Summary- Opponent: Atlanta United 2
- Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium
- Attendance: 693
- Final Score: 1-0 W
- Starting XI: Trilk, Revolorio, Jerome, Cochran, Dambrot, Brown, Ingram (C), Aguilera, McQueen, Arteaga, Rivera
- Substitution: Timmer 45' (Revolorio); Pinho 67' (Arteaga); Asante 67' (McQueen); Tejada 76' (Rivera); Ayoze 76' (Aguilera); Hackshaw 87' (Ingram)
- Unused: Vostal
- Scoring Summary:
IND - Dambrot 23’ (unassisted)
- Bookings:
ATL2 – Tiente 28’ (Yellow)
IND - Revolorio 40' (Yellow)
ATL2 - Centeno 56' (Yellow)
ATL2 - Carleton 88' (Yellow)
- Referee: Alyssa Nichols
- Adage goals: None
Thoughts and Opinions
I'll be honest with you. A midweek game on the road against the, by record, second worst team in the conference, a day after I received my Covid booster and flu shot, a detailed discussion of this game wasn't on the top of my to do list. So we're going to be a little sparse tonight. It's the end of a long, less than ideal, season. Try not to hold against me that I phone this one in a bit.
ATL2 gave a 16 year old his first start in goal. Indy gave Revolorio (a 19 year old) his first start on the backline. Indy gave Rivera (an 18 year old) his second start of the season. Indy made multiple changes to their starting lineup, giving Asante, Ayoze, Hackshaw, Pinho, Tejada, and Timmer a break with reduced minutes knowing that the team in front of them in the table comes to Indy on Saturday while ATL2 had 11 days since their past game. ATL2's bench was made up entirely of teenagers.
So both teams weren't exactly going at this with their first teams either, even though Indy needed the win more than ATL2 to achieve their stated end-of-the-season adjusted goal of being the top team of the non-playoff teams. Were they trying to win? Sure. This looked like a game that was exactly like it was. Two teams trying to get to the end of the season on as much of a high note as possible, while also keeping everybody healthy, and building for the future.
In the end it was some really good goalkeeper play from the ATL2 teenager, and a moment of brilliance from Robby "when I score I score game winners" Dambrot. Dambrot continues to remind me of former Indy Eleven player Nemaja Vukovic, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. He is unafraid to take on players, is more than willing to get into the attack, and generally looks frustrated and pissed off when another pass goes backwards instead of forwards.
The game finished with ATL2 trying to get the equalizer, and Indy defending. Indy's last shot of the game came in the 57th minute. Indy's second half substitutes, the normal starters and veterans, did exactly what you want them to do in this kind of game; kill off the ATL2 attacks, counter at appropriate times, and get out of Kinnesaw, Georgia with a win. At this point of the season, that's about as much as you can ask for from the team.
Indy return home on Saturday to play FC Tulsa, to try and solidify their "best of the rest" standing after being able to give many of the starters some rest during a 3 game in 7 day stretch. If Coach Lowry is to be believed after Sunday's game, the team will be attempting "to try and entertain the fans," and an attempt at an attempt at a multi-goal game might be in the works.
The Game Beckons Game Ball
I would be remiss if I didn't give props to Justin Ingram for his first captain armband of the season. Clearly, Coach Lowry was rewarding him for the play that J.I. has demonstrated this season. I think he should be one of the players that returns next year.
However, the GBGB goes to the goal scorer in Dambrot. His left-footed curler in the 23rd minute was a thing of beauty. He looks like a guy that knows one level of way to play, and that's all out. Like Ingram, I would expect his is on the short list of players that Lowry will want to return next season.
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