INDY ELEVEN GAMEDAY & MATCH PREVIEW
Indy Eleven vs. Jacksonville Armada
Saturday, September 5, 2015 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN

WATCH LIVE:
Local: WISH-TV 8 (coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. with Countdown to Kickoff, followed by Honda Post-game Show)

STREAMING VIDEO:
United States: ESPN3.com
Internationally: Various ESPN online platforms

LISTEN LIVE:
Local radio (SPANISH): Exitos 1590 AM
Streaming audio (SPANISH): www.Exitos1590.com

FOLLOW ONLINE:  
In-game updates: Follow the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: Visit the NASL.com MatchCenter 
Game Hashtag: #INDvJAX

Click here for the full NASL standings page
Click here to see the Fall NASL Schedule

TEAM RECORDS: 
Indy Eleven:
Fall Season: 2W-3D-6L, 9 pts., 9th place
Combined Season: 5W-7D-9L, 22 pts., 10th place

Jacksonville Armada FC:
Fall Season: 3W-2D-5L, 11 pts., 7th place
Combined Season: 6W-5D-9L, 23 pts., 8th place

GAME NOTES:  
Indy Eleven Game Notes
Jacksonville Armada Game Notes

Following a stretch of three road games in twelve days, Indy Eleven returns home to take on the Jacksonville Armada FC on Saturday evening.  First kick at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with fans being able to watch the game across Central Indiana on WISH-TV and nationwide via streaming video on ESPN3.com/Watch ESPN. 

HISTORY vs. JACKSONVILLE:

For the first time in franchise history, the Eleven welcome Jacksonville into the Circle City on Saturday. The two teams' sole match thus far came on May 9, 2015, with Indy succumbing to a Bochy Hoyos goal in the 49th minute in a 0-1 defeat at Community First Park. The defeat snapped Indy's club-record undefeated streak, which had spanned back to October 2014, at nine games.
 

INDY vs. JACKSONVILLE SERIES 

May 9, 2015 @ JAX                  0-1 L
Saturday vs. JAX                     7:30 P.M. ET 
Oct. 3, 2015 @ JAX                  7:30 P.M. ET

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER END SATURDAY:

Indy Eleven had a strenuous – and stressful – three-week stretch to forget from July 18 through Aug. 8, when a pair of losses to Ottawa Fury FC bookmarked a five-game winless stretch.  During that rough 21-day patch, “Indiana’s Team” went 0W-1D-4L (the lone draw coming on July 25 vs. New York, 1-1).

A much-needed 11-day break followed, and Indy Eleven has responded with a win over Tampa Bay and a road draw at Atlanta to start its current five-game, 18-day gauntlet, marking the most grueling run of its 2015 season. However, two straight defeats at Tampa Bay and most recently Wednesday at Minnesota brought a three-game road trip (also the longest of 2015) to an end leading into Saturday night’s contest back home against Jacksonville.
 

THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST:

Indy Eleven had reversed its trend of conceding first during recent outings against Tampa Bay and Atlanta, but the troubling habit picked back up all too early last Saturday in Fort Lauderdale after Stefano Pinho hit the back of the net just 68 seconds into the match.  The pattern continued Wednesday night in Minnesota, although it did take the Loons the better part of the match to break through, with Justin Davis’ 77^th minute goal finally breaking the ice in the eventual 1-0 United FC victory at NSC Stadium. 

Throughout the 2015 combined season, Indy has now allowed the first goal 14 times in 21 games – including its lone meeting thus far against Jacksonville (a 1-0 loss back on May 9). All nine of Indy’s losses have come after conceding first, with the squad compiling a 3W-2D-9L record in those 14 contests.

WHO TO WATCH, INDY ELEVEN EDITION – GOALKEEPER

Keith Cardona secured just his fourth start of the 2015 NASL season for Indy Eleven while giving regular starter Kristian Nicht a night off Wednesday against Minnesota United FC, and looked solid while making three saves despite earning the loss in the 0-1 defeat at the National Sports Center Stadium. In four starts this year, Cardona has allowed seven goals while posting 12 saves and a 1.75 goals against average (GAA) ... this rivals the squad's workhorse Nicht, who played every minute of 2014 and has started 17 games this year while making 49 saves (3rd most in the NASL) and compiling a 1.65 GAA (28 goals allowed), which was inflated with the seven-goal rout a week ago in Fort Lauderdale.

Where the two goalkeepers differ is in experience - the 33-year-old stalwart Nicht had played every single minute between the posts in Indy Eleven's first 33 gates dating back to Cardona's pro debut on May 9 at Jacksonville. The other big difference comes in the record department ... while Cardona has suffered the "L" in all four of his appearances, Nicht has collected a .500 record on the campaign (5W-7D-5L).  While one would expect the incumbant Nicht to reclaim his starting role on Saturday night (Cardona also spelled Nicht during a similar three-game in eight-day run back in early August), Cardona gave interim head coach Tim Regan some food for thought on Wednesday.

WHO TO WATCH, ARMADA EDITION – DF FABRICIO ORTIZ

Named to the NASL Team of the Week on Wednesday, defender Fabricio Ortiz has earned a reputation as a staunch defender at center back. With 1,600 minutes under his belt this year, the aggressive Ortiz has also earned nine yellow cards in 18 starts this season. Indy Eleven forward Dane Richards has been finding his stride as of late thanks to his teammate slipping him behind backlines with greater frequency, so perhaps some early through balls could draw an early yellow on Ortiz, which could shift the strategy of the match dramatically for the visitors.