NASL Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven Downed in Third Round in 0-2 Loss to Louisville City FC

Published on May 28, 2015 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Indy Eleven News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Advancement to the fourth round of the 102^nd edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup was at stake at IUPUI's Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Wednesday night, and it was visiting Louisville City FC who converted two goals late in added extra time to take a 2-0 third round win over Indy Eleven.

After waiting out a weather delay that pushed kickoff back an hour, Louisville City would have the game's first quality chance via a set piece in the eighth minute. A well swung corner kick found the head of forward Austen King in the center of the penalty area which he put nicely on target, but Indy keeper Kristian Nicht was up to the challenge, making the save look routine.

Indy followed with an opportunity of its own just minutes later in the 13^th minute. Striker Wojciech Wojcik corralled a loose ball just outside of the box and curled in a shot with the outside of his boot towards the Louisville net, but 'keeper Scott Goodwin came flying across the goal line to make a terrific save and keep the game level at nil.

There were plenty of fouls in the half in an increasingly physical first half, but the lone caution came in the 17^th minute when King was handed a yellow for an extended clutching of Don Smart's jersey at midfield.

Indy Eleven had perhaps the most perilous attack of the half in the 23^rd minute when Smart worked with fellow Jamaican Brian Brown to get into the penalty area. However, Brown's pass was left behind Smart's reach, and while he still made a chance out of it the resulting shot on the turn lacked power and would not trouble Goodwin.

Possession would go back and forth in the midfield for the remainder of the half, but neither team would muster up much attacking power, leaving them to enter the locker rooms tied at zero.

Louisville opened the second half with a threatening attack in the 51^st minute, when forward Ilija Ilic slipped behind the Indy backline and was found by a teammate at the top of the 18. From there he took one touch to gather himself before sending a rocket towards goal which deflected off of Nicht's left shoulder and soared into the air before the German netminder backtracked to collect and end the attack.

From there on out, chances would be hard to come by until the last few minutes of regulation as both teams pushed numbers forward, desperately trying for the winning goal. Controversy arose in the 89^th minute as Indy Eleven's Charlie Rugg sent a cross into the penalty area that seemed destined for Brown, who appeared to have a step on Louisville defender Tarek Morad. Morad looked to come barreling over Brown just yards in front of goal, but the referee saw differently and no call to the spot was made.

In the end, 90 minutes proved not to be enough for the two sides as regulation finished in a scoreless draw. Indy Eleven showed some signs of life early in the first added extra time period through substitute Dylan Mares. The product of both the University of Louisville and Indiana University saw two consecutive shots of his trouble Goodwin in the 92nd and 93^rd minutes, but neither were threatening enough for Louisville to be picking out of the back of the net.

The visitors had a chance a great chance of their own in the 96^th minute as a shot from defender Adam West skipped along the damp Carroll Stadium turf and towards the goal, but Nicht made an acrobatic attempt to smother the ball just before it could cross the goalline.

Indy Eleven looked the team more poised to take the lead across the extra half hour, with chances off a Mares driven set piece in the 105^th minute and a shot from distance by Osman Melgares in the 113^th minute causing nervous moments for the visitors, but ultimately doing no damage.

The breakthrough would finally come in the 115^th minute, though, for Louisville City FC. Indy defender Greg Janicki went sliding into a challenge at the top of the penalty area and cleared it to midfield, where Louisville recollected and sent a pass to an isolated Nate Polak at the top of the 18. Polak did as he has often done of late and converted his opportunity into a goal, sending a shot skipping past Nicht and into the lower right corner to give the away team a 1-0 lead.

The visitors weren't done yet. Just moments later in the 119^th minute, Louisville would get three bites of the apple a vital insurance goal when Sidney Rivera scored on an open net in the box off a shot that hit the crossbar. This seconds after Matt Fondy was in alone on goal but stopped by Nicht.

Via the dramatic 2-0 scoreline, Lousiville City FC now advances to take on the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in the U.S. Open Cup's fourth round on either June 16^th or 17^th at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Indy Eleven (1W-3D-3L, 6 pts. in NASL play) won't have much time to think about tonight's disappointing loss, as the "Boys in Blue" return to Carroll Stadium in three days' time on Saturday, May 30, to face off against the Tampa Bay Rowdies (3W-3D-1L, 12 pts.) in both teams' return to NASL Spring Season action. Kickoff on Indiana Craft Brew Spring Festival Night at "The Mike" (live on WISH-TV 8, ESPN3.com and Exitos Radio 1590AM) is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can purchase their tickets for Saturday's contest for as little as $10 via www.IndyEleven.com.

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North American Soccer League Stories from May 28, 2015


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