Indy Eleven vs Tampa Bay Rowdies - 11.34

Summary

- Opponent: Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Location: IMG Academy Soccer Stadium
- Attendance: 496
- Final Score: 3-0 L

- Starting XI: Sulte, Neidlinger, Chapman-Page, Diz Pe, Mines, White, Lindley (C), Guenzatti, Wootton, Williams, R., Collier

- Substitution: O'Brien, J. 62' (White); Martinez 68' (Collier); Williams, A. 68' (Williams, R.); Martinez 68' (Neidlinger)

- Unused: Oettl, Ofeimu, Soumaoro

Scoring Summary:
TBR - Arteaga 9' (Penalty Kick)
TBR - Crisostomo 25' (assist Bodily)
TBR - Jennings 63' (assist Fernandes)

- Bookings:

TBR - Hilton 50' (Yellow)
IND - Chapman-Page 52' (Yellow)
TBR - Munjoma 73' (Yellow)
TBR - Worth 90'+2' (Yellow)

- Referee: Calin Radosav

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

Another week and another starting lineup. Only two players remained in the starting lineup from the last game against Birmingham (Sulte & Neidlinger), while the remaining 9 spots were filled by some players who either came in as substitutes or weren't even on the game roster (Lindley & Guezatti). The depth of Indy's squad this year allows for McAuley to make game-by-game decisions to put out the team that he thinks is best for the game, but also to manage legs and minutes. 

It was two former Indy Eleven players though that got the scoring started. Nick Moon took on Mines, then took on Diz Pe, and the two combined to bring Moon to the ground inside the box. Manuel Arteaga stepped up, sent Sulte to the goalkeeper's right, but calmly put the ball to Sulte's left. Indy came into the game with a chance to get to the 3rd position in the table with a win and a Detroit loss, but they put themselves down early to make that an uphill battle. Conceding the 2nd goal in the 25th minute was also well deserved as Bodily and Crisostomo worked their way around and through the Indy defenders. 

Indy, in the early minutes, were chasing shadows as the Rowdies moved the ball around nicely. Probably more impressive than their effort going forward was their defensive effort as they consistently pressed the ball whenever they lost it, giving Indy very little time to make any decisions or plays. The Rowdies were collectively in sync with each other defensively, and Indy had very little answer to get around, or even over, the TBR defensive line. As the game crept towards the halftime whistle, Indy began to have moments of possession, but as we've seen this year, possession in dangerous areas is more important than just possession and Indy weren't in dangerous areas with their possession. 

The two-goal deficit also sent McAuley into tinkering mode, with the midfielders constantly interchanging positions. Neidlinger, who started on the right side of the field, was seen moving into the middle of the field and even onto the left side. McAuley has indicated before that he wanted to get minutes for Neidlinger in the middle of the field to see how he would handle the pressure with guys coming at him from all angles. It looked like with very little to play for, McAuley was giving the young player another chance at learning that part of the game. As a result, White also started pushing more forward, leaving Lindley as the lone holding midfielder. Indy needed to figure out what was working, or could work, because the majority of the first 45 minutes was not a good display for Indy. 

With this Indy team, paying attention to most of the major statistical categories can mean almost nothing as to how a game is actually progressing. Tonight, though, TBR dominated the stats AND were the better team. Once Tampa Bay scored their third, all that was left was for the clock to run out. Oh, McAuley and Indy brought on attacking subs, but the game was never in doubt and Indy finished the regular season with a loss on the road.

The good news for Indy was that the home playoff game was never in doubt, no matter the result. If you were like me and were keeping one eye on the live standings, the spots below Indy bounced around quite a bit as scores moved the #5 - #10 teams around. Indy stayed firmly planted at the #4 spot. While the potential to get to the #3 spot was possible, it was also never in just their hands as they were going to need a losing performance from Detroit. Many times throughout this season, the statement was made that every point mattered. That was most prominently stated with the late late goal against Pittsburgh, when a 10-man Riverhounds team held on until the 90'+7' goal from Romario Williams. Looking at just that single result, without the goal and the subsequent draw, Indy, Tampa Bay, and Pittsburgh would have all finished on 50 points. As a result, Rhode Island would have moved to 4th place, Tampa Bay would have moved to 5th place, and thanks to the 3rd tiebreaker, Pittsburgh would have finished in 6th place if I did my math correctly. If it had not been for that late equalizer by Romario, Indy would be headed back to Charleston in their opening game of the playoffs. Obviously, that might have adjusted how Indy played this game, but that late stoppage time goal proved to be important.

What was a bit disheartening (from a table perspective) from this game was that the 3-goal deficit took Indy's season goal differential to -1. Indy are the only Eastern Conference playoff team with a negative goal differential. Indy's season can be directly traced to their ability to score goals. Obviously, that seems intuitive, but to be able to go 34 games and cumulatively draw all your opponents and still finish in the 4th spot on the table says a lot about the weirdness of this game. The fact that Western Conference winners New Mexico United basically did the same thing may be even crazier. 

It's difficult to call tonight's starting lineup as a "B" roster because all of tonight's starters have starter minutes. However, due to injuries, Guenzatti hadn't played for 6 games, Chapman-Page hadn't played for 10 games, White hadn't played for 4 games, and Diz Pe hadn't played for 2 games. To say these guys weren't at peak condition might be an understatement. More than a third of the starting lineup would normally not have gone more than 60-65 minutes as they worked their way back to full-game health. Three of those four guys played all ninety minutes, with only White coming out due to yet another injury. McAuley knew coming into this game that a result was nice but not vital, and he played a lineup that could get minutes on guy's legs in a non-playoff situation.

With the rest of the night's results, Indy now know they will be playing Rhode Island next Sunday at Carroll Stadium. Indy drew Rhode Island 3-3 at Beirne Stadium in July thanks to a late stoppage goal from RI, while Indy came out ahead 1-nil at Carroll Stadium in August. The next game though will have more on the line as Indy will be looking for their first home & playoff win since 2019, and Rhode Island will be looking for their first playoff win ever in their first season in the USL.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

I don't like not giving a GBGB, but I can't think of a single player's performance that stands out for me as being overly worthy.   

Indy Eleven vs Birmingham Legion FC - 11.33

Summary

- Opponent: Birmingham Legion FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 10,540
- Final Score: 3-2 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, Musa, Ofeimu, Stanley, Neidlinger, Soumaoro, Blake, Quinn (C), Martinez, Foster, Williams, A.

- Substitution: Williams, R. 45' (Martinez); Wootton 55' (Soumaoro); Mines 72' (Foster); Collier 80' (Williams, A.)

- Unused: Oettl, Chapman-Page, O'Brien, J.

Scoring Summary:
IND - 14' (OG - Kavita)
IND - Blake 15' (assist Martinez)
BHM - Pinho 54' (assist Mensah)
IND - Wootton 86' (unassisted)
BHM - Zouhir 90' (assist Martinez)

- Bookings:

IND - Williams, A. 79' (Yellow)

- Referee: Matthew Corrigan

- Adage goals: One

Thoughts and Opinions

The season has come down to the wire, but the math had significantly simplified coming into tonight's game against Birmingham. If Indy and Birmingham finished level, Indy would secure their place in the playoffs. If Indy win, they secure they place their place in the playoffs, while also keeping alive their chances of hosting a playoff game. If Indy lost, the playoffs were still in play with a draw/win next week in Tampa Bay, but hosting a game would become a bit more difficult.

Photo: Don Thompson

Standing in Indy's way were Birmingham, a team that doesn't just have one former player on their roster, but three different players, each of who were in the starting lineup tonight. Crognale has anchored the Birmingham defense for nearly the entire time since his departure from Indy, while Tyler Pasher and Stefano Pinho were available to bring the firepower up top and in the midfield. Pinho and Pasher sit in the Top 10 in Indy club history for Goals (Pinho tied for 7th, Pasher alone in 2nd), Points (Pinho 10th, Pasher 2nd), Pasher is 9th in Assists, and the two are in the Top Five in Game Winners (Pinho tied for 5th, Pasher at #1). With those players on the opposing side trying to prevent Indy from securing a playoff position, Indy fans had bittersweet emotions. Our players are #IndyForever, but not during the 90-minutes of the game, and definitely not when those 90-minutes take place at Carroll Stadium with a playoff spot on the line.

Indy took a two-minute stretch in the first half to nearly put the game out of reach. A Quinn centering cross was helped along by Martinez, and then Birmingham's Kavita tried to redirect the ball, but redirected it into his own goal to start the scoring. A minute later, the ball was cycled around to Martinez who went to the endline, but instead of sending the ball into the box with no set target, he pulled the ball back slightly to get a ball to an on-rushing Blake. Blake, instead of one-timing a shot, took a second touch to put the ball into a better shooting position and then put it out of the reach of Van Oekel to double the advantage. The next 30 minutes were played to a nil-nil stalemate, but the damage had been done and Indy went into the locker room in a playoff-hosting position thanks to the other results around the conference. The results from the night maintained that position, putting Indy's playoff hosting fate into firmly into their own hands.

Halftime Shots

Proof that possession and shot differences don't always tell the story of the game, Birmingham held a 57% to 43% advantage in possession and a 12 to 3 advantage in shots when the teams went into the halftime break. However, that possession was skewed into Indy's attacking half and the majority of Birmingham's shots were either in non-threatening areas from distance or were well off target. It's difficult to argue with a 2-goal lead, particularly when you're forcing the opponent into difficult shooting positions. Indy was a little sloppy with their passes towards the very end of the half, but a two-goal lead allows some cushion for some mistakes. However, I'm sure the halftime talk from Coach McAuley was related to the fact that an early second half goal by Indy would likely put the game out of reach, but an early second half goal by Birmingham would change the entire tenor of the game. 

It took less than 10 minutes for that momentum goal to come to fruition. Unfortunately for Indy fans, that goal was provided by former player Stefano Pinho, and Indy found themselves needing to do a gut check to determine if they had it in them to get the full three points. While the draw would solidify a playoff spot, Indy watched Louisville seal the Players' Shield on the Carroll Stadium turf on the last home game and wouldn't have wanted to watch a win evaporate tonight too to prevent the option of securing a home playoff game. That kind of letdowns in back-to-back weekends would start to work against the team's psyche going into the playoffs. 

After the goal, the field tilted to Birmingham's offensive side of the field, forcing Indy to rely on their defending. Indy has generally been a solid team when they're in "park the bus" or "defending for life" mode. Tonight would be no different for most of the second half. While Birmingham, fighting for their playoff lives, continued to pepper shots towards Indy's goal, they continued to do so from outside the box. It wasn't until the 90th minute when Zouhir put a wicked shot on frame from 35-yards away that sent Hunter to his right before the ball knuckled back to the space that Hunter had vacated to give the visitor's a second goal and life in the dying minutes of the game. Indy had managed a third goal through Wootton in the 86th minute, so the Birmingham goal was disappointing given the time in the game, but still maintained Indy's ability to get all three points from the game. A few minutes after Zouhir's goal, he once again put a long-distance shot on frame, but this one was low and Hunter was able to parry it away to solidify the 3-2 win. 

Birmingham had one more shot on target in stoppage time, but shortly after referee Matthew Corrigan blew the whistle and Indy survived Birmingham's late comeback attempt. With the win, Indy have secured their place in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for just the second time in the team's history, and the first since Martin Rennie's first and second seasons in 2018 & 2019. Indy have only lost once in the last 9 games to put themselves in this opportunity to host a playoff game. After the rough start to the season and the slump after the 8-game win streak, Indy have consistently been getting points to close out the year. If you're looking for downsides, which I'm apt to do, Indy haven't been able to string together wins during the recent run of form. That might be nit-picking though at a place in the season where every point has been valuable and needed.

Photo: Drew Thompson

Indy head to Tampa Bay next weekend with the chance to secure a home playoff game. If I'm doing my scenarios and math correctly, a draw in Tampa Bay secures the home playoff game as it would put Indy at 52 points, Rhode Island can only reach a max of 51 points, and Tampa could only get to 52 if they beat Indy. So a boring nil-nil draw provides at least one more game in Carroll Stadium this year. A 4th place finish would see Indy face off against one of those two teams depending on those teams they finish their seasons. Tampa Bay play Hartford in their makeup game due to Hurricane Helene before hosting Indy at the IMG Academy, while Rhode Island finish at home against Miami, which season results would indicate should be a win for Rhode Island. The Rhode Island/Miami game starts 30-minutes after Indy and Tampa Bay kickoff, so Indy will have to play their final game with the assumption that Rhode Island gets all three points against Miami. Tampa Bay has struggled in recent weeks, so a draw seems doable. However, there is enough talent on Tampa Bay's team that Indy need to head to Tampa looking for a dogfight.  

(Random) Final Thoughts

Indy should have had a 4th or 5th goal late that would have made the end of the game less nervy, but Collier sent his shot from just beyond the penalty spot high and into the BYB, while Romario Williams also had a decent chance, but got a little bit too cute with the ball and never got a proper shot off despite being yards away from the goal. As Coach McAuley tries to create a winning culture (something that every new coach has said they need to do), he indicted post-game that he values the team's resiliency and determination to hold onto results (Louisville game notwithstanding). 

Neidlinger marking Pasher early. "Hey Kid. They tell me your the youngest player in club history to score a goal. I'm second in the club in goals scored. Try keeping up with me." - Pasher (maybe) Neidlinger was pummeled with attacks in the second half as Birmingham sent wave after wave of their attack up the left side where Neidlinger was defending. To his credit, the young professional played really well. McAuley indicated that Logan began to tire late in the game, but nearly caught enough of a second (or third or fourth) wind to get a shot off in the 84th minute that nearly found the goal. 

I never would have thought that (mostly) healthy (or not red card suspended) Lindley, Gibson, Guenzatti, and Diz Pe wouldn't even make the 18 in a game as important as a game that would clinch a playoff spot. The depth of the team this year has taken on a new level.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

His minutes have kind of been all over the place this season, but when he's been asked to play, Wootton plays with a ton of energy and effectiveness. He was rewarded for his ability to step up when needed and rifled a shot past Van Oekel that became the game winner. I like to reward guys when the game rewards them and tonight that was Wootton. While the game-winning goal is better, the GBGB isn't bad either. 

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

Indy Eleven vs Detroit City FC - 11.32

Summary

- Opponent: Detroit City FC
- Location: Keyworth Stadium
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 0-0 D

- Starting XI: Sulte, Stanley, O'Brien, J., Ofeimu, Musa, Neidlinger, Quinn (C), Soumaoro, Foster, Martinez, Williams, A.

- Substitution: Blake 71' (Williams, A.); Lindley 79' (Foster); Wootton 87' (Soumaoro); Collier 87' (Martinez)

- Unused: Oettl, Chapman-Page, Mines

Scoring Summary:
NONE

- Bookings:

DET - Murphy 39' (Yellow)
IND - Soumaoro 57' (Yellow)
DET - Diop 69' (Yellow)
IND - Musa 69' (Yellow)
DET - Rodriguez 78'  (Yellow)

- Referee: Gerald Flores

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

In what was the 4th meeting between Indy and Detroit City in the 2024 season, both teams had a lot on the line. With any result other than a loss, Detroit would have clinched a playoff spot. With a win, Indy would clinch a playoff spot. Despite the two teams sitting third and fourth in the table, with the rest of the table breathing down their necks, getting three points was vital to maintain a goal of hosting a playoff game. With the 0-0 draw, Detroit clinched their spot in the playoffs, whereas Indy will have to wait for other results tonight or next week to officially clinch their own place in the postseason. The draw keeps the teams behind them still breathing down their necks.

There aren't many seasons where two teams play each other four times before the playoff starts (not counting the old NASL days or the 2020/2021 seasons), but this afternoon's meeting between Indy and Detroit was the fourth when you count the preseason game held at Grand Park. If you count that result, Indy held a 2W-IL record coming into the game with a +4 goal differential. However, the difference between that preseason lineup for Indy and this game's lineup is stark. Indy had just 3 players start the preseason game also start this game (Stanley, Martinez, and Williams, A.), one player is no longer with the team (Boudadi), and four players today weren't even on the roster then (Ofeimu, Musa, Soumaoro, and Foster). To say this was a different squad facing Detroit than what faced them in late February is an understatement. 

Detroit held a 67% to 33% possession advantage in the first half, which felt much like the game against Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup for Indy. Afterwards, McAuley described his tactical decisions during that game as feeling confident that the substitutions he could make in the second half gave him confidence that he didn't need the team to consistently press in the first half. He also felt in that game that as long as Indy kept it close, Indy would have a chance. Given the fact that this was the third game in eight days, Indy clearly came in with the intent to defend and then counter, and then see what could happen late.

What happened late was much of the same as what was seen through the entire game. Indy content to defend, forcing Detroit to take long-range shots, none of which ever really threatened Sulte outside of a two-shot sequence in the first half that could put the young goalkeeper up for Save of the Week again. Indy had a late free-kick opportunity that Blake put just a couple yards wide of the goal after getting the ball up and over the wall, but the scoreless draw remained intact. If you were looking for two teams in nearly a lock playoff positions to go toe-to-toe in an offensive display, this wasn't the game for you. If you like a display in grinding out a road result in the third game in 8 days, then you would have loved this game. As someone who would have liked to see a bit more out of Indy to try harder to get the three points, the game felt like a bit of a disappointment. 

Indy return to Carroll Stadium next Saturday for the final home game of the season against Birmingham. Whether they have solidified their position in the playoffs before the game might dictate how the game is played. Though, Indy really need positive results, and probably wins, to be able to lock in a home playoff game, so I fully expect Indy to be more proactive offensively than they were tonight.  

The Game Beckons Game Ball

For his fully extended parry save in the first half that kept this game even (but also probably prevented this game from opening up more - an Indy team chasing a result would have likely made this game go end to end), tonight's GBGB goes to Hunter Sulte. With the clean sheet, Sulte moves into a tie in team history with Evan Newton with 12 clean sheets across all competitions. Only Jon Busch sits in front of him now, but is out of reach for this season. If Portland renews the loan next season, Busch's club record may be in peril.

Indy Eleven vs Loudoun United - 11.31

Summary

- Opponent: Loudoun United FC
- Location: Segra Field
- Attendance: 1,787
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, Stanley, Diz Pe, Ofeimu, O'Brien, J., Mines, Wootton, Lindley (C), Foster, Martinez, Williams, A.

- Substitution: Blake 63' (Foster); Collier 63' (Martinez); Musa 72' (O'Brien, J.); Neidlinger 88' (Williams, A.); Soumaoro 88' (Wootton)

- Unused: Oettl, Quinn

Scoring Summary:
IND - Musa 83' (assist Ofeimu)

- Bookings:

LDN - Johnston 16' (Yellow)
LDN - Martin (manager) 36' (Yellow)

LDN - Fauroux 53' (Yellow)
IND - Martinez 53' (Yellow)
LDN - Leerman 58' (Yellow)
LDN - Tingey 63' (Yellow)
IND - Mines 67' (Yellow)
IND - Diz Pe 85' (RED)

- Referee: Abdou Ndiaye

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

After conceding a late stoppage time equalizer on Saturday against Louisville City, Indy headed out on the road to Virginia to face Loudoun United, and in the process, eliminate the "game-in-hand" that they had on nearly every other team. It was also the second of three games in eight days, but the only game of the three against a team behind them on the table for one of the proverbial six-point games. A win would push Indy to 4th in the table by leapfrogging Rhode Island (who Indy hold the tiebreaker against) and Tampa Bay (who has a game-in-hand due to their game against Hartford being postponed due to Hurricane Helene). A draw or a loss would keep Indy in 6th place. As has been repeatedly stated in the last few weeks, the crowded middle of the Eastern Conference table means that every point is important.

First Half Heat Map (Indy going right to left)

With the quick turnaround in games, Indy made 6 changes to their starting lineup. I'm not sure why Lindley has fallen out of favor in the starting lineup in recent weeks (and didn't appear at all against Louisville), but it says something about Indy's roster when you can bring on a two-time top-of-the-league player like Lindley when games are this close together. The influx of different players into the starting lineup didn't seem to bother Indy's attack. Looking at the halftime stats, one might think that Loudoun had the better half. They held the possession advantage and the shots on target advantage. However, my eyeball test skewed everything to Indy's favor in the first half. They had the more effective possession in dangerous locations and more dangerous shots on target. Indy had one shot bounce off the post, a free kick that nearly snuck in before being parried away by Fauroux, and repeated opportunities from corner kicks. Regardless though, the teams went into the locker room with a nil-nil stalemate. The game had the feel that if Indy could put away their first goal, more would follow, but could just as likely have Loudoun score first forcing Indy to chase.

Neither of those things happened. 

What did happen though was that the two teams picked up yellow cards like they were prizes from Oprah. "You get a card. You get a card. You get a card." A total of 6 cards were shown in the second half, including Diz Pe picking up his second red card of the season, one game removed from having to sit from his first red card suspension. It was a terrible decision and was an obvious correct call. Diz Pe has been so good this season at minimizing his terrible mistakes, but Diz now holds the dubious distinction of being the club's leader in red cards.

Post-Goal Heat Map

Fortunately for Indy, that red card happened just minutes after one of Indy's numerous corner kicks finally saw the ball cross over the goal line. Ofeimu recycled Fauroux's poor punched clearance and Musa reacted first to send a gentle looping ball over the Loudoun keeper and defenders to break the deadlock. Indy's lead and Loudoun's man-advantage meant that the final 7-minutes of regulation and6-minutes of stoppage time predominantly took place in Indy's defensive half, but Loudoun couldn't find a shot on target in the waning minutes. Indy held on with good team defending to run the week's points to 4 out a possible 6. 

What also happened was Indy's chances of climbing the table into a playoff hosting position took a massive step forward. The win at Loudoun means that a win in Detroit on Saturday would continue to see Indy leapfrog teams into a first round playoff hosting position. While it keeps getting reiterated, every point is important right now, and the two points lost this past weekend against Louisville would have put Indy tied with Detroit on points. Given the red card late, Indy will take the three points and get back on the bus back to Indy and a current home playoff game within the realm of possibility.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Augi continues to impress right now. Wootton and Lindley looked great in the midfield. But a late-game substitution defender comes on due to an injury and finds the game-winning goal in his 200th league appearance? Yeah, I have to reward Musa with tonight's GBGB. Well done.

Indy Eleven vs Louisville City - 11.30

Summary

- Opponent: Louisville City FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium 
- Attendance: 10,780
- Final Score: 2-2 D

- Starting XI: Sulte, Neidlinger, Ofeimu, Musa, Stanley, Martinez, Soumaoro, Quinn (C), Blake, Foster, Williams, A.

- Substitution: Collier 75' (Martinez); Williams, R. 75' (Foster); Wootton 81' (Blake)

- Unused: Oettl, Lindley, Mines, O'Brien, J.

Scoring Summary:
LOU - Dia 12' (assist Gleadle)
IND - Williams, A. 45'+3' (assist Foster)
IND - Williams, A. 68' (assist Blake)
LOU - Morris 90'+4' (assist Mares)

- Bookings:

IND - Quinn 4' (Yellow)
IND - Foster 20' (Yellow)
LOU - McFadden 29' (Yellow)
LOU - Bench 30' (Yellow)
IND - Bench (Yellow)
LOU - Serrano 44' (Yellow)
LOU - Adams 85' (Yellow)

- Referee: Alyssa Nichols

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

Indy came into the game trying to keep pace with the teams in the crowded middle of the Eastern Conference table. Louisville waltzed into Indy with games to spare to win the league's Player's Shield for the best record in the league and #1 seed throughout the playoffs. It could be argued that the game was more important to Indy for league standings and trying to erase the result of the two teams' game earlier this season when Indy went to Louisville and came away as 5-3 losers on national television. However, clinching the Players' Shield on their closest geographical rivals home turf had to be in the Louisville players' minds whether they would admit it publicly or not. 

The historical and recent record was working against Indy, and Indy just couldn't push Louisville enough to get a win. They tried. Indy even had a 2-1 advantage into the closing minutes of the game. A 90'+4' equalizer by Louisville meant that the points were shared and Louisville could celebrate their first ever Players' Shield on the Carroll Stadium turf in front of a dejected Indy fanbase. 

Indy had a relatively strong start to the game with a significant part of the play taking place in Louisville's defensive half of the field. However, when the clock turned over the 10-minute mark, LOU showed their class and had three great opportunities on goal. By the 12th minute, they made good on one of those chances and put themselves ahead, forcing Indy to play from behind.

It was Marvel night at The Mike and it would have taken some superheroes to get a win against LOU after going down within the first 15 minutes. Doing their best Captain America impression, Indy picked themselves up and didn't back down. Their forays into LOU's defensive half continued, but they just couldn't do anything with the ball in that area until stoppage time of the first half when Augi Williams received a pass from Foster and then proceeded to put Ordonez on skates before getting a shot low and away from Las to even the score going into the locker room. Despite Indy having an 8-2 disadvantage in shots in the half and a 3-1 shots on target disadvantage, the teams were level. Indy managed one single shot on target, but managed to go into the locker room with a clean start coming out of the locker room. 

Much like the first half, Indy managed to come out of the halftime locker room and spent large chunks of time in the LOU defensive half, with slightly more effective final touches than in the first half. LOU is so dynamic going forward though that they still their own fair share of attempts. As the game closed in on the 70-minute mark, a long pass over the top from Quinn was headed forward by Martinez. Blake ran down the ball, looking from the ball to the middle of the box to see if anybody was making a run, as he tried to get to the ball first. Blake one-timed an inch perfect cross along the 6-yard box that Augi Williams redirected past Las to give Indy a lead, giving Williams his 5th goal in two games.

Indy just couldn't hold onto the lead. After going down a goal, and faced with the situation of losing the game, LOU ratcheted up the pressure, desperate to get at least the equalizer. Final game stats indicate LOU had a 3.21 xG to Indy's 0.79 xG. LOU finished the game with 32 shots (a season high for them), 8 on target, and 47 crosses. With a team like Louisville, you can only withstand that kind of barrage for so long. Indy tried. They blocked 16 of Louisville's shots and had 44 clearances. Yet, all of that effort was negated when Soumaoro missed a clearance header that former Indy player Dylan Mares redirected with his own header back towards the middle of the box. Jake Morris put a shot through traffic past Sulte, and despite the good performance from Indy, the points were shared in the dying minutes of the game. Indy defended about as well as they possibly could for 22'+4' after their goal, but eventually the barrage of shots and crosses and chances had to break in Louisville's way and they were able to get just enough out of the game to secure the Players' Shield. 

Indy's injury list continues to grow and Diz Pe's red card last game certainly wasn't helping their cause in this game requiring continued squad rotation on the backline, but there is enough talent on this Indy team to at least compete with Louisville occasionally. This "rivalry" is about as one-sided as it gets, but tonight was one of those nights where Indy showed they can compete with the best team in the league. Some Indy fans aren't going to like that I said that, but that's a statement of fact. Louisville is the best team in the league, and despite a couple of hiccups along the way this season, have continued to show that they are they top team game after game. With the 2-2 draw, Indy were on the wrong side of this year's LIPAFC and The Barrell stayed firmly entrenched south of the Ohio River. 

The physicality of the game was evident early and never slowed down throughout the first half, but did seem to settle a bit in the second half. Between the two teams, six players or coaches saw a yellow card shown their way before halftime, but only one card was handed out in the second half. To me, the most egregious offense in the first half was when Totsch put a ball solidly, and purposefully, into the Indy bench from about two yards away and somehow didn't get a yellow card. The Indy bench jumped up out of their seats in protest and players on the field all came nose-to-nose, but ultimately nobody was booked for any of the activity. For some of the cards that referee Alyssa Thompson passed out, that offense deserved a card more than some of the other ones she dealt out.

Indy have little time to wallow in the result as they head to Loudoun on Tuesday. After Loudoun's 2-nil defeat of Hartford tonight, Loudoun sit just 3 points behind Indy. Depending on how the Birmingham v North Carolina match concludes on Sunday evening, Indy could find themselves having slide from a 5th place in the table to 7th place thanks to Rhode Island's defeat of Tampa Bay tonight. The good news for Indy is they still basically hold their playoff lives in their own hands, with the final four games against Loudoun, at Detroit, at home versus Birmingham, and on the road to finish the year at Tampa Bay. Indy absolutely have to get some wins out of those games, and the other results will ultimately determine their position, but the two points lost tonight in stoppage time somewhat loosened their grip on a playoff spot. Three full points tonight would have been massive.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Just like last game, this game's GBGB is easy. Augi's first goal tied him for 5th all-time in the league in scoring with teammate Guenzatti, but his second goal gave him that position out-right. Five goals in two games is a really good run, and Indy are going to continue to need his goal scoring touch right now as they traverse the final four games of the season. 

A goal scorers mentality can be a fragile thing, but seeing the ball go into the goal often flips that mentality and they suddenly expect to score every shot they shoot. Augi accounted for 2 of Indy's 3 shots on target. Two shots on target, two goals. Against Miami last week, Williams was responsible for half of Indy's shots on target, and 10 of Indy's 24 shots. 

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

Indy Eleven vs Miami FC - 11.29

Summary

- Opponent: Miami FC 
- Location: Carroll Stadium 
- Attendance: 10,145
- Final Score: 4-0 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, White, Ofeimu, Diz Pe, Stanley, Soumaoro, Quinn (C), Blake, Foster, Williams, R., Williams, A.

- Substitution: Martinez 54' (White - injury); Collier 72' (Williams, R.); Neidlinger 72' (Foster); Wootton 72' (Quinn); Lindley 90' (Soumaoro)

- Unused: Oettl, O'Brien, J.

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Blake 62' (penalty kick)
IND - Williams, A. 73' (assist Collier)
IND - Williams, A. 84' (assist Neidlinger)
IND - Williams. A. 86' (assist Collier)

- Bookings:

MIA - Gavilanes 25' (Yellow)
MIA - Nocerino (manager) 26' (Yellow)
IND - Quinn 42' (Yellow)
MIA - Knutson 60' (Yellow)
MIA - Ndiaye 77' (RED)
IND - Diz Pe 77' (RED)
IND - Williams, A. 87' (Yellow)
IND - Soumaora 87' (Yellow)
MIA - Palacios 90'+1'

- Referee: Matthew Thompson

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

Look, let's be honest. This was a game that Indy had to win. Miami is bottom of the table and the only team in the league to be eliminated from playoff contention. The compact nature of the middle part of the Eastern Conference table means that every single game the rest of the way is important to get as many points as possible. Against a team like Miami who has struggled to a -42 goal differential, that meant three points. Yet, wet weather conditions allows for anything to happen. Balls can skip strangely. Players can slip unexpectedly. Easy passes become difficult to handle. Indy needed to be disciplined defensively, and try for an early goal to make Miami feel like they were out of the game.

Halftime Heat Map

Indy couldn't do that in the first half. While Indy spent the majority of the first half with the ball (60% to 40%) and the majority of that time in Miami's half of the field, Indy couldn't find a breakthrough to make the game easier on themselves. Miami did almost nothing with their limited possession, Indy also couldn't break down the deep block that Miami was creating. As has been seen multiple times over the years, if you let a team hang around, anything can happen at the end of the game, particularly when the weather and field conditions were as wet as was seen tonight.

Indy didn't care how they scored a goal, they just needed to find a way to make all of their efforts in Miami's half count. Eventually, Foster found himself just inside the Miami box ready to take a shot when Knutson clattered into him to send Foster to the ground and Jack Blake to the penalty spot. Blake made good on his 6th penalty kick of the season, and just after the 60th minute mark, Indy had the goal that they needed to reward themselves for their effort. Blake's goal also gave Indy their 9th season in a row with a double digit scorer (across all competitions). 

Less than 10-minutes later, the game went to the ticket booth and bought a one-way ticket to Crazy Town. In the 72nd minute, Coach McAuley made his first non-injury substitutions, bringing in Collier, Neidlinger, and Wootton. A minute later, Collier found an on-rushing Augi Williams, who took a touch towards the endline and from a tight angle, pushed the ball past Ndiaye. The goal gave Indy a bit of breathing room, knowing that a weird bounce on a Miami attack might not lose the point for Indy. A couple minutes after that, Indy was awarded a corner kick. During the ensuing corner, Ndiaye and Diz Pe became tangled in the air and to the ground. Upon standing, Ndiaye put a boot into Diz Pe's thigh. Instead of writhing in pain on the ground knowing the assistant referee was watching, Diz Pe got up and retaliated with a forceful shove to Ndiaye's chest/neck area. When the mud settled, both players were shown red cards. Amazingly, Diz Pe's red was Indy's first red card of the season, but it came at a poor time; not so much in this game, but it means that he won't be available for next week's game against league-leading Louisville City. Combined with the other injuries (Chapman-Page, Guenzatti, King, and potentially White depending on the severity of his injury tonight), Diz Pe's absence next week could be a big deal.

As the game began to wind down, a two-minute stretch solidified the win as Indy scored two more goals, both from Augi Williams. Goals number 3 and 4 on the night gave Indy their first hat trick since 2022 and just their fifth hat trick in the men's team's history. Club legend Eamon Zayed still holds the men's club record with 2 hat tricks, but not even he was able to acquire his hat trick within a 13-minute timeframe. 

What was a scoreless draw 60-minutes into the game somehow turned into a 4-nil laugher. Indy needed a win. Indy deserved a win. Indy achieved a win. The +4 goal differential also managed to bring Indy back to even on goal differential for the year. Indy return to The Mike next week to face Louisville City and will want to see a better result than the previous meeting between the two teams earlier this season and to keep themselves in the discussion for an opening playoff weekend home game. At the time of this writing, places 3 through 7 in the Eastern Conference table is separated by just 4 points. Every game and every point is going to matter coming down the stretch. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

This game's GBGB is easy. When you score a hat trick in a 13-minute timeframe for just the club's 5th hat trick in club history, it's an easily decision to give Augi Williams the GBGB. Augi joins Zayed and Arteaga to score league hat tricks for the club (Zayed in the NASL, Arteaga in the USL Championship), and Blake Smith who scored Indy's first hat trick in a 2014 U.S. Open Cup game against the Dayton Dutch Lions. Combined with his goals in this year's Open Cup, Augi's hat trick also gives him the team lead in goals, surpassing the other goal score in the game, Blake. 

Indy Eleven vs North Carolina FC - 11.28

Summary

- Opponent: North Carolina FC 
- Location: WakeMed Soccer Park
- Attendance: 2,478
- Final Score: 2-0 L

- Starting XI: Sulte, White, Ofeimu, Diz Pe, Blake, Stanley, Quinn (C), Soumaoro, Foster, Williams, R., Williams, A.

- Substitution: Collier 70' (Williams, R.); Martinez 70' (Blake); Wootton 89' (Quinn)

- Unused: Oettl, Lindley, Neidlinger, O'Brien, J.

- Scoring Summary:
NC - Mentzingen 19' (assist Martin)
NC - Anderson 77' (assist Armstrong)

- Bookings:

NC - Maldonado 22' (Yellow)
IND - Williams, R. 33' (Yellow)
IND - White 45' (Yellow)
NC - Batista 45'+7' (Yellow)
NC - Mentzingen 55' (Yellow)
NC - Martin 73' (Yellow)
NC - Anderson 79' (Yellow)

- Referee: Jeremy Scheer

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

There's a point in every USL Championship season when it stops being a marathon and goes to being a full-on sprint toward the finish line. If you've looked at the standings in the Eastern Conference table, that moment may have already passed, but is definitely in full effect now. Coming into the weekend, every team had 7 games or less and spots 4 through 11 were separated by 9 points. Spots 4 through 8 (the playoff spots) were separated by 5 points. With the non-playoff teams lurking just outside the cutoff line, every game takes on even more magnitude. Losing to a team behind you could drop you below the playoff line. Taking points from a team ahead of you could drop them. Even the teams that have officially clinched playoff spots (Louisville, Charleston, and New Mexico) still want to get points to be able to win the regular season. The teams that have been eliminated (Miami) want to stop sucking and play spoiler. 

After Indy's win over the Western Conference basement dweller El Paso, Indy continued their run of playing teams at the bottom of the conferences by playing 11th place North Carolina (Miami comes to Indy next week). Getting points off the teams behind you is vital in this sprint to the finish. Indy failed miserably at that by conceding once in each half to lose 2-nil on the road.

The last time the North Carolina franchise had beaten Indy Eleven was in 2017. That game was a 5-nil drubbing by the, then Railhawks in the NASL, but Indy held a commanding 11W-4D-4L record before tonight against the long-term foes, who have been a part of some of Indy's most important results. Indy played the Carolina Railhawks in Indy's inaugural game, they were the opponent in the Miracle at the Mike, and the Carolina franchise were also the opponents in the 2023 USL W League Final where the Indy women defeated NC.

It might have taken 7 years, but North Carolina got it done tonight. NC started the scoring in the 19th minute after working the ball around quickly away from the Indy defenders. Martin pushed the ball wide to Mentzingen who one-timed it over Sulte and into the far side of the goal. Moving the ball around the defense, and forcing last-ditch defending from Indy was a trend tonight.

Indy nearly equalized in the 26th minute from a shot from outside the box by Blake that McQuire was able to parry away at full stretch. The ball fell nicely to Foster who pushed his shot wide. Shots high and wide was also an ongoing trend for Indy tonight.

NC nearly doubled their advantages minutes into the second half with a shot that found the post, but managed to bounce back into the field of play instead of into the goal. Minutes after that, NC had a two-on-one break that should have been an easy goal if Anderson had just centered the ball instead of going for goal himself. As the second half began to wind down, they did finally find the second insurance goal, and Indy returned home with zero points and no additional separation from the teams behind them. In fact, with the results tonight (which could be made worse tomorrow), Indy allowed the playoff race to get even closer.

At no point in tonight's game did Indy look like a team that will be hosting a first round playoff game. At many points in tonight's game, Indy looked like a team that could very well watch the entirety of the playoffs from their couches. Outside of an unprecedented run in May and June, and an obvious run in the U.S. Open Cup, Indy has not looked like an elite team in this league. They've looked exactly like where they are in the table; an average team surrounded by other average teams. Teams that on a given night have a chance at winning against "better" teams, but also have an equally similar chance to losing to "lower" teams.

Indy return to The Mike next weekend to face Miami. If that game ends in anything other than a win with multiple goals, it will tell you everything you need to know about this teams chances of being and winning in the playoffs. The marathon has turned into a sprint and Indy doesn't look like they have what it takes to make it across the finish line.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Diz Pe? Blake? Quinn? I'm sorry, but it definitely wasn't the forward line. As well as they played last week, they looked like different players tonight. If I have to pick somebody, and we all know that I don't because I've regularly not selected a GBGB winner, I would go with Blake.