Indy Eleven vs Hartford Athletic - 13.03

Summary

- Opponent: Hartford Athletic
- Location: Trinity Health Stadium
- Attendance: 2,400
- Final Score: 2-2 D

- Starting XI: Dick, Quinn (C), Craig, Herbert, White, Lindley, Sing, Okello, O'Brien, Mesanvi, Rendon

- Substitution: Mitrano 45' (Sing); Thomas 71' (Mesanvi); Kizza 84' (Okello)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Gavilanes, Rasheed, Williams

- Scoring Summary:
HFD - Anaku 33' (assist Diz Pe)
IND - Okello 48' (assist Lindley)
IND - Rendon 72' (assist Thomas)
HFD - Own Goal 89' (O'Brien)

- Bookings:

IND - Herbert 31' (Yellow)
IND - Mesanvi 66' (Yellow)
HFD - Makangila 82' (Yellow)

- Referee: Elton Garcia

- Adage goals: One.
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 2 

Thoughts and Opinions

Hartford Athletic have three players on the roster that are former Indy players (Siaha, Diz Pe, & Augi Williams). All three made the starting lineup today in a cold and windy Trinity Health Stadium for Hartford's home opener. 

I said it after the Detroit game, Indy is going to have some bumps this year. Against Detroit, Indy found enough goals and held on defensively to get a win. Tonight, however...

Indy scored three goals. Unfortunately, one of those was an Own Goal by O'Brien late in the second half to send the visiting team back to Indianapolis with two less points than it looked like they were going to do. A minute before the goal, Herbert saved a shot off the line from Augi Williams to keep Indy in the lead. The corner kick that followed would see Indy's issue from last year of conceding goals from winning positions reared its head again and the ball found its way to the back of Indy's goal. 

The good news is that Indy came back from a goal down in the first half to take the lead. The fight continues to be there. There are really good moments. Lindley's quick restart, Thomas' cross, and Rendon's finish on Indy's goal was top class from all three players. 

Indy's issue of not playing a full 90-minutes is going to be something that the team is going to continue to figure out how to solve because it looks like it's still going to be an issue this year.