Indy Eleven Top Fort Lauderdale Strikers at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium
Indy Eleven topped the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Wednesday night that saw the start of the match delayed due to weather conditions. Indy closed out a 3-0 victory over the traveling team as the club’s undefeated streak extends to 13 matches, which equals the NASL modern era’s record set by the Carolina RailHawks and the New York Cosmos.
NASL Soccer News: After a nearly three-hour wait to get things going, Indy Eleven couldn’t wait to start scoring, using a relentless first-half attack to post a comprehensive 3-0 victory over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Wednesday night – and into Thursday morning – at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.
The result brought Indy Eleven’s undefeated streak to start the season to 13 games (6W-7D-0L, 25 pts. in Combined Season), equaling the NASL modern era’s record set by the Carolina RailHawks (2011) and the New York Cosmos (2013-14). More importantly, it allowed Indy (2W-1D-0L, 7 pts. in Fall Season) to keep pace with the breakaway Cosmos (9 pts.) early in the Fall Season race.
After waves of storms delayed the start of the match, it was Indy Eleven attacking in waves with intensity from the outset, paying off with forward Eamon Zayed’s opener in the 10th minute. The Irishman bagged his seventh goal in league play after corralling Nicki Paterson’s cross to the penalty spot, turning and placing his shot into the upper right corner past a helpless Diego Restrepo in the Strikers goal. Zayed’s strikemate Justin Braun nearly doubled Indy’s early advantage two minutes later, but his heavy hit from 25 yards rose just over the crossbar.
In the 21st minute it was Zayed playing provider for Indy’s second as he popped a ball up the left for midfielder Duke Lacroix. The Eleven left flanker read the high bounce correctly and shielded off his defender before racing in on Restrepo and finishing from 12 yards out to make it 2-0 Indy. Just five minutes later Paterson would get his second helper of the evening off a corner kick service that captain Greg Janicki headed home, all but wrapping up the proceedings less than a half hour in.
The offensive onslaught by Indy would continue with a handful of clear cut chances across the final 15 minutes of the opening half, but the “Boys in Blue” would have to settle for the 3-0 lead at the end of the first half. Fort Lauderdale midfielder Geison Moura’s second yellow card of the evening in the 41st minute would only make things worse for the visitors heading into the halftime break.
As expected, Indy Eleven came out of the locker room the aggressor with the man advantage. Nemanja Vukovic’s dipping shot in the 51st minute had eyes for goal, but Restrepo did well to tip over for a corner. Luis Felipe Fernandes showed signs of life for the visitors on a rare foray forward with numbers in the 60th minute, his low shot from the top of the area forcing the first save of the night from Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch, who collected his second straight clean sheet – and fifth of the season – on the evening.
The action would slow towards the finish, but Lacroix turned on the afterburners to create one more quality chance in the 81st minute, ending a lengthy run into the right side of the area by slamming a shot off Restrepo at his left post.
Indy Eleven face a short turnaround before getting back to action this Saturday, July 16, at Minnesota United FC, its second meeting against the Loons in as many weekends coming on the heels of last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Carroll Stadium. Kickoff from the National Sports Center Stadium is set for 8:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live nationwide on beIN SPORTS.
Source/Photo Credit: Indy Eleven
