable replacement -- dramatically limited the area of the pitch San Francisco was tasked with defending. Unable to find consistent success through the midfield, Indy often opted to bypass it altogether -- a less-than-ideal strategy when playing into wind gusts of 20+ MPH.
LEFT: Ben Speas and Don Smart vs SF Deltas (3/25/17) RIGHT: Gerardo Torrado and Craig Henderson vs SF Deltas (4/22/17)
It's not all bad for the Boys in Blue, though. Despite doing so in a fairly unimpressive fashion, drawing the Deltas meant setting an NASL record with 20 unbeaten home matches, and the extended 16-game Spring season grants Indy a bit more time than usual to get healthy. Four games, four draws -- but only four points from the top of the table. League-leading Jacksonville Armada await. That's a new one.
By: Jordan Kalt It’s one of those games where you walk away fighting a bad feeling. The scoreline eats at you. It didn’t feel like a 3-3 draw, but that’s what you got. Indy Eleven’s 2017 home opener had excitement, confusion, drama and frustration. A good cocktail of a plot for one of those Gordon Ramsay cooking shows. On the one hand, Hankinson has clearly helped Braun and Smart work into the best form we’ve ever seen from the two. Marco Franco is performing at a high level as well. These three have been important support players in the past but seriously stepped up in training camp this year and are carving out large roles in the team dynamic this year. It was thrilling to see these and other players really clicking during different stretches yesterday afternoon. Smart was exemplary as the midfield led an impressive clinic on passing and possession, controlling the ball at the top of the box before setting up carefully timed crosses from the outside. Justin Braun opened with an early header and then picked up an assist on Ben Speas’ over-the-keeper chip, and all in the first ten minutes. Emotions were running high throughout the stadium. Our championship-caliber team was clearly alive and well, if not even improved. And then, inexplicably, our veteran Indy Eleven squad started slowing down and sat back on that all-too-comfortable 2-0 lead. Indy’s defensive shape began to get a bit, well... relaxed… and Puerto Rico set about retaking possession and methodically worked their way deep into Eleven territory. Daniel Keller is stout-hearted but a bit short for a stormtrooper/centerback. Puerto Rico’s imposing forward, Hector Ramos, knowingly exploited the size mismatch, handled the ball in the box, and slid a pass to Conor Doyle for PRFC’s first easy goal in the 24'.
PRFC slip their first goal past Busch to open a scoring spree.
Then things got downright sloppy.
Just before halftime Kwame Watson-Siriboe committed an inexcusable foul in the box, setting up a penalty that was at first saved by Busch and then decisively buried off the rebound by Ramos. The second half didn’t promise much better at first. Jon Busch made a rare mistake getting off his line and into trouble one on one with a lone runner in the 57th minute. Clipping the runner’s legs set up a second PK for Puerto Rico and they took the lead, 3-2. Eamon Zayed had, however, returned at the beginning of the second half from his brief bench hiatus and the positive juxtaposition of his playstyle with Braun’s began to show. The team seemed to wake up as time went on and Zayed drove the attack forward. A rebound fell to Justin Braun during the 75' mark and he put a powerful left-footed strike through for his second goal of the match. Braun was poised for a happy birthday hat trick to take Indy up 4-3 for the win during stoppage time but the line judge ruled an onside Eamon Zayed off at the beginning of the play. A careful look at the replay reveals an admittedly close call, but still a wrong one. Whistle. Draw. 3-3. Leadership and Hunger You know who we need? Colin Falvey. The return of Falvey’s leadership should keep us from seeing a repeat of the amateurish malaise our players fell into after gaining the early lead. His penchant for leading by example and organizing the back line have been sorely missed. This roster has great defensive components. With the supremely skilled Vukovich as a returnee and with Marco Franco developing nicely, the wings look promising. At centerback Watson-Siriboe offers great physicality and seems like an intelligent player. This was a poor game for him but he will eventually be paired with Falvey and should perform better. Teammates and supporters alike will be glad to see Colin reclaim his role over the next game or two.
Leadership sidelined. Zayed and Falvey look to transition back onto the field.
All of these players must be hungry for better results. A carefully re-tuned midfield looks like it will bring much better possession and early scoring than has been typical of Indy’s style. When the attack was working well against Puerto Rico it was because the Eleven were building play much further up center midfield than they’d been accustomed to in the past. Directing play from the top of the box like this is ideal for using fast runners like Speas and Smart down the wings to set up penetrating plays in the box. These components could work very well over the season, but coming off of last year’s championship run the danger will be in merely becoming complacent. Many other NASL clubs have put in the money and effort over the offseason to raise the competitive bar. Puerto Rico is among those teams but will not be the stiffest competition Indy Eleven faces this year. We can't afford to buy the lie that this regular season year will be an easy walk into the playoffs. Regardless of bad calls it was mid-match, lackadaisical and downright poor play sitting on a comfortable lead that first cost the Eleven a win. And then, yes, poor officiating probably cost Indy a hard-fought redemption at the death. Aside from getting better referees, what can you say? What can you do? You can own your lapse in maturity and get on with the next match. I bet that’s what Hankinson will have them do.
Forget about the 1-1 scoreline. Where first and second teams swap the field at the half, it hardly matters whether Indy Eleven wins or loses these preseason matches. What does matter is that these contests show us something of the team’s chemistry and the individual development among players. Two matches into the preseason, here’s what I see: The Early Attack Drawing with USL’s Swope Park Rangers inside the gorgeous facility at the Grand Park sports complex in Westfield, Indiana, our Indy Eleven starters showcased a downright sparkling attack. Neat work from the center midfield sprung Eamon Zayed for a one-on-one with Swope’s keeper and a 5’ goal. The cohesion and pressure displayed in the first twenty minutes of this game built upon the the fast start we saw against Butler last week and hints at an intentional trend. A year ago, this club made a habit of struggling to press and score early in games. They couldn’t shake that attitude for weeks into the 2016 Spring season, but habitual lackluster starts are off the table for this year. Hankinson seems to have made sure of that. Netminder Club In contrast to last week’s game against Butler University, Jon Busch started on goal for the Eleven this afternoon. He looked sharp in his first action and readily assumed verbal command over the field in Colin Falvey’s absence. Time is not at this point a friend to Busch’s career, though he will be fully appreciated on the field as long as he can remain there. Both he and the Indy coaching staff seem eager to bring Keith Cardona into a more critical role for the club and Cardona is making good strides toward that. Under Jon Busch’s tutelage the young keeper displays far better on-field communication than we glimpsed last year, staying much more involved in directing his team’s shape and spotting trouble. Buschy seems to think he can do better and he consistently—and quite loudly—lets him know. That kind of persistent push may be just what Cardona needs to develop into a starter. It seems to be paying off. Seeing this dynamic play out between the two netminders both on-field and on the bench will be one of the key friendly matchups to watch this season. Hankinson and the Eleven seem committed to Keith’s future with the club and Jon Busch is exactly the kind of person to help him get there.
Grand Park Indoor Action against Swipe Left Rangers
Missing Mares
Now that Dylan Mares is sipping Pina Coladas and gettin’ caught in the Miami rains (we’re not bitter, really)... the Eleven have some important shoes to fill.
Enter: Ben Speas.
Having toured with Minnesota United last year, Speas looks to play a vital role for the Eleven at left midfield. And for my money, it’s been a shaky start. This afternoon he looked a bit more settled than he did at Butler, but I'm not sure he has the confidence of his teammates yet—especially on that left side.
When Vukovich was on the ball, for instance, he almost always opted to pass for a cutting and partially covered Justin Braun rather than send the ball ahead to Ben. While Speas has shown some good determination to create plays, he seems weak on the ball when confronted with physical contact.
Perhaps getting more time with his teammates and deeper into the preseason will reveal some promising traits that are obscured at this point. Defenders, Assemble!
Beginning the season with a backline short of Colin Falvey’s tenacious presence may be overcomeable after all. Consisting of Marco Franco, Palmer, Watson-Siriboe, and Vukovic, it looks like our first team defense will hold up just fine.
Kwame Watson-Siriboe, a newcomer to the Eleven, is fitting in immediately. Intelligent and passionate, he is an imposingly strong defender of classic center back stock, taking and receiving punishment with impressive willpower in aerial battles.
For the time that Captain Falvey is sidelined Lovel Palmer looks to fill in at center back alongside Kwame and he really couldn’t be looking more confident in the role. Building on the several times he subbed in at the position near the end of last season, all of Palmer’s strengths are finally on display and the back four are humming to a nasty, badass tune.
So yes, the land on the other side of the 2017 NASL kickoff looks promising and plentiful. See you in a few weeks!
Just what you've always wanted, Don Smart wallpaper for your computer.
Smart-phone wallpaper.
We'd like to introduce a new feature here at Bloody Shambles, the monthly Indy Eleven schedule wallpaper. Each month of the season we will provide a new Eleven-themed wallpaper for your computer and smartphone, courtesy of our friend @WurstEleven. Kicking off the project is the Early Spring version featuring the canny-midfielder Don Smart.
View and download the high-resolution version for Smart-phones. (If you need help making these your wallpaper, I'm sure a quick Google search will remedy that for you.)
Justin Braun was the first to be announced as returning for 2017
January 12th 2017 - Indy Eleven Roster Announcements.
As the NASL prepares to kickoff in 2017 Indy Eleven made their first roster announcements today bringing news of nine players returning.
1. Forward Justin Braun - Former Sacramento Republic star signed in 2016 by Tim Hankinson scored nine goals and gave five assists in all competitions.
2. Goalkeeper Jon Busch - The veteran goalkeeper pulled out eleven shoutouts in 29 games for Indy Eleven in 2016 3. Goalkeeper Keith Cardona - Cardona made three appearances for the Eleven in 2016 against Miami, Tampa, and Rayo OKC as well as a clean sheet against Liga MX opponents CF Pachuca in our summer friendly match.
Captain Colin Falvey returns to lead Eleven's charge into 2017.
4. DefenderColin Falvey - 2016 Captain of the team signed by Hankinson from Ottawa Fury, despite missing a few games through injury Colin led the team from the first game to the final in New York in November. 5. Defender Lovel Palmer - Jamaican Palmer came to Indy from MLS side Chicago Fire along with Jon Busch. Lovel appeared 25 times for the Eleven in 2016. 6. Midfielder Don Smart - Don has been a part of the Indy Eleven family since the beginning signed in 2013, pending further announcements he becomes for now the longest serving player at the club.
Don Smart currently Indy Eleven's longest serving player.
7. Midfielder Siniša Ubiparipović - Though limited in time through injury in 2016 Ubi made a great late push for contention scoring one of the most important goals of the season against FC Edmonton in the Championship semi final. 8. Defender Nemanja Vukovic - One of the biggest surprises of 2016 the towering Montenegran proved himself to be a critical dynamic to the Indy Eleven style with his box to box work on the left side. 9. Forward Éamon Zayed - Indy Eleven's leading score remained in contention for the golden boot throughout 2016 and became the teams all time leading scorer with 16 goals in league and cup play.
Indy's leading scorer Éamon Zayed returns alongside Braun in attack.
Negotiations will be continuing with other players so don't worry too much yet if you don't see your favorite player on the roster, it's just the beginning. Overall, Indy has returned a solid core of first team players in Busch, Falvey, Palmer, Smart, Ubiparipović, Braun, Vukovic and Zayed.
Indy's Greg Janciki succesfully fended off New York attackers all evening. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.
By: Brandon Cockrum
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the supermoon was shining bright;
a supporters band was playing somewhere, and somewhere smoke was lit,
and somewhere men were laughing, and somewhere children had shouted;
but there was no joy in the Brickyard - the mighty Eleven had missed out.
Deciding the league championship with penalty kicks, after 33 games and 120 minutes of battle, will always be a difficult pill to swallow for whichever club misses out. And while narrowing down a game of such import to a few kicks just 12 yards from the goal seems harsh it remains the only, best way that has been found to decide a match winner when none can otherwise be found. It’s tempting to say, Let the player’s play, but as seen on Sunday evening, pushing the 22 men on the field any further, many of whom were cramping, limping, and had nothing more in their tanks, begins to seem torturous.
For two hours at tiny Belson Stadium in Jamaica, NY, the Indy Eleven and New York Cosmos played a final worthy of a much larger audience. Despite the final 0-0 scoreline, the match featured end-to-end action from the first kick, the teams trading off control of play, and narrow misses by both sides. Only the Cosmos found joy at the end of their journey but the Eleven had much to be proud of, for the only thing that separated the two squads were just a few kicks out of thousands.
The Eleven were unlucky to not get on the scoreboard 10 minutes in after a clever turn and shoot from near the top of the penalty box by forward Eamon Zayed. With his only official save of the night, New York goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer dove to his left, reached out a hand and parried the ball out of danger.
Indy continued to control the match for the next ten minutes, primarily through the efforts of right midfielder Don Smart. The winger repeatedly beat his opponents on that side of the pitch, midfielder Yohandry Orozco and right back Ayoze, finding good positions to deliver crosses and shots that tested the Cosmos defense.
Indy's Don Smart threatened New York's goal for 90 minutes and make a key defensive play. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.
By the 30th minute, the Cosmos had found their footing and were leading the run of play, finding four quality chances over the next ten minutes. Big defensive plays by Indy’s goalkeeper Jon Busch and Don Smart were able to keep the Cosmos off the scoreboard. At halftime, Eleven coach Tim Hankinson swapped out left midfielder Dylan Mares for Gerardo Torrado, a defensive midfielder. Mares had a quiet first half in the attack and the Cosmos found some of their success through his side of the field. Clearly the Eleven were trying to shore up their defense in favor of offense.
The match slowed first for the first 20 minutes of the second half as the teams dug in for the season’s final half of play. The Cosmos played with more possession and were able to threaten Indy but Busch again came up big as he commanded control of his penalty box. Torrado scuffed both a pass and a shot in dangerous positions, raising eyebrows among the Eleven faithful. In the 70th minute, the resilient Don Smart popped up again, working with Torrado to create the game’s most electric moment. Near the top of the penalty box the two played a give-and-go, with Smart launching a streaking shot that beat a diving Maurer but that could not beat the crossbar.
For the remaining twenty minutes of the match the Cosmos controlled possession and missing hopeful attempts at the Eleven goal. The Eleven dodged a weak penalty shout in the 82nd minute and with hopes of playing hero, New York’s David Diosa and Eleven’s Zayed both missed opportunities in injury time to punch in a match winner.
Indy's Brad Ring shielded the defense and played quality football all evening. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.
The two 15 minute periods of extra time saw the match slow as the intensity of the previous 90 minutes took its toll. By the end of extra time players on both sides were playing primarily to not give up a goal and struggling to stay up with the play, or even upright, in a few cases. In the end it doesn’t matter which players made or missed penalties, only that one team made more than the other. It would be unfair to attach blame to any of the those brave enough to put themselves in position to miss a shot or not make a save in the penultimate moment of the season because there was so much that happened prior that could or even should have decided the outcome of the match. And while the Cosmos and their supporters left the stadium late Sunday with the trophy and all the joy, the Eleven walked away with just as much honor. Indy Eleven Man of The Match: Don Smart, midfielder New York Cosmos Man of the Match: Jimmy Maurer, goalkeeper Match Statistics Match Highlights
Don Smart returns to Belson Stadium, home of his first US Club, FC New York.
By: James Cormack The 2016 NASL Soccer Bowl will be played at Belson Stadium in Queens, New York this coming Sunday the 13th of November. It is an odd choice for a final location, with a very low capacity even by NASL standards, with seating on three sides only and built on top of a parking garage, the expected attendance will be around 2500-2600. Belson Stadium lies within the St. Johns University campus and is home to the St. Johns Red Storm in NCAA.
Fifteen miles to the northwest from Belson Stadium lies Central Park, one of the most famous and most filmed parks in the world, running parallel with 5th Avenue and from 59th to 110th street. Somewhere not far from the middle of that on East 89th street there is a school called St. Davids. This is where Tim Hankinson first kicked a ball. Hankinson was born and raised and fell in love with the sport that would consume the rest of his life in Manhattan, in New York's upper east side.
So for Tim Hankinson it is somewhat of a homecoming, but hopefully not the end of a round trip, the surroundings will be familiar. It would make for a heck of a movie itself, should Hankinson's team win the final on Sunday, the story of a scrawny five year old kid kicking a ball around for the first time on the grass greens of Central Park, returning some 55 years later to win a national championship in Queens.
Some five and a half hours flying time to the south of Belson Stadium lies Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela and birth place of New York Cosmos coach Giovanni Savarese. In 1990 Savarese would travel to the United States to play for Long Island University, around fifteen miles away on the other side of Belson Stadium from Central Park. Savarese went on to play around the world with local stints at Long Island Rough Riders where he ended his playing career and also with the NY/NJ MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls).
Jon Busch was born within 5 miles of Belson.
Belson is very close to home for some key players likely to have an impact in the final. Don Smart formerly played for FC New York at Belson Stadium, it was his first club in the USA. Cosmos captain Carlos Mendes was born in Mineola about 12 miles from Belson Stadium and also played for Long Island Rough Riders and New York Red Bulls, he was also the first player that Savarese signed for the Cosmos in December 2012.
John Busch, Indy Eleven's veteran MLS keeper was also born in Queens and probably can hold claim to being born closest to the stadium, it was literally his doorstep as a child, born and raised in South Ozone Park less than five miles away (which is about a three hour drive in New York traffic).
I doubt in any way that local connections are somehow going to help us in the game but it is interesting. For Indy it is still a road game, and road games have not been our forte this year. It is however a Championship Final and everything is at stake now, Indy are now a big game team, this is the biggest game to date so we have to find a way to win outside of Carroll Stadium. Hopefully we will have enough supporters of our own there to make some noise.
It is incredible to think in the space of one year we may see the highest ever attended Soccer Bowl and the lowest ever attended in the modern era. It has not been a great year for news surrounding the NASL, a final played in such a small venue is not really helping, the one saving grace may at least be that we will see the two best teams in the league compete for the trophy. Indy Eleven V New York Cosmos
Indy Eleven all games - 2-6-1 (WDL) Indy Eleven 2016 - 2-0-1 (WDL) NY Cosmos all games - 1-6-2 (WDL) NY Cosmos 2016 - 1-0-2 (WDL)
2016 Final Combined Standings
Up until Spring of 2016 the two teams had met six times and drawn all six matches. Indy Eleven drew first blood in the first meeting in Indianapolis of 2016, coming from a goal behind to win 2-1. Indy Eleven suffered a 3-0 defeat in New York in the first fall encounter and then returned the same result by beating the Cosmos 3-0 at Carroll Stadium on September 24th.
All three games in 2016 have had three goals scored (2-1, 3-0, 3-0) the overall score from those games is 5-4 in favor of Indy Eleven. The most goals in any game was four when the teams drew 2-2 in August of 2014. There has been three different scorers against New York for Indy this year, Éamon Zayed (3) Justin Braun (1) Dylan Mares (1).
Dylan Mares and Brad Ring have both scored against NYC previous to 2016 which means four players likely to be in the starting lineup on Sunday have combined for 7 goals against the Cosmos. Only two Indy Eleven players have scored goals in New York and both are still at the club, Brad Ring scored in 2014 and Wojciech Wojcik scored in 2015.
Despite losing to the Cosmos in August of this year, that was our first ever defeat in New York, it was our third road game in 10 days having played only a few days earlier in Ottawa the team was visibly worn out, that was a fact, not an excuse. Indy Eleven inflicted the same scoreline against NYC in Indianapolis against a fully rested Cosmos. Tim Hankinson V Giovanni Savarese
While Tim Hankinson has a much lengthier coaching career than Savarese, Giovanni has more games under his belt as an NASL coach. Despite what anyone may have to say about the Cosmos, Savarese's ability to bring success is without question. He achieved post season in all three seasons as coach of the Cosmos, and won two of the last three finals. He now brings New York to four post seasons 2013-2016 and three finals in four years.
Tim Hankinson was hired in 2012 to be the first manager of the San Antonio Scorpions, he led them to post season in their inaugural year by topping the table but losing in the first play off game. He continued in 2013 but parted company with the club late in the season on August 28th after a much less successful year. His arrival at Indy Eleven this year marks his third season competing in the modern era NASL Division.
Despite a shorter coaching career Savarese has the edge over Hankinson in the NASL
Savarese has accomplished what he has with experience, knowledge and money at his disposal, this was evident in the hiring of Raul in 2015, and to be able to attract players like Arrieta and Juan Arango, it definitely gives you an edge in this division. Having said that Savarese has kept a pretty consistent pool of players throughout his tenure. Mendes, Maurer, Roversio, Szetela, Ayoze, and Diosa have all been at the club since 2013. Hankinson pulls from a lengthy list of players he has experience with or has been watching for several years and combined that with worthy existing personel. Hankinson tried to sign Zayed to San Antonio but the timing was not right. Tim said before the season started that to be the best you have to beat the best, we have beaten the Cosmos, but the ultimate challenge for Hankinson now is whether he can guide his team to victory in New York.
Tim Hankinson has retained 10 players from Indy Eleven's 2015 campaign, five of which played in 2014 - Ring, Mares, Smart, Miller, and Franco. The other five are Janicki, Wojcik, Lacroix, Cardona and Keller.
For what it is worth Hankinson has proven to be a far superior player to Giovanni Savarese in the Hair Game. It's not even close, Savarese will probably be intimidated and ashamed, he may even wear a wig!
NASL Soccer Bowl Finals - The Stats and Stuff
Chicago Sting won the 1984 Series, the last one of the original NASL era, Patricio Margetic (2nd left) scored the last goal of that age.
In the modern era of the NASL (2011-2016) there have been five finals. The first two from 2011 and 2012 were played over two legs home and away. The last three have been one final game. Seven different teams have competed in the five finals to date, Minnesota Stars (Minnesota United), Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Tampa Bay Rowdies, New York Cosmos, Atlanta Silverbacks, San Antonio Scorpions and Ottawa Fury. The New York Cosmos are the only team to have won twice since 2011, Minnesota, Tampa and San Antonio have also been champions.
Only one final has ever been decided after regulation time, in 2012 Minnesota and Tampa Bay were tied 3-3 after two legs, Tampa won the championship after extra time and a penalty shoot out.
The average goals per final championship game including years of two leg games is 2.7. The most goals scored in a single championship game is 5 when the Cosmos defeated Ottawa 3-2 in the 2015 final.
Only one final championship game has ever been goalless and that was the second leg match between Fort Lauderdale and Minnesota in 2011.
Only one player has ever scored a hat trick in a championship game, Gastón Cellerino scored all three Cosmos goals against Ottawa in the 2015 Soccer Bowl.
In the three single game finals from 2013 to 2015 the average goals per game is three. Of the 9 goals scored in all three of those finals only one goal has been scored before half time in a game, Cellerino's 8th minute goal against Ottawa in 2015. Five of the nine goals scored in these finals have been scored between the 70th and 80th minute. Only one of those nine goals was scored after 90 minutes (Heinemann 90+2 in 2015)
The 2016 Soccer Bowl Final will be the 6th of the modern era since 2011. Indy Eleven will be the 8th team to appear in a final during this time. The New York Cosmos are appearing in their 3rd final in 4 seasons.
Watch out for Part Two of our preview where all of the Bloody Shambles writers will give their thoughts and predictions before the big game and we will also bring you any updated team news.
If you are planning to attend the final and would like to travel on the bus or just buy match tickets and travel yourself, you better act fast because they are being snapped up. CLICK HERE for details on attending the final including ticket purchase.
