Indy Eleven vs Racing Louisville - 03.01

Summary

- Opponent: Racing Louisville
- Location: Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 3-1 W

- Starting XI: Blair, Sexton, Cherry, Cuneio, Snyder, Darey, Rogers (C), Pelkowski, Mitchell, White, Chester

- Substitution: Jacomen 45' (Mitchell); Unkraut 59' (Cherry); Adam 59' (Darey); Thompson 68' (Chester); Smith 68' (White); Johnson 68' (Pelkowski); Weiger 73' (Blair)

- Unused: 

- Scoring Summary:
IND - White 7' (unassisted)
IND - Cuneio 47' (unassisted)
IND - Jacomen 59' (unassisted)
LOU - Coffield 89' (assist Schupansky)

- Bookings:

None

- Referee: Shelby Breeze

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

With new players, probably for each team, the early minutes of the game had a definite feeling out look to it. Indy's leading scorers in Williams, Soderstrom, & Dewey, while on the roster, didn't even make the trip much less be in the starting eleven. Neither did Bahr. So while the team has some familiar names from previous seasons, today's lineup was predominantly a new set of faces for fans to learn, and a different group of players of which to start creating defensive and offensive stats. 

One name that I noticed on the roster and immediately wondered why I knew the name was Abby Unkraut. It was only after thinking about it for a minute did I realize it was because I complimented her play in my article about Indy's very first USL W-League game in 2022 against Kings Hammer. Unkraut was a player on that team. The now sophomore at the University of Georgia has come to Indy to play her summer soccer instead of returning to Kings Hammer

There was an early shot for Indy from Rogers, proving that the old guard was still making an impact. About a minute later, Rogers forced a corner kick by attacking her defender, who blocked Rogers' cross attempt. Nothing seemed to came from the team's first corner of the season, however, the ball stayed wedged deep in Louisville's half of the field. When a ball was played back to Brandon, White pressed the keeper hard and Brandon lost the ball to White, who calmly slotted it into goal to start the season's goal scoring. 

After the early goal, the game settled into a fairly even affair with both teams getting good looks at goal. Louisville probably held a small advantage in possession, but just barely. Indy, however, had the more threatening chances, and definitely lead in offside calls. It's difficult to see from the camera angle, but at least one or two of those seemed close. It's early in the season, so Indy will figure out that timing as the players get more used to each other, their tendencies, and their speed. 

While there wasn't any commentary for the game (it's Racing, so we're lucky there was a stream at all), but it was clear from the on-field audio that Racing's coach, Callie McKinney, wants her team to be a high-pressing team. She constantly yelled for her players to push whenever Blair had the ball. Having watched her team concede a goal by doing that very thing must have been frustrating. "[insert name of player] Higher!" was yelled so many times it was like a laugh track on a 90s sitcom.

Indy started the second half the same way they started the first half, in Louisville's box from a corner kick, and getting another early goal to double their lead, just minutes into the half. Suspecting that these two teams could be the ones vying for the Valley Division's lone spot in the playoffs, getting the second goal was an important confidence booster. Though taking their foot off the gas has never been in this team's DNA, and they nearly scored a third just five minutes later.

When they did score their third right before the 60-minute mark, the goal became getting game minutes for other players and keeping a clean sheet for the goalkeepers. Before the referee whistled for play to resume, Coach Dolinsky already had two subs ready to come in. Minutes later, he made three additional substitutions to use every single field player on the game day roster. Minutes later, Dolinsky had cleared the bench of all subs when Weiger came on for Blair in goal. Indy fans don't need me to tell you, but Indy's club leader in minutes played, Rogers was NOT any of those subs.

Unfortunately for Indy, the clean sheet wouldn't come to pass. A late corner kick by Louisville ran across the goal face before Coffield from Louisville finally found a foot to it and redirected it into the goal. The goal prevented a very solid effort from the Indy goalkeepers, but the win remained intact. As we've seen in the past, goal differential can be an important part of who moves on and who doesn't, so Louisville fighting for the goal could come back into player later in the season. For the night though, Indy and their fans will take the win, knowing that they played a good team and came out winners.

Indy have their home opener next Monday night at Grand Park as the second game in the club's packed week of 5 games in 8 days. The aforementioned Kings Hammer come to Indy to experience once again, the volume of noise created by the Indy fans and the BYB inside the Grand Park Event Center.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

There was the little glitch at the end giving up the late goal, but I thought the combined efforts of Blair and Weiger were really good. They controlled their box and made good saves. Even the last minute goal from Louisville, a few different Indy players had a chance to clear the ball, so I don't think you can completely put that one on Weiger. Regardless, on a night where multiple players played well, I want to reward the goalkeepers for their effort tonight against a good Louisville team. So Blair and Weiger combine for the GBGB.

Indy Eleven vs Miami FC - 11.10

Summary

- Opponent: Miami FC
- Location: FIU Soccer Stadium
- Attendance: If a tree falls in the woods but nobody is there to see it...
- Final Score: 3-1 W

- Starting XI: Oettl, Ofeimu, Chapman-Page, Diz Pe, Stanley, Gibson (C), Mines, Wootton, Guenzatti, Martinez, Williams

- Substitution: O'Brien, J (15' (Chapman-Page - injury?); Boudadi 45' (Mines); Lindley 56' (Gibson); Collier 56' (Guenzatti); Blake 77' (Wootton) 

- Unused: Sulte, Schneider

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Diz Pe 41' (assist Stanley)
MIA - Luisinho 56' (unassisted)
IND - Williams 67' (Penalty Kick)
IND - Williams 70' (assist Stanley)

- Bookings:

IND - Gibson 3' (Yellow)
MIA - Cardona 19' (Yellow)
MIA - Lopez 31' (Yellow)
MIA - Mitrano 45'+1' (Yellow)
IND - Lindley 61' (Yellow)
IND - Williams 90'+2' (Yellow)

- Referee: Muhammad Hassan

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

If Indy fans came into the season looking for consistency in a starting lineup, they have been disappointed. Indy, once again, trotted out a different lineup today against Miami FC, with both Lindley and Blake starting on the bench, with Mines and Wootton getting starts in their place. Also notable given his recent run-of-form, Sulte found himself on the bench as well, giving Oettl his first start in 4 games. The starting lineups also had a feel of "same name, different jersey" as Indy started four different players that were recently on the Miami FC roster (Stanley, Chapman-Page, Mines, and Ofeimu), while Miami started recent Indy Eleven player Danny Barbir and Molina came into the game at the half. 

The early stages of the game were very disjointed. Plenty of fouls (23 total in the first half) and stoppages for "injuries" from physical plays made the game feel like the kind of game were the number of yellow cards could reach near double digit level. Gibson started the yellow card proceedings with an unnecessary tug of a jersey in the 4th minute and it only proceeded from there. Both teams had arguments for additional yellow cards, but the teams went to the locker room with a total of just four yellow cards (three for Miami, and just the one early one for Indy). 

Indy settled into the game with the better chances in the first half, and Williams had some opportunities to get the goal scoring started, but seemed to be off with his shots, sending 3 of Indy's 8 shots in the direction of the goal, but his shots never felt that threatening as he was leaning back in his shots or from awkward angles. It wasn't until the 41st minute that a corner kick from Stanley that found the head of Diz Pe to get the scoring started. The teams headed to the locker room with Indy leading in nearly all the statistical categories, but most importantly, on the scoreboard.

Both teams made substitutions coming out of the locker room, and Indy nearly doubled their lead within the first 5 minutes, but Williams' yips continued after the break. Boudadi, who came on for Mines, intercepted a pass and put a perfect cross in front of goal that Williams bobbled, then left footed the ball wide of the goal from within a few yards of the goal.

Immediately after Indy made more substitutions for the night in the 57th minute, there was a play in Indy's box where Diz Pe was fouled by Lopez. The foul wasn't called and the ball trickled to Luisinho who scored past Oettl. Indy very rightly felt aggrieved by the lack of non-call on Lopez, but it looked like Williams' inability to get a goal was going to come back to haunt them. 

A few minutes later, Lindley was forced to pick up his third yellow card of the season on a professional foul, but he laid into the rest of the Indy players for their lackadaisical defending that forced him to make that foul. Within 6-minutes, Indy found yet another "ball don't lie" moment this season when Boudadi was taken down in the penalty box, forcing the referee to point to the spot. For all his wayward shots up to that point, Williams calmly stepped up to take the penalty kick and sent Gagliardi the wrong way to  restore Indy's lead.

Three minutes later and Stanley continued his fine assist form and put another ball into the path of Williams who redirected it into the Miami goal. Once Miami found themselves down two goals, the rest of the game played out with a professional approach from Indy with solid defending and Miami struggling to put shots on target. Oettl was credited with just a single save, as Miami's shots were rarely on target and some were barely in the vicinity. 

The yellow card total settled down, but still finished at six for the game. There were 36 fouls called on the game, so the weather seemed to tire the players enough to take some of the physicality out of the game. Though the spread out nature of the closing minutes could have been a part of that too as the players weren't in as tight of quarters.

Indy are now on a 6-game undefeated streak across all competitions (and 4 in league play) and head home to The Mike this coming weekend to play Hartford. While the teams around them have game(s)-in-hand, the win also catapulted Indy into fourth place on the table. Given the way that they started the season, it's been an impressive run from Indy recently.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

I know I was a bit critical of him at times in this article, but Williams accounted for 9 of Indy's 17 shots, which was 1 more than the entire Miami team had with 8 shots. While I think he would agree that if he was a bit more clinical (at least two of his shots should have been handled better), this game wouldn't have even been close. For now though, a brace and the effort to try and make a difference edges him for tonight's GBGB over Stanley who finished with SEVENTEEN crosses and 6 chances created. Outside of Blake, Stanley has been the most consistent offensive weapon and he nearly picks up tonight's GBGB as a result. 

Indy Eleven vs San Antonio - 2024 U.S. Open Cup

Summary

- Opponent: San Antonio FC
- Location: Sellick Bowl at Butler University
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 2-0 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, O'Brien, J., Ofeimu, Diz Pe, Stanley, Lindley (C), Blake, Guenzatti, Mines, Martinez, Williams

- Substitution: Boudadi 57' (Mines); Gibson 57' (Lindley); Ikoba 72' (Martinez); Collier 72' (Williams); Schneider 73' (Boudadi - seemed to be due to an issue with his contacts)

- Unused: Oettl, Wootton

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Williams 2' (unassisted)
IND - Blake 10' (assist Stanley)

- Bookings:

SA - Hernandez 20' (Yellow)
SA - Chol 41' (Yellow)
IND - Guenzatti 58' (Yellow)
SA - Burks 66' (Yellow)
SA - Lacey 69' (Yellow)

- Referee: Kyle Johnston

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

While I love the US Open Cup, it was either head to Butler University and the Sellick Bowl or go to my daughter's track meet. Sorry boys, my daughter's more important. She set a personal record so I'm glad I didn't miss that. Plus, this is my side gig, so I have the freedom and flexibility of discussing, roughly, at my leisure. So you're getting my thoughts a day later.

I might be a bit late discussing it, but Indy didn't show up late for this game. They stepped onto the field last night like they had been drinking Red Bull, while San Antonio looked like they were running in wet concrete. Indy was in a different gear to start the game, and if I'm honest, looked like the team that I think McAuley was saying he wanted them to be when he talked in preseason. They pressed San Antonio to the point where it was nearly impossible for San Antonio to get out of their own half. That effort resulted in a 2nd minute (1 minute 12 seconds) goal by Williams that McIntosh couldn't corral.  

Just like that, Indy had the game winner. They obviously didn't know that was going to be the case, but the goal stood as the winner for the next 88 minutes and 48 seconds. There was an 8th minute handball in the San Antonio box that wasn't called, somehow called Indy offside instead, which could have made it 2-nil within 10 minutes. Then minutes later, Indy did make it 2-nil with a 10th minute "ball don't lie" moment to make up for the non-called handball. Another clear chance late in the half would have made it 4, while San Antonio had maybe a couple of half chances in the first half that forced saves from Sulte, but were mostly from distance giving him time to react. Going into the locker room, Indy had and deserved their lead. Indy felt good about the way they dominated the half, and had a two-goal lead to show for it. 

Indy are now undefeated in Open Cup games at the Sellick/Butler Bowl. The field looks like it is difficult to play on, but Indy have found a way to come out victorious each time they have played there. 

Indy will now continue their Open Cup run in the Round of 16 on May 22nd when they host fellow USL Championship team Detroit City at Carroll Stadium. The team have already played each other this season, at Carroll, with Detroit coming from behind to get a 2-1 win thanks to an 88th minute goal from Rodriguez. Detroit has played well to start the season, but Indy seems to be playing better recently. Knowing that a quarterfinal game could be waiting for them, I'm guessing both teams are going to take the game seriously. Unfortunately, Indy will play the previous Saturday against Hartford, and the following Saturday against Phoenix, while Detroit, on the other hand, will have 18 days between league matches. They play this Saturday (the 11th) and then don't have another league game until the 29th (a full week after the Open Cup game). They are going to be rested going into a match on the 22nd, and won't be worried about roster rotation nor saving energy. They'll probably also have a good traveling contingent with them, so that will be a tough game for Indy, despite having the home-field advantage.

This was a good win for Indy, and now they shift their focus back to the league as the travel to Miami for a game on Mother's Day Sunday. Miami has also struggled out of the gate this season so Indy will look to expand upon their current 5-game undefeated streak across all competitions that started with the US Open Cup win against the Chicago Fire II.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Sulte. Yeah, I know Indy scored two goals within 10 minutes, and could have scored more. Hunter Sulte had 6 saves to hold onto the clean sheet as San Antonio tried to get back into the game in the second half. A clean sheet win in the US Open Cup to get to the Round of 16 gives Sulte the edge for the game's GBGB.

Indy Eleven vs Monterey Bay FC - 11.09

Summary

- Opponent: Monterey Bay FC
- Location: Cardinale Stadium
- Attendance: 4,504
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, O'Brien, J., Ofiemu, Diz Pe, Stanley, Lindley (C), Blake, Guenzatti, Mines, Martinez, Williams

- Substitution: Collier 64' (Guenzatti); Ikoba 64' (Williams); Gibson 76' (Martinez); Wootton 90'+2' (Blake)

- Unused: Oettl, O'Brien, E., Schneider

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Collier 88' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

IND - Stanley 71' (Yellow)
IND - Diz Pe 74' (Yellow)
MB - Archimede 75' (Yellow)
MB - Fehr 87' (Yellow)

IND - Blake 90'+2' (Yellow)

- Referee: Corbyn May

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

A 10:00 Eastern start time for Indy Eleven meant that I had time to watch the new episodes of season 3 of Welcome to Wrexham. My only concern about watching it before Indy played is that I already feel like I temper some of how I write depending on my mood. When I watch a couple hours of Phil Parkinson saying "f**k" a couple dozen times, I had to make a more conscience effort to not let Phil's favorite word slip into what I write about Indy. Let's be honest, Indy has been deserving of some of Phil's four-letter fury at times this year. Against Monterey Bay the past two seasons, Indy have deserved an absolute Parky drubbing, beating Indy in both of their matches, by a combined 8-2 score. So as I watched Wrexham's early season struggles as they began their foray into League Two, I couldn't help but think that Indy needed to show fight and get something positive out of their west coast trip to continue their recent two-game undefeated streak.

The first 15 minutes of this game was back-and-forth, but slightly tilted towards Indy's favor with 4 shots for Indy and 1 for Monterrey, none of which really bothered either goalkeeper. However, the game was not lacking for action. It also saw Diz Pe continue his early season trend of bombing forward from his centerback position. Something that Ofeimu did in the next 15 minutes. Watching Indy's two centerbacks go forward is a surprising effort for this Indy team, particularly considering that Indy has yet to keep a clean sheet. Getting your centerbacks that far out of position forcing other players to cover for them, is a bold choice. Whether that's a practiced tactical decision or just player decisions is unknown, but it's not a decision that immediately jumps to mind as a good one.

For all the attacking Indy had in the first half, they were credited with just 1 shot on target and that didn't happen until the late minutes of the half. They were getting into good positions to score, but there seemed to be a hesitation to put balls on frame unless there was a wide opening. Unless, of course, your name is Blake and he finished the half with 1 shot, 1 shot on target, and 3 blocked shots (though to be fair, I think the shot on target should have been credited to Guenzatti). Regardless, possession was basically equal, but both team's possession was in Monterey Bay's defensive half of the field. Indy will be happy to feel like they dominated the half, but they needed to come away with more for their effort. Monterey Bay played for the counterattack, and had their fair share of shots, but it still feel like Indy were the better side. Given Indy's recent results against MB, that was good to see.

If I could offer some constructive criticism for the Monterey Bay telecast and/or the Monterey Bay operation crew? Figure out how to show the game without the sign board washing out the action on the field. The game looked like it was being played in haze any time the game was anywhere in the midfield.

Now back to our regularly scheduled game discussion. 

Everything I said about the first half applied to the second half. Back-and-forth. A significant portion of the game in MB's defensive half. Poor final product from both teams in their final decision in the opposing boxes. 

Until...

In the 88th minute, Indy worked the ball around through the midfield to Stanley on the left side. Stanley put a ball across the face of goal, which Siaha felt he needed to parry, but it was a weak clearance that proceeded to bounce around off players. The ball eventually landed in front of Collier, who proceeded to blast it over Siaha and in the process gave Indy all three points on the road and their first clean sheet of the season. 

The teams finished with nearly equal shots on target, and I think a draw would have been a fair result given the poor effort from both team's around the opposition's goal. Given Indy's propensity to concede poor goals this season, the clean sheet feels more impressive to me than the goal and the win. I question some of the defensive decisions, but they were able to get it done tonight (and this morning for those of us in the Eastern time zone).

Indy stay on the road next week against Miami, but have a midweek game against league foe San Antonio in the U.S. Open Cup at Butler. When Indy return home to play Hartford on the 18th, the club will have four games to watch as the women will start their home games that week with a game on Monday and a game on Wednesday, bookended by the men's game against Hartford and a game against Phoenix. Plenty of soccer to watch in the coming weeks for the club.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

It pains me a little to give the GBGB to a person who had 4 passes, completing just 2 of them, lost more duels than they won, and lost more aerial duels than they won given their height, but when you make the most of your 1 shot on goal by scoring it in the 88th minute, and give the team a win when it looked like a draw was going to be the extent of the game's effort, then I'll give you the GBGB. Collier found himself in the right spot and took a shot. He didn't look to pass. He didn't blast it over the top of the goal. He purposefully, and forcefully, shot the ball into the goal in a way that Siaha didn't have time to react. In a game where players struggled to do that, Collier gets the edge on tonight's GBGB. 

A resolution for a second stadium location

Tonight, I read through Resolution #2024-E-021  (that was approved with a 7-1 vote) from the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) that creates a second professional sports development area, seemingly in competition with the one we all expected was being created for Eleven Park. This resolution and step from the MDC is consistent with what Mayor Hogsett indicated he had begun doing when he made the MLS bid announcement last week. The resolution was approved without public comment, sending a bunch of Indy Eleven supporters home early. The supporters were there to offer their opinion on this new professional sports development area versus the one that was believed to have begun when Indy Eleven and Keystone began demolition on the Diamond Chain site for Eleven Park. The Commission voted, and then moved on with their regularly scheduled meeting agenda items, which included a good discussion about the horrible athletic facilities for Crispus Attucks High School for those that stuck around.

The resolution has a bunch of legal language so it's not all the easiest read, but this quick post (insomnia is good for something I guess) is a summary of some of what I think are interesting pieces of the resolution: 

• It looks like the Mayor is trying to take full advantage of the non-contiguous language from the original law. Properties are scattered throughout downtown. I found the property owners of every single property listed and seemingly all of them are existing businesses or City-owned properties. Many of them are parking lots, including a bunch of lots located south of Lucas Oil Stadium.
• Notable City-owned or adjacent properties include the old City Hall and its parking lots, the City Market, the Marion County Jail. 
• Other notable (one will be discussed in more detail later and so isn't listed here) properties include the Stutz Building, the Gold Building, Shapiro's, Emmis Entertainment, 1 North Pennsylvania, and a few Eli Lilly parking lots.
• I'm not sure how well the use of existing properties meets the language of the law that allows for the professional sports development area. I reread the language from the law (insomnia is rough, ya'll), and Section 5.(b)(3) states, "the project...will protect or increase state and local tax bases and tax revenues." Utilizing a bunch of existing properties doesn't really "increase" the bases or revenues. The stadium should though. Maybe that's enough.

There were two addresses that were listed separately from the rest of the properties. Interesting about those were that they just happen to be addresses for the Circle City Mall that was recently acquired by Hendricks Commercial Properties. Bottlework, which is also a Hendricks Commercial Properties property was also listed with the larger list of properties. It really makes me wonder how much more Hendricks may be involved in this process, MLS bid, etc. I can't imagine their part of the MLS bid application unless the MLS ownership group reached out to them as their developer in lieu of Keystone. 

The rest of the language seemed pretty consistent with the law language. It did say that if Tax Area #1 is used, then Tax Area #2 is terminated, and if Tax Area #2 is used, then Tax Area #1 is terminated. This clearly pushes Keystone's property out if the Mayor's area gets used. 

This is just my opinion, but it seems like Mayor Hogsett is trying to expedite the process by using existing properties as part of the "development," which could also coincide with a cheaper stadium. So instead of trying to find financing for a $250M stadium plus another +$750M for the development pieces, the entire thing gets simplified to just funding for just a stadium, maybe in the $100M to $150M range, which makes everything get done easier and faster. If that opinion has any merit, why he seemingly isn't discussing that with Keystone is unknown to me. Or maybe those conversations have taken place and Ersal and Keystone have not been receptive. Maybe Ersal's consistent appearance that he wants to remain the majority owner and do things his way is playing into the Mayor's actions since there is a time crunch on the law. Maybe Ersal is his own worst enemy right now.

Maybe my gut feeling that the Mayor didn't look like he was happy about last week's announcement, because he knew how it would be perceived, was accurate. Maybe he's trying to find some kind of loophole in the law by using the existing properties to provide a lifeline to Ersal/Keystone/Indy Eleven and not a noose. It's a weird way of going about it, but until we hear more from everybody, it feels like we're getting two sides of the story, when we all know there are three; his, his, and the truth.

Again, I really don't know, but the singled out appearance of Hendricks Commercial Properties, who have experience with developing a stadium, really caught my attention, and now has my brain going in overdrive, which is why I'm writing this as 2:00 AM.

Links for you to do your own reading:

Meeting Minutes
Declaratory Resolution