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Gameday: Indy Eleven vs Carolina
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INDY ELEVEN GAMEDAY & MATCH PREVIEW
Indy Eleven vs. Carolina RailHawks
Saturday, April 25, 2015 – 7:30 p.m. ET
IUPUI's Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
GAMEDAY FAN GUIDE & WEATHER GUIDELINES at IndyEleven.com
WATCH LIVE:
TV: WISH-TV 8 (pre-game coverage begins at 7:00 pm)
In the United States: Streaming video via ESPN3.com
Internationally: Streaming video via various ESPN online platforms
LISTEN LIVE:
Spanish-language coverage on Exitos Radio 1590AM
FOLLOW ONLINE:
In-game updates: Follow the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: Visit the NASL.com MatchCenter
Game Notes: Click to read the match notes vs. Carolina
Indy Eleven will return to its Michael A. Carroll Stadium home on the campus of IUPUI this Saturday, April 25, when it will place host to the Carolina RailHawks in a top-half of the table clash. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live across Central Indiana on WISH-TV 8 (pre-game coverage starts at 7:30) and across the world via ESPN3.com and other ESPN online platforms.
Top Spot for the Taking?
Carolina has been “the first” for Indy Eleven on numerous occasions, as the RailHawks served not only as Indy’s first-ever opponent in NASL play last April 12, but they were also the first victim of Indy Eleven’s first NASL win on July 12. As it turns out, a win over the RailHawks on Saturday combined with an Atlanta win or draw over New York could produce another first for Indy Eleven in its brief history – its first placement atop the NASL standings.
Should Atlanta triumph over New York and Indy Eleven take care of business against the RailHawks, Indy would be even on eight points with the Silverbacks. The simple way to claim the top spot would be to have a winning margin greater than Atlanta’s (first tiebreaker is goal differential), although it could go all the way down to the current reason Indy Eleven is technically now in 2nd place – the fourth tiebreaker, away goals scored. (2nd tiebreaker is total goals scored, 3rd is head to head competition).
Additionally, a tie between ATL & NY and an Indy Eleven win would bring Indiana’s Team even with New York on eight points. However, a win by at least two goals over Carolina would bring Indy even with the Cosmos in goal differential as well, leaving the top spot between the two to be decided by the most goals scored tiebreaker … or the away goals tiebreaker.
2014 Match Summaries vs Carolina
IND 1 : 1 CAR – April 12, 2014: Indy Eleven opened up its tenure in the NASL at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium via an exciting 1-1 draw. Mike Ambersley scored the first goal in Indy Eleven history in the 43rd minute to bring the overflow crowd of 11,048 at “The Mike” to their feet. Carolina’s Zack Schilawski countered five minutes after the break to force a share of the spoils – but not completely spoil the historic night for soccer in Indiana.
CAR 1 : 2 IND – July 12, 2014: Indy Eleven left it late, but the expansion squad opened up its NASL Fall Season with its first win in league play, capturing a 2-1 victory over the Carolina RailHawks at WakeMed Soccer Park. Substitute midfielder Don Smart bagged the game winner in the 87 th minute, finishing off a perfect 1-2 combination with fellow sub Dylan. After Carolina’s Enzo Martinez put the home side up 24 minutes in, Indy forward Ben Spencer would bring things square with his second goal in Indy checkers in the 65th minute, setting up Smart’s late heroics in the Triangle.
IND 0 : 1 CAR – Sept. 27, 2014: A 53rd minute tally by the RailHawks’ Nazmi Albadawi would stand tall, and none of Indy Eleven’s 19 shots would hit paydirt in a 0-1 defeat at Carroll Stadium. The loss marked the last time Indy Eleven would taste defeat in 2014 before embarking upon its season-ending five-game undefeated streak (now currently at eight games).
Home Cookin' Coming Around
Indy Eleven’s struggles at home in 2014 were well documented, but the squad’s two victories to close out its Carroll Stadium slate against the NASL’s top two squads across the regular season – Minnesota United FC (2-0 W on Oct. 11) and the eventual champion San Antonio Scorpions (1-0 W on Oct. 18) left everyone with fuzzy memories heading into year two. When factoring in a 1-1 draw vs. New York to open the 2015 slate at “The Mike” on April 11, Indy Eleven is now .500 (2W-4D-2L) at Carroll Stadium with a +1 goal differential (8 GF/7 GA) over its last 8 home games (2W-6D-7L all-time at home).
Indy Still Streaking
After ending 2014 with a five-game undefeated streak, Indy Eleven has managed to carry that momentum – and streak – into 2015, with last weekend’s stunning victory in San Antonio stretching Indy’s undefeated run to eight games (4W-4D-0L) dating back to last October. As it turns out, Carolina was the last team to defeat Indy Eleven, when they registered a 1-0 win at “The Mike” last Sept. 27th.
10/04/14 at New York Cosmos 0-0 D
* 10/11/14 vs Minnesota United FC 2-0 W
10/18/14 vs San Antonio Scorpions 1-0 W
10/26/14 at Ottawa Fury FC 2-1 W
11/01/14 at Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-2 D
04/04/15 at Atlanta Silverbacks 1-1 D
04/11/15 vs New York Cosmos 1-1 D
04/18/15 at San Antonio 2-1 W
* Indy Eleven’s first NASL home win in team history
Infirmary Update
Kleberson’s tricky left hamstring continues to be cause for concern, and although an MRI this week produced no negative news the Brazilian World Cup champion has been downgraded to OUT for this weekend … Midfielder Victor Pineda remains OUT, but returned to some training on the side on Friday as he continues to progress from a bone bruise to his left ankle, an injury he suffered in the team’s final preseason match vs. Bradley on March 28 … Also OUT is defender Judson McKinney, who underwent surgery on April 7 to clean up a bone chip and Osteochondritis dissecans condition in his left ankle … Midfielder Sergio Pena will stay PROBABLE this week, with his minutes expected to remain limited as he fights a nagging upper respiratory illness.
Final Thought: No Clean Sheets ... Again
Through its first three contests in 2015, Indy Eleven and its opposition have both managed to hit the back of the net in all three games. This is nothing new for Indy, which started its NASL tenure last season by playing in 11 straight games in which it and the opposition scored at least once.
