Routing the Rowdies 2-0 - Indy Eleven V Tampa Bay Rowdies REVIEW

Forward Elliott Collier, who recently arrived in Indy on loan from the Chicago Fire, celebrates his first goal for Indy Eleven as team captain Matt Watson rushes in to help celebrate. Photo by Trevor Rruszkowski

Hump Day Happiness In The Circle City

By REBECCA TOWNSEND (aka The Pitch Bitch)

Looking for redemption for the 3-1 loss suffered during their July 21 visit to Tampa Bay, Indy Eleven met the Rowdies at Lucas Oil Stadium Wednesday night with a lineup designed for defensive impenetrability while maximizing the host's capacity to spread the field and counterattack.

Focus and intensity ensured Indy Eleven eluded some of the gremlins that have cost the team victories in games past. The Boys in Blue made it through the opening minutes of the game — and the opening minutes of the second half — without being scored on. And those successes stuck, allowing the Eleven to claim victory — and for keeper Owain Fôn Williams to record his 11th clean sheet of the season. (Head coach Martin Rennie believes Fôn Williams either tied or set the club clean sheet record with the evening's result.)

Fôn Williams is tied for seventh in the entire USL for number of saved goals at 77 (including two blocked penalty kicks). (The Tulsa Roughnecks FC's Fabián Cerda leads with 104.)

Indy's defense was entirely no-nonsense straight from the start. Reiner Ferreira sent Junior Flemmings crumbling to the carpet on a couple occasions in the game's opening minutes. Captain Ayoze showed commanding control of his flank and the rest of the back line, in lock-step and interchangeable flow with the midfield and even the forwards, all followed suit by putting immediate and effective pressure on Tampa's possession, absorbing everything they could bring and then redistributing for the counterattack from all directions of the field.

"Patient passing; low, accurate switching of fields...still more, patiently unzipping their backline," Pitch Bitch game notes read. "Maybe now test with some shots."

That may be the Bitch's greatest input at this point: Let's be even more confident in the attacking third. Let's test the hell out of our opposing keepers and D with some wicked hard shots from all around the 18 perimeters! And then crash the box! Keep their defense frantic! The clinical un-stitching with close-range destruction is also beautiful to behold. Have fun finding balance. Keep bringing your highly fit relentless intensity.  

Carlyle Mitchell gets credit for so much, but to choose a highlight: Picture him in the first half, flying backward through the air for a floating heading clearance of a ball that was going to drop over every other defender and land about 10 yards out from Indy's goal with a swarm of Rowdies rushing in to finish? Nice. 

Midfielders Nico Matern, Seth Moses and Dylan Mares all came out hard, defending like animals and then building consistent and effective counterattacks. Matern, in particular, was called out by coach Rennie after the game for having one of his best-ever matches.

Matern's play "was a key factor in us improving our possession and keeping the ball going," Rennie said.

Tampa Bay's play of the game came in the 26th minute when Rowdies forward Sebastian Guenzatti took a wicked one-touch volley from the top of the box, forcing lightening fast reflexes from Fôn Williams, who just managed to the tip the ball off the post and out of harm's way.

"Great shot! Great save!" says commentator Brad Hauter, also the coach of DePauw Men's Soccer.

Ten minutes later Indy defender Kevin Venegas cracks a shot of his own, forcing Tampa keeper Daniel Vega into a diving save to tip the ball over the crossbar. 

The defense continued its offensive onslaught of first-half fury when Karl Ouimette bagged his third goal of the season, which also happened to be his third header into goal from an Ayoze corner kick.

How did it feel?

"Amazing!" Ouimette said following the game, calling Indy Eleven's 2-0 victory over the Rowdies "a big step up from past games."

The game's positive results were clear, he said, especially from the perspective of a defender whose first objective is to win and second is to record a shutout. 

"We scored a goal and we didn't sit back too much," he said, "We defended well
throughout the game. We were able to dominate and put up pressure and impose our style of play. That was a big plus for us today. And, obviously, scoring on a personal side is always good!"

The team has "amazing players..such nice guys and we have each others' backs," he added. "Lots of teams have internal negativity. Not here. We want to help each other succeed."


Ouimette attended a post-game press conference with one of the team's most recent signings, Elliott Collier, who came to the Circle City on loan from Chicago Fire. Collier scored the night's second goal after beautiful teamwork set up Jack McInerney to tangle Tampa's defenders and leave a deflected ball rolling straight into Collier's path at which point the New Zealand native buried left-footed, one-touch shot.

Tense moments about 10 minutes into the second half when an errant call from officials left Tampa Bay setting up for an undeserved penalty kick, which if netted would have tied the score. The center official intervened, however, and reset the play where with a drop ball instead. Thereby a riot was prevented. Thank you refs!

Perspective on Potential Post-season Action

The team's playoff dreams are still in play. They currently sit at 5th place in the USL's Eastern Conference. The top eight teams from each conference will square off to see who will face the best of the Western Conference and claim the USL's 2018 Championship.

Three games remain, including two road games against teams that sit at the first and third spots on the table. This upcoming Saturday's (Sept. 29) road trip to FC Cincinnati presents a huge challenge and opportunity. Cincy has invested in a roster that will help them make the transition into the MLS next season. As a result, they've remained the Eastern Conference leader all season long — and they've beat Indy twice; a 0-1 defeat for Indy's first-ever home game played at Lucas Oil Stadium, followed by a 2-3 result in Indy one month later.

USL Eastern Conference Standings as of Sept. 27, 2018

The challenge lies in beating a team that has consistently dominated all competition. The opportunity lies in knowing that Indy improved its form from the first game to the second against Cincy. Plus, Indy Eleven has been improving as a unit all season and FC Cincinnati hasn't contended with them since early May. 

The prospect of tearing down the top dog is too tasty, especially on its home field. Huge egos are designed by God to rupture. The Eleven just may end up doing the Lord's work by checking their neighbor to the southeast with a healthy dose of revenge. How fun would it be to send those guys packing to the MLS with a 2-2 record against Indy? A regular season victory this weekend would give Indy one and then they can follow with an even sweeter playoff victory! 

A prescient piece of Scripture comes to mind: "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" (Matthew 19:26)

So when haters try to talk "odds" or "reason" or "logic" or "MLS caliber" ... just remember Jesus — and the Blues Brothers. ("We're on a mission from God.") And keep playing your flippin' hearts out! We take no result as a fore-drawn conclusion.

Jimmy Cliff also comes to mind: "The harder they come, the harder they fall."

Humbling the haughty and earning some payback for letting those jokers come over here and steal Indy's first home game victory — all while building confidence as the team prepares for winning playoff form? Sounds like solid motivation for Saturday's match.

"I feel we'll reward the fans with the way we play," Collier said. "You get the fans behind you, you can shake the other team, as well. So come on out and we'll have a good time!"

Cincinnati and Louisville will be a preview of the playoffs, Collier said. 


"Everyone is going to go at it," he said. "Those environments can be tough but we're going to go out and do what we can (in terms of perfecting the Indy system)... As good as the players are here, I think they're even better people. Bring a bunch of really good soccer players and really good people together, you'll have a good environment to build off."

Words of wisdom from Coach Rennie

Here are some tasty nuggets gleaned from Rennie's post-game comments.

"Good performance. We possessed the ball well and created some good chances.
We managed to win the ball higher up pressure on the ball reduce the chances the opponent had to attack us."

"In the last two home games, two of our best performances."

"We've been on a good run. It's a good time to be playing well, it's a good time to be gaining confidence and that puts us in a good position."

(Heading into Cincinnati:) "We have high-quality players who can get the job done for us. We have a short turnaround but ultimately it will be an exciting weekend for us."

"It's really about continuing the momentum ... we're looking for improved confidence."


"The game will take care of itself ... a lot on the line ... good players with good experience...I'm sure they'll relish the opportunity and make the most of it."

Moving forward

Supporters are encouraged to travel to Cincinnati (ticket info) this weekend and to Louisville where the team will play its final regular-season game on Oct. 13. The Brickyard Battalion is organizing carpools for Cincy here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsh6da2VlW67jjKj2KpeM0GsHPOqk9zZZfaBNOqgrn2vIQJQ/viewform.

The final regular-season home game is set for Sat., Oct. 6 against Bethlehem Steel FC. (The game will be broadcast on MyIndy 23 TV. Tell your local bartender to tune in!) Kickoff  is 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. 

— — —

 

Thanks to the Indy Eleven communication team for this lineup summary:

Scoring Summary:

IND – Karl Ouimette (Ayoze) 37’
IND – Elliot Collier 75’

Disciplinary Summary:

IND – Owain Fon Williams (Yellow card) 74’

Indy Eleven lineup (4-4-2, L-->R): Owain Fon Williams (GK); Reiner Ferreira, Ayoze (C), Carlyle Mitchell, Karl Ouimette; Dylan Mares (Matt Watson 68’), Nico Matern, Seth Moses, Kevin Venegas; Elliot Collier (Soony Saad 84’), Jack McInerney

Indy Eleven bench: Ben Lundgaard (GK); Brad Ring, Brad Rusin, Matt Watson, Juan Guerra, Ben Speas, Soony Saad

Tampa Bay Rowdies lineup (4-5-1, L-->R): Daniel Vega (GK); Papé Diakité, Zac Portillos, Tarek Morad, Hunter Gorskie; Junior Flemmings, Lance Rozeboom (Joe Cole 78’), Afrim Taku (Alex Morrell 72’), Dominic Oduro, Kwadwo Poku (Jaime Chavez 65’); Sebastian Guenzatti

Tampa Bay Rowdies bench: Akira Fitzgerald (GK); Kyle Porter, Alex Morrell, Leo Fernandes, Martin Vingaard, Joe Cole, Jaime Chavez

Goals flow for Indy in revenge match - Indy Eleven V New York Red Bulls II REVIEW

Striker Eugene Starikov checks in with fans in the Brickyard Battalion after scoring two goals in the first 20 minutes of Indy Eleven's 3-0 shutout of the New York Red Bulls II. (Photo by Rebecca Townsend)

By REBECCA TOWNSEND (aka The Pitch Bitch)

Indy Eleven stepped to the field on Wednesday night with a straightforward message to visiting New York: We're going to win this game in a major way! With a 3-0 scoreline by halftime (Eugene Starikov, a former member of the New York Cosmos, scored once within the game's first two minutes and again within the game's first 20 minutes), the message remained undiluted.

New York kept pressing throughout the second half — and opened up what appeared to be several decent chances — but nothing they brought to the field could unsettle the hosts.

The final score remained 3-0.

Excellent assists came from Mares and Watson, respectively, on Starikov's brace. The third goal was ultimately settled by a decisive strike from Brazilian defender Reiner Ferreira, but defensive midfielder Nico Matern deserves credit for making an excellent penetrating run that served to put New York's defence on its heels. It was a rebound off Matern's initial shot that his teammate Dylan Mares was able to control and pass off to Seth Moses, who laid it into Ferreira's path for the kill shot.

Wednesday's match represented a refreshing taste of revenge for Indy Eleven. When the squad visited New York earlier this season, the junior Red Bulls beat the visiting Midwestern squad 4-1, the Eleven's worst defeat of the season. Though New York can console themselves with the fact that the 59 goals they've tallied this season have placed them ahead of every other team in the league in the "goals scored" category, they could not shake their winless road status. (They've lost five road games and tied eight this season.)

The victory drives Indy Eleven up two places in the USL Eastern Conference standings table to fourth place.

Standings as of September 6, 2018.

"Today was fun!" midfielder Seth Moses said, reflecting on the victory postgame. The team's performance demonstrates its "determination and ambition to reach the next level," Moses said. "I believe we have a championship-winning team." 

But even with an eye on the ultimate prize, Moses added that he and his teammates are committed to taking "one step at a time" as they move toward the playoffs. It is "vital that the pieces come together" as each player provides leadership in different ways, he said. When questioned on where he sees his greatest contribution over the remaining few weeks,  Moses said he is known as a team fitness leader and he plans to remain accountable on that score.

"I feed off their energy," Moses said.

The New York match marked the final stage of a particularly brutal portion of Indy's 2018 schedule: seven matches in 22 days. The Eleven managed to complete the gauntlet of games undefeated. They have not suffered a loss since their July 21 game road game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, so the team rides a nine-game undefeated streak heading into their final six regular-season matches of the season.

"We played one game in 19 days, then seven games in 22 days," Indy Eleven's head coach Martin Rennie said after the game. "I've never seen anything like that in any schedule. We came through that — and that is a great confidence booster."

Making it through such a trial of endurance demonstrates the team's considerable depth and its ability to make adjustments, stay fresh, and even grow stronger over time, Rennie said.

Two home games remain ahead of the playoffs, but fans must wait three weeks to see their team take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

Indy will host its final WEDNESDAY NIGHT GAME against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wed., Sept. 26. The final regular-season home game is set for Sat., Oct. 6 against Bethlehem Steel FC. (These games will be broadcast on MyIndy 23 TV. Tell your local bartender to tune in!) Kickoff time for all these matches is 7 p.m.

Fans may also consider a road trip to lovely southwestern Ohio on Sept. 29, when Indy will visit Cincinnati FC, the most dominant team in the USL's Eastern Conference. 

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. 

Late Winner Takes Three For Indy - Bethlehem Steel FC v Indy Eleven REVIEW

We didn't need to give Bethlehem 99 problems, one was enough. Jack McInerney with the only goal.

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven kicked off their third in a series of four away matches at an unusual start time of 11.00 am at Goodman Field in Bethlehem. After losing to Charleston Battery and Tampa Bay Rowdies our team needs to find points and find them soon. The two sides have met once already this season at Lucas Oil Stadium when the visitors left with all three points after defeating Indy by two goals to one.

There were three changes to the starting XI that lost 3-1 in St. Petersburg at the weekend, one forced change was Brad Ring who received a retroactive suspension from the previous match. Tyler Pasher continued at left back and Ayoze not in the squad this time around. Nico Matern dropped from starting lineup while Soony Saad, Seth Moses, and Zach Steinberger returned to the starting lineup.

Only five of the Bethlehem players that started against Indy Eleven in the initial encounter in May will begin this game. One of them was Santi Moar who was pivotal in Steel's attack along with McGuire, Mahoney, Najem, and Ngalina.

A welcome sight to the listed roster for the match was Reiner Ferreira added to the bench after missing the bulk of the season so far, missing since picking up an injury in the first home match of the season against FC Cincinnati on April 1st. He would see game time in the match sooner than we would have liked.

Starting XI: Williams, Venegas, Ouimette, Mitchell, Pasher, Moses, Watson, Guerra, Steinberger, Saad, Starikov. Bench: Lundgaard, Ferreira, Rusin, Matern, Amankona, Speas, McInerney

Action from the home tie in Indy where Bethlehem stole the points in a 2-1 victory.

The first half was more of an exhibition of passing than anything else, very few shots on goal from either side. Indy threatened more, Seth Moses pressuring Maguire early in the first ten and shortly after a good interchange on the right between Venegas and Starikov saw the latter drop a nice pass back in front of goal but Venegas could not get in fast enough to let off a shot.

Starikov and Venegas starting to look comfortable with each other and 17 minutes in, interchanges between the two drew a corner but Indy Eleven could make nothing of it. Around the 20 minute mark, Bethlehem got their first real shot on goal from 22yrd out centrally but was easily smothered by Owain Fôn Williams.

The pitch was heavy and wet after a lot of rain locally, the surface was slick and players on both sides were losing their footing. Indy Eleven did well to defuse the attacking danger of Santi Moar, most of Steel's best opportunities of the counter were coming on the opposite side of the field where the ground was wetter.

Bethlehem's Ferris was causing most of the trouble on Indy's right. Two thirds into the first half after an Indy free kick on our left Ferris again showed he had the measure of our back line and was unlucky not to get a shot off. Bethlehem caught us with pace again on the opposite side with Mbaizo but his cut back pass into the box was luckily not met by a teammate.

Venegas and Starikov linked up again in the 35th, Venegas took it to the line and cut back in for the onrushing Starikov but his shot went high. A minute later Seth Moses managed to beat the back line and attempted a chip shot over Maguire but the home side keeper saved the ball with his face as it was heading goalwards.

An unfortunate site as Tyler Pasher leaves the field after 38 minutes and is replaced by Reiner Ferreira who has not taken the field for Indy for over three months, Ouimette slides out left to allow Mitchell and Ferreira to pair up at centre back. Reiner promptly picked up his third yellow card in only his third appearance of 2018.

Ferreira got himself involved again on 45' conceding a free kick on the left corner of the 18-yard box which worrying got delayed after Ouimette fell to the ground clutching his leg. The free kick came to nothing and 0-0 was the score heading into the break.

Fans waited a long time to see Tyler Pasher return, sadly he exited the match before halftime.

Indy came out fast in the second half with a minute played Steinberger linked up with Watson who fed in Soony Saad in front of goal but his curling shot went just wide of the upper 90. Steinberger also missed a chance in the 53rd minute after a corner clearance fell to his feet but his long-range effort went wide left.

It's cliche to say the game had 0-0 written all over on evidence of the first half, with occasional flurries of activity in the second half it settled down to looking just like that again. Both sides finding chances but unable to apply the concentration in the final third. Indy's next best chance would fall to Saad again, approaching 70 minutes into the game a buildup that started with Mitchell on the edge of our 18 ended up with Saad in front of a near open goal but was not able to get his shot on target.

As the game wore on Bethlehem almost managed to level it up in the 84th minute with a free kick about 19 yards out from the Indy goal after Nanco drew the foul, but Chambers low driven shot to the right of the wall was well smothered by Owain Fôn Williams.

Jack McInerney came into the game for Soony Saad previous to this and it was he who would be the late hero for Indy. The match was not exciting by any means and neither was it an outstanding performance by Indy Eleven, but it is fair to say if one side was going to open the scoring it likely would have been the visitors.

Zach Steinberger stepped up to take his first corner from what can only be described as a swamp in the left corner of the field and this was probably the best delivery of the game. Sent in towards the penalty spot the ball curled in and found the head of Jack McInerney who directed his header away from Maguire and into the right side of the net. It was enough of a hammer blow for Bethlehem to seal the win as they appeared deflated for the closing minutes.

Indy Eleven did enough with possession to round out the six minutes of added time and take the three points back to Indianapolis. After two straight defeats on the road, these three points are extremely valuable. To head to Louisville with none or only one, other matches in between could potentially put Indy out of the playoff positions or perilously close. Instead, they move to 5th in the table with 31pts.

It was a difficult game, Indy is still having issues with some forced rotations and lineup changes but now have over a week to rest and recover before facing Lousiville City FC in Kentucky for the first time in four years on August 5th, following that match Indy Eleven will not play again until they face North Carolina on August 15th at home.

There won't be many breaks for Indy after that, and it's important as they near the final third of the regular season to up their game and start winning points on a regular basis, inconsistency will put them in a position of relying on the fate of others, to do that they will have to start finding the back of the net on a more regular basis. Indy has averaged only a goal per game for their last six matches.

FT: Bethlehem Steel FC 0 Indy Eleven 1

We need a good travelling support for our next match, if you are interested in joining the supporters buses for Lousiville you can get ticket and bus INFORMATION HERE. Also, don't forget to pick up tickets for Indy Eleven's next home match against North Carolina FC on August 15th at BYBTIX.COM

Indy's Home Opener A Great Success But Without Points - Indy Eleven V FC Cincinnati REVIEW (3/31/2018)

New stadium, new players, new league. Tifo game on point!

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven kicked off their first home game of the 2018 USL season against FC Cincinnati at their new home Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It was a new beginning for everyone, from tailgating to the final whistle. Despite the scoreline, everything was a huge success for the team, the supporters, and the city.

As we mentioned in the run-up to this game it was always going to be a difficult game to call, I felt that Indy Eleven could have and probably should have come out of this game without losing, a draw would have been a fair result, we had our chances but didn't take them. FC Cincinnati did and finished the match with a 1-0 victory over the Eleven.

Indy had opportunities to be first on the board early in the game, with some silky skills from Tyler Pasher on the left Indy's number three made a great solo run all the way to the goal line and looped a cross beyond the goal and found Jack McInerney at the back post whose header came off the upright. A couple inches to the left and there was no saving that one.

Cincinnati scored the goal that would win the match in the 26th minute. A crossfield pass from left to right found Emmanuel Ledesma with time to control before sending in a cross towards the penalty spot that probably could not have been any more perfect and found Emery Welshman between Ferreira and Mitchell who nodded the ball past Fôn Williams to open the scoring. As the wonderful Greg Rakestraw was pointing out Fôn Williams to be the first Welshman to play for Indy Eleven, Emery became the first Welshman to score against us. (ah ha)

Tyler Pasher had another outstanding 90 minutes for Indy Eleven

People love to argue penalties and pour over replays, I didn't need to, the replay on the big screen once was enough for me and I have watched it again since it was a clear penalty. With the ball already out of his reach, Newton brought both hands to McInerney's feet and brought him down. Last man tackle, could have been a red card on any other day but referee Badawi decided it didn't even warrant a yellow. Fair enough?

With around five minutes to go before the half Indy had a great opportunity to tie the game up. Jack McInerney went for placement rather than power to the right side of goal but Newton guessed right and pulled off a fine save followed by a second block on a Speas shot to deny Indy an equalizer.

During the full ninety minutes, Indy Eleven had plenty of opportunities to find the net which is encouraging, but it was not going to be our day. Shots from McInerney, Watson, Starikov, Saad, and Speas were all kept out. It's early, it's our second game of the season against one of the championship favorites, if we keep creating those chances we will score them and nothing about this game really indicated that Indy Eleven was in any way the weaker of the two sides.

Not even the BYB could get that ball into the net, McInerney denied by Newton.

One concern is that Indy appears to be having injury issues early in the season. Saad was unavailable to start because of a knock, Ayoze and Kevin Venegas have still not made a bench in the first two games meaning we are thin on left and right back cover. An unfortunate ankle injury for Reiner Ferreira saw him leave the field in the first half with Brad Ring coming in to cover at right back and Ouimette moving into center.

It's not a huge concern at this moment and luckily it's coming at the beginning of the season. Defensive depth is critical to any team so hopefully, we don't have any more early casualties and Ferreira's injury is not too serious.

It does no harm to take a beating early and move on, Rennie and the coaching staff have plenty to look at and a week to repair and prepare before heading to North Carolina FC to renew a rivalry started in the NASL. Richmond Kickers who fell to Indy in our opening game achieved their first win this weekend defeating NCFC 2-1. North Carolina will be looking for their first win, maybe Indy Eleven can find their second as Rennie returns to face one of his former clubs.

Never a good sight. Reiner Ferreira departed the back line in the first half.

So what about that game day experience?

Considering the short space of time the club and the supporters have had to prepare for a new league in a new stadium I am pretty sure I was not the only person walking away from the match suitably impressed.

The Brickyard Battalion, Slaughterhouse 19 and all supporter groups deserve a round of applause for the gameday setup. The choice of Gate Ten facilities and parking for tailgate setup was top notch with outdoor and indoor space available. The main parking was also easily accessible and myself like others got in before the allotted opening time and there was no real difficulty in leaving the stadium, nothing more than you would expect from a large event. The supporter display of tifo was incredible, the best we have seen and the Brickyard Battalion were as loud and as passionate as ever AND considerably bigger.

The front office staff must be worn out, I hope they were treated to several adult beverages after the match because they thoroughly deserve it, there were a lot of unknowns and all you can do is the best you can and see how it goes. From what I saw they exceeded all expectations not only on game day but in the weeks leading up to the game. I cannot imagine how much hair was lost and how many fingernails were bitten off. Everyone did an outstanding job. Everything gets easier from here. Take a bow Indy Eleven Staff.

FC Cincinnati brought a large following to the first meeting of these teams in USL.

The attendance is very encouraging, I had thought if we made 16,000 and filled the original advertised space it would have been amazing, to exceed our previous largest attendance by 6000 was incredible. This bodes well for the team and puts weight behind the need for a soccer-specific stadium in the city. I think this support will continue to grow as the team itself evolves more on the field more people will come to games. The officially announced attendance was 17,535.

Kudos and respect to the traveling Cincinnati fans who brought around 1500 supporters to the game and put in a solid ninety minutes of support for their team who rewarded them with three points. Hopefully, we can bring the same to Cinci and take those three points back.

Thoughts from Brandon Cockrum

Indy Eleven were unfortunate to come away without a point from Saturday evening's electric match against FC Cincinnati. Indy was superior in most statistical categories, except for the one that matters most - the final score. Martin Rennie's squad clearly needs some more matches to become a truly cohesive unit and it is fun to watch the team's style of play and connections between players develop.

On Saturday the team played very compactly at times, probably by design to take command of the midfield. However, there was time and space available for players on the wings and Tyler Pasher was the only Eleven player that took advantage of it. After getting the ball taken off his foot trying to dribble out of the 18 and a wayward cross in the match's early minutes, Pasher put in a man of the match performance for Indy with numerous attacks up the left side and dangerous balls served into the box. In the first half, Jack McInerney nearly finished one of those crosses but was denied by the frame and others narrowly missed the heads of attacking teammates.

Jack Mac checks the replay after Saad's free kick is tipped over by Newton late in the game.

It's interesting that after two matches fullbacks Ayoze or Kevin Venegas haven't been on a match day roster and we've had only a 20-minute runout from Juan Guerra in the first match. All three players were among the best at their positions while in the NASL. Coach Rennie appears to be favoring a defense-first approach, which makes sense early in the season as the team learns to play together and against a tough Cincinnati side. 

It's not that the players in front of them have played poorly, however, I have to wonder if Venegas would have been able to get forward, like Pasher, and cause more problems for Cincy than Karl Ouimette or Brad Ring did. Guerra has proven that he can unlock defenses at this level; might he have delivered a moment of creative inspiration that Nico Matern was unable to provide? Coach Rennie has a lot of capable tools on his belt this season and I suspect he will soon start trying more of them out.

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