Indy Eleven vs Oakland Roots - 13.24

Summary

- Opponent: Oakland Roots
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 7,331
- Final Score: 1-0 L

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Kibunguchy, Herbert, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, Blake, O'Brien, J., Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Omar 54' (Lindley); Mesanvi 55' (Kizza); Henry-Scott 62' (O'Brien, J.); Sing 62' (Quinn); Rasheed 84' (Mitrano)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Craig

- Scoring Summary:
OAK - Wilson 59' (assist Prentice)

- Bookings:

OAK - Garcia 42' (Yellow)
IND - Kibunguchy 67' (Yellow)
OAK - McIntosh 90' (Yellow)

- Referee: Rodrigo Albuquerque

- Adage goals: None
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

Happy (early) Birthday to Neveal Hackshaw who turns 31 tomorrow (Monday). Fortunately for the former Indy Eleven player, his old team gave him and early birthday present as his new team came away with a 1-nil victory as the Indy Eleven couldn't find their own goal after conceding in the 59th minute.  

Indy came into the game with a terrible record against the Roots, having played them twice and losing twice by a combined 5-1 score. Indy's previous home game against Oakland took place in 2023 and resulted in a 3-nil loss, while 2024's contest was Coach McAuley's debut game with the club was a 2-1 loss. Not the largest sample size, but Indy (the club) wanted to get a game against the Western Conference opponent that was positive, while Indy (the current roster) wanted to maintain their good run of form the last month and a half, and particularly at home. Neither the club nor the current roster went away happy as the Roots continue their dominant results against Indy.

Let me know if you've heard this before. In the stages of the game up to the first half hydration break, Oakland held the slight possession advantage, but Indy and Oakland were even in shots. Indy knows their strengths (Rendon's speed, Kizza's holdup play, and a stacked midfield) and plays in a way that maximizes those strengths. To nobody's surprise, Indy was playing a lot of long passes and solid defense. Know who you are and play that way. 

As one-sided as the first half of the game was on Tuesday against Brooklyn, tonight's first half was a much more even affair. Possession was much closer to even, leaning slightly in Oakland's favor, but the attacking goals were still very close, with Indy having a slight edge in shots (8 to 5). However, Indy was doing a much better job of putting their shots on target (4 to 0). A nil-nil halftime score seemed mostly indicative of the way the half was played. 

The two teams came out of the halftime locker room with different intensities. Oakland found the second half to be tilted much more in their favor than it had been in the first half. Lindley was forced to leave in the 54th minute with an injury that McAuley would indicate post-game they were afraid is a calf tear potentially taking him out for the rest of the season. In my brief discussion with Lindley, he felt more confident than his coach that the injury wasn't that bad. The injury forced an unexpected substitution and an adjustment in how the team lined up. Minutes later, the ball bounced around from player to player with nobody really able to get the ball settled. Eventually, the ball found its way to Prentiss deep in Indy's half. Prentiss put the ball between the Indy defenders to Wilson, who one-touched the ball out of the reach of Dick to get the scoring started. 

Shots - Post Goal

Indy's multiple games in a short period in hot conditions finally caught up to them with Lindley's injury, but the other "regular minutes" guys also started come off the field around the same time. Kizza came out at the same time as Lindley and Quinn and O'Brien were substituted shortly after Lindley's departure. The substitutes came in and tried to find an equalizer with mostly one-way traffic the final 30 minutes, but they couldn't find the goal despite 9 minutes of stoppage time being announced due to the injuries and the hydration break. 

This game was a lesson in contrasting styles and how there isn't a single way to win a soccer game. Oakland came into the game with the second-most passes in the league, while Indy came into the game in absolute last place. With Oakland's tenuous place below the Western Conference playoff line, they needed to come to Indy and convert those passes into goals. Amazingly, Indy finished the game with a higher pass total than Oakland, but the visitors went home with the points. For a team that came into the game with so many passes, Oakland had a nearly identical percentage as Indy for pass that were considered "long." The two teams looked very similar at times during this game with periodic spells of possession, but also just as likely to send the ball long.

Both teams desperately needed the points to try and secure a playoff position with the season rapidly drawing to an end. Oakland found themselves 9 points behind the playoff line coming into the game, and the 3 points the picked up tonight makes their uphill climb a little better. Indy, on the flip side, are sitting above the Eastern Conference playoff line, and the lack of points tonight doesn't move them up or down the table, but the defeat adds even more importance to the results of the next three games, particularly if Lindley is unable to go and McAuley has to tweak the starting lineup. It's absolutely vital that Indy get as many points as possible against Miami, Rhode Island, and Loudoun (all teams behind them) if they want to have any chance of making the playoffs. Indy's final three games (home to Tampa, away to Louisville and Charleston) are games that will be difficult to get points so Indy needs to put themselves solidly in a position to be playoff eligible before those games. So other results will be helpful in that regard, but Indy need to put as much of their destiny in their own hands as possible. Tonight would have gone a long way for that, but given the loss, Indy need to finish this season strong and that will start with Miami next weekend.

Game Beckons Game Ball

Hafferty has been an important part of the end of the year roster as he's given McAuley options with players. I think there were a couple of guys who were deserving of the GBGB with good games, despite the result, but Hafferty's defense and his ability to get forward at times has proven to be important. Tonight was no different, so I'll give the edge to Joe tonight.

Don Thompson Photography

 

Indy Eleven vs Brooklyn FC - 13.23

Summary

- Opponent: Brooklyn FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 8,234
- Final Score: 4-0 W

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Kibunguchy, Herbert, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, Blake, O'Brien, J., Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Henry-Scott 60' (Kizza); Sharp 60' (Rendon); Rasheed 67' (Hafferty); Omar 74' (Quinn); Mesanvi 74' (Blake)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Craig

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Blake 17' (assist Rendon)
IND - Rendon 33' (assist O'Brien, J.)
IND - Blake 40' (assist Rendon)
IND - Kizza 48' (assist Blake)

- Bookings:

BKN - Stojanovic 23' (Yellow)
IND - Sharp (RED)

- Referee: Edson Carvajal

- Adage goals: None
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

During my discussion of the game Friday night against New Mexico, I asked into the void Coach McAuley's logic of changing the starting lineup, including going with Charles-Cook over Dick in goal, which hadn't happened all season in league play. The next day, Rakestraw asked Coach that very question on Soccer Saturday. McAuley's response, and I'm paraphrasing, was that if they got points out of New Mexico then great, but he also needed to prepare the team and roster for tonight's game against Brooklyn because points against teams in the Eastern Conference, and specifically teams below Indy in the table, were vital due to the tiebreakers. With Indy having previously laid an egg against Brooklyn in the opening game of the season, it was vital that Indy not do the same thing against the visitors tonight at Carroll Stadium. Indy came away with points in New Mexico, despite their slow start in that game, and with the win tonight against Brooklyn, Coach McAuley seems like he knows what he's doing with the team this week.

The opening minutes of the game were extremely even. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn held the possession advantage by percentage, but not necessarily in dangerous locations. Indy and Brooklyn both showed signs of getting on the scoreboard early, but it was Indy that found the opening goal in the 18th minute. The ball went outside to the right side to Rendon, who picked up his head to look to the middle of the box before sending in a cross that an on-rushing Blake one-timed to the left side of the goal as Burns was leaning to his right. In this current version of McAuley's 4-4-2, Blake did exactly what he likes and needs to do, which is find the pockets in the defense and put shots on target. He did that for his fifth league goal on the season, and his second in two games. 

Indy's counterattack can be a thing of beauty and their second goal was the epitome of an efficient and effective counterattack. What started deep in Indy's end on a corner kick moved the length of the field in a just a handful of passes that culminated in a cross from O'Brien to Rendon, who, like Blake on his goal, one-touched the ball to the opposite side of the goal out of the reach of Burns. 

Indy matched that counterattack beauty in the 40th minute when Lindley cleared a ball from his own 18-yard box to Rendon who caught up to the ball around midfield. The team's leading goal scorer continued to put his foot on the gas and absolutely sprinted passed his defenders (plural) with the ball until he got to Brooklyn's box. At that point, he took a quick look to his right and laid off a ball to the center of the box to...nobody. At least it looked that way initially. However, Blake was trailing the play as fast as he could. He caught up to the ball, took a controlling touch, and then put another ball to the left side of the goal as Burns attempted to make his way across the goal. Rendon admitted to me after the game that he wasn't completely sure that Blake was actually there, but he thought the Jack would be following, which he was. Guys playing together long enough to know who and where they should/could be at and playing that percentage even if the play didn't seem to make sense from a fan's perspective. 

With three of the best counterattacks you will ever see in this league, Indy found themselves ahead 3-nil going into the halftime locker room. About the only thing Indy didn't do right was stay on side, as the home side was called offsides 5 times in the half. 

Indy came out of the locker room and added a fourth goal by Kizza before Brooklyn's three halftime substitutes had even broken a sweat. The fourth goal, so quickly after LeBlanc tried to make halftime adjustments, was a backbreaker for the visitors. A fourth goal against a team in Brooklyn's position in the table is demoralizing and McAuley felt like that goal and when it happened was vital. It really took Brooklyn out of the rest of the game. 

Within minutes of the halftime break, Indy's game goals switched to keeping guys healthy and ready to play Sunday against Oakland and keeping a clean sheet. However, second half substitute Sharp was given Indy's first red card of the season when he lashed out at a defender after just 15 minutes of action. The red card forced Indy to defend a little more on tired legs than they would have liked, but if there was ever a time in a game to get a red card, a 4-goal cushion in the late stages of a game is the right now. For a 3 games in a week scenario though, Sharp's inability to be available for Sunday's game against Oakland definitely makes things a little tricker from a personnel perspective for Sunday's game. It's really the only thing that went poorly for Indy in this game. Again, other than maybe the 7 offside calls, but even some of those McAuley will likely live with when his guys are pushing the limits at attacking a demoralized defense, this was a clinical game for Indy, offensively and defensively.  

It can be argued that teams are supposed to beat the teams behind you on the table, but Indy dismantled Brooklyn from the early moments of the game. Beating a team is one thing. Doing nearly everything that you want to do offensively and defensively against an opponent, in this league, is nearly impossible, but that's what Indy did tonight. Indy has continued to show that they know who they are, how they want to play, and for one of the rare games this season, put everything together to make a team look like they didn't know what hit them. The win also means that (at least temporarily until the weekend games happen) that Indy's three points from this game bumps them up to 6th place ahead of Louisville City who are even on points but lose the tiebreaker to Indy. Indy also has a game-in-hand on the geographic rivals to the south. Let that sink in for a minute Indy fans. In mid-September, Indy is ahead of Louisville in the table. Yes, it's middle of the table and not the top, but it's a topsy-turvy world we're living in.

The midseason player deals with Lexington have this team looking different. Again, I don't like saying it because he's still young and improving, but it seems like Neidlinger's defensive liabilities were forcing other players to cover for him, putting them out of position. With Hafferty in the lineup, who is definitely NOT a defensive liability, the rest of the players can just do their jobs too. 

Indy has just one loss in their last 7 games after their rough patch in the middle of the season. Gaining momentum late in the year when playoff positions start to become within reach is a good time to find your form. Indy seems to be gaining confidence and are getting closer to riding that confidence into a playoff position. Tonight's three points also means that Sporting JAX can't catch them. It doesn't quite do that yet for Brooklyn, but that's getting closer too. 

Indy needs to continue to live the mantra. Beat the teams behind you, get good results against the teams above, and get a little help along the way with other teams' results. Oakland come to town on Sunday, and while not a team behind Indy, they are one that is below their own playoff cut line in the Western Conference so Indy needs to use their 10W-4D-3L home record (across all competitions) to get a couple more good results in the next two games to keep building on the momentum they've had in the past couple of weeks.

Indy scored 4 goals tonight, which has happened a bakers dozen number of times previously. They've only ever scored 5 goals in a game twice; once in 2014 in U.S. Open Cup action against the Dayton Dutch Lions...also Indy's first hat trick; and once in the magical 2016 season when the Jacksonville Armada came to town. As it looked like Indy might get a 5th goal tonight and tie the team single-game goal record, it's interesting to note that the coach for that Jacksonville team was former USMNT player Tony Meola. 

Separate from the game action, but related...

Former USMNT player Brian McBride was in the press box tonight. I decided it wouldn't seem "professional" of me to ask for a picture so I can't prove it, but I had a nice conversation with him. He was honest and more open with his information than I would have expected from a visiting front office (and high-ranking one in his case) member. Not sure I would have to officially call it an "off record" conversation, but I'm going to consider some of it that. Basically though, it just felt like a couple of guys talking football about their respective teams. In his case, he did say he likes to travel with the team when his schedule allows it because it allows him to see the way his guys are playing in a much better way than via video. So here he sat in an unusually crowded Carroll Stadium press box on a Tuesday night talking to me. As I left the press box, I managed to give him a gentle joking by telling him it was a rough day at the office for his side, but thanked him for coming to Indy. Midwestern hospitality. Sorry your time here didn't go like you had hoped, but we're glad you stopped by.

I've said it over the years, but this grassroots media path that I've taken continues to give me way more than I ever gave football. Tonight's conversation with a former National Team member is just the latest example.

I love this game. 

Game Beckons Game Ball

Nope. I'm not going to give it to one person. How could I? In this kind of game, nearly every player has had to have a good game. You don't have a 4-nil performance, being down a man at the end, and have many guys on the roster have an off night. Everybody performed well. So how do you narrow it down? So I'm not going to. 

Blake and Rendon share the GBGB honors tonight. One had 2 goals and 1 assist, while the other had 1 goal and 2 assists on 4 combined shots. That's some ruthless efficiency.

Don Thompson Photography

Indy Eleven vs New Mexico United - 13.22

Summary

- Opponent: New Mexico United
- Location: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
- Attendance: 8,234
- Final Score: 2-2 D

- Starting XI: Charles-Cook, Kibunguchy, Craig, Rasheed, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, Omar, Blake, Mesanvi, Henry-Scott

- Substitution: Rendon 73' (Mesanvi), Sharp 73' (Henry-Scott)

- Unused: Dick, Barry, Mitrano, O'Brien, J., Sing

- Scoring Summary:
NM - Archimede 16' (unassisted)
NM - Hurst 18' (assist Archimede)
IND - Henry-Scott 50' (unassisted)
IND - Blake 59' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

IND - Hafferty 45'+2' (Yellow)
NM - Quiah 45'+2' (Yellow)
NM - Wilkerson 68' (Yellow)
NM - Jabang 88' (Yellow)
NM - Keller 90'+2' (Yellow)

- Referee: Igor Bych

- Adage goals: One
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

After going with the same starters for a number of games, Coach McAuley and the boys went to Albuquerque and the Western Conference leaders New Mexico United and proceeded to trot out a number of changes to the starting lineup. Not having the ability to ask Coach about the decision, after 18-minutes of game time and Indy down two goals to nil, I have to wonder if Coach thinks he made the right decision. I would like to know why he made the changes, but with Mitrano, O'Brien, Rendon, and Dick all on the bench after making the flight, it was clearly a conscious decision. Indy's defending looked terrible on both goals, and for his first league start of the year, Charles-Cook couldn't have been happy with a 2 goals against average to kick off the half.

Indy found their way back into the game after the goals ending the half with more shots than the hosts, but couldn't find anything out of their attempts and went into the halftime locker room down by two goals. First half stoppage time was interesting after a brush up ended in a couple of yellows, that from my perspective, could have both been red cards. 

Indy came out of the locker room with an increased intensity. Combined with some poor decisions of trying to play out of the back, and Indy pulled one back through Henry-Scott after he anticipated a pass and then rounded Shakes to put ball on the far side of the goal. Minutes later, Blake found a second goal as Indy worked a sustained attack on the New Mexico goal. The ball dropped perfectly to Blake who made no doubt about it from just inside the penalty spot. Indy's stepped up pressure in the second half was making New Mexico's preferred possession-based style nervous and Indy found opportunities out of their pressure.

I'm going to give the GBGB to somebody else, but Cam Lindley showed an uncanny knack tonight of being in the New Mexico passing lanes. If you've ever watched him play, his head is on a constant swivel for where he wants to pass balls when they come to him, but tonight he used that swivel to jump passing lanes to get the attack going. 

Considering the start to the game, Indy stayed true to themselves and found a couple of goals in the second half to get a deserved point on the road. Points on the road have been difficult to get this year, and to come back to Indy from New Mexico and the Lab with a point, something they've never done against the United, is worth something. Indy let New Mexico possess the ball while playing for the counterattack and it worked well. New Mexico doubled their output compared to their expected goals of 0.99xG, while Indy had a much better xG of 1.79. Indy managed more shots and shots on target. They put themselves in a massive hole early, but played a great game to get an acceptable outcome on the road to the Western Conference leaders. 

Indy return to action on Tuesday to play Brooklyn for the makeup game that was cancelled due to weather. Win the games against the teams below you, get points where you can against the teams above you. That's Indy's mantra right now. The did the second part of that tonight and will look to do the first part on Tuesday.

Game Beckons Game Ball

Jack Blake was everywhere. It was his goal that brought the game level, but he was a true box-to-box midfielder putting his stamp on the game all over the field. For his effort, Blake gets tonight's GBGB.

Indy Eleven vs Birmingham Legion - 13.21

Summary

- Opponent: Birmingham Legion
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 8,898
- Final Score: 2-2 D

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Herbert, Craig, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, O'Brien, J., Blake, Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Mesanvi 52' (O'Brien, J.); Sharp 76' (Mitrano); Sing 76' (Kizza); Rasheed 77' (Craig);

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Barry, Henry-Scott

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Hafferty 20' (unassisted)
BHM - Pasher 40' (assist Diarbian)
BHM - Williams 66' (assist Vassell)
IND - Sing 90'+8' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

BHM - Williams 32' (Yellow)
BHM - Cole 87' (Yellow)

- Referee: Atahan Yaya

- Adage goals: One
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

Indy went from 100-degree temps (but it's a dry heat) in Phoenix last week to 90-degree temps tonight in Indy with 70% humidity. Last year, it seemed like Indy constantly struggled with rain being an issue during games, but this year, the Carroll turf has spent more time with blazing temperatures than it has been under water. During last night's Purdue football game, former player Ryan Kerrigan, who is now doing commentary for BTN, was asked what advice he could offer for players in this kind of heat. Basically, "stay hydrated, drink even if you don't feel thirsty, and take salts." That's for football where players have short bursts of action, but admittedly, with much more gear. How players in this version of football routinely deal with this level of heat always impresses me. I did yard work this morning, which wasn't on a turf field that I've measured in the past at 137-degrees, and I went through a large glass of water and two large Gatorades. While I'm at it, I tip my hat to Zeke too because, damn, that costume has to be stifling.

The first real opportunity for Indy happened in the 6th minute, when Rendon jumped a pass between the Birmingham back line and immediately put it to an on-rushing Kizza who one-timed his shot, but his shot went straight to Koleilat. Minutes later, a similar chance was there but Blake's shot couldn't make it passed the first line of defenders. Like many a game this year, Birmingham looked to play a more possession-based style, but it was Indy who was getting the better of the chances at goal. Those chances were finally rewarded in the 20th minute when Hafferty blasted the ball from outside the box. From the tactics camera angle (the one behind the goal), it looked like the ball was likely headed to the upper left corner, but a deflection from Washington put the ball into the right side of the goal. Despite the deflection, the goal was still awarded to Hafferty in just his 3rd game with the team after his transfer from Lexington.

Birmingham equalized before the half by doing what Indy has done. Allow the other team to possess the ball, counter with pace, and then get one of your top players to blast the ball out of the reach of the goalkeeper. When that top player is Pasher, the goal is something that a lot of Indy fans have seen over the years. Pasher made a run into space just outside the 6-yard box around Craig and then put his left boot through the ball in a way that made it impossible for Dick to react. An adage goal by the visitors in the 40th minute and the two teams went into the halftime locker room knotted in a 1-1 draw. The halftime stats looked like two teams that were tied, with stats nearly identical to each other.

Fitting for a stadium that includes a 9-lane track around it, the early stage of the second half turned into a track meet going both directions. Both teams looked like they knew that the second goal could be the winner and the sooner they could get it the better. It meant that the ball didn't spend a lot of time in any one half, but it was slightly tilted to Indy's offensive half. That was until Birmingham pulled a bit of Indy-transition style offense as Peter-Lee Vassell attacked the Indy defense straight through the middle of the field and laid it off perfectly for Romario Williams who made no mistake about it and blasted it into the goal before Dick could react to it. That was just 1 of 2 shots by Birmingham in the second half, but it put the visiting side in the driver's seat to get the result.

Distribution - Final 25 Minutes

Indy found themselves chasing the game. 

The good news for Indy fans was that the track meet mostly stopped as it was generally one-way traffic towards the Birmingham goal. The Legion managed the one shot after their goal, but Indy's effort in the final 25 minutes resulted in 5 shots, 2 of which were on target, plus a third that ended up being the game tying goal, not counting the goal that was taken off the board that Herbert headed in but was just offsides nor the goal that went through Koleilat's hands but was ruled a foul on Sing. Indy finished the game with a 36 to 7 crosses advantage, many of which came towards the end of the game. 

Whatever you want to say about tactics, towards the end of the game, tactics went out of the window. Indy secured the point with the stoppage time goal due entirely to their effort. Yes, they were chasing the game and yes Birmingham was trying to ride out their result, but Indy fought through the evening's heat to put consistent pressure on the Birmingham goal in pursuit of the equalizer through sheer effort. It's no secret that Indy does rely on possession or the "beautiful game" to get results. Indy want to be stingy defensively and attack with speed and numbers. If you're sitting back trying to absorb pressure, you're playing right into Indy's advantages; tall defenders ready to head or boot the ball back up field when you try to clear, a trio or experienced midfielders (Blake, Lindley, & Quinn) who are experts at distributing the ball around and offering crosses, and speedy forwards ready to get on every ball pumped their way. That was the majority of the last 25 minutes. At some point, every team breaks. It took until the 90'+8' for Indy to get their official 2nd goal, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort.

If there's one thing that this season should have emphatically taught Indy fans, it's that what you do with your possession is drastically more important than an actual possession advantage. Indy actually won the possession in this game (barely...50.7% to 49.3%) mostly because of all the possession at the end of the game, but Indy was highly effective with their possession. And for all that Birmingham wanted to play "pretty," their two goals were scored on counterattacks in very much the same "ugly" style that Indy plays. Put the ball in dangerous areas, quickly, and give yourself chances to score goals all while maintaining discipline on defense. That's Indy. It didn't get them a win tonight, but it probably should have as the more than doubled Birmingham in shots and shots on target. 

There were a ton of draws tonight across the league, so Hartford's midweek win against Charleston is really the only game that affected the conference standings, bumping them up ahead of Indy and Rhode Island, but having played one more game than the two teams behind them. Indy would have definitely preferred the win, but they beat a team below them to keep that separation as we get into the final weeks of the season. 

Indy head out west to play New Mexico next Friday before returning home to play the rescheduled game against Brooklyn (on a Tuesday) and then a Sunday game against the Oakland Roots. I don't expect much from the New Mexico game given the United's current run-of-form having lost just once in their last 13 games, but the next 5 games after the NMU game are all against teams below their respective playoff cut lines (Brooklyn, Oakland, Miami, Rhode Island, and Loudoun). Indy have to maximize the number of points they can get in that run of games, because they finish with Tampa Bay (who already clinched a playoff spot tonight), Louisville (who are going to want to make amends for their recent loss to Indy), and Charleston (who are also going to want to make amends for their earlier loss to Indy), and only the Tampa Bay game is in Carroll Stadium.  

Game Beckons Game Ball

I debated going with Hafferty. Given his time in Indy, he's quickly put himself in my good graces as one of the best players on the team and that's saying something with a team that includes Blake, Lindley, Quinn, and Rendon. I'm not sure how he wasn't getting more time in Lexington because he looks amazing in McAuley's system. With limited training minutes, he's just come in and done his job. 

However, tonight's GBGB winner edges out Hafferty by just a hair. When it came down to the end of the game with Indy in full attack mode, I kept noticing the midfield players look to find out where Rendon was located. Despite having Sharp, Sing, Mesanvi, and Rendon all floating around the forward line, the midfield seemed to feel most comfortable with the idea that it would Rendon that was most capable of making a play for them. In the end, his final shot was inches from going in, but it was that shot that lead to the salvaged points. The GBGB is subjective, and tonight's subjectivity was lead by who it seemed like some of the other players had faith in. So Hafferty was deserving, but it was Rendon who gets tonight's GBGB.

Indy Eleven vs Phoenix Rising - 13.20

Summary

- Opponent: Phoenix Rising
- Location: Phoenix Rising Stadium
- Attendance: 6,127
- Final Score: 2-1 L

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Craig, Herbert, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, O'Brien, J., Blake, Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Mensavi 64' (Kizza); Rasheed 70' (Mitrano); Henry-Scott 70' (Rendon); Omar 71' (O'Brien); Barry (Craig)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Sing

- Scoring Summary:
PHX - Badji 5' (assist Sacko)
IND - Own Goal 7' (Boye)
PHX - Flores 28' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

PHX - Moursou 24' (Yellow)
IND - Herbert 59' (Yellow)
IND - Lindley 64' (Yellow)
PHX - Sacko (Yellow)

- Referee: Benjamin Meyer

- Adage goals: One
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

After a long week that included a three-day conference for my day job, and a late-night start in Phoenix, I think this game requires one of my periodic bullet point recaps:

• In the "if it ain't broke, down fix it" category, McAuley seems to have found a lineup that he likes with Indy starting the same lineup in Phoenix that started last week against Louisville. 
• Indy's start was disastrous, conceding within the first 5 minutes.
• Much like last week's second goal against Louisville, Indy immediately responded getting a goal within seconds to equalize.
• Indy fell behind in the 28th minute from a free kick outside the box that went through so many people that you have to wonder how it didn't accidentally hit anybody on its way to goal. Instead, the ball went under legs and off Dick's hand who was shielded from the ball by the mass of humanity in front of him. The goal proved to be the game winner.
• With his yellow card tonight, Lindley is now just one card away from tying Ring for the team's all-time lead. 
• With his 90 minutes tonight, Blake overtook Ayoze and now sits 2nd in terms of Minutes Played in team history, behind only Lindley. 
• With his minutes tonight, Quinn becomes the latest member of the Century Club. The current roster now includes 3 different players and a coach with that distinction at the same time, bringing a level of consistency that has rarely been seen in the club.
• Indy never gave up and had some chances to find the equalizer, but couldn't get over the line.
• Phoenix was limited to mostly shots from outside the box, including both goals, but it doesn't matter how you score, just that you score. Indy had 23 crosses, connecting on nearly 1/3 of them, but lacked the finishing touch tonight, from nearly everybody. 
• Indy's road results this season is abysmal. A 1W-3D-7L record on the road across all competitions makes for a daunting prospect for a team that if they make the playoffs will be on the road in the first game.

Indy could have helped themselves in the table with at least a point tonight, but continue to struggle to string more than just a few games together with positive results. Indy may, ultimately, make the playoffs, but it appears like they are going to make it difficult on themselves to get there. A cathartic win at home against Louisville was followed by a disappointing loss out west. Indy return home next weekend to play Birmingham, who are also struggling, getting just one win out of their last thirteen games. Hopefully Indy's ability to get good results at home (9W-3D-3L record across all competitions) shows up and they get a win against Birmingham, one of those key aspects of trying to make the playoffs; beat the teams below them.

Indy Eleven vs Louisville City FC - 13.19

Summary

- Opponent: Louisville City FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 9,542
- Final Score: 2-1 W

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Craig, Herbert, Hafferty, Quinn (C), Lindley, O'Brien, J., Blake, Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Mesanvi 68' (Kizza); Rasheed 68' (Hafferty); Henry-Scott 80' (Rendon); Barry 90'+4' (Blake)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Omar, Sing

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Rendon 31' (assist Quinn)
LOU - Adams 58' (assist Davila)
IND - Blake 60' (assist Kizza)

- Bookings:

LOU - Adams 69' (Yellow)

- Referee: Muhammad Hassan

- Adage goals: None
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

If you were looking for a night not have a poor attendance for a rivalry game, tonight was that night. The Indianapolis metro area was hosting Garth Brooks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indianapolis Indians were hosting the Louisville Bats at Victory Field, Westfield was hosting the LIV golf tournament, and both Indiana University and Purdue University begin classes on Monday so many fans were taking family members to school. That was just the obvious stuff that jumped out to me. So I put very little stock in the announced attendance for the night, but it was a good-sized crowd under the other entertainment alternatives available to folks in the not-so-sleepy Naptown area. However, the fans that were in Carroll Stadium saw something that hadn't happened since 2022. The Indy Eleven beat Louisville City. In the history of the two clubs, Louisville, rightfully, held a 13W-7D-5L advantage in the series coming into the game, but Indy pulled out a 2-1 victory to send their rivals back down I-65 with a rare defeat.

Photo Credit: Don Thompson Photography

This week, the Indy roster made some adjustments as Okello was traded to Lexington for Joe Hafferty and Malik Henry-Scott, and Kian Williams was loaned to Detroit City FC. The newest Boys in Blue were immediately inserted into the gameday roster, with Hafferty getting his first start in his first chance to do so, taking the spot that Nibunguchy filled last week. The left back spot has been a revolving door lately with neither Nibunguchy nor Neidlinger before him even making the bench tonight. Hafferty's 68-minutes of action tonight was the kind of performance that will endear him to Indy Eleven fans. Based on what I was able to get from staff and players, Hafferty had a single training session with the rest of the players, but you wouldn't have known it from his performance. That was a pro being a pro. Learn the game plan and then go do your job. That was one hell of a performance by Hafferty given his absolutely minimal time with the club.

In the game last week against Sporting JAX, McAuley pushed Quinn back into the midfield with Mitrano getting the start as the left back. The same tactic was employed tonight against Louisville City, but against a much better Louisville team, the midfield had a much flatter appearance than the Lindley/Quinn deep and Blake/O'Brien more forward arrangement that was used against JAX. 

Dick was quick off his line in the early stages of the game in a very back-and-forth first 10 minutes. It seemed like it was a very specific talking point by the team that Dick was going to need to make his presence felt against the Louisville offense. So in addition to having Blake and O'Brien sitting deeper, there was an appearance that Indy came into the game with the mentality that it was definitely all hands on deck defending by the home side. 

Indy kicked off the scoring in the 31st minute when the midfield effort was rewarded. Louisville tried to force a ball through the middle of the field that a sliding Lindley picked off directly to Quinn. Quinn one-touched the ball up the field to Rendon who used his noggin as his first touch to settle the ball to where he wanted it. Then Indy's leading scorer (the latest to reach double-digits in scoring for the season), drove a ball across the turf across the goal and under Faundez who couldn't get down fast enough to make the save. As has been stated ad nauseum this year, Indy couldn't care less about the possession difference and their lack of holding onto the ball (which was 70/30 at that point in the game) if their style of play results in opportunities on goal. Heading into the halftime locker room, Indy had a drastic disadvantage in the possession, but held the advantage in shots, shots on target, and most importantly on the scoreboard. 

Louisville City found their own goal in the 58th minute when Adams redirected a corner kick that Dick acted like he thought it was going to drift wide, but it tucked into the side netting to even the scoring. Minutes later, though, Kizza (more on him in a bit) dropped a ball off to Blake who blasted the ball to the left side of the goal beyond an outstretched Faundez. The flurry of goals nearly continued with the visitors getting their own opportunity seconds after the restart, but didn't find the goal. 

At that point, it became apparent that this game was going to go until the very last seconds with Louisville needing to chase the game. A team chasing the game plays into Indy's style of play of defend and counterattack, so it felt like the 2-1 score line was not going to be the final score. After the Indy goal, the field tilted in Louisville's favor as they pushed to find the equalizing goal. Nine of the visitor's 19 shots came after the goal, all of them after the 80th minute when McAuley replaced Rendon with Barry, signaling that it was time for the Indy players to lock-in defensively from top to bottom, with only Mesanvi left on the field for his counterattacking speed. Despite 6-minutes of stoppage time, Louisville City was unable to get a second goal and the home side found a rare win in the series. 

Indy will look to keep the momentum going with a trip out west to play Phoenix next weekend before returning home for Labor Day weekend to play Birmingham. Indy will want to get good results against both teams, who currently sit below their conferences respective playoff lines, before heading back out west to play the Western Conference-leading New Mexico United.

Hi Olivia! Thanks for reading.

Game Beckons Game Ball

As I've stated before, many times the GBGB doesn't always go to the player that scores the goal, or gets the assist, or that even has eye-popping stats. Sometimes it's just the player that keeps catching my eye making, or trying to make, good plays. Tonight, that was Kizza. Again, his stats aren't spectacular. He lost a lot more duels than he won. But his effort was great, and he kept putting himself into positions to try and help the team. He regularly dropped back towards the midfield to make himself available for the ball, while also understanding that in this version of the 4-4-2, he had to be available going forward. His hold-up play might have been one of the best we've seen from the team this season. He's had to come off the bench a lot this year and isn't averaging a ton of minutes, but he put in a shift tonight that was good for the team.

Honorable Mention:

Apparently, Kibunguchy's injury last week helped keep him out of the lineup tonight which is what allowed Hafferty to get the start in the game, but his play tonight might keep Kibunguchy on the bench even after his injury heals. As I mentioned before, that was one hell of a performance from a guy with almost no time with the team before tonight's game.

Photos: Don Thompson Photography