Indy Eleven Records Victory at Home
Indy Eleven recorded its second victory of the 2019 USL Season over the weekend with a home win versus Hartford Athletic. A Hartford own goal late in the first half secured Indy’s second straight victory of the season, bringing the club’s 2019 regular season record to 2W-1L-0D.
USL Soccer News: Indy Eleven extended its win streak with a 1-0 victory over Hartford Athletic in front of a record-breaking crowd of 20,251 supporters.
“Really happy to get the win in our first home game of the season,” said Martin Rennie, Indy Eleven head coach. “It was great to be part of the atmosphere and also the record crowd we had tonight.”
In the 11th minute, Hartford nearly found the net for the first goal of the evening when forward Jonathan Brown played a lofted cross into the center of Indy’s 18-yard box. Indy Eleven goalkeeper Evan Newton jumped off his line to collect the ball before it could find Brown’s teammate.
Indy Eleven forward Dane Kelly’s strike in the 15th minute was the first of many chances for the hosts. From the center circle, Eugene Starikov fed a cross to Kelly who brought the ball down 30 yards from goal. Kelly dribbled the ball at the top of Hartford’s penalty box and hit a strike that was stopped by goalkeeper Jacob Lissek.
In the 40th minute, a cross from Indy Eleven defender Ayoze Garcia took a deflection off Hartford defender Nikolaj Lyngø’s chest and passed Lissek for an own goal and 1-0 Eleven lead.
Kelly continued to knock on Hartford’s door with an opportunity seven minutes into the second half. A shot from Kelly was denied by the left goal post to keep the match 1-0.
“It’s hard for the other teams to keep up, especially with the quality on our team and the pace,” said Newton. “Especially with the dynamic guys forward. It’s going to come. We’re putting in work at practice and it’s going to be a really good season for us. First clean sheet is good for us too. It’s big to get that.”
Kelly, the USL Championship’s all-time leading goal scorer, found the woodwork once again in the 90th minute with a shot from inside Hartford’s 18-yard box. Kelly accumulated six shots of Indy’s 17 on the evening.
“It was very frustrating, but the good thing about it is we get the three points,” said Kelly. “I think I made it odd for the team because if I score one those chances the game would’ve been closed out.”
Indy Eleven has a bye week and then will return to action during Week 6 with a road match against Swope Park Rangers on Monday, April 15. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Photo Credit: Indy Eleven
