Playoff Race Down to Final 2 Games
Published on October 10, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Indy Eleven News Release
Indianapolis - The Race to the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs comes down to the final two games of the regular season for Indy Eleven after the Boys in Blue fell to USL-C Players' Shield leader Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-1 at Carroll Stadium.
Forward Edward Kizza put the hosts on top in the fifth minute with his fourth goal of the season. Captain Aodhan Quinn started the scoring sequence with a long ball down the left sideline. Kizza won a 50-50 ball and took two touches outside the six, finishing inside the near post to give his team a 1-0 lead. It is his 24th career goal in USL-C regular-season play.
The Boys in Blue had a chance to increase their lead in the 25th minute, when Quinn won a 50-50 ball in the midfield and played a perfect one-touch pass to lead Rendon, who took two dribbles and fired a left-footed shot that Rowdies keeper Jahmali Waite deflected wide.
In the 55th, defender Joe Hafferty earned an Indy Eleven corner kick. Quinn took it on the right side and played a ball to the far edge of the six, where defender Nabi Kibunguchy headed it to Kizza, who flicked it from a tough angle over the crossbar.
Midfielder Cam Lindley created another chance in the 61st with a long diagonal ball that Rendon headed down for a left-footed strike that Waite deflected into the air and caught.
Hafferty and Rendon each had three shots, while Quinn recorded three chances created to increase his season total to a team-high 49.
Indy Eleven travels to Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7 p.m. on MyINDY-TV 23 and CBS Sports Golazo Network, before finishing the regular season at Charleston Battery on October 24. The top eight teams in the East after play on Decision Day will compete in the playoffs. The Boys in Blue trail eighth-place Miami FC by two points with Miami having just one game left.
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USL Championship
Indy Eleven 1:3 Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sat., Oct. 10, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis
Weather: Cloudy and rain, 65 degrees
Attendance: 9,627
USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 9-12-7 (-2), 34 pts, #9 in Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Rowdies: 16-5-7 (23), 55 pts, #1 in Eastern Conference
Scoring Summary
IND - Edward Kizza 5'
TBR - MD Myers (Russell Cicerone) 73'
TBR - Sebastian Cruz (Marco Micaletto) 85'
TBR - Marco Micaletto (Karsen Henderlong) 92'
Discipline Summary
IND - Bruno Rendon (caution) 50'
TBR - Charlie Ostrem (caution) 67'
TBR - MD Myers (caution) 75'
Indy Eleven Lineup: Eric Dick, Aodhan Quinn (captain), Anthony Herbert, Nabi Kibunguchy, Makel Rasheed, Mohamed Omar (Dylan Sing 81'), Cam Lindley (Alejandro Mitrano 76'), Josh O'Brien, Joe Hafferty, Edward Kizza (Loïc Mesanvi 81'), Bruno Rendon.
Indy Eleven Subs not used: Malik Henry-Scott, Reice Charles-Cook, Paco Craig, Hesron Barry.
Tampa Bay Rowdies Lineup: Jahmali Waite, Charlie Ostrem, Nate Dossantos, Brian Schaefer (Laurence Wyke 62'), Dion Acoff (Leland Archer 83'), Pedro Dolabella, Sebastian Cruz, Max Schneider, Russell Cicerone (Karsen Henderlong 83'), MD Myers, Louis Perez (Marco Micaletto 72').
Tampa Bay Rowdies Subs not used: Gino Vivi, Austin Pack, Alex Rodriguez.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 10, 2026
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- Roots Play to Dramatic 0-0 Draw Versus San Antonio FC in Final Match at Oakland Coliseum - Oakland Roots SC
- Switchbacks Earn a Point on the Road with a 1-1 Draw against Sacramento Republic FC - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
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- Playoff Race Down to Final 2 Games - Indy Eleven
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- One Last Mass Ascension - United Host Monterey Bay in Last Regular Season Home Match - New Mexico United
- Match Preview: Miami FC vs. Loudoun United FC - Miami FC
- Game Information and Match Notes - SAFC vs. Oakland Roots - San Antonio FC
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