Indy Eleven vs Birmingham Legion - 12.10

Summary

- Opponent: Birmingham Legion
- Location: Protective Stadium
- Attendance: 
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Sulte, McRobb, Musa, Ofeimu, Hogan, Blake, Murphy, Quinn (C), Rendon, Lindley, Amoh

- Substitution: O'Brien, J. 69' (McRobb); Kizza 69' (Amoh); Bryneus 77' (Lindley); Soumaoro 77' (Blake); Collier 90' (Quinn)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Foster

Scoring Summary:
IND - Lindley 4' (assist Blake)

- Bookings:

BHM - Centeno 16' (Yellow)
IND - Musa 27' (Yellow)
BHM - Damus 70' (Yellow)

BHM - Hernandez-Foster 75' (Yellow)

BHM - Torres 76' (Yellow)
IND - O'Brien, J. 90'+1' (Yellow)
IND - Murphy 90'+4' (Yellow)

- Referee: Elton Garcia

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

Both needed points from the game. Both really needed a win from the game. There had never been anything but a draw in the history of the series between the two clubs, with the record even for both teams with 6 wins and 6 losses. Based on past experience, it would have been a good bet that one of the teams was going to get the full three points. Indy fans rejoiced the continuation of that trend thanks to a 4th minute strike from Cam Lindley that gave Indy an early lead that they wouldn't relinquish. 

In the first of two games between these two teams in the month (today's league game and at Indy as part of the Jagermeister Cup group play at the end of the month), and the first of three games on the season, both teams had to deal with some squad adjustment due to injuries and international call-ups. One of the beneficiaries of those adjustments for Indy was Cam Lindley who picked up his first league start of the season. With the start, Lindley overtook Franco for Games Played in team history. More importantly though, Lindley made the best use of his start by blasting a shot into the lower left side of the goal from well outside the 18-yard box. 

Musa was given a introduction to the speed of former Indy player Tyler Pasher for Birmingham's first shot of the game. Sulte was able to parry away the shot for a corner kick, preventing Birmingham from getting on the board. The next time the two faced each other, Pasher's speed and footwork with the ball was more than Musa could handle and he had to drag down the speedy forward, resulting in a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box. There was a foul on the restart, but Pasher doesn't seem to have lost any of his pace since his time in Indy. 

Half - Heatmap

Pace though, despite Pasher's periodic displays of it, was not the theme of the first half. Whether it was the heat of the Alabama night or tactics, but neither team looked inclined to put too much speed to their actions for chunks of the half. Obviously, there were the occasional bursts, but taken in its entirety, the half was played slowly and deliberately. Each team was above 85% passing accuracy for the half, with Birmingham at 87% in Indy's half of the field. The first half was spent mostly around the middle circle, with both teams content to let possession there happen there. If I was trying to be clever, I guess I could try to say "what happens at half field stays at half field" might be a thing. Not being clever, the first half really looked like two teams that have struggled for consistent results playing the first half trying to figure out how to get a result. Indy scored early and looked content at times to just let that one ride, without taking too many chances that would get them out of defensive shape. For a team that has conceded untimely goals, there's some logic to that, but the 86-minute bunker never seems to go that well. Birmingham, despite a 7-3 shot (most of those well off target), didn't look like they had any ideas on how to break the bunker. So to Indy's credit, the bunker did seem to work in the half. 

Early in the second half, Indy's passivity was not matched by Birmingham, who finally looked like they had a fire lit under them by Coach Mark Griggs during the halftime break. Whereas their first half position was hovering around the midfield circle, their line of conflict in the second half was further up the field. The change in their mentality led to some early shots, including one that rattled the post. 

Then the game, already at a measured pace, ground to an absolute stop when referee Elton Garcia stopped the game, reportedly, due to abusive language from the Birmingham fans behind the Indy goal. The delay added 7 minutes of stoppage time, but play did resume after some warnings from the public address announcer. 

Full - Shots

Despite being on the wrong end of nearly every statistical category (shots, shots on target, possession, duels, aerial duels, corners, passing accuracy, crosses, crossing accuracy, tackle success rate), Indy were on the right end of the score, getting a much needed 1-nil win on the road. It wasn't the 3-3 fireworks from the last game, but Indy's ability to make Birmingham shoot from distance was the difference tonight. Birmingham outshot Indy 21 to 5, but many of those shots were well high or wide. They did seem to be narrowing that window as the game progressed so if they had some more time, maybe the 6 shots they had on target would have been more threatening. Regardless, Indy will take the win and get back to Indy as quickly as possible, knowing they finally have their second league win a full third of the way through the league schedule. Still a lot of season to go, but as the saying goes, "if you want to get out of a hole, you have to first stop digging." Indy did that tonight with the win.

Indy now have 10 days off before returning to The Mike to face another team desperate to get positive results when Pittsburgh makes the trip to Indy. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

The guy has been getting mop-up minutes in most games, but has seemingly continued to work hard during training, and has had a professional attitude about his minutes. A game winner on the road and a good shift in his first league start of the year means that Cam Lindley also gets the GBGB. I'm sure he'll enjoy the goal and the win a lot more than a recognition from me, but I continue to be impressed with Lindley and the effort he gives in his limited minutes this season.