Boys in Blue start 5-of-6 stretch at home Saturday against the Five Stripes
#INDvATL Preview
Indy Eleven vs Atlanta United 2
Saturday, April 16, 2022 – 7:00 p.m. ET
IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
FOLLOW LIVE
Local/National TV: MyINDY-TV 23
Streaming Video: ESPN+ (click to subscribe)
Radio (Spanish): Exitos 94.3 FM/exitos943.com
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers
Live stats: #INDvATL MatchCenter on USLChampionship.com
2022 USL CHAMPIONSHIP REGULAR SEASON RECORDS
Indy Eleven: 1W-2L-2D (-2 GD), 5 pts.; T-10th in Eastern Conference
Atlanta United 2: 2W-4L-0D (-5 GD), 6 pts.; 9th in Eastern Conference
COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK SPORTS MEDICINE INJURY REPORT
OUT: none
QUESTIONABLE: none
DISCIPLINE REPORT
IND: none
ATL: Darwin Matheus (OUT, red card 4/09 vs. DET), Nigel Prince (OUT, red card 4/09 vs. DET)
Indy Eleven will look to push its unbeaten streak in USL Championship play to four games following the club’s first win of 2022 at Rio Grande Valley FC last Saturday. Following two draws and that 2-1 win over the past three weeks, Indy Eleven welcomes Atlanta United 2 to Carroll Stadium, where the Boys in Blue will play five of their next six contests through the end of May.
As for Atlanta United 2, the Georgia side will look to bounce back following a heavy 0-4 loss at home to Detroit City FC last Saturday. Things got out of hand towards the end of the match against Indy’s newest rival, as Atlanta finished the game fielding only nine players after a pair of late red cards shown to Darwin Matheus and Nigel Prince. With the Five Stripes being only a point ahead of Indiana’s Team in the standings, the match-up at Carroll Stadium gives Indy Eleven a prime opportunity to continue its recent steady climb up the Eastern Conference ladder.
LAST TIME OUT
Indy Eleven 2 : 1 Rio Grande Valley FC
Sat., April 9 | Recap | Stats | Highlights
Indy Eleven capped a gritty away performance last Saturday, getting a late game brace from forward Stefano Pinho before holding on to capture its first win of the 2022 season – and the first victory for head coach Mark Lowry on the Eleven sideline – via a 2-1 triumph at Rio Grande Valley FC.
The first half was an overly physical affair marked mostly by fouls and stingy play in the middle third. The best chance for either side in the opening half came in the 17th minute when Eleven goalkeeper Elliot Panicco came up with an impressive low save on Isidro Martinez’s 20-yard blast.
Indiana’s Team found more of the ball after the hour mark and better chances soon followed, starting with Pinho’s opener in the 69th minute. The Brazilian talisman wasn’t done, as he’d bag his third in as many games in the 78th minute on a swift counter-attack capped by Pinho finishing Aris Briggs’ backline-splitting through ball.
Frank Lopez’s 83rd minute finish at the top of the six set up a nervy finish, but the Eleven held on to the full points and notched the first victory of the Mark Lowry Era.
Atlanta United 2 0 : 4 Detroit City FC
Sat., April 9 | Recap | Stats | Highlights
Detroit City FC took care of business last weekend against Atlanta United 2, besting the MLS side’s “2” squad via a dominating scoreline. DCFC was in the driver’s seat throughout, scoring three goals in the first 45 minutes. Two of those goals came through former LIPAFC villain Antoine Hoppenot, who finished one of his own in the 33rd minute before assisting on Detroit’s third in the 42nd minute.
Things got chippy towards the end of the match, as Atlanta’s Darwin Matheus was issued a red card following Detroit’s fourth goal in the 78th minute. Shortly after, Atlanta’s Nigel Prince was also awarded a red in the 86th minute, the infractions keeping both out of consideration for this weekend’s matchup at “The Mike”.
#INDvATL SERIES HISTORY
USL Championship regular season: 2W-3L-3D (9 GF/12 GA)
USL Championship at home: 2W-1L-1D (4 GF/2 GA)
USL Championship on the road: 0W-2L-2D (5 GF/10 GA)
Indy Eleven trails the all-time series against Atlanta United 2 by a 2W-3L-3D margin, with ATL breaking the series deadlock with their 1-0 win at Carroll Stadium last Sept. 4. The first two meetings of 2021 were contested at Fifth Third Bank Field in suburban Kennesaw, Ga., where the teams dueled to a 1-1 draw on July 7 before ATL recorded a 6-2 win on August 8. The last time the two clubs faced off came on Oct. 2, when Manuel Arteaga’s 53rd minute goal was offset five minutes deep into stoppage time by Aiden McFadden in a 1-1 draw at Carroll Stadium
FAMILIAR FACES
While there are no players on Atlanta’s roster that have suited up for the Boys in Blue, defender A.J. Cochran will be a familiar face to opposing fans. Cochran played for Atlanta United 2 during the 2018 season, making 30 appearances for the club.
Atlanta defender/midfielder Aiden McFadden is no stranger to the Hoosier State, as he played collegiately in South Bend for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Atlanta’s David Mejia also bears a connection to new Eleven Head Coach Mark Lowry, as the two crossed paths while at Jacksonville Armada FC from 2016-17, when Lowry was helming the first and Mejia was in the club’s youth ranks.
ELEVEN PLAYER TO WATCH: DF MECHACK JEROME
While the stat sheet from last Saturday’s win against RGV awards forward Stefano Pinho with Indy’s two goals, neither would’ve been possible without the help of Jerome. The Haitian defender played arguably the best game of his young Indy Eleven career, assisting on Pinho’s first goal and making the key defensive play to set up the game-winner.
At the 69th minute mark in the second half, Jerome booted a beautiful ball from the midfield stripe to Pinho, who corralled the pass at the top of the area and finished from 12 yards out. Jerome stepped up big again – literally – in the 78th minute, when he intercepted an RGV pass to keep the ball in Indy’s attacking half. Justin Ingram picked up the loose ball and quickly delivered to Aris Briggs, whose inch-perfect through ball hit Pinho in stride for what proved to be the decisive goal.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jerome was pivotal in thwarting a RGV attack intent on pumping crosses into the area, with his nine clearances on the evening frustrating the home side throughout. It’s two-way performances like last weekend’s that explains why coach Lowry has leaned upon Jerome at both his previous stops in Jacksonville and El Paso, and his presence on both sides of the ball will be something to pay attention to Saturday against Atlanta United 2.
