Indy Eleven vs Columbus Crew - 2023 U.S. Open Cup

Summary

- Opponent: Columbus Crew
- Location: Lower.com Field
- Attendance: 2,000ish
- Final Score: 0-1 L

- Starting XI: Oettl, Rissi, Jerome, Vazquez, Dambrot, Lindley (C), Blake, Quinn, Robledo, Martinez, Tejada

- Substitution:  Guenzatti 66’ (Tejada); Asante 80’ (Robledo); Boudadi 80’ (Martinez); Rebllon 80’ (Dambrot)

- Unused: Trilk, Diz Pe

- Scoring Summary:
CLB - Farsi 83’ (assist Moreira)

- Bookings:

IND - Vazquez 88’ (Yellow)
CLB - Degenek 90'+ (Yellow)

- Referee: -

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

I'm not sure what Paul Lowry* could have done differently in this U.S. Open Cup game against the MLS's Columbus Crew. Indy Eleven defended, and generally defended well, for the majority of the game. Paul Lowry*, seemingly, didn't go into the game against Columbus with the same kind of game plan that he has been employing this season during the league games, which is possess, possess, possess, and try to find a seam in the defense to get a goal. I wouldn't call it a full Lowry Bunker (TM), but the team looked to be more content to defend, defend, defend, and counter at appropriate times. 

Unfortunately, Columbus just looked like a better, faster team. When the team did try to counter, Columbus' defenders were more than capable enough, and faster than the Indy forwards, to quickly squash the Indy opportunities, which weren't very many. All of Indy's players defended well enough to take the game to the late minutes in a scoreless fashion, but the one time that both the defenders and Oettl failed to make a stop in the same play, CLB's Farsi put the home team up and sent Indy Eleven home.

Despite continuing to have a short bench due to the recent injury to Fjeldberg (a toe injury that will likely keep him out for a few weeks) and the unspecified disappearance of Torres (that I questioned after the Monterey game could be an impending loan/trade), Coach Paul Lowry* was able to rotate a few players and get some minutes for guys that are returning from injuries. Indy's U.S. Open Cup failures are consistent from season to season and from coach to coach, and lower division teams beating MLS teams doesn't happen very often, so Paul Lowry* isn't going to get fired for a 1-nil loss to Columbus. Indy fans can be disappointed the team has never won more than one game in a season in the tournament, but Indy's recent league struggles are probably more worrisome at the moment. A quick turnaround game against Pittsburgh at home concerns me more than a loss to the Columbus Crew on the road.

 Indy return to Carroll Stadium on Saturday to play the Riverhounds in an attempt to stop the losing streak, which now sits at 3 in a row in league play and 4 in a row in all competitions. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Many times, people have the tendency to say, "if it wasn't for the play of [insert goalkeeper's name here], this game would have been a lot worse." That's why teams play with 10 field players and a goalkeeper and not just 10 players. Defenders would play a completely different style of game if there wasn't a goalkeeper behind them. Against Columbus, Indy went with the crazy tactic of playing with all 11 players. That 11th player, Oettl, played a stellar game, making a total of 7 saves on 8 shots on target. In a game where Indy defended for large stretches of the game, the defenders were inclined to have some mistakes, and Oettl was there nearly every time to keep the mistakes from turning into goals.

Indy Eleven vs Columbus Crew - 2014 U.S. Open Cup

- Opponent: Columbus Crew
- Location: Akron, Ohio
- Attendance: 1,913
- Final Score: 2-1 (loss)
- Starting XI: Nicht (Captain), Corrado, Norales, Okiomah, Estridge, Pineda, Ring, Moore, Smith, Ambersley, Mendes
- Substitutions: Mares (Okiomah), Spencer (Ambersley), Smart (Mendes)
- Goals: Smith (62')
- Bookings: Mendes (27'), Corrado (46'), Estridge (78'), Norales (95'), Moore (105')

Another mid-week game, though this one was several hours away, so my recap consists of watching the online feed. 
Video replay here.

The Indy Eleven have made a habit of falling behind teams this season and their Open Cup match against the Columbus Crew was no different.  A 4th minute corner kick and header and the Indy Eleven found themselves in their familiar, but undesirable, position of having to play from behind.  A position that is difficult enough against fellow NASL teams, but is magnified against a MLS team like the Crew.  Luckily, and I've been saying this since the beginning of the season, the Indy Eleven have talent and as much fight as any team I've ever watched.  This team does not give up, no matter the score.  They were further helped out when a red card was issued to the Crew's Adam Bedell for a challenge against Estridge.

Which leads me to the second theme of the game, which is missed opportunities.  Bedell was sent off in the 32rd minute, which meant that the Eleven had 58 minutes of regulation of a man advantage to pull even and go ahead.  Yet, they only managed to get one goal despite the advantage.  While I can't find the stat to confirm it, my feeling is that even though they were down a man, the Crew held the advantage in possession.  Then there was the second red card shown to a Columbus Crew player in the 110th minute, giving the Eleven a two-man advantage for the last ten minutes of the match.  And yet it was an Energizer bunny type run from Ethan Finlay that gave the Crew a back breaking penalty kick in the 114th minute and a one goal lead once again. 

It's those kinds of moments that have continually hurt the Eleven this season.  An early goal to fall behind and then a penalty kick as time is winding down are the things that need to be fixed.  Maybe the break will be that opportunity for the team to work on fixing some of the mental lapses and solidify their communication.  As you may have noticed from the starting lineup, the Eleven started a new player in Victor Pineda, who comes to the Eleven on loan from the Chicago Fire less than a week ago.  Much in the same way that Blake Smith started playing in games immediately after joining the team on loan from the Montreal Impact, Coach Sommer is getting these guys into games nearly as soon as they arrive.  This speaks to their ability, but I have to wonder if the continued jostling of the lineup is helpful.

Team captain and iron man (by my account the only man to have played in every single minute of every game) Kristian Nicht played a great game and I have to wonder when Don Smart gets rewarded for his effort and gets to start a few games in a row.  That guy has brought immediate energy and offense in every single game as witnessed by his assist to Blake's goal in the 62nd minute.

This recap may sound like I'm down on this team, and while I don't like watching them continually lose, I'm really not down on them.  There is talent, there is effort, and time will help with their familiarity with each other to hopefully limit some of their errors.  The wins will come and a hard fought overtime battle against a MLS level team might just be the spark that, while difficult right now, will get this team to win some games this fall NASL season in a month.