Boys in Blue look to extend six-match USL Championship unbeaten streak
#PITvIND Preview
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs Indy Eleven
Saturday, June 1, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Highmark Stadium – Pittsburgh
Follow Live
Watch: WNDY
Stream: ESPN+ (click to subscribe)
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Stats: #PITvIND MatchCenter at USLChampionship.com
2024 USL Championship Records
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 3-4-4 (-2), 13 pts; 9th in Eastern Conference
Indy Eleven: 6-4-2 (3), 20 pts; 3rd in Eastern Conference
SETTING THE SCENE
The Boys in Blue hit the road for a two-match swing starting with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Saturday night. This is the first of two meetings for the sides this season, with the match up in Indy taking place Aug. 31.
Indy is coming off a 2-1 win over reigning USL Champions Phoenix Rising FC and sits at 6-4-2 in third place in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh fell to Memphis 901 FC its last time out and is ninth in the Eastern Conference.
| PIT | IND | |
| 11 | Games | 12 |
| 10 | Goals | 23 |
| 12 | Goals Conceded | 20 |
| 6 | Assists | 13 |
| 41 | SOT | 57 |
| 41 | Shots Faced | 51 |
| 4 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
SERIES VS. PITTSBURGH
Saturday marks the 14th meeting between the two teams, with Indy trailing 4-6-3. The Boys in Blue are unbeaten in the last two contests, winning 3-1 on the road in 2023 and drawing at home, 1-1.
Pittsburgh Leads 6-4-3 | GF 12, GA 16
Recent Meetings
July 26, 2023 | W, 3-1 | Away
April 19, 2023 | D, 1-1 | Home
Aug. 6, 2022 | L, 2-0 | Home
July 6, 2022 | L, 1-0 | Away
June 15, 2021 | L, 1-0 | Home
GOALS
The Boys in Blue have scored in 12 straight USLC matches to open the 2024 season, bringing their total to 23 goals (T3 USL). The streak is the longest to open a USLC campaign (6 in 2019) and longer than any streak during the 2023 season (5 – 2x). It is the longest run overall within the same USLC season for the club matching a 12-game streak in 2022.
In total, Indy has scored in 15 straight USLC regular season matches dating back to Sept. 30, 2023, the longest streak since joining the league in 2018. The Boys in Blue have 13 first-half goals this season, the second highest total in league play (Charleston, 16).
THIS IS MAY
Indy Eleven finished off the month of May going 4-0-0 in USL Championship action and 6-0-0 across all competitions. The four wins for the Boys in Blue is the most so far this season for a side in the USL Championship to take maximum points in a month.
STREAKING
The Boys in Blue are currently riding a nine-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, which includes a six-game (5 wins) streak in USL Championship action. Indy has outscored its opponents 19-5 in those matches, while posting four clean sheets and never conceding more than one goal.
4.17 | Chicago Fire FC II* | W, 1-0
4.20 | at Colorado Springs Switchbacks SC | D, 1-1
4.27 | North Carolina FC | W, 2-1
5.4 | at Monterey Bay F.C. | W, 1-0
5.8 | San Antonio FC* | W, 2-0
5.12 | at Miami FC | W, 3-1
5.18 | Hartford Athletic | W, 4-1
5.22 | Detroit City FC* | W, 3-0
5.25 | Phoenix Rising FC | W, 2-1
*denotes U.S. Open Cup match
Indy’s current five-game streak is its longest regular season run since the 2019 season, when it took five consecutive victories in June as part of a 10-game undefeated run (6-0-4).
TOTW REGULARS
Jack Blake has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week five times in 2024, more than any player in the league, while Aedan Stanley has three nods and a Player of the Week accolade to his name. Additionally, three players have had at least one selection in Younes Boudadi, Adrian Diz Pe and Augi Williams.
In total, five players have earned team of the week nods, while seven total have received either team or bench honors.
THE [NEW] GAFFER
2024 is Indy’s first season under head coach Sean McAuley, who previously served as interim head coach/assistant at MLS-side Minnesota United FC. McAuley helped Minnesota to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2020. In 2015, he hoisted the MLS Cup with Portland Timbers. McAuley opened his playing career with Manchester United and played for Portland Timbers and the U-21 Scottish National Team, among others.
McAuley got his first career win in the USL Championship on March 16, 2024, a 2-1 defeat of Memphis 901 FC.
USLC : 6-4-2 | USOC: 3-0-0 | OVERALL: 9-4-2
TOP-10 TEAMMATES
Sebastian Guenzatti (T6th, 72) and Augi Williams (9th, 71) serve as the only pair of active teammates in the USL Championship’s top 10 for all-time regular season goals. Williams also has a pair in U.S. Open Cup action this season to lead Indy.
ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU
Aedan Stanley has a league-best six assists with three coming in the month of May (2 at MIA, 1 vs HFD). He also has a team-high two in Open Cup games.
LAST TIME OUT
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 25, 2024) – Jack Blake scored a pair of goals to lead Indy Eleven over reigning USL Champions Phoenix Rising FC, 2-1.
Phoenix scored the initial goal in the 19th minute off a corner kick from Jose Hernandez by way of Renzo Zambrano, but that would be the only scoring from the visitors.
Blake got the scoring for Indy started by securing his own chance from the spot and hammered home a 26th-minute penalty kick. His match winner came in the 64th minute off a restart after Phoenix’s Rocco Rios Novo found himself outside his own 18 where he was whistled for a handball.
Blake now has a team-leading seven goals in 2024 after scoring in back-to-back matches and posting his second multi-goal performance of the season. He is also a perfect four-for-four on penalty kicks.
The midfielder led the Boys in Blue with four shots, while Augi Williams and Douglas Martinez contributed a pair each. Defensively, Aedan Stanley posted a game-high five clearances and Hunter Sulte added three saves.
Scoring Summary
PHX – Jose Hernandez (Renzo Zambrano) 19’
IND – Jack Blake (penalty) 26’
IND – Jack Blake 64’
Discipline Summary
PHX – Jose Hernandez (caution) 27’
PHX – John Scearce (caution) 32’
IND – Cam Lindley (caution) 41’
IND – Younes Boudadi (caution) 45+2’
PHX – Laurence Wyke (caution) 50’
IND – Jack Blake (caution) 57’
PHX – Rocco Rios Novo (caution) 62’
IND – Ethan O’Brien (caution) 90’
