Indy Eleven vs Cosmos - 01.23

- Opponent: New York Cosmos
- Location: New York, New York
- Attendance: 6,225
- Final Score: 0-0 T
- Starting XI: Nicht, Norales, Miller, Hyland, Franco, Smart, Pena, Mares, Pineda, Ambersley, Rugg
- Substitutions: Frias 27' (Hyland - Injury), Johnson 69' (Smart), Jhulliam 78' (Mares), Ambersley out with injury 87'
- Goals: None
- Bookings: Ambersley 82' (Yellow), Norales 85' (Yellow)

I'm not sure why the Indy Star couldn't have put together more than 26 words about this game.  I didn't watch anything more than the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, the YouTube highlights video, the Eleven game recap, and the stats for the game and I still saw at least five different things worth mentioning in my first look at everything.

1. The Cosmos took 7 shots and Nicht made 7 saves on the day, while the Eleven were able to only tally a single official shot on goal.  That effort gives Nicht only his third clean sheet of the season.
2. Charlie Rugg got his first start for the team only 2 days after being loaned to the team by the L.A. Galaxy II.
3. Supersub Don Smart made his 6th start for the team, his first in 7 games.
4. Kyle Hyland started at left back only to have an ankle injury in the 27th minute forcing Coach Sommer to use one of his substitutions early in the game.
5. That substitution would become important as Mike Ambersley was taken off the field in the 87th minute with a possible concussion.  All three subs had been used at this point, so the Eleven played a man down for the last 3 minutes of regulation + 6 minutes of stoppage time.

All that is not including the fact that the Indy Eleven lost nearly all of the major statistical categories and yet still managed to play the Cosmos to a nil-nil draw. Their third draw of the season against the Cosmos. The third place in the Combined Standings, appear-to-be-safely-in-the-"Championship," defending NASL Champions, Cosmos.

Or the fact that the game was called by one of the most famous voices in American soccer by JP Dellacamera.

Or the fact that before he was injured, Hyland had a great save of a shot off the line in the 13th minute after Nicht was beaten.

Or that Nicht is up for a Play of the Week thanks to a spectacular save in the 76th minute of a penalty kick from 35 yards away that was deflected on its way towards Nicht (Fine.  In the Star's defense, the Plays of the Week were selected after the Sunday edition of the paper would have been printed...)

Maybe they'll have more to say after the Eleven get their first home win in an upset over the top ranked Minnesota United this weekend.

Highlights