Indy Eleven vs Kings Hammer - 04.06

Summary

- Opponent: Kings Hammer FC
- Location: Stadium Field - Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 2-0 L

- Starting XI: Edwards, Chatterton, Bahr (C), Molloy, Albert, Smith, Pinto, Yamazaki, Chester, Soderstrom-Bulger, Guthrie

- Substitution: Joyce 45' (Bahr); Sochacki 45' (Guthrie); May 61' (Bulger); Komori 61' (Chester); Satterfield 74' (Chatterton); White 74' (Molloy)

- Unused: Wyatt

Scoring Summary:
KHFC – Simmons 23' (unassisted)
KHFC - Bain 76' (assist Yordy)

- Bookings:

KHFC - Frey 72' (Yellow)

- Referee: Jeff Chop

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

Playing simultaneously to this game, Racing Louisville and Lexington SC were playing their Kentucky Derby (I don't know what they call it... Maybe the Bluegrass Derby since the Kentucky Derby is probably trademarked...). Regardless, Kings Hammer had already helped Indy by beating Racing last week. If Lexington could do the same tonight, that would bring Racing to 2 losses, even with Indy, assuming Indy took care of business against Kings Hammer to avenge their earlier loss to the team from Cincinnati. Kings Hammer would still be ahead of Indy, and Indy would still need help, but the math would start working its way towards Indy winning the Division if they could take care of their business in the remaining games. Unfortunately for Indy fans, neither happened as Indy fell 2-nil to Kings Hammer and Racing finished in a 1-1 draw to Lexington. With three losses on the season and two against Kings Hammer, Indy will play out their final 4 games for pride now that the odds of winning the Division are out of reach.

Another game, another appreciation post for the work of ISC Sports and their telecasts of the Indy Eleven games, and Indy Eleven's use of ISC Sports for said streaming purposes. I'm not sure how Kings Hammer was streaming this game, but I lost track of the number of times I was watching green grass without a ball anywhere in sight. For so many of the other teams in the Division (I'm looking at you Racing), pre-professional players means bare minimum camera work. To be fair to Ethan Herzog, commentary was fine. I also have to give credit to the Kings Hammer staff responsible for the X feed, which was much more detailed than any of the above mentioned teams (including Indy).

While I'm on the topic of pre-professional meaning a reduced standard in other places, refereeing in the league is, how do I say this nicely, woefully inconsistent. Apparently, in this game, being in an offside position means that you are offside even if the ball isn't played anywhere close to you. Also, if a player is falling on their own because they're trying to spin their self out of the defense, a free kick is awarded just outside the box. A free kick, in this game, that led to the opening goal by Kings Hammer in the 23rd minute when the ball deflected off a player adjacent to the wall and snuck passed an outstretched Edwards. 

The goal turned out to be the game winner, but Kings Hammer deserved to win this game. I honestly not sure that I would call them the more technical team, but they were much more effective in doing what they wanted to do than Indy was able to do. Winning teams score more goals. Indy's goose egg means the team has now lost more games this season (excluding playoff results) than the past three seasons combined. Interestingly, when Indy keeps a clean sheet, they win by a combined 10-nil score line. When the concede goals, they lose being outscored by a combined 6-2. Indy also are either hot or cold on the season; wins or losses but no draws.

The last time we saw Grace Bahr carried off a pitch, she had torn her ACL in the League Championship game in 2023. As soon as I saw her crumble to the ground after a late first half challenge, I was worried. When I saw Chatterton immediately run to Grace once the ball was cleared, I feared the worst. When she didn't return after the halftime break, my fear grew. It's difficult to overstate what Bahr means to this team and the defense. She's the rock in the defense, and the connecting piece for the team culture between this team and the winning teams in the past. Her experience is vital for a team full of young Academy players. 

Maybe it's an incorrect assessment on my part, but I have had a feeling each game this year that teams are playing Indy more physically than in the past. I've also felt like Indy has struggled with that physicality, expecting a whistle to be blown more often. An expectation that continues to not be met.

Due to the poor camera work, I can't say that every call was correct, but when the two teams combine for double-digit offside calls, either the players never learned to adjust their runs or the assistant referees don't know what constitutes offside. In this game, I think it was likely a combination of both. I'm not convinced that the two goals that Kings Hammer had called back due to offside calls were truly offside. 

Indy hit the woodwork two more times, bringing their total to 7 across both games against Kings Hammer. Kings Hammer converted two set piece attempts, which proved to be the deciding factor in this game. Kings Hammer are in the driver seat as the seats turns into the second half of the schedule. They finish with three games against Lexington, who haven't shown me that they are capable of beating KHFC that many times; a game against Louisville, who they have already beat once this season; and a game against Dayton, who everybody has beaten. An undefeated season from Kings Hammer doesn't seem out of the question.

Indy return to action next Monday when they return to Ohio to face the Dayton Dutch Lions, then Lexington at their place, before returning to Grand Park for the final two games of the season against Racing and Dayton. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

This was another game on the road where players just didn't look like their normal selves. Some of that can be attributed to Kings Hammer, but even a player like Chester was having a hard time with her decisions, passes, and footing (there was a lot of that issue). Once again, though, the players that kept jumping out to me on the effort and decision making was Pinto and Yamazaki. In a 2-nil loss, it's unlikely that any player still had a perfect game, but I'll give tonight's GBGB to those two players, who have quickly proven to me to be assets to this team.

Indy Eleven vs Lexington SC - 04.05

Summary

- Opponent: Lexington SC
- Location: Grand Park Event Center
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 5-0 W

- Starting XI: Edwards, Chatterton, Bahr (C), Kruer, Albert, Yamazaki, Pinto, Smith, Chester, Williams-Osswald, Soderstrom-Bulger

- Substitution: Komori 61' (Chester); Adam 61' (Chatterton); Sochacki 73' (Bulger); Joyce 73' (Yamazaki); Beasley 79' (Smith); Budish 79' (Osswald); White 79' (Albert)

- Unused: Wyatt, Molloy

Scoring Summary:
IND – Pinto 6' (assist Smith)
IND - Osswald 26' (assist Yamazaki)
IND - Osswald 44' (assist Bulger)
IND - Chester 45' (unassisted)
IND - Sochacki 85' (assist Bahr)

- Bookings:

LEX - Sexton 36' (Yellow)

- Referee: ??

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

In the midst of an unprecedented losing streak for The Girls in Blue, having Lexington show up at Grand Park was not the team Indy was most eager to see. Former Coach and former teammates on the other side of the ball, and the second of three times playing the team from Lexington, creates a chess match of tactics. Coming into the night, Indy likely would have preferred to see Dayton, a team that's conceded a lot of goals this season, but you have to play the team in front of you when they're scheduled. By the end of the night, Indy had defeated Lexington 5-nil and showed that when they play to their potential, they're still a good team. 

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

The game within the game was always what intrigued me about the games against Lexington this year. In the first outing a few weeks ago, Indy was without Chester, Bulger (Soderstrom), and Osswald (Williams) so that was a new wrinkle for Lexington to defend. But, Coach Dolinsky really knows what all those players are capable of providing to Indy. But, I've always been impressed with Osswald's tactical IQ and I knew she would be able to figure out and adjust to whatever Coach Dolinsky wanted his defenders to do against her and Bulger. Whoever could win the chess match, the game within the game, was going to be the one to come out on top tonight. That, and if Indy could be clinical and avoid the woodwork like last week's game...

It was Indy that got out of the gates fast, scoring a 6th minute goal off the boot of Pinto who took a long-range shot that found the lower right corner of the goal. Unlike their male counterparts who scored an early goal on Wednesday and then became more defensive-minded, Coach Kim and the women are not inclined to do that. Knowing that Coach Dolinsky also wants to attack and then attack some more, the potential for more goals by both teams was high with 84 minutes to go. In the early stages of the game, Coach Dolinsky had his Lexington side overloading the midfield when they were in possession, regularly leaving just two defenders back. Indy's early goal and propensity to go forward caused him to rethink that strategy for a little bit, but quickly dropped back into that tactic. 

Interestingly, both coaches could be easily heard barking commands to their players over the sparse crowd, telling each other what they were doing or wanting to do. The chess match is a bit more interesting when you can hear what your opponent is thinking.

Osswald doubled the advantage in the 26th minute that she admitted to me was intended to be a cross that she mishit slightly. So instead of the ball finding a path along the 6-yard box for an on-rushing teammate, it drifted towards the goal. Garrity was unable to push it over the bar cleanly and it dropped into the goal after a couple of deflections off the post and her knee. Given that it was headed into the goal without the touches from the goalkeeper, Osswald was given credit for the goal. 

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

As the half began to close, Lexington's Garrity made a questionable decision trying to play out of the back that nearly resulted in a goal by Bulger who hadn't given up on the ball. Garrity just barely got the ball out of her feet and across the end line for a corner kick. Looking flustered by conceding two goals and nearly giving up a third, Indy's forwards smelled blood in the water and became persistent. Immediately before the clock ran out of regulation time, Osswald brought down a ball near the six-yard box, took a touch to her left that freed a window when her defender overran the ball, and Osswald put a left-footed shot under the outstretched leg of the recovering defender and passed Garrity who was leaning the wrong direction. Seconds later, Chester intercepted a ball being played out of the back by Lexington and immediately ran at the goal. A slight push of the ball to the left, and she uncorked a left-footed shot to the right side of the goal. At halftime, Coach Dolinsky had his backup keeper, Bolton, warming up, realizing his starting net minder was rattled having given up 4 goals in the half.

After the break, Coach Dolinsky made two other changes in addition to his keeper trying to breath some life into his shell-shocked squad. For the first ten minutes, the game was very even with both teams getting opportunities on goal. However as much as Lexington wanted to control and overload the midfield, it was Indy's midfield that was up to the task and stifled the Lexington offense. The midfielders and defenders put themselves in good positions to limit whatever Lexington was trying to do. They switched well as Lexington tried to change the point of attack, and recovered nicely when Lexington did get balls into the final third.

Indy and Lexington have now played each other twice in this compact, fast-paced season. So far, Coach Kim is getting the best of his former boss in this chess match:

Indy Eleven 7 - Lexington SC 0

Coach Kim 2 - Coach Dolinsky 0

This team isn't used to losing, and a 5-nil clean sheet helps restore some of the confidence for the upcoming games that Indy are going to need to win to stay in the conversation for the Division title and the playoffs. The official stats indicate that Indy had 11 shots and Lexington goalkeepers had 4 saves. 4 saves + 5 goals = 9 shots on target. 9 shots on target out of 11 shots = 81.8% shot accuracy. That also helps with confidence.

Indy return to action next Wednesday when they go on the road to face Kings Hammer.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Tonight, the GBGB isn't going to a single player. Coach Dolinsky brought his Lexington squad to Indy and put them into a 2-5-3 arrangement while in attack, severely overloading the midfield. Not discounting the effort from Indy's back four, which did a stellar job, the midfield, anchored by Pinto in the holding midfielder position, completely stifled the Lexington midfield. In the second half, it was clear that they had run out of ideas on how to get through the Indy midfield. In the rare occasions when they did, Bahr and company helped put out any of those fires. The midfield four of Pinto, Yamazaki, Smith, and Chester get tonight's GBGB for their ability to take away what Lexington wanted to do.

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

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.

Indy Eleven vs Kings Hammer - 04.04

Summary

- Opponent: Kings Hammer FC
- Location: Grand Park Event Center
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 3-2 L

- Starting XI: Edwards, Malin, Bahr (C), Malloy, Satterfield, Yamazaki, Pinto, Smith, Chester, Williams-Osswald, Soderstrom-Bulger

- Substitution: Guthrie 45' (Chester); Chatterton 45' (Malin); Joyce 68' (Smith); Trandji 68' (Soderstrom-Bulger); Molloy 79' (Kruer); Albert 82' (Satterfield); Sochacki 82' (Williams-Osswald)

- Unused: Wyatt, Komori

Scoring Summary:
KHFC – Britt 10' (assist Broering)
KHFC - Erbach 25' (assist Smith)
IND - Yamazaki 39' (assist Chester)
KHFC - Flax 86' (assist Carle)
IND - Joyce 88' (assist Bahr)

- Bookings:

None

- Referee: Erin Patterson

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

Kings Hammer has regularly given Indy a good game and were Indy's first opponent in the inaugural game of the inaugural season of the W League, so it's been a long history. Tonight marked the 8th game between the two teams, with Indy holding a 4W-3D-0L advantage coming into the game over the team from Cincinnati, but that means that Kings Hammer account for 60% of Indy's draws in the club's history. Which is why it wasn't altogether surprising that Kings Hammer scored the game's first goal from a corner kick that Indy couldn't get cleared. What was surprising for Indy fans was that the goal was the first of three in the game and Indy could only muster two of their own to finish with a 3-2 loss and their second loss in as many games. For a club that struggles for consistency in results, Indy fans could bank on the women's team getting wins, not just results. Two losses in a row has historically seem like an improbability, but that's where the team and the fans find themselves. Indy have nowt put a ton of pressure on themselves if they want to repeat as the Division champs for the 4th year in a row. The margin of error for that to happen has likely dropped to zero with tonight's loss. The good news for Indy is that with the exception of Dayton who have not fared well against any of the other teams, it's unlikely any team in the division is going to make it through unscathed. So if Indy can take care of their business, they're likely going to get help from their opponents. The Division title isn't lost tonight, but it's currently on a dangerous precipice. 

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

Coach Kim wasn't messing around with his starting lineup tonight though. Captain Bahr in the back, obviously, but the forward line consisted of Williams-Osswald, and Soderstrom-Bulger and Chester in their first appearances for the team this season. That's a combined 118 starts for the four for the Girls in Blue, and a combined 59 goals (or ~46% of the team's goals in the history of the team), as well as the team's top two assist makers. Not to mention the four include the team's leaders in Game Winners (Soderstrom-Bulger & Williams-Osswald) and account for 3 of the team's 4 hat tricks (Williams-Osswald (2); Soderstrom-Bulger (1)). Knowing these players can't always make the away trips due to their life schedules that are significantly different than their younger teammates', Coach Kim gave them all a chance to make an immediate impact on the game. With her start tonight, Grace Bahr became the team's career start leader, overtaking Ella Rogers. Bahr overtook Rogers as the career leader in minutes a couple of games ago. Chester was on a minutes restriction as she returns from an injury, but she looked really good in the 45-minutes that she played. 

After Kings Hammer took the early lead in the 10th minute when a corner kick to the back post was headed back towards the middle of the box which Britt one-timed to Edwards' right, Indy nearly pulled one back in the 15th minute, but the experienced players in Soderstrom-Bulger and Williams-Osswald saw their shots hit the post and then pushed over the top on the rebound. Kings Hammer were controlling the possession, but Indy's midfield and forwards were finding dangerous and threating ways around and through. Much like the mid-week men's game, this game looked like there were going to be more goals in it and that it was just going to be a matter of who could convert their chances. 

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

Kings Hammer nearly doubled their lead in the 19th minute, but Edwards' reaction save kept the home team within reach. A few minutes later, Soderstrom-Bulger put a ball over the crossbar from the 6-yard box in the 23rd minute that seems like the kind of shot and location that would normally be harder for her to miss than make, but somehow she got her foot under it and looped it over the crossbar. Indy's three experienced forwards looked a bit out of sync in the early minutes, and maybe a bit rusty, but still had their moments where they looked like the best players on the field. Seconds after Soderstrom-Bulger's miss, Kings Hammer did finally double their lead when Erbach took a shot from outside the 18-yard box that just made it over the outstretched arm of Edwards and just under the crossbar.

The Girls in Blue were not as lucky with the Kings Hammer crossbar as they tallied 1 post & 2 crossbars in the first half, which would have made for a very different conversation in the halftime locker room. They were getting chances and good looks to claw their way back into the game, but were just a hair away from getting on the scoreboard. The thing that the Kings Hammer players were doing well was that they were adamant about trying to not let Indy's known commodities up front get the best of them. Two players were regularly running to the ball to defend when any of those players received the ball. Given their proficiency in scoring in this league, that's a good and smart tactic.

Crossbar hit #3 came in the 52nd minute from a shot by Soderstrom-Bulger that would have equalized the game. Five minutes later, Kings Hammer's goalkeeper Galley pushed a shot/cross against the crossbar to keep her team in the lead. She didn't have a lot of options, but when the posts and crossbars are working for you, you use what's working. The woodwork was not Indy's friend as they found it five times during the game. With that kind of close calls, it starts to feel like it's just not your night.

Kings Hammer would get their 3rd insurance goal in the 86th minute when Bahr was unable to get Carle contained as she made a run to the endline before turning it back inside. Bahr kicked the ball which bounced off Carle, but in the opposite direction of Bahr's momentum, putting Carle a step ahead of Bahr. Not wanting to concede a penalty kick by fouling in the box, Bahr found herself behind Carle, trying to not give the referee any option to call a foul. Carle laid the ball off to an onrushing Flax who had snuck between Indy defenders and easily redirected it past Edwards. While Indy would get a late long-distance goal from Joyce, the third Kings Hammer goal would prove to be the game winner.

Indy have a week between games before Coach Dolinsky and Lexington return to Grand Park for the second of three meetings. Hopefully the second version is able to be played on the same night as it starts, but the chess match between the two coaches and friends will be the main talking point of the game as the two coaches try to outwit and anticipate the other's tactical adjustments.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

In a game where Indy started Williams-Osswald, Soderstrom-Bulger, Chester, and Bahr, it was the midfielder from Japan that I kept noticing doing good things with the ball. The fact that Yamazaki also got the goal to open her account and Indy's scoring on the night was a testament to her work rate and her reward for her effort on both sides of the ball. There were other good performances, but as I've stated before, when it comes to the GBGB, sometimes it's just a gut feeling and an eyeball test on who actually gets it. Yamazaki was that player tonight.

A Final Thought - Maddy Williams-Osswald

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

There are a wide range of players when it comes to the USL W League in both age and experience. In nearly every soccer/football league/level in the world, the thing that most stands out to me as you move to better and better players is their first touch and their IQ. Even while not playing or training full-time, Williams-Osswald continues to demonstrate her IQ and touch are just better than the majority of players that I've watched in this league. Whereas her teammates and her opponents tonight had to regularly chase down a ball after a poor first touch, her first touch is almost always impeccable. It's that first touch that allows her to then use her IQ to put passes (properly weighted passes) to teammates. For better or for worse with this year's team that is using more Academy players than in previous years, the correct run that she sees should be made isn't made from her teammates. Or the heavy passes that they send to her that don't give her the chance to do anything with the ball. To me, Maddy is the perfect example of how an injury (and then a pandemic) can derail what I think should have been a long professional career. She moved onto "life after soccer" long before her talent has given way. 

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

Indy Eleven vs Hartford Athletic - 12.09

Summary

- Opponent: Hartford Athletic
- Location: Carroll Stadium
- Attendance: 9,056
- Final Score: 4-4 D

- Starting XI: Charles-Cook, McRobb, Musa, Ofeimu, White, Blake, Murphy, Quinn (C), Rendon, Amoh, Foster

- Substitution: Williams, R. 31' (White); Collier 62' (Amoh); Lindley 62' (Quinn); Kizza 79' (Blake); O'Brien, J. 79' (McRobb)

- Unused: Sulte, Hogan

Scoring Summary:
IND - Ofeimu14' (unassisted)
HFD - Edwards 26' (Penalty Kick)
HFD - Edwards 32' (assist Dieng)
HDF - Scarlett 43' (assist Farrell)
IND - Williams, R. 45' + 2' (assist Quinn)
IND - Blake 46' (assist Foster)
HFD - Dieng 46' (assist Anderson)
IND - Williams, R. 90'+4' (assist Collier)

- Bookings:

IND - McRobb 35' (Yellow)
IND - Ofeium 90'+7' (Yellow)

- Referee: Joshua Encarnación

- Adage goals: One.

Thoughts and Opinions

Indy and Hartford came into the game having played two to three games fewer than the rest of the table so they both had/have games in hand, but were both desperately trying to get themselves back above the playoff line while also trying to stay out of the basement that, who would have thought this statement would be said, Tampa Bay currently holds. Both teams came in with just a single win in league play, with mixed results in their cup competitions. It's not an understatement to say that both teams needed, not just wanted, a win tonight. Unfortunately for both sets of fans, neither team finished with the win as a second half stoppage time goal by Indy meant that the spoils were shared in a 4-4 offensive output. Tonight's 8 goals ties the club record for most goals in a game, but this was the first one where Indy took any points out of the game. The other three 8-goal games were:

• 08/29/2015 - a 7-1 loss on the road to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
• 08/08/2021 - a 6-2 loss on the road to Atlanta United 2 
• 04/06/2024 - a 5-3 loss on the road to Louisville City

Some fun symmetry there... The opponents score has gone down by one each game while Indy's score has gone up by one each game. 7-6-5-4 1-2-3-4. Next 8-goal game should be a 5-3 win for Indy, right?

Photo: Don Thompson Photography

In the early stages of this game, knocking the ball around with short passes was neither team's plan. At one point, Indy had 11 long passes out of 36. Get the ball in Hartford's half as quickly as possible and try to do something positive with it. In the 14th minute, Musa put a header on frame that Siaha parried to the side only the ball to get recycled a couple times in a scramble feet away from the goal line. In all the confusion, Ofeimu managed to get his foot to it and push it passed the throng of bodies hovering over the ball like a U4 beehive mentality. After the goal, there appeared to be multiple goals to be had in the game as both teams frenetically looked to attack their respective goals. [Editor's note: I wrote that line in real time during the game, expecting a 3-1 type score line. Knew there were more goals in the game, just didn't expect 7 more of them.] Indy looked desperate to get a second to put Hartford on the ropes, while Hartford looked desperate to equalize as quickly as possible. 

White's defending of Beckford early on was not up to his normal defensive standards as Beckford's pace and, specifically, his change of pace, forced White to take poor angles to the ball. Eventually, Beckford got around White and into the Indy box. Once he felt White on his hip, he crumbled like a house of cards in a hurricane, giving Hartford their lifeline from the penalty spot. Edwards stepped up and promptly sent Charles-Cook the wrong way. Not long after the penalty kick, White was subbed out of the game, so maybe his less than stellar normal defending was because he had tweaked something. Regardless, energized by their equalizer, Hartford continued their pressure on the Indy backline until they doubled their lead with a second goal as the Indianapolis weather once again provided rain for a match. Then Hartford scored a third right before the end of regulation. Hartford had gone from down a goal to up two in less than 30-minutes of game time.

Indy then clawed their own goal back in first half stoppage time with a goal from Williams to go into the locker room down just a goal. Given the onslaught of goals they conceded in rapid succession, being within striking range felt fortunate, even if Coach McAuley was completely disappointed in the performance. Both teams could go into the locker room glad that they were able to find some goals, but both had to be more than disappointed at how their defense had played. For the fourth time this season, in 9 league games, Indy had conceded at least 3 goals. The difference tonight was that they achieved that dubious distinction in the first half.

That's one way to defend. Honestly, who do you 
whistle for the foul? (Photo: Don Thompson Photography)

If you like all-out offense, this was the game to watch. At full time, the two teams had combined for a total of 36 shots (18 each), 13 on target (6 for Indy, 7 for Hartford), and both teams had an Expected Goal rate higher than 2.5 (2.61xG for Indy, 2.56xG for Hartford). If you like defense, this game was not for you. This was a defensive shit-show with goals aplenty. Within the first minute of the second half, BOTH. TEAMS. SCORED. Indy drew even within the first 19 seconds of the second half starting whistle as Foster crossed a ball that Blake blasted passed Siaha to get the game back to level. Just before the clock turned from the 46th minute to the 47th minute, officially 38 seconds after Blake's goal, Dieng put a shot over Charles-Cook to regain their goal advantage. 

With that start to the half as the backdrop, the second half turned into a track meet, seemingly to find out who was going to have the endurance at the end of the game to do anything. End-to-end action created opportunities for both teams until around the 70th minute when Hartford's endurance started to waiver (or time wasting tactics started) and players began to cramp. 

Somehow Williams found a second goal, this time further into stoppage time than his first half stoppage time goal, bringing the game to level. Hartford had to feel like it was one of those games where a draw feels like a loss, and Indy felt like it was a win given that Indy was down by two goals, then one, then equal, then down again. Yet, Coach McAuley also admitted after the game that a team shouldn't have to score 5 goals at home to get a win, which is what it would have taken tonight. All the post-game interviews (Coach McAuley, Blake, and Williams) stated in one fashion or the other that the team needs to do a better job of team defending and being fully focused for the full ninety. Indy keep getting caught and penalized for their mistakes.

The draw doesn't help either team move up the table, and Indy's weekend off doesn't really do anything for the table since the rest of the league is involved in their Jagermeister Cup games that Indy did last weekend. Indy head on the road to Birmingham for another midweek fixture next week, before spending nearly the entirety of June and July at home. While the rest of the teams are taking part in the Cup games, Indy will look to figure out their defending issues. 

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Timely goals from Romario kept the game within reach going into halftime and then allowed the team to get a positive result from the game thanks to his second stoppage time goal. They don't happen often in Indy's history so Williams gets rewarded for his brace with tonight's GBGB.

Photos - Don Thompson Photography

Indy Eleven vs Racing Louisville FC - 04.03

Summary

- Opponent: Racing Louisville FC
- Location: Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 1-0 L

- Starting XI: Edwards, Adam, Bahr (C), Malloy, Albert, Yamazaki, Pinto, Smith, Jennings, Guthrie, May

- Substitution: Lister 60' (Jennings); Satterfield 60' (Albert); Komori 75' (May); Chatterton 75' (Adam); Joyce 75' (Smith)

- Unused: Wyatt, Kruer

Scoring Summary:
LOU – Maddox 27' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

LOU – Kunde 70' (Yellow)

- Referee: 

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

Rarely in the history of this team have I been forced to admit that Indy didn't look like the best team on the field. Indy have only lost five times in the now 3 years and 3 games of their existence, and Indy have now, thanks to tonight's 1-nil loss to Racing, only lost three times in a regular season game. One was the outlier in the 2023 season where a completely overmatched St. Charles team came to the Grand Park Event Center and despite a 25-2 shot disadvantage against St. Charles, left Indianapolis with a 2-nil victory giving Indy their first ever league loss and their first ever shut-out. The second league loss was the final game of last season where the team played this same Racing Louisville team and lost 6-2, looking like a complete shell of its normal self in the process. It would come out after the game that Coach Dolinsky was leaving Indy, bringing some clarity to the team's apparent discombobulation.

This was not an outlier game where the ball wouldn't find the goal or a game where the head coach was leaving. This was a game where Indy often looked a step behind, not as strong, and not as decisive in their decision making as Racing, particularly in the first half. It was a little bit better as the game progressed, but some of that could be attributed to Indy chasing the game more and Racing content to bunker a little bit. Then when Indy reached desperation mode in the late late stages of the game, they lost all resemblance of an organized attack and were down to individual players trying to make plays and long balls. Multiple times, Coach Kim could be heard saying "we gotta go, we don't have the luxury of time." While not incorrect, the anxiety in his voice seemed to translate to the players.

I was worried coming into the season about having to play Lexington three times, but having to play this Racing team again isn't going to be easy either. Kings Hammer come to town this weekend, which will be just their third game of the season. However, they have beaten Dayton 15-nil and tied this Racing team 3-3. Between Racing and Kings Hammer, they beat Dayton by a combined 24-nil (9-nil and 15-nil, respectively), while Indy managed three goals against the Dutch Lions. Some of that could be attributed to the weather that night, but after tonight's result, I'm not so sure. 

We'll learn more about this team on Saturday when Kings Hammer come to town.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

You'll be hard pressed to find someone as passionate about winning as Grace Bahr. She's the clear captain, and clear vocal leader of this team. You'll also be hard pressed to find somebody who takes losing as personal as Grace Bahr. As the game opened up at the end and became end-to-end action while Indy tried to get the equalizer and Racing looked to capitalize on Indy being out of their defensive shape, Bahr was still sprinting back on every ball that was booted over her head. It wasn't until the dying minutes that I watched her, exhausted, request assistance from one of the midfielders, to drop back and cover her position during a Racing throw-in. Post-game, for better or for worse in the sportsmanship category, she made a beeline to the bench, foregoing all handshakes except for a few teammates. Bahr takes this team and the culture that she helped create as seriously as I've seen anybody. In a loss, when the team didn't look its best, I'll take Bahr, her talent, and her fire every day for the GBGB. 

Indy Eleven vs One Knoxville - 2025 Jagermeister Cup

Summary

- Opponent: One Knoxville SC
- Location: Covenant Health Park
- Attendance: -
- Final Score: 1-0 W

- Starting XI: Charles-Cook, McRobb, Musa, Ofeimu, White, Blake, Quinn (C), Murphy, Rendon, Amoh, Foster

- Substitution: O'Brien, J. 62' (McRobb); Williams, R. 62' (Amoh); Kizza 62' (White); Collier 70' (Foster); Lindley 81' (Blake)

- Unused: Sulte, Hogan

Scoring Summary:
IND - Amoh 47' (unassisted)

- Bookings:

IND - White 6' (Yellow)
IND - Blake 78' (Yellow)
KNX - Skelton 80'; 90+1' (Yellow, Yellow, RED)
IND - Lindley 90'+3' (Yellow)

- Referee: Muhammad Kaleia

- Adage goals: None.

Thoughts and Opinions

Just a couple of days removed from complaining about playing on baseball fields and wouldn't you know it, Indy found themselves playing in a baseball field. A field with temporary turf so brown it looked like there was barely a difference from the normal clay infield. Throw in the fact that the entirety of the first base path wasn't even completely sodded and it was clear that Knoxville provided enough turf to squeeze in a soccer field, but only just. I guess since Knoxville is in League One instead of the Championship, I could give them a little bit of leeway. I still hate it though.

Half - Shots

One Knoxville came out strong, holding a good amount of possession as Indy tried to get their legs under them. Once Indy settled into the field and the pace of the turf(s), they looked to be the more dangerous attacking team. Amoh put a ball off the crossbar in the 14th minute that nearly kicked off the scoring. Despite Indy getting 8 shots and 2 shots on target in the half compared to 1 (1) for Knoxville and the ball spending a good portion of the half in Knoxville's defensive half of the field, the first half felt much like it did against Forward Madison; like the gap between the teams wasn't that great, but that if Indy could get a lead, then maybe Knoxville would buckle and multiple goals would happen. As it was, Indy had the better of the chances on goal, but still went into the halftime locker room with a nil-nil score line. 

This is a little bit of an applicable to this game but more of an overarching tangent, but when you're a team like Indy that play a lot of balls over the top to the forwards, it bothers me when a forward gets called for offside because they haven't hustled to get back on side with the change of possession. If you get called offside because you didn't time your run correctly, that's one thing. When you're called offside because you didn't pay enough attention or were jogging your way back onside, that just feels like either laziness or a misunderstanding of how the team plays. 

Amoh is feeling so confident that he had the audacity to attempt a 45-yard shot that floated over former Indy goalkeeper Sean Lewis and into the goal to start the scoring in the 47th minute. Right now, he must feel like the goal is the size of the side of a rural Indiana barn. Through all competitions, Amoh has now scored 8 goals (4 in league, 1 in U.S. Open Cup, and 3 in the Jagermeister Cup), putting himself on top of the tournament goal scoring list, and putting himself 

as the clear leader in the club for goals scored this year, with Quinn as the second best scorer with 3.

With the goal, Indy began to concede possession, and once again, on the lower side of the possession battle. While the majority of Knoxville's possession in the first half was in their own half, down a goal, they began to push and spend more of their possession in Indy's half of the field. To Indy's defensive credit, Knoxville managed just 2 more shots in the second half, neither considered to be on target. It might not have been the prettiest soccer, but it was effective. 

Indy may be struggling to get wins in league play, but are now 2 wins in 2 games in the Jagermeister Cup, albeit against the League One competition in Group 3. Indy will now look to translate their success tonight to their home game this coming Wednesday when Hartford Athletic make their way to The Mike.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Elvis Amoh for the GBGB for the steal of a Knoxville freekick in Indy's half and the intestinal fortitude to take a 45-yard shot on goal.