Indy Eleven vs Sporting JAX - 13.18

Summary

- Opponent: Sporting JAX
- Location: Hodges Stadium
- Attendance: 1,366
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Dick, Mitrano, Craig, Herbert, Kibunguchy, Blake, Quinn (C), Lindley, O'Brien, J., Kizza, Rendon

- Substitution: Rasheed 60' (Kibunguchy); Mesanvi 77' (Kizza); Barry 77' (Mitrano); Sing 88' (Rendon)

- Unused: Charles-Cook, Okello, Omar

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Own Goal 90'+2'

- Bookings:

JAX - Wilson 23' (Yellow)

JAX - Mota 72' (Yellow)
IND - Craig 73' (Yellow)
JAX - Alvarado 76' (Yellow)

- Referee: Joe Surgan

- Adage goals: None
- Points Lost from Winning Position (Year To Date): 10

Thoughts and Opinions

For full transparency, I did not watch this game live. Nor even on Saturday. I spent the day with my daughter for move-in day for her first day of college. By the time we returned home, I was in no mood to watch the game, and definitely not at a level to write about it. So I watched it today. Distractedly...as I did some of my other normal weekend jobs. So we're going to keep this short and simple today.

This game looked exactly like what we've come to expect from Indy Eleven. Concede possession. Stay compact and disciplined on defense. Counterattack. Don't get beat by the teams lower than them in the table, and try to get results from the teams above above them. Throw in some set piece chances and that's Indy's method of operation these days.

In the Jacksonville temperatures and humidity, Indy kept the game close for as long as possible in the first half, and then stepped up their effort in the second half. Indy's defense has, mostly, been acceptable during the recent rough stretch, but their finishing in the final third has been severely lacking, and this game was no different. Indy managed 19 shots to Sporting's 5, but Indy were only able to put 4 of their shots on target. Eventually, Own Goal, finally got involved and provided the stoppage time game winner for the visitors. 

Coach McAuley, seemingly hamstringed by the constant injuries, threw in a wrinkle to this game in an attempt to get his most talented (and healthy) players on the field. Mitrano started in the left back position and Quinn moved into back into his preferred midfield position, setting Indy up in a 4-4-2 arrangement with Quinn, Blake, Lindley, and O'Brien in the midfield. The four players constantly switched locations with each other in their attempt to control the midfield and keep Sporting JAX on edge on where any of the four of them might turn up on the field. With minimal options, McAuley once again showed he's trying to put out of a lineup from the roster he has into winnable positions. 

Indy picked up a much needed win, and despite a 0 goal differential on the season, moved up a couple of spots in the table. Don't lose to the teams below them. Check. 

Indy return to action this coming Saturday against Louisville at Carroll Stadium in this year's first edition of LIPAFC. Indy will be at home with their own fans. However, I have a hard time thinking that Indy will get a good result out of the game, but they continue to fight until the end of games so maybe they can do something unexpected. Try to get good results against the teams above them. Guess we'll see if they can take this game's win and do something positive with it.