Indy Eleven vs North Carolina FC - 12.04

Summary

- Opponent: North Carolina FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 2-2 D

- Starting XI: Sulte, Ofeimu, Hogan, Musa, Stanley, Murphy, Quinn (C), Bryneus, Blake, Foster, Kizza

- Substitution: Neidlinger 80' (Bryneus); Amoh 87' (Kizza)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Collier, Lindley, McRobb, O'Brien, J.

Scoring Summary:
IND - Somersall 26' (OG)
IND - Kizza 48' (assist Foster)
NC - Conway 51' (assist Dolabella)
NC - Donovan 93' (assist Maldonado)

- Bookings:

IND - Murphy 6' (Yellow)
IND - Musa 8' (Yellow)
NC - Mentzingen 13' (Yellow)
NC - Somersall 45' (Yellow)
NC - Craig 81' (Yellow)
NC - Servania 84' (Yellow)
IND - Quinn 89' (Yellow)

- Referee: Edson Carvajal

- Adage goals: One

Thoughts and Opinions

Indy Eleven hold an 11W-4D-5L record against the franchise from North Carolina, including a 4W-1D-1L record as competitors in the USL (leaving a 7W-3D-4L from the old NASL days), but the two teams split the season series last year with both teams winning their home matches. Indy came into the game as 3-2 losers to last year's reigning champions Colorado Springs Switchbacks, while North Carolina came into the game as winners of their past two, the most recent a 2-1 defeat of the Charleston Battery. In a soggy and lightly attended Carroll Stadium, Indy started a bit slow, but turned into the dominant team in route to a 2-2 draw. That's right, the dominant team in the match had to share the points after giving up two goals, the second of which came within stoppage time of the second half.  

In the early stages of the game, Indy finally looked like the team that McAuley indicated preseason that he wanted this year's team to be, as they spent a large amount of time in North Carolina's half of the field. Both teams also saw a significant amount of referee Carvajal's yellow card, as he was free and quick with trying to manage the intensity of the game in the wet conditions of the field.

Bryneus - 1st Half Distribution

Indy's attack lived on the left side of the field as Indy worked much of their effort through Bryneus and Stanley. Indy looked like they saw something in the matchup between Bryneus and Washington that they thought they could exploit. With some early crosses and shots, that evaluation of the NC squad proved to be correct as Bryneus finished the first half with 1 chance created, 3 crosses, and 2 shots on target, and could have easily had two goals if not for some good last-ditch defending and goaltending. I don't know how NC finished the half winning the possession battle, but that was about the only place where NC were statistically the better of the two teams in the first half. Indy walked into the halftime locker room soaked, but clearly the team that deserved the early lead, even if the goal was officially scored as an Own Goal.

Indy shot out of the locker room with the same intensity and were rewarded with an immediate goal to extend their lead. However, Indy has yet to keep a clean sheet this season and three minutes after Indy's second goal, NC put themselves on the board to bring the game back within a one-goal deficit. Indy's early inability to capitalize on their multiple opportunities put themselves back into a position where the game was still there for NC to steal points on the road. The weather had marginally improved, but the wet turf stays wet turf for a long time and Indy needed to make sure that they didn't put themselves in any situations where a poor touch on the wet turf would undue their good play.

Indy gave up a late stoppage time free kick. Maldonado put a ball into the 6-yard box and Donovan rose highest to head it back the other direction and out of reach of Sulte. Just like that, every good thing that Indy did during this game from an offensive perspective, was completely undone with poor defending. 

Indy Eleven have lead in all 4 games that have been played this season. In this game, they had a two goal lead. From a leading position, Indy are now 1W-2D-1L. If the team can't figure out how to hold onto leads, and extend them when they were the better of the teams on the night, this is going to be a long season. The team heads to Hartford next weekend who have scored once in 4 games. It's early in the season, but Indy need to expect to go to Hartford with a win and a clean sheet in mind as the only acceptable outcome of the game.  

The Game Beckons Game Ball

He didn't get rewarded for his effort with a goal, but Bryneus showed tonight why Coach McAuley has called him a good young talent, who just needs to translate what he's been showing in training into the games. Tonight looked like a good step in that direction. For his overall effort and effectiveness on the left side of the field, Bryneus just edges Foster for me for tonight's GBGB.