
Silverbacks Welcome Indy Eleven to Silverbacks Park
August 21, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Silverbacks face a pivotal two-match homestand with the chase for the Championship tightening with every match day. Indy Eleven visit Atlanta Silverbacks Park on Saturday (7:30 p.m. | TICKETS), presented by COUNTRY Financial, for the second time in 2015 and third overall meeting between the two teams. Atlanta holds 2015's series after a season-opening 1-all draw on April 4 and a 1-0 victory in Indianapolis on Aug. 1, but both sides enter with much to play for.
"Indy Eleven is a tough team; they never quit playing for the result, no matter the time left on the referree's watch or the score of the match," Silverbacks head coach Gary Smith said. "At the same time, we are familiar with them, having played them twice already this year - and we're probably disappointed to not have won both matches. We know what to expect from Indy but, more importantly, we know what our expectations are for ourselves, and now its up to us to execute."
The Silverbacks (5-7-7, 22 points Combined Table) enter eying a fifth victory in the Fall Season. After a Match Day 19 narrow loss away to Jacksonville Armada, Atlanta's front line is looking to get back in scoring form - something that hasn't been difficult for Pedro Mendes, Junior Burgos or Jaime Chavez to do through nine Fall matches. The trio of forward-thinking attackers have combined for 13 of the Club's 14 goals in the Fall, with all three winning separate NASL Play of the Week honors and Pedro earning NASL Player of the Week honors for Week 6.
Pedro scored one of his five goals this season on his first visit back to his former team, Indy Eleven, on Aug. 1. The attack built from a Burgos delivery to a top-of-the-box Chavez, who dribbled four Indy defenders before sliding a backheel to Pedro for the 1-touch finish. That goal stood up for the victory and earned Pedro his Play of the Week recognition.
Indy (4-6-7, 18 points) enters fresh off a slide-halting victory on Wednesday night. They downed the visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies, 2-0, but have dropped 14 of 18 possible points since July 11. In that six match span, Indy has allowed 12 goals while scoring just six with four of the six matches played at home.
• Discuss this story on the North American Soccer League message board...
North American Soccer League Stories from August 21, 2015
- FCE Match Preview vs. Fort Lauderdale Strikers - FC Edmonton
- Teams Look to Climb Standings with League-Leading Ottawa Idle in Week 8 - NASL
- Indy Eleven's "Hispanic Heritage Night" Details Set for September 5 - Indy Eleven
- Jonathan Borrajo Added to Strikers Roster - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Preview: San Antonio Scorpions vs Jacksonville Armada - San Antonio Scorpions
- Silverbacks Welcome Indy Eleven to Silverbacks Park - Atlanta Silverbacks
- Match Preview: RailHawks Host Raúl and the New York Cosmos - North Carolina FC
- Loons Finish Road Trip in Tampa Bay Looking for Second Straight Win - Minnesota United FC
- Armada Will Try to Extend Two-Match Win Streak at Scorpions on Saturday - Jacksonville Armada FC
- Tampa Bay Rowdies Part Ways with Farrukh Quraishi and Thomas Rongen - Tampa Bay Rowdies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Atlanta Silverbacks Stories
- Goal of the Year: Burgos Buries 2015 Honor
- Junior Delivers Team of the Week Performance in Finale
- Silverbacks Stall Fall Season Champions to Split Points
- Preview: Silverbacks to Close Regular Season vs. Ottawa
- Silverbacks Surge into Minnesota #MNUvATLâ=9A=BD

