Indy Eleven vs OKC Energy FC - 08.05

Summary

- Opponent: OKC Energy FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 3,999
- Final Score: 1-1 D

- Starting XI: Farr, Hackshaw, Malic, Ouimette (C), Gutjahr, Law, Seagrist, Moon, Wild, Smith, Arteaga

- Substitutions: Koffie 66' (Gutjhar); Hamilton 66' (Smith); Vassell 77' (Wild); Cochran 77' (Malic)

- Unused: Edwards, Timmer, Sissoko

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Moon 42' (assist Wild)
OKC - Lopez 69' (assist Coronado)

- Bookings:
OKC - Daniels 65' (Yellow)

- Referee: Calin Radosav
- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

I'm not sure what I expected when Rennie brought back the 3-4-3 formation. Maybe that it would happen with the guys from the SKCII game. Maybe that the end result would be the same as the result of the SKCII game. Maybe those are just unreasonable expectations when post Louisville City FC bunker, Indy was playing 3 games in 8 days, 4 games in 11 days, and 5 in 18 days. So some roster adjustments were in order, an 80+ degree day was in play, and some of the guys who started were seeing their first action of the season. 

As a result, the pace of the game for Indy in the first half became much less active in the second half. Indy started the game well with the run of play clearly in their favor. In the 42nd minute, a well placed corner from Wild found the well placed header from Moon and Indy found themselves leading going into the halftime locker. After halftime though, Indy could not sustain their energy, and then by extension, their lead. Coach Rennie said it best during the post-game press conference:

"We were winning and were looking fairly comfortable, but instead of staying focused on what we do and how we play, I felt that we were more just hoping to get through the second half."

"Hoping to get through the half."

That's not a way to win a game and in the 69th minute, they were unable to get through the half as Lopez found the goal after getting to a Coronado cross to even the game. As the starters' legs and energy began to falter, Rennie began his substitution pattern hoping to get in fresh legs to get the game back into the positive side for Indy, but the substitutions never looked like they were fully in the game either. Almost like an emotion late win over a regional rival took a lot of out them. Given the long preseason and the long season still remaining in front of them, it's a little disappointing that the team didn't look to be in better form for a full 90 minutes.

After the Louisville game, I thought it was a win that felt like a loss, and after this game it was a draw that felt like a loss. I'm hoping that there's a win on Saturday against Memphis that feels like a win again.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

I gave the defense the love last week and I still want to give Law some credit for his effort, but you have to reward Moon for his effort. His effort was finally rewarded with a goal and Indy fans can only hope that turns into more goals from him.