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USL Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Switchbacks Earn Their First Draw In The 2024 Season Against Indy Eleven

April 20, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release


Colorado Springs, CO - The Colorado Springs Switchbacks earned their first point of the season against Indy Eleven finishing with a final score of 1-1.

Tonight was a very important night for the history of the club as the team celebrates the Switchbacks 10th season. Within the first three minutes of the match, the Switchbacks made it on the scoreboard. #20 Yosuke Hanya quickly brings the ball right up against the left sideline of the 18, crosses it between three Indy Eleven defenders and their goalkeeper, delivering it right above #9 Ronaldo Damus who heads into the net.

In the 31', Indy Eleven player #3 Aedan Stanley runs to the far left side passing it to #9 Augustine Williams who tips it in. With the score now even, the Switchbacks brought the heat, finishing the first half with a total of 10 shots. Maalique Foster had two shots on target and Ronaldo Damus had one shot on target.

Into the second half, #3 Wahab Ackwei went in for a tackle and received a straight red card due to violent conduct in the 58'. With the team being down a man, the Switchbacks had to change the strategy. The second half was heavily focused on defense and it was imperative that the Switchbacks would earn at least a point. The boys were not backing down from the fight and were able to finish the match with a final score of 1-1.

The Switchbacks head to the Bay Area to play against the Oakland Roots on Saturday, April 27th. Mark your calendars for May 4th as the team returns to Weidner Field to battle El Paso Locomotive for Galactic night!

Post Match Quotes:

James Chambers

Overall thoughts

"I think if you ask me right now after the whole game, we're content with the point. I thought the boys did a great job in the first half, but obviously, in the second half, all it took was a two-foot tackle. The commitment to the group this week was been phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. With the team being down a player, everybody was just going for it and the boys on the bench were cheering them on. In moments you're going to have to defend and you're going to absorb pressure, there's no doubt about that. But I thought we could have hit them once or twice more."

On the resilience of the team being down a player

"I think what is fresh in my mind now is Detroit City FC. I think they were as resilient tonight as they were against Detroit but just didn't get the bounce of the ball. We're obviously gutted and disappointed but the effort to deserve it [the win] was there. Then tonight you get held down to ten men. You get a little bit of a look and a few breaks your way but you earn that, because you're so committed to defending and keeping it a 1-1. I think I am really proud of the group for that, really really proud."

On the goal from Ronaldo Damus

"We asked the boys to do specific things this week and they did them. That's where we got most of our joy and success and most of our chances, obviously a lethal goal from Ronaldo, he did very well. I thought we could've had one or two more in the first half."

Yosuke Hanya

On the teams' first point of the season

"Obviously it's not the perfect result we wanted, but we still got a goal - the first since the beginning of the season and the first goal for Ronaldo (Damus) which is great. We have been working so hard on our attacking creativity, so it's a great positive movement we have from this game and we need to keep working towards more moments like that."

On fitting in with Matt Real and feeding off each other tonight

"I like playing with him, especially, he has experience and that's huge for us. I think he played really good alongside me and we definitely want to keep that momentum going."

Matt Real:

On making his debut with the team

"I felt great. First and foremost, I have to say, I played in the USL back at the beginning of my career, and there are not many atmospheres that I've experienced like this, so thank you to the fans for coming out. It's definitely a big boost for us in games going forward, and they gave us the energy at the end to try and go for the win even though we were down a man. On top of that, I thought we did well, I thought we deserved more than a point, but we got the first points of the season so now we focus on next week. We'll be back in training this week and see what we can do to improve for the next game and then the next one after that."

On the difficulty of bouncing into the team immediately upon arrival

"It's definitely difficult because I'm not used to playing the full 90 (minutes), I haven't done that in a while. At the same time, there are a lot of other factors too, like adjusting to the altitude - today actually felt like a breakthrough for me, I didn't really feel the altitude. I think we have to use it to our advantage when we can - that can be a big benefit for us (that our opponents aren't used to altitude), and we want to find more places like that where we can take advantage."

Match Statistics:

Saves: COS: Christian Herrera: (3) IND: Hunter Sulte (3)

Goals: COS: Damus (3') IND: Williams (A: Stanley) (31')

Disciplines: COS: YC: Rocha (15'), Tejada (20'), Hanya (45'), Foster (70') RC: Ackwei (58') IND: YC: Chapman-Page (14'); Lindley (14'); Martinez (18'), Ofeimu (87')

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