#TULvIND Gameday Preview
Indy Eleven at FC Tulsa
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 – 8:00 P.M. ET
ONEOK Field | Tulsa, Okla.
FOLLOW LIVE
Local/National TV: MyINDY-TV 23
Streaming Video: ESPN+ (click to subscribe)
Radio (Spanish): N/A
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers
Live stats: #TULvIND MatchCenter on USLChampionship.com
Official Indy Eleven Watch Party Locations: Ellison Brewing Co. | Union Jack Pub
2021 USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON RECORDS
Indy Eleven: 4W-6L-4D, 16 points, (-3 GD); 7th in Central Division
FC Tulsa: 6W-7L-1D, 19 points, (-4 GD); 3rd in Central Division
The Boys in Blue come into a midweek matchup with FC Tulsa after a welcome 10-day break from USL Championship action. Indy rolls into Tulsa after a heartbreaking loss to Birmingham Legion FC on July 24, which saw the squad concede at Carroll Stadium in the 91st minute. The Eleven went down in the 54th minute on the back of a Prosper Kasim goal, but did well to rally, equalizing in the 77th when Jordan Hamilton fired the ball off of Phanuel Kavita and into the goal (this was eventually deemed a Birmingham own goal). Indy went for the victory with several attempts on goal in the dying minutes of the match, but a Birmingham counterattack ending with a Jonathan Dean strike proved decisive.
Something Indiana’s Team can build on going into Wednesday’s tilt is its knack for distributing the ball efficiently. The Boys in Blue have made a total of 6,363 passes this season; and if that seems like a lot, that’s because it is. Not only does Indy keep the ball moving often – an average of 454.5 passes per game – but they’re doing it at an effective rate as well, completing 80% of their passes, good enough to put them in a three-way tie for ninth place across the Championship (with Las Vegas Lights FC and Tacoma Defiance).
Obviously building up an attack through efficient passing is the cornerstone of any great soccer club, but on the back of it, Indy has to create chances. Four players for the Boys in Blue have created ten or more chances so far this season – Nicky Law (26), Gordon Wild (23), Manuel Arteaga (12), and Nick Moon (10). Ayoze came off the Birmingham game in Week 14 having created five chances to bring his total for the year up to nine, in a year where the Spaniard has featured in a bit more of a limited fashion. The chances for Indy are there, it’s up to the lads to use their efficiency in the final third to put a few more goals in the back of the net.
After a winless four-game July slate, Indy renews play looking to start August on the front foot with back-to-back away matches, a trip to Atlanta United 2 on Sunday following Wednesday’s match in Tulsa. Normally, playing four out of six games in a month on the road might seem daunting, but with Indy’s away success so far this season (currently 3W-1L-2D) that could very well play into the team’s favor as it looks to break through the crowded middle of the Central Division table as the season hits the halfway mark.
FC Tulsa also enters Wednesday’s match trying to shift momentum, a current three-game losing streak including defeats to OKC Energy FC (2-1), Memphis 901 FC (1-0) and, most recently, last Wednesday at Atlanta United 2 (2-1), dampening their biggest result of the season, a 3-2 triumph over Central Division leader Louisville City FC on July 10. After a weekend off of its own, FC Tulsa still clings to third place in the Central Division on 19 points, a mark the seventh-place Eleven can equal with a win (did we mention the Central Division standings were tight?).
Tulsa’s strong suit this season has been offense – and a whole lot of it, as its 22 goals scored stand sixth best in the Eastern Conference. Rodrigo da Costa leads the offensive charge with eight goals, putting him tied for fourth in the league’s Golden Boot race. However, Tulsa’s defense has been a weak point, the team’s 26 conceded goals ranking seventh most in the Championship.
With Tulsa being outscored 5-2 during its three-game slide and notching only a +2 goal differential at home (12 GF/10 GA) en route to posting a 3W-2L-0D mark at ONEOK Field, the full three points seem there for the taking for Indiana’s Team on Wednesday night. Don’t be surprised to see an Indy attack that’s got something to prove take an aggressive approach as it tries to reset its season.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Overall: 0W-0D-1L (0 GF/ 2 GA)
Away: First Meeting
May 8 | IND 0:2 TUL
TUL: Rivas 62’, 80’ (p)
Wednesday at TUL (8:00 p.m.)
Wed., Sept. 8 at TUL (8:00 p.m.)
Sat., Oct. 23 vs. TUL (7:00 p.m.)
Indy Eleven’s first ever meeting with FC Tulsa didn’t go quite to plan at Carroll Stadium back on May 8. After a scoreless first half, Tulsa found the back of the net in the 62nd minute after a Bradley Bourgeois cross found the head of Joaquin Rivas to put the visitors in front. Rivas stepped up to the penalty spot in the 80th minute and converted to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead that they would see out for the remainder of the match to claim all three points.
The lone familiar face to members of the Eleven’s fanbase will be FC Tulsa Assistant Coach Nemanja Vukovic, who appeared for Indiana’s Team 64 times between 2016-17 and bagged five goals during his time in the Circle City.
IND Player to Watch: DF Neveal Hackshaw
Hack. Is. Back. With Indiana’s Team, that is, after representing Trinidad and Tobago at the CONCACAF Gold Cup since early July (and overcoming a brief illness that ended his stint with the Soca Warriors a couple of Sundays ago). The 25-year-old has made eight appearances so far this season, his most recent performance on June 26 at Louisville City FC also serving as his most memorable as his goal and assist helped the Boys in Blue earn a big point on the road from a 3-3 draw.
How important is the two-time defending USL Championship All-League Teams performer to the Boys in Blue in 2021? The numbers tell it all …
8 games with Hack: 4W-2L-2D; 1.38 GF/1.13 GA (11/9)
6 games w/out Hack: 0W-4L-2D; 0.67 GF/1.50 GA (4/9)
The Soca Warrior has also completed 423 passes this season, good for fifth most on the team despite all the time missed, proving his return will not just help the defense but also boost an already strong Indy passing game. That said, Hacksaw’s defensive prowess will also be put to the test against a Tulsa attack that produced one of the two multiple-goal outputs against a Hack-included Eleven side this season.
TUL Player to Watch: FW Joaquin Rivas
Rivas returned to FC Tulsa for their match against Atlanta United 2 last Wednesday also coming off an absolutely electric CONCACAF Gold Cup experience that saw him score three times in four games on behalf of El Salvador. In that competition, the forward’s tournament account opener against Guatemala helped La Selecta secure a 2-0 victory and propelled them to the knockout stage, where his two goals against Qatar were not enough to secure victory over the Middle Eastern invitees in a 3-2 Quarterfinal defeat.
A successful summer for the 29-year-old shouldn’t have been too surprising to the USL Championship faithful. In his eight 2021 appearances, Rivas has scored five times, including twice against the Boys in Blue in the previous encounter. The El Salvadorian also has a bit of a creative tinge to his game, creating seven chances – although none have led to an assist. With the return of Hackshaw, the battle between Indy’s backline and a Rivas-led attack will be a pivotal part of Wednesday’s match.
#TULvIND Gameday Preview
Indy Eleven at FC Tulsa
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 – 8:00 P.M. ET
ONEOK Field | Tulsa, Okla.
FOLLOW LIVE
Local/National TV: MyINDY-TV 23
Streaming Video: ESPN+ (click to subscribe)
Radio (Spanish): N/A
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers
Live stats: #TULvIND MatchCenter on USLChampionship.com
Official Indy Eleven Watch Party Locations: Ellison Brewing Co. | Union Jack Pub
2021 USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON RECORDS
Indy Eleven: 4W-6L-4D, 16 points, (-3 GD); 7th in Central Division
FC Tulsa: 6W-7L-1D, 19 points, (-4 GD); 3rd in Central Division
The Boys in Blue come into a midweek matchup with FC Tulsa after a welcome 10-day break from USL Championship action. Indy rolls into Tulsa after a heartbreaking loss to Birmingham Legion FC on July 24, which saw the squad concede at Carroll Stadium in the 91st minute. The Eleven went down in the 54th minute on the back of a Prosper Kasim goal, but did well to rally, equalizing in the 77th when Jordan Hamilton fired the ball off of Phanuel Kavita and into the goal (this was eventually deemed a Birmingham own goal). Indy went for the victory with several attempts on goal in the dying minutes of the match, but a Birmingham counterattack ending with a Jonathan Dean strike proved decisive.
Something Indiana’s Team can build on going into Wednesday’s tilt is its knack for distributing the ball efficiently. The Boys in Blue have made a total of 6,363 passes this season; and if that seems like a lot, that’s because it is. Not only does Indy keep the ball moving often – an average of 454.5 passes per game – but they’re doing it at an effective rate as well, completing 80% of their passes, good enough to put them in a three-way tie for ninth place across the Championship (with Las Vegas Lights FC and Tacoma Defiance).
Obviously building up an attack through efficient passing is the cornerstone of any great soccer club, but on the back of it, Indy has to create chances. Four players for the Boys in Blue have created ten or more chances so far this season – Nicky Law (26), Gordon Wild (23), Manuel Arteaga (12), and Nick Moon (10). Ayoze came off the Birmingham game in Week 14 having created five chances to bring his total for the year up to nine, in a year where the Spaniard has featured in a bit more of a limited fashion. The chances for Indy are there, it’s up to the lads to use their efficiency in the final third to put a few more goals in the back of the net.
After a winless four-game July slate, Indy renews play looking to start August on the front foot with back-to-back away matches, a trip to Atlanta United 2 on Sunday following Wednesday’s match in Tulsa. Normally, playing four out of six games in a month on the road might seem daunting, but with Indy’s away success so far this season (currently 3W-1L-2D) that could very well play into the team’s favor as it looks to break through the crowded middle of the Central Division table as the season hits the halfway mark.
FC Tulsa also enters Wednesday’s match trying to shift momentum, a current three-game losing streak including defeats to OKC Energy FC (2-1), Memphis 901 FC (1-0) and, most recently, last Wednesday at Atlanta United 2 (2-1), dampening their biggest result of the season, a 3-2 triumph over Central Division leader Louisville City FC on July 10. After a weekend off of its own, FC Tulsa still clings to third place in the Central Division on 19 points, a mark the seventh-place Eleven can equal with a win (did we mention the Central Division standings were tight?).
Tulsa’s strong suit this season has been offense – and a whole lot of it, as its 22 goals scored stand sixth best in the Eastern Conference. Rodrigo da Costa leads the offensive charge with eight goals, putting him tied for fourth in the league’s Golden Boot race. However, Tulsa’s defense has been a weak point, the team’s 26 conceded goals ranking seventh most in the Championship.
With Tulsa being outscored 5-2 during its three-game slide and notching only a +2 goal differential at home (12 GF/10 GA) en route to posting a 3W-2L-0D mark at ONEOK Field, the full three points seem there for the taking for Indiana’s Team on Wednesday night. Don’t be surprised to see an Indy attack that’s got something to prove take an aggressive approach as it tries to reset its season.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Overall: 0W-0D-1L (0 GF/ 2 GA)
Away: First Meeting
May 8 | IND 0:2 TUL
TUL: Rivas 62’, 80’ (p)
Wednesday at TUL (8:00 p.m.)
Wed., Sept. 8 at TUL (8:00 p.m.)
Sat., Oct. 23 vs. TUL (7:00 p.m.)
Indy Eleven’s first ever meeting with FC Tulsa didn’t go quite to plan at Carroll Stadium back on May 8. After a scoreless first half, Tulsa found the back of the net in the 62nd minute after a Bradley Bourgeois cross found the head of Joaquin Rivas to put the visitors in front. Rivas stepped up to the penalty spot in the 80th minute and converted to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead that they would see out for the remainder of the match to claim all three points.
The lone familiar face to members of the Eleven’s fanbase will be FC Tulsa Assistant Coach Nemanja Vukovic, who appeared for Indiana’s Team 64 times between 2016-17 and bagged five goals during his time in the Circle City.
IND Player to Watch: DF Neveal Hackshaw
Hack. Is. Back. With Indiana’s Team, that is, after representing Trinidad and Tobago at the CONCACAF Gold Cup since early July (and overcoming a brief illness that ended his stint with the Soca Warriors a couple of Sundays ago). The 25-year-old has made eight appearances so far this season, his most recent performance on June 26 at Louisville City FC also serving as his most memorable as his goal and assist helped the Boys in Blue earn a big point on the road from a 3-3 draw.
How important is the two-time defending USL Championship All-League Teams performer to the Boys in Blue in 2021? The numbers tell it all …
8 games with Hack: 4W-2L-2D; 1.38 GF/1.13 GA (11/9)
6 games w/out Hack: 0W-4L-2D; 0.67 GF/1.50 GA (4/9)
The Soca Warrior has also completed 423 passes this season, good for fifth most on the team despite all the time missed, proving his return will not just help the defense but also boost an already strong Indy passing game. That said, Hacksaw’s defensive prowess will also be put to the test against a Tulsa attack that produced one of the two multiple-goal outputs against a Hack-included Eleven side this season.
TUL Player to Watch: FW Joaquin Rivas
Rivas returned to FC Tulsa for their match against Atlanta United 2 last Wednesday also coming off an absolutely electric CONCACAF Gold Cup experience that saw him score three times in four games on behalf of El Salvador. In that competition, the forward’s tournament account opener against Guatemala helped La Selecta secure a 2-0 victory and propelled them to the knockout stage, where his two goals against Qatar were not enough to secure victory over the Middle Eastern invitees in a 3-2 Quarterfinal defeat.
A successful summer for the 29-year-old shouldn’t have been too surprising to the USL Championship faithful. In his eight 2021 appearances, Rivas has scored five times, including twice against the Boys in Blue in the previous encounter. The El Salvadorian also has a bit of a creative tinge to his game, creating seven chances – although none have led to an assist. With the return of Hackshaw, the battle between Indy’s backline and a Rivas-led attack will be a pivotal part of Wednesday’s match.
