Indy Eleven vs Birmingham Legion FC - 09.34

Summary

- Opponent: Birmingham Legion FC
- Location: Protective Stadium
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 3-1 L

- Starting XI: Lewis, Vazquez, Jerome, Cochran, Dambrot, Timmer, Hackshaw (C), Revolorio, Asante, Tejada, Arteaga

- Substitution:  Rivera 70' (Tejada); Ayoze 70' (Timmer); Pinho 83' (Arteaga); Sanchez 87' (Asante)

- Unused: Trilk, Aguilera

- Scoring Summary:
BHM – Martinez 25’ (assist Dean)
BHM - Kasim 29' (assist Martinez)
BHM - Santos 61' (Penalty Kick)
IND - Pinho 83' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

IND – Hackshaw 45'+1' (RED)
BHM - Asiedu 55' (Yellow)
IND - Timmer 57' (Yellow)

- Referee: John Griggs
- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

To say this season didn't go as hoped is an understatement. No team that isn't a 2 team of the parent club plans to miss the playoff. However, when you win your 12th game of the season, but don't win again until your 25th game of the season, the odds are really high that you're going to miss the playoffs. The final nine games of the season for Indy Eleven were more about trying to find a consistent run of form than trying to realistically make the playoffs. The Eleven were better in the final ten games of the season going 6W-2D-3L, but were still inconsistent in that period. When they were bad, there were some terrible results, being outscored 12-2 in the losses.

A starting lineup that included Revolorio, Jerome, Cochran, Vazquez, Dambrot, Timmer, and Hackshaw seemed like Coach Lowry was setting the team up for defensively heavy tactics. Yet, Timmer, Hackshaw, and Vazquez were extremely fluid in their positioning as they rotated between who was going to be in the defensive midfielder role(s) and who was going to be the left midfielder role of the diamond. Hackshaw was frequently seen up on the top line as well. The left side of the field was constantly in flux. The right side of the field was not nearly as fluid.

Defensive mistakes continue to be the thorn in the side of this team. Tonight's mistakes were by Vazquez who was involved in both of Birmingham's first two goals. Admittedly, BHM had been repeatedly knocking on the door before the goals, but mistakes being immediately punished by a goal has been a theme this year. 

A glacial pace from an offensive side in the final game of the season didn't help for how this game proceeded. Pass. Collect. Pass. Collect. Switch directions. Pass. Collect. Pass. Etc., etc., etc. BHM had little trouble with Indy's attack as the ball slowly went side-to-side for large portions of the game when in Indy's possession. 

Indy finished the first half with one shot and one less player. 

Arteaga with the one shot in the 20th minute. 

Hackshaw got tired of watching this shit too so he found a way to get out of it via a straight red in the 45'+1' due to throwing a poor punch at Alex Crognale. I think he was just trying to shove Alex, but the entire motion looked like a punch. 

This is the kind of season where Indy can't even throw a punch correctly.

With that, I'm finished. The second half will be whatever it is.

Indy are now, officially, finished with the match portion of the season, and will be spending the next couple weeks watching the playoffs on their couches like the rest of us. For many of them, they will spend that time wondering if they will be returning to Indy or packing their things and heading to other locales. I don't know what Coach Lowry's and the team's schedule looks as far as announcing those changes, but the guys tend to have their contracts through October. So I wouldn't expect to see any announcements from the team prior to that. Though you may start to see individual players' social media feeds start to give hints on their status prior to the team's announcement. Ayoze won't be the only one not returning though.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

I'm writing this at halftime, so I'm inclined to just turn off my computer and call the end of the season right now. At this point of the game, Arteaga gets the GBGB.