INDIANAPOLIS – It was another frustrating night for Indy Eleven at home, which fought to equalize late before conceding in second half stoppage time to fall 2-1 to Birmingham Legion FC. Despite the result, the Boys in Blue head into a welcome 10-day break in USL Championship action just two points out of playoff positioning after Week 14 on a tightly bunched Central Division table.
“The easiest thing is to just chuck in the towel, but there's a long part of the season to be played,” said Indy Eleven Interim Head Coach Max Rogers. “This football club needs to be higher than where it is, and ultimately everyone has to do better to get the club where it should be. There are a lot of expectations on everyone here, and we have to keep working hard and stick together.”
After seeing Birmingham’s Prosper Kasim open the scoring in the 53rd minute, Indy Eleven (4W-6L-4D, 16 pts.; 6th in Central Division) used an own goal created by a Jordan Hamilton shot on frame in the 77th minute to even the proceedings. However, Birmingham (8W-4L-1D, 25 pts.; 2nd in Central) midfielder Jonathan Dean ended an impactful night with a 91st minute tally, keeping Indiana’s Team winless in its last six times out at Carroll Stadium.
Much like their previous encounter at “The Mike” three weeks ago, tonight’s match began with few offensive chances, Birmingham getting the only quality shot in the first half hour when Kasim sent a near-range effort into the side netting 12 minutes in. While Eleven midfielder Nick Moon created some chances off the dribble, Birmingham proved why it is the top scoring defense in the Eastern Conference, holding the home side without a shot until late in the stanza.
Indiana’s Team was no slouch on the defensive side of the ball either, holding the visitors without a shot on frame until the 38th minute, when Dean’s rocket across the frame of goal forced Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick into a leaping tip save. Two minutes later it was Anderson Asiedu finding space and winding up from 25 yards out, his shot taking a deflection before thankfully bouncing wide for a corner. Indy forward Manuel Arteaga gave the home side some hope in the final minute of regulation time, but his shot capping a mazy run through midfield was gathered by Legion FC netminder and Valparaiso native Trevor Spangenberg on his line.
The match would not stay scoreless for long into the second half, as Legion FC used a short build-up the open the scoring in the 53rd minute. Dean played a square ball along the top of the area for Kasim, who touched into space before firing low and just inside the far-right post to give the Hammers the advantage. The Boys in Blue nearly had an answer minutes later when Nicky Law’s cross found the head of Arteaga, but the Venezuelan pushed his header from 10 yards wide.
The insertion of Eleven strikers Gordon Wild and Jordan Hamilton just past the hour mark turned most of the traffic towards Spangenberg’s goal for the duration of the match. Indy was unlucky to not even things in the 70th minute when captains Ayoze and Karl Ouimette connected, the latter’s header off a well-worked short corner service smacking off the crossbar and taking a bounce inside the six before being cleared.
It was another Ayoze service in the 77th minute that would indeed help tie the proceedings, as Hamilton backed up inside the six to nod the captain’s far post cross on target. While Spangenberg initially made a save, Birmingham captain Phanuel Kavita’s backtracking momentum helped bundle the ball across the line whilst making contact with his own ‘keeper, setting up a frantic finish between the Central foes. In the 84th minute Hamilton nearly got one to his credit after touching and turning near the spot, but Spangenberg went low to his right to bat away the effort.
As seems to have been the case far too often at home this season it was another unlucky bounce doing the Boys in Blue in, this time as stoppage time began. Legion FC forward Neco Brett’s shot was blocked inside the six, but the ball bounced right into the path of Dean, who swept home the rebound from 10 yards out to give the visitors the full points from the match.
“Obviously, it's really disappointing to end the game in that manner, but we have to keep fighting,” said Rogers. “We have to be on the bus together, stick together and show that resilience to make sure that it comes in the next game.”
After a rare bye weekend, Indy Eleven will return to action in Week 16 with a pair of road contests at FC Tulsa (record here) on Wednesday, August 4 (8:00 p.m. ET, live on MyINDY-TV 23 & ESPN+) and Atlanta United 2 on Sunday, August 8 (7:30 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+).
The Boys in Blue will then return home on Saturday, August 14, with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff against OKC Energy FC. Tickets for “317 Night” at The Mike can be secured by visiting https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/indyeleven/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours. Fans who can’t make it can follow the action on MyINDY-TV 23, ESPN+, Exitos Radio 94.3 FM/exitos943.com, and the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers.
2021 USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1 : 2 Birmingham Legion FC
Saturday, July 24, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. ET
IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium
Attendance: 5,999
USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 4W-6L-4D, 16 pts. (6th in Central Division)
Birmingham Legion FC: 8W-4L-1D, 25 pts. (2nd in Central Division)
Scoring Summary:
BHM – Prosper Kasim (Jonathan Dean) 53’
IND – own goal (Phanuel Kavita) 77’
BHM – Jonathan Dean (unassisted) 90+1’
Disciplinary Summary:
BHM – Jaden Servania (yellow card) 45+1’
BHM – Alex Crognale (yellow card) 64’
Indy Eleven lineup (4-4-2, L–>R): Eric Dick; Patrick Seagrist, A.J. Cochran, Karl Ouimette, Rece Buckmaster (Gordon Wild 63’); Ayoze (captain) (Peter-Lee Vassell 86’), Jared Timmer, Jeremiah Gutjahr (Jordan Hamilton 63’), Nick Moon; Nicky Law, Manuel Arteaga
IND substitutes: Bobby Edwards (GK), Aboubacar Sissoko, Gershon Koffie, Nedeljko Malic
Birmingham Legion FC line-up (3-4-3, L–>R): Trevor Spangenberg; Phanuel Kavita (captain), Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Alex Crognale; Ryan James, Mikey Lopez, Anderson Asiedu, Jonathan Dean; J.J. Williams, Prosper Kasim (Eli Crognale 60’), Jaden Servania (Neco Brett 73’)
BHM substitutes: Ford Parker (GK), Benjamin Ofeimu, Jacob Rufe
INDIANAPOLIS – It was another frustrating night for Indy Eleven at home, which fought to equalize late before conceding in second half stoppage time to fall 2-1 to Birmingham Legion FC. Despite the result, the Boys in Blue head into a welcome 10-day break in USL Championship action just two points out of playoff positioning after Week 14 on a tightly bunched Central Division table.
“The easiest thing is to just chuck in the towel, but there’s a long part of the season to be played,” said Indy Eleven Interim Head Coach Max Rogers. “This football club needs to be higher than where it is, and ultimately everyone has to do better to get the club where it should be. There are a lot of expectations on everyone here, and we have to keep working hard and stick together.”
After seeing Birmingham’s Prosper Kasim open the scoring in the 53rd minute, Indy Eleven (4W-6L-4D, 16 pts.; 6th in Central Division) used an own goal created by a Jordan Hamilton shot on frame in the 77th minute to even the proceedings. However, Birmingham (8W-4L-1D, 25 pts.; 2nd in Central) midfielder Jonathan Dean ended an impactful night with a 91st minute tally, keeping Indiana’s Team winless in its last six times out at Carroll Stadium.
Much like their previous encounter at “The Mike” three weeks ago, tonight’s match began with few offensive chances, Birmingham getting the only quality shot in the first half hour when Kasim sent a near-range effort into the side netting 12 minutes in. While Eleven midfielder Nick Moon created some chances off the dribble, Birmingham proved why it is the top scoring defense in the Eastern Conference, holding the home side without a shot until late in the stanza.
Indiana’s Team was no slouch on the defensive side of the ball either, holding the visitors without a shot on frame until the 38th minute, when Dean’s rocket across the frame of goal forced Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick into a leaping tip save. Two minutes later it was Anderson Asiedu finding space and winding up from 25 yards out, his shot taking a deflection before thankfully bouncing wide for a corner. Indy forward Manuel Arteaga gave the home side some hope in the final minute of regulation time, but his shot capping a mazy run through midfield was gathered by Legion FC netminder and Valparaiso native Trevor Spangenberg on his line.
The match would not stay scoreless for long into the second half, as Legion FC used a short build-up the open the scoring in the 53rd minute. Dean played a square ball along the top of the area for Kasim, who touched into space before firing low and just inside the far-right post to give the Hammers the advantage. The Boys in Blue nearly had an answer minutes later when Nicky Law’s cross found the head of Arteaga, but the Venezuelan pushed his header from 10 yards wide.
The insertion of Eleven strikers Gordon Wild and Jordan Hamilton just past the hour mark turned most of the traffic towards Spangenberg’s goal for the duration of the match. Indy was unlucky to not even things in the 70th minute when captains Ayoze and Karl Ouimette connected, the latter’s header off a well-worked short corner service smacking off the crossbar and taking a bounce inside the six before being cleared.
It was another Ayoze service in the 77th minute that would indeed help tie the proceedings, as Hamilton backed up inside the six to nod the captain’s far post cross on target. While Spangenberg initially made a save, Birmingham captain Phanuel Kavita’s backtracking momentum helped bundle the ball across the line whilst making contact with his own ‘keeper, setting up a frantic finish between the Central foes. In the 84th minute Hamilton nearly got one to his credit after touching and turning near the spot, but Spangenberg went low to his right to bat away the effort.
As seems to have been the case far too often at home this season it was another unlucky bounce doing the Boys in Blue in, this time as stoppage time began. Legion FC forward Neco Brett’s shot was blocked inside the six, but the ball bounced right into the path of Dean, who swept home the rebound from 10 yards out to give the visitors the full points from the match.
“Obviously, it’s really disappointing to end the game in that manner, but we have to keep fighting,” said Rogers. “We have to be on the bus together, stick together and show that resilience to make sure that it comes in the next game.”
After a rare bye weekend, Indy Eleven will return to action in Week 16 with a pair of road contests at FC Tulsa (record here) on Wednesday, August 4 (8:00 p.m. ET, live on MyINDY-TV 23 & ESPN+) and Atlanta United 2 on Sunday, August 8 (7:30 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+).
The Boys in Blue will then return home on Saturday, August 14, with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff against OKC Energy FC. Tickets for “317 Night” at The Mike can be secured by visiting https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/indyeleven/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours. Fans who can’t make it can follow the action on MyINDY-TV 23, ESPN+, Exitos Radio 94.3 FM/exitos943.com, and the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers.
2021 USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1 : 2 Birmingham Legion FC
Saturday, July 24, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. ET
IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium
Attendance: 5,999
USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 4W-6L-4D, 16 pts. (6th in Central Division)
Birmingham Legion FC: 8W-4L-1D, 25 pts. (2nd in Central Division)
Scoring Summary:
BHM – Prosper Kasim (Jonathan Dean) 53’
IND – own goal (Phanuel Kavita) 77’
BHM – Jonathan Dean (unassisted) 90+1’
Disciplinary Summary:
BHM – Jaden Servania (yellow card) 45+1’
BHM – Alex Crognale (yellow card) 64’
Indy Eleven lineup (4-4-2, L–>R): Eric Dick; Patrick Seagrist, A.J. Cochran, Karl Ouimette, Rece Buckmaster (Gordon Wild 63’); Ayoze (captain) (Peter-Lee Vassell 86’), Jared Timmer, Jeremiah Gutjahr (Jordan Hamilton 63’), Nick Moon; Nicky Law, Manuel Arteaga
IND substitutes: Bobby Edwards (GK), Aboubacar Sissoko, Gershon Koffie, Nedeljko Malic
Birmingham Legion FC line-up (3-4-3, L–>R): Trevor Spangenberg; Phanuel Kavita (captain), Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Alex Crognale; Ryan James, Mikey Lopez, Anderson Asiedu, Jonathan Dean; J.J. Williams, Prosper Kasim (Eli Crognale 60’), Jaden Servania (Neco Brett 73’)
BHM substitutes: Ford Parker (GK), Benjamin Ofeimu, Jacob Rufe
