Indy Eleven vs San Antonio FC - 11.15

Summary

- Opponent: San Antonio FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 10,491
- Final Score: 1-0 W

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

- Substitution: Wootton 60' (Guenzatti); Collier 73' (Mines); Gibson 90' (Blake)

- Unused: Oettl, Henderlong, Ikoba, Schneider

- Scoring Summary:
IND - Own Goal 29' (Burks)

- Bookings:

IND - Ofeimu 2' (Yellow)
SA - Taintor 32' (Yellow)
SA - Chol 50' (Yellow)
IND - Mines 52' (Yellow)
SA - Gomez 54' (Yellow)
IND - Chapman-Page 79' (Yellow)

- Referee: Adam Kilpatrick

- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

Thanks to the U.S. Open Cup, Indy and San Antonio had the rare opportunity for multiple interconference matchup games against each other in a season without it being a playoff game. Indy faced off against San Antonio in early May in the USOC Round of 32, coming away from the Sellick Bowl with a 2-nil victory behind goals from Blake and Williams in the first 10 minutes of the game. Including that earlier game against San Antonio, since that May 8th victory, Indy has scored 17 goals in all competitions and have conceded just 4, getting 3 clean sheets in the process. Indy is on a 5 game home win streak, a 7-game win streak in league play, a 9-game win streak across all competitions, and an 11-game undefeated streak. Conversely, in that same timeframe, San Antonio has just 1 win and a record of 1W-1D-4L and hovering just above the Western Conference's playoff line. To use an Ocean's Eleven joke, "apparently, he's [they've] got a record [injury report] longer than my... well, it's long." Their injury report is longer than any report I have seen in quite some time. Eight players were listed on their report, forcing San Antonio to suit 5 Academy players for their substitutes. It's hard to overcome that level of unavailable players very often.

Despite their limited bench, San Antonio took the early part of the game to Indy, spending a significant amount of time in Indy's defensive half. On a night where the temperature at the starting whistle was hovering higher than 80-degrees, it's a reminder that San Antonio are used to these temperatures.

Just before the 15th minute, Chapman-Page's right arm was hanging out away from his body when a shot was blasted off of his arm. The handball rule can be a tricky one, as it was definitely ball to hand because it would have been nearly impossible for him to get his arm away from contacting the ball due to the proximity of the shot, but if a referee doesn't call that one, they'll never call a handball. It was whistled for a penalty kick and without much protestations from the Indy players about the actual call. However, when the penalty was awarded, the Indy players were irate about a high boot from SA that wasn't called that happened in the build-up to the shot that resulted in the penalty kick, when the same infraction by Ofeimu resulted in a yellow card in just the 2nd minute. Hernandez stepped up and went to his right. Unfortunately for him, but good for Indy, Sulte went to that same side making the save. As Sulte collected the ball and picked himself off the turf, you could nearly hear Indy fans throughout Carroll Stadium saying "ball don't lie." The save allowed Indy to stay in the game, and shows how well things are going for Indy right now during this run. Sure it helps when your goalkeeper is 6'-7", but he still needed to go the correct direction and make the save.

Fifteen minutes of back-and-forth action eventually led to a corner kick from Indy. The resulting service from Stanley was redirected nicely into Indy's goal...by Burks. Stanley's continued great service once again led to an Indy goal. It just wasn't an Indy player that found the ball first. In 15 minutes, Indy went from appearing that they were going to have to chase the game to being ahead. LaCava found a shot less than 10-minutes later that was textbook way to break a defensive line, but Sulte once again came up big with a kick save that took more of San Antonio's steam away from them. San Antonio's own goal was the difference between the teams as they went into the halftime locker. Looking at the halftime stats, SA could feel a bit upset that they were behind at the break as most of the stats were skewed their direction.

San Antonio's deficit and lack of bodies on the bench began to show itself in a physical way and they tried to just make the game ugly. Yellow cards starting to be shown more, sometimes in the wrong direction. Mines' yellow card resulted because he threw a player to the ground that had placed a shoulder into Mine's chest when Adam Kilpatrick, the referee, was looking elsewhere. It's always the second player that gets caught, and by itself, Mine's infraction could have resulted in a red card. The yellow card wasn't the correct call, but it was a fortunate one, that allowed Indy to stay at full strength.

As the half progressed, Indy tilted the field in their favor, but couldn't find the insurance goal to put San Antonio away. The precarious advantage was nearly undone by Chol in the 80th minute when he brought down a ball from Hernandez behind the Indy back line, but lifted his shot just over the bar into the top of the goal. Much like the "ball don't lie" feeling after the penalty save, a collective "whew" could be felt from the Indy fans.

When the fourth official raised the board and showed the stadium that there would be an additional 5-minutes of stoppage time, Indy fans had no idea they would spend the entirety of that time on the edge of their seat, hoping that their team could prevent a goal from San Antonio and see out the victory. Indy Eleven had to weather a barrage of corner kicks, a couple of them arguably unnecessarily, as San Antonio made a final push to equalize and Indy had difficulty clearing the ball. In two minutes of game time, Indy faced not one, not two, not three, but four corner kicks. Just as time was about to expire, Burks, who was responsible for the Own Goal, nearly made up for his earlier mistake with a shot from well outside the box that he dragged just barely wide of goal. An outstretched Sulte might have been able to get to it had it been on frame, but another "whew" from Indy fans could be felt throughout the stadium. San Antonio knew that was their last chance, and the final whistle was blown shortly after Sulte kicked the ball back into play. 

Indy extends all the streaks. With upcoming games against Orange County, Rhode Island, and Loudoun, all teams hovering around their respective playoff cut lines, it's amazing to think that Indy could realistically continue those streaks until Indy faces Tampa Bay on July 20th and in the process tie the club record for undefeated streak set by the benchmark team for club success, the 2016 squad that made it to the NASL Soccer Bowl. 

Indy has won in multiple different ways during this undefeated streak and tonight was more of the same. It wasn't completely pretty and nobody from Indy scored a goal, but much like the women's game earlier this week, it took a gritty performance to come away with the win. Indy will, probably, lose at some point, but this undefeated streak is enjoyable if a bit nerve-wrecking to watch at times.

Indy return to The Mike next week to play another Western Conference opponent in Orange County.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

C'mon man! You all know who gets tonight's GBGB. Two shots on target. Two saves. One a penalty kick save and the other a kick save on a breakaway. The man with a very vocal preteen/teen girl fan club gets the GBGB.

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

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 San Antonio - 10.34

Summary

- Opponent: San Antonio FC
- Location: Toyota Field
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 3-3 D

- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Vazquez, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Velasquez, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)

- Substitution: Robledo 59' (Velasquez); King 59' (Lindley); Pinho 77' (Martinez); Reveno 77' (Boudadi); Chapman-Page 85' (Diz Pe)

- Unused: Crawford, Molina 

- Scoring Summary:
IND – Blake 9’ (assist Lindley)
IND - Guenzatti 37' (unassisted)
SA - Patino 45'+4' (penalty kick)
IND - Diz Pe 54' (assist Lindley)
SA - Oluwaseyi 58' (unassisted)
SA - Taintor 88' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

SA - Taintor 8’ (Yellow)
IND - Lindley 24' (Yellow)
IND - Martinez 36' (Yellow)
IND - Boudadi 45'+2' (Yellow)
IND - Asante 45'+3'; 61' (Yellow, Yellow, RED)
IND - Diz Pe 67' (Yellow)

SA – Lamar Batista 74' (Yellow)
IND - King 90'+8' (Yellow)

- Referee: Elijio Arreguin

- Adage goals: Two

Thoughts and Opinions

The USL Championship is going to USL Championship. By that, I mean that things never really seem to go as expected. Coming into the weekend, the top of the table was set. Pittsburgh couldn't be caught for first. Tampa Bay couldn't be caught for second. Charleston couldn't be caught for third. However, spots 3 through 8 were unsettled. 

A Memphis draw would have given them 53 points and they would hold the tiebreaker over Louisville even if LOU won, giving MEM 4th place. A LOU draw would give them 51 points and would hold the tiebreaker over Indy if Indy were to win and get themselves to 51 points. If Indy drew and BHM won, they would be even on points, but Indy would take 6th due to the second tiebreaker. BHM would get 7th, and Detroit and Miami were battling it out for the 8th spot against Pittsburgh and Sacramento, respectively. So MEM, LOU, and IND just needed to draw their games and playoff positions would have been more or less set, with the exception of the Detroit and Miami battle.

However...

MEM started the weekend's proceedings on Friday by floundering to a 4-1 defeat against New Mexico United in Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. That meant that the draw that LOU likely would have been working towards at home against TBR flipped on its head because a LOU win meant that they would leapfrog MEM and finish fourth to be able to host a playoff game. Knowing that LOU were going to be going all out against TBR meant that they would make themselves susceptible to a loss against a TBR team who didn't have anything to gain from the game, but also wouldn't want to roll over and let LOU win. So Indy went from considering a draw against San Antonio as fine to thinking that a win in Texas and a TBR win in Kentucky would mean that Indy would finish in 5th. Finishing there doesn't help Indy host a playoff game, but it does feel nice to finish ahead of the consistent winners of Louisville.

With the exception of the psychological advantage of finishing higher up the table than your rival, I kind of preferred Indy finishing in 6th. A 5th place finish would mean a return trip to the potentially atrocious field in Memphis that they saw last time Indy played against MEM. A 6th place finish means a trip to CHS, a team that Indy had success against this season. Admittedly, the first win (a 4-nil victory in CHS) was helped out by the 1st minute red card showed to Archer, but Indy found ways to score in that game. Indy has a 4W-2D-2L record against CHS since entering the USL, and a 3W-1D-0L record since the pandemic. Coming into the game, I was okay with a 6th place finish. 

So what could have been a ho-hum weekend at the top of the table turned into an absolute dog fight after Memphis' loss. As Indy were getting started, they would have already known that BHM had lost to CHS so there wasn't anybody behind them that could supplant their position in 6th even with a loss. So a move up the table was definitely possible if they wanted to go all out. They would have also been able to see that LOU v TBR was at halftime with a 3-1 score in TBR's favor after TBR scored in about 30 seconds after the starting whistle, and LOU was throwing the kitchen sink at TBR to get the win after going down early, getting gifted an Own Goal, giving up a penalty kick that was missed, and then conceding two goals from Jennings in rapid succession. Indy would have known that a move up the table was possible.

Whatever they knew coming into the game or whatever team they would have preferred to play, Indy came out against San Antonio and found an early goal in the 9th minute on a long cross from Lindley that ran through most of the 18-yard box before finding Blake who put the ball passed Marsman. Indy looked like a team that was wanting to win this game, results in the table be damned. San Antonio had their own chances early, finishing the half with 7 corners and 6 shots (3 on frame) to Indy's 1 and 9 (4 on frame), respectively. Yet Indy is setup perfectly to play on a a field like Toyota Field which has a natural turf surface, and Indy consistently, and easily, moved their possession style through the San Antonio midfield in the first half. San Antonio nicked a stoppage time penalty kick goal when Boudadi was charged with bringing down Bailone, who looked to me like he did as much of the pulling down as Boudadi did. Either way, the teams went into the halftime locker with Indy still up a goal to find that Louisville had lost to Tampa Bay. 

Then, as the USL Championship is want to do, the game descended into Crazy Town. Diz Pe scored a goal to give Indy their third goal on the night. Five minutes later, San Antonio found another goal on a scramble situation when Trilk had one of his rare mistakes on the night and was unable to collect the initial shot cleanly. A few minutes after that, Asante picked up a second yellow card on a fairly light call after getting his first yellow in stoppage time of the first half due to arguing the penalty kick call, forcing Indy to finish the game down a man. Now up a man and down a goal, it was a frenetic finish to the final 30 minutes as San Antonio fought for an equalizer, which they managed to do in the 88th minute. Indy closed out the remaining 2 minutes + TEN MINUTES of stoppage time (originally shown as 5 minutes) to see the game, somehow, finish in a 3-3 draw.

It's the kind of draw that feels like a loss that feels like a win. Let me explain. Indy should have won this game. Until Asante's untimely dismissal from the game, Indy controlled the midfield and looked like the team that we all expected them to be when the roster was announced so many months ago. So when San Antonio found their equalizer, it felt like a loss. Yet, by not picking up all three points, Indy drop back down to the position on the table where they have spent 8 of the last 9 weeks of the season, 6th place. That means they head to Charleston and not Memphis. Again, I don't know the team's preferred location, but I think going to Charleston is a better situation for Indy than Memphis.

Indy will be on the road to start the playoffs. With this season, just about anything can happen and likely will, but Indy are playing good soccer right now and will be doing so on another grass field in Charleston, where their style of play works well. Tonight's game followed much of this season's frustration of results that didn't match performance, but I don't think the result was necessarily a bad thing for Indy. With the obvious exception of losing Asante, who has been playing really well in recent weeks. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

I don't normally like to give the GBGB to the same player in back-to-back games, but Trilk deserves it again tonight. San Antonio put 8 shots on target, many of them from close range, and Trilk made 5 saves. Down a man and trying to maintain the slim lead, there were moments where it felt like Trilk was on the wrong side of a firing squad and he made some spectacular reaction saves to keep Indy in the game. Feels strange to give the GBGB to a goalkeeper when the opposition scores three goals, but if it hadn't been for Trilk, it would have been worse.

Indy Eleven vs San Antonio FC - 09.25

Summary

- Opponent: San Antonio FC
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 10,081
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Trilk, Dambrot, Cochran, Jerome, McQueen, Brown, Hackshaw (C), Rebellon, Aguilera, Tejada, Asante
- Substitution: Vazquez 10’ (Cochran – injury); Pinho 73’ (Aguilera); Ingram 73’ (Dambrot); Michael 89’ (Tejada); Timmer 90’+4’ (Rebellon)

- Unused: Lewis, Rivera

- Scoring Summary:
IND – Dambrot 40’ (assist Tejada)

- Bookings:

IND – Tejada 14’ (Yellow)

IND - Brown 45’+4’ (Yellow)

SA – Khmiri 79’ (Yellow)

SA – Abu 86’ (Yellow)

IND – Trilk 90’+8’ (Yellow)

- Referee: Calin Radosav
- Adage goals: None

Thoughts and Opinions

Ayoze was honored tonight before the game in recognition of his becoming the club’s appearance leader, surpassing Brad Ring, but he did it in street clothes with another injury suffered last weekend. Indy’s Injury Report looks like a list of “what-ifs” and “what could have beens.” Arteaga (who could be out the rest of the season), Ayoze, Briggs, Meredith (also likely the rest of the season), and Lewis as questionable. I’m told Pinho was supposed to be a starter tonight, but felt something during pregame that pushed him to the bench. Cochran went down with an injury in the 7th minute and Indy was forced to burn an early substitute. That makes it difficult to keep consistency and fluid thought processes, both offensively and defensively. It’s not difficult to see how this affects the squad as you watch passes go to nobody because one player thought another was going to make a run that they didn’t make (strangely, several times Aguilera was that guy that didn’t go where other players expected him to go). Or defenders who make the wrong read on a pass, letting an opponent get in behind them. 

Indy fans had hoped that Jordan Farr’s return to Indy would have been full of storylines about two top teams competing to stay near the top of their respective tables, and a good performance by Farr that ultimately went for naught as Indy won the game. What Indy fans received, however, was Farr’s San Antonio leading the Western Conference while Indy sits so far out of the playoff picture that the math says they have a chance, but all other evidence points to a final game against Birmingham on October 15th. While the playoffs look to be out of the question at this point, Indy fans were treated to see Indy Eleven's first win since June 4th, and postponing San Antonio’s ability to secure their place in the postseason, which they could have done tonight, by getting a 2-1 win over the Western Conference leaders.

IIndy looked like they were going to make it through the first half nil-nil, by dealing fairly well with San Antonio’s press. Indy spent enough time in SA’s defensive half to prove Lowry's belief that they can compete with any team in the league. A spectacular reaction save from Trilk in the 37th minute was a key part of keeping that first half clean sheet as he pushed the ball over the crossbar. Then pure effort by Dambrot in the 40th minute put Indy ahead 1-nil, and in a position they haven’t found themselves lately; ahead and ahead against a top team. After that, San Antonio ratcheted up the pressure as they tried to find the equalizer. Despite a nervy moment right before the halftime whistle where Indy gave up a free kick just outside the 18-yard box and picked up a yellow card by Brown that will force him to miss the next game due to yellow card accumulation, Indy’s defense kept San Antonio off the board. 

After the halftime break, it was good to see that Indy didn’t immediately go into a bunker in the hopes of defending for 45 minutes. That’s not Lowry’s style to bunker at that point in a game, but that is a tactic that Indy fans have seen many times over the years, regularly with predicable poor results. The lack of a bunker forced the Indy players to be switched on tonight for the entirety of the game and it allowed them to beat a very good San Antonio team. With the exception of the shots/shots on target advantage for San Antonio (12/6 to 5/2, respectively), every other statistic indicates that Indy went toe-to-toe with the Western Conference leaders.

There have been games this season where Hackshaw has not looked like himself, but he was playing inspired ball tonight. Hackshaw played in the defensive midfield role next to Brown, and it was effective tonight. In his captain role, he found good times to go forward, to be fully defensive, and when to use his captain armband to get in the referee’s ear. Jerome also looked like a different player tonight. No, I take that back; he looked like the Jerome that I saw in dozens of games for El Paso. It’s been a subtle difference between Jerome’s play in ELP and his play here, but he looked like the player that I saw more often in ELP. It was a good performance from the veteran players.
 

This was a good game for Indy. Indy played like a team that was not afraid of the fact that they were playing the team that has reached 50 points faster than any team in USL Championship history. They looked like the team that Lowry has hoped they would be. 

When asked why the team was successful tonight, Lowry indicated, 

"We had a plan to neutralize San Antonio's long balls. They have three big forwards; three big centerbacks. Definitely goes end-to-end very quickly. ...We knew we could control the second balls. It's been over the last three of four weeks, we're sticking to the strategy that we've been going on with the system and how we've been playing in general has been pretty good the last three games. So, it was coming."

Louisville comes to town on Wednesday, having lost to Miami tonight. Louisville isn't going to want to make it two losses in a row and are going to be more motivated then normal. Could tonight's win against a Western Conference opponent come at a price when the Eastern Conference leader comes to town? San Antonio is a physical team and Cochran went out with an injury in the 10th minute with a leg injury and was supported by the training staff on his way to the locker room after the game. Rebellon went off in the 89th minute after a few knocks. Tejada will likely be under concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head late in the game. With an already depleted bench, a midweek game against a motivated Louisville team who statistically dominated Miami but still lost, could make for a frustrating night for Indy if the player rotation can't be done for Indy. Luckily, Louisville will be on short rest as well.

For now though, Indy fans can celebrate a victory against one of the best teams in the league. Lowry has said Indy can compete against the best teams, and tonight I agree that they did just that, and not just for moments. Indy competed against one of the best teams for the entire game.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Dambrot started a home game for the first time, with his family in attendance. He hustled his way to a shot on goal that he put past Jordan Farr, who has 10 clean sheets in 26 games. The rest of his stats aren't any more eye catching than the other Indy defenders, but Dambrot provided the goal that gave Indy a win for the first time since June 4th. That alone might have warranted him getting the Game Beckons Game Ball, but it was the effort from him that he displayed to get that goal that pushes him over the edge. That's the kind of effort that this team needs for the final 9 games of the season.

Additional Photos (@DLTPhotog)

Indy Eleven vs Scorpions - 02.27

- Opponent: San Antonio Scorpions
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
- Attendance: 10.090
- Final Score: 2-1 L
- Starting XI: Cardona, Stojkov, Miller, Norales, Frias, Pena, Ceballos, Pineda, Richards, Lacroix, Brown
- Substitutions: Smart 14' (Richards), Mares 63' (Stojkov), Wojcik 83' (Pineda)
- Unused: Nicht, Janicki, Keller
- Goals: Mares 69' (assist Ceballos)
- Bookings: Pena 56' (yellow), Miller 72' (yellow)
- Adage goals: None

How many games have the Eleven played from behind in the Fall?
- Thirteen. 13 of the 17 games they have played in the fall required a come from behind effort.

What was the record of those games?
- 1W - 9L - 3D

Last game they led?
- September 5th versus Jacksonville; six games ago.

Goals scored since that game?
- Three. I don't need to tell you that's not good.

Last year's problem was defensive mistakes. This year's problem is a lack of offense, untimely defensive mistakes, and routinely playing from behind. Which is disheartening because I think there is plenty of talent.

Normally after my second viewing of a game, I have a different opinion of how the referee did during the game than I do from my seats in the stands. This game was not one of those games. The Eleven is a small team, but San Antonio frequently manhandled the Eleven players and the ref did nothing to curtail the physical play. During the telecast, Brad Hauter indicated during one of the early, uncalled, challenges that it lets the players know how the ref is going to call the game. Which is true, but there's a difference between letting the teams play and not calling an obvious PK (see below).

My final general observation before I get into some details is that I can't remember the last time that a team started using delay tactics after they scored a goal in the 19th minute. The Scorpions were in game management, at least to some level, from the moment they scored their goal. They knew of the Eleven's difficulty scoring and slowed the game down as much as possible and frequently as possible.

There was a Chris Estridge sighting and he was gracious enough to sign my (his) jersey that I won late last year with his Twitter contest.

Now for the details.  Injuries continue to plague this team as Franco (toe), Hyland (foot), and Ring (out) were all out, as was Rugg (sports hernia surgery). Cuevas. Kleberson... To add to the unavailable was Steinberger who was recalled back to the Dynamo for a friendly against Liga MX Santos Laguna. That meant that the Eleven had less than the allowed players suited for the game. Hence, you see this kind of lineup, where Dragan Stojkov plays right fullback. Rakestraw and Hauter called him a great utilitarian player, but he wants to push forward and it ended up hurting the team later in the game. There were at least a few times where he was knocked down by the offensive ends endline. That's a long way to run for a full back during a counter. It's one thing when a full back is that far forward for the occasional set play, but completely different during the normal run of play.

Case in point during the Scorpion's first goal. Counter-attack and Stojkov gets caught on the wrong side of his man meaning he's chasing the play. Despite that, the Eleven had numbers back and even after watching it several times, I'm still not sure how the Scorpions scored.

Brad Hauter: "This isn't good."

(2)Dragan behind but tracking back. (1)Miller shifting over to cover Dragan's player. The two other Scorpion players defended by three Indy Eleven players with (6)Cardona in a good position.

(2) Dragan nearly gets back, (1)Miller drops back towards the middle to help there, and (2)Gentile puts one between all three and kisses it off the post for his first goal of the season.

Now about that PK that wasn't called:

There are two players holding Brian Brown from getting to the ball.

All three players end up in a pile well inside the 18-yard box.

HOW IS THIS NOT A PENALTY!

Under the category of "not the way you want to start the second half, but fortunate to come away unscathed," here's how the Eleven managed to keep it 0-1.

6(+1) Eleven vs 4 Scorpions and nobody is in a position that should have prevented a goal.

(2)Dragan (again, playing right back), tracks back to defend Scorpions (2), thereby leaving Scorpions (3) and (4) wide open behind him as four Indy Eleven players trail behind.

(2)Dragan steals the ball, thereby preventing an absolutely easy goal from either of the two Scorpion players who had nothing but free space between them and Cardona.

Well done Dragan!

This is a microcosm of the offensive problems of this season and it comes from strange sources.

Cory Miller starts a run down the far side from the ball. The Eleven CENTER BACK who is not known for his offensive prowess (I love Cory, but that's the truth) is set to make a 70-yard run to put himself in a position for the equalizer.

He realizes the Scorpions have no idea that he is there and calls for the ball.

Don Smart sends a ball his way, but not in way that makes it easy to head or put easily on frame so he one times it back to Brian Brown. As I said at the time and Brad Hauter said during the telecast, "I don't mind that from Cory Miller..." He dropped the ball off to a forward, a player who was signed to score goals, not defend them.

"Settle it and one time it Brian!"

Wait, where are you going Brian!?

He went from having a decent attempt on goal towards a mass of humanity at the PK spot.

Drops it off to Pineda who also has nowhere to go in the bumblebee swarm that was creating. Pineda promptly loses the ball and the Scorpions are off on a counter with one of the Eleven center backs at the opponent's 18-yard box.

How this didn't become a goal for the Scorpions is a mystery to me.

Now for the good news.

Duke Lacroix picked up the ball on a turnover from Hassli and heads towards goal.

Continues all the way across the field, and finds himself in the 18 with a group around him and an open Ceballos at the 6-yard line.

Pass into Ceballos and that bumblebee swarm forms again...

Ceballos chips the nest...

CEBALLOS CHIPS THE NEST OF SCORPIONS!!

MARES TIES THE GAME!!

Oh, how I've missed seeing Dylan on the field.

Is anybody else disappointed that we haven't been able to see Ceballos, Steinberger, and Mares on the field at the same time? Yet? The idea makes me simultaneously giddy and sad for what could have been this fall.

Some more Cory Miller love:

Drop kick by Fernandes

Cory Miller - "You take this back!!"

Miller's header finds its way all the way back to the 18-yard after heading it from nearly half field.

Finally to the gut punch:

Defense looks ok, but there's a Scorpion making a run from the center circle.

Me from my seat in the stands: "GET THE MAN COMING DOWN THE MIDDLE." I do have the advantage of seeing the entire field from my seat in the stands so I'm helped out there. I also have the advantage of knowing where the Eleven players have made mistakes in the past.

Still coming down the middle unmarked.

Gut punch...and likely nail in the coffin of making the playoffs.

How about some pretty photos?

Why do other players even bother trying to win a header against Cory? 

The guy who is already low to the ground gets lower.

A cramp on a goalkeeper on a cool night near the 90th minute with a 2-1 lead?
Faker, faker, faker!

Highlights: