Indy Eleven's Victor Pineda Scores Twice to Down Strikers, 2-1
June 6, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Indy Eleven News Release
FORT LAUDERDALE - Indy Eleven saved the best for last once again, as midfielder Victor Pineda scored his second goal of the night in the final minute of second half stoppage time to lift the visitors to a 2-1 win at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in front of 5,083 fans at Lockhart Stadium. Pineda's first of the night in the 44^th minute canceled out Stefano Pinho's opening salvo for the Strikers, while his second gave interim head coach Tim Regan a victorious start to his tenure on the Indy sideline.
Indy Eleven had the game's first true chance in the 11^th minute after midfielder Brad Ring's shot from 30 yards out was handed down at the edge of the area, but Pineda sent the ensuing free kick into the wall and forward Brown Brown pushed a rebound attempt well wide.
Though Indy Eleven would carry the bulk of the possession and chances in the opening 20 minutes, it was Fort Lauderdale getting on the board first against the run of play in the 23^rd minute. Strikers midfielder Dani Sanchez had room on the right flank to get off a looping cross that Stefano Pinho redirected with a header inside the left post and past a diving Nicht to put the home side up top. Fort Lauderdale would nearly double up off a corner in the 32^nd minute when Sanchez flicked on a corner kick with a backheel 10 yards from goal, but Nicht got a shin in at his right post to keep things at 1-0.
Indy Eleven would get its hard-earned equalizer just before halftime on a great team goal finished off by Pineda from 23 yards. Hustle to keep possession by midfielder Dragan Stojkov near the penalty arc and a first-time layoff by midfielder Dylan Mares set up the poke by Pineda, which he sent past diving Strikers goalkeeper Josh Ford - making his first start for the squad during his loan stint from MLS' Orlando City FC - and inside the far right post to send things into the break at 1-1.
It was Fort Lauderdale that would come out of the break with the better of the chances, and Nicht did well to deny Stefano of his second with a great kick save in the 49^th minute, and the Brazilian had time and space just a few minutes later to get off a shot in the right side of the area that he fired over the frame.
Indy Eleven began to generate more and more chances as the half continued, and runs by Brown behind the backline nearly stung the Strikers twice, but the Jamaican would be beat to ball on three occasions by an active Ford coming off his line. The qualizer looked like it might come in the 85^th minute when substitute Don Smart's cross drifted over Ford, but it would also float past forward Charlie Rugg, who was unmarked at the far post. With one minute left in regulation it was a Strikers sub nearly making the difference, but Jose Angulo's stinging shot from 20 yards couldn't dip enough to challenge Nicht.
It was one more sub, Indy's Duke Lacroix, almost getting the winner two minutes deep into stoppage time when his shot from the right side of the area forced Ford to tip it wide and out for a corner. A minute later the recently-signed rookie out of the University of Pennsylvania would start off the game-winning play with a 70-yard run down the left flank, carrying into the area before squaring towards the penalty area. The ball would pop loose to Pineda, who sent a rocket into the upper right corner past a helpless Ford to give the "Boys in Blue" the full three points.
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