Indy Eleven vs OKC Energy FC - 08.28

 

Summary

- Opponent: OKC Energy FC
- Location: Taft Stadium
- Attendance: 3,677
- Final Score: 1-1 D

- Starting XI: Edwards, Timmer, Adewole, Ayoze (C), Partida, Koffie, Gutjahr, Seagrist, Torres, Law, Arteaga
- Substitutions: Sissoko 63' (Partida); Doyle 74' (Ayoze); Ouimette 74' (Adewole): Liu 86' (Torres)
- Unused: Farr, Moon, Wild

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Arteaga 12' (assist Ayoze)
OKC - Adekoya 87' (assist Basuljevic)

- Bookings:
OKC - Chavez 28' (Yellow)
OKC - Batista 65' (Yellow)
IND - Arteaga 67' (Yellow)
OKC - Cochran 82' (Yellow)
IND - Cochran 90'+3' (Yellow)
OKC - Bijev 90'+3' (Yellow)

- Referee: John Matto|
- Adage goals: One

Thoughts and Opinions

Here is the good news from tonight's 1-1 draw with OKC: 

• Indy didn't lose. 
• Indy scored a goal. 
• Both of which they hadn't done in three games. 
• Indy had as many shots on target in this game as they had in the previous three. 
• Arteaga scored the run-of-play goal. 
• Indy had an 80% shooting accuracy. 
• Indy had an 81.3% tackles success rate (compared to the 25% in the game on Sunday). 
  
• Partida played fairly well and was one of just a few who seemed to press hard on defense early in the game.
• Indy is still mathematically eligible for the playoffs.

Here is the bad news from tonight's 1-1 draw with OKC:

• With tonight's goal, Indy has scored 28 goals in 27 games, while conceding 39.
• Arteaga had a penalty kick saved in the 81st minute.
• OKC scored in the 87th minute.
• Indy remains planted in 7th place in the table.
• Indy lose another tiebreaker with a team in the 4th playoff spot hunt. Indy and OKC split the season 1W-2D-1L, but the next tiebreaker is goal differential in head-to-head matches, which goes to OKC 5-4.
• You can only Rennie Rogers Bunker(TM) for so long. 
• Indy used their final sub in the 86th minute. OKC score the game tying goal in the 87th minute and Wild and Moon are sitting on the bench next to Farr.
• Mathematically eligible isn't the same as realistically eligible.
• In my recap for the Tulsa game on September 8th, I estimated that Indy probably needed at least 5 wins and a draw to make the playoffs. Since that game, Indy has picked up 4 points out of a possible 15. With five games remaining, against ATL2, BRM, LOU, TUL, & MEM, I have even less hope they can get enough points to make the playoffs with only 15 points available. 

Random Thoughts:

• Indy came into the game in 27th place in the USL's Power Rankings. What do you notice about the teams below them? That's right, they are all last place in each of their respective divisions, including Loudoun who is already eliminated from the playoffs (and embarrassed Indy 4-1 earlier this year). 
• Admittedly, I don't watch every single game across the USL Championship, but Indy has to have the slowest counterattacks in the entire league. There is absolutely no urgency in the majority of them lately.
• With guys like Ayoze, Law, and Wild who can provide great service, why does Indy get cute with their corner kicks and free kicks in the final third? Put it into the mix where you have Arteaga and Timmer (and Ouimette and Hackshaw when playing).
• Farr has had some difficult bounces go against him this year, but Edwards' inability to play with both feet is a nerve wrecking affair for a team that tries to play out of the ball, seemingly at all cost. 
• When does Indy run out of "must win" games? Soon, right? Then it's just playing for pride?

The Game Beckons Game Ball

As I said in the "good news" portion of my thoughts on the game, I thought Partida put in a good shift. Considering his limited time with the team, I thought he was effective in his role.