Late Drama Goes against Indy Eleven in 2-3 Loss at Carolina

RailHawks Forward Omar Bravo’s 95^th Minute Penalty Kick Snaps Indy’s Three-game Winning Streak

CARY, N.C. (Saturday, August 20, 2016) – Indy Eleven has seen mostly good fortune late in games this season, but tonight the exciting conclusion went the other way as Carolina RailHawks forward Omar Bravo converted  a 95^th minute penalty kick to down Indiana’s Team 3-2 in front of 6,106 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Goals by defender Greg Janicki and forward Eamon Zayed would put Indy Eleven in front twice within the first half hour, but the first three-goal concession in 20 league games would cost Indiana’s Team, snapping the three-game win streak Indy carried into the Tar Heel State. The loss, when combined with wins by FC Edmonton and New York on the evening, would also see Indy Eleven lose its grip on the top spot in both the Fall and Combined Season standings, the “Boys in Blue” now in a tight third-place on both tables.

OPTA STATS: Get the breakdown of #CARvIND via the NASL.com MatchCenter

The game opened up at a fast pace, but it would be a pair of set piece opportunities giving each side their first good look. In the 5^th minute it was Indy Eleven defender Nemanja Vukovic’s whipped in ball from the right flank that resulted in some chaos in the six yard box, but after Carolina goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald punched away the initial danger the loose ball was eventually cleared before Dylan Mares could work into space. Four minutes later, a free kick 35 yards out for Carolina was played short to Matt Watson, who eluded a defender and fired a low blast that forced Indy netminder Jon Busch into a low save to his left.

Things appeared to settle down, but then the goals started to come fast and furious, another set piece chance opening the scoring for Indy Eleven in the 20^th minute. Mares’ corner kick would be met by Janicki, the Indy captain on the evening crashing the top of the six and splitting a pair of defenders to head home for his fourth goal of the year.

The lead was short lived though, as RailHawks forward Matt Fondy found a bit of space at the top of the area, turned and fired a low shot across his body that beat Busch inside the left post, squaring the match just three minutes later.

The visitors grabbed the lead right back at the stroke of the half hour mark through forward Eamon Zayed, who tallied his 12^th goal of the season by beating Fitzgerald high and right from the penalty spot. The spot kick, which put Zayed one behind Minnesota’s Christian Ramirez for the NASL’s scoring lead, was created a minute earlier when Eleven striker Souleymane Youla, chasing a ball he poked into the area for himself, was spun around and brought down by Drew Beckie.

The second half belonged to the RailHawks, and it wouldn’t take long for the home side to even things up. It was a stroke of good fortune in the 54^th minute by Steven Miller that drew Carolina even for a second time. Busch’s punch of Austin Da Luz’s shot was sent into the right side of the area, where the right back lofted a first-time volley into the mixer that bounced off the base of the far post and in to level at 2-2.

Bravo was more involved throughout the second half, and was unlucky not to score in the 58^th minute when he beat Indy’s offside trap to seemingly go 1-v-1 versus Busch, only to have Janicki slide in to block his shot. At the hour mark it was Nazmi Albadawi finding ample space to snap off a shot from 20 yards out, the effort curling just wide of the left post.

Controversy came in the 63^rd minute, when Janicki’s tackle of Tiyi Shipalane at the edge of the area originally produced a point to the penalty spot, but a conference between the referee and one of his assistants resulted in a free kick instead. Bravo stepped up to challenge Busch on the ensuing dead ball opportunity, but the Indy ‘keeper dove left to punch away the well-struck shot, and Miller’s follow from long range missed a foot right to keep things even.

A pair of substitutes, Indy Eleven’s Omar Gordon and Carolina’s Brian Shriver, would influence the match heavily with dangerous crosses and shots after their introductions in the 66^th and 70^th minutes, respectively. Gordon was an instant spark for Indiana’s Team, the Jamaican’s 80^th minute shot from 12 yards that sailed just high marking this best look of his energetic stint. Shriver would rue a couple of chances to knick a game-winner, none more so than an 89^th minute opportunity where he couldn’t open up enough to redirect a cross into the six-yard box after gaining a step on his mark.

It was another Carolina substitute, Jonathon Orlando, who would be directly responsible for creating the game-winning penalty kick opportunity in the 93^rd minute, as he got to a pass on the endline and looked to cut back only to have Brad Ring slide in and handle the ball while on his foot. The point to the spot was immediate and this time stayed firm, allowing Bravo the chance to convert two minutes later with a hard, low shot inside the right post, snapping Carolina’s five-game winless streak.

After a bit of hard luck on the road, Indy Eleven will have the chance to rebound next Sunday, August 28, when it goes north of the border to square off against Ottawa Fury FC. The Sunday matinee between the “Class of 2014” rivals is set for 2:00 p.m. ET in the Canadian capital (live on ESPN3.com).

NASL Fall Season
Carolina RailHawks  3 : 2  Indy Eleven
Saturday, August 20, 2016
WakeMed Soccer Park – Cary, NC
Attendance: 6,106

Indy Eleven:
Fall Season: 6W-1D-3L, 19 pts., 3^rd place
Overall Season: 10W-7D-3L, 37 pts., 3^rd place

Carolina RailHawks:
Fall Season: 3W-3D-3L, 12 pts., 6^th place
Overall Season: 7W-5D-7L, 26 pts., 6^th place

Scoring Summary:
IND – Greg Janicki (Dylan Mares) 20’
CAR – Matt Fondy (Nazmi Albadawi) 23’
IND – Eamon Zayed (penalty kick) 30’
CAR – Steven Miller (unassisted) 54’
CAR – Omar Bravo (penalty kick) 95+’

Discipline Summary:
None

Indy Eleven line-up (4-4-2, L-->R):  Jon Busch; Nemanja Vuković, Greg Janicki (capt), Cory Miller, Lovel Palmer; Dylan Mares (Duke Lacroix 66’), Gerardo Torrado, Brad Ring, Don Smart (Omar Gordon 66’); Eamon Zayed, Souleymane Youla (Nicki Paterson 79’)

Indy Eleven bench: Keith Cardona (GK), Daniel Keller, Colin Falvey, Sinisa Ubiparipovic

Carolina RailHawks (4-4-2): Akira Fitzgerald; Paul Black, Drew Beckie, Connor Tobin, Steven Miller; Austin Da Luz (Jonathon Orlando 90’), Matt Watson, Nazmi Albadawi, Tiyi Shipalane (Brian Shriver 70’); Matt Fondy, Omar Bravo (Mickey Daly 96+’)

RailHawks bench: Brian Sylvestre (GK), Marvin Ceballos, Kareem Moses, Billy Schuler