INDIANAPOLIS (May 1, 2019) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies couldn’t convert their man advantage Wednesday night, settling for a scoreless draw against the Indy Eleven at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Before the match, the Rowdies likely would have been happy with a point from a difficult road match, but expectations changed after Paddy Barrett’s 20th minute dismissal for the home team.
Tampa Bay (4-0-5, 17 points) played with an extra man for 70 minutes but couldn’t find a way to unlock the Eleven’s (4-2-1, 13 points) compact defense despite putting five forwards on the field in the second half.
Barrett was booked for shoving Mohamed Kone in the 13th minute and was guilty of fouling Sebastian Guenzatti just seven minutes later to earn his second yellow card of the night and put his side down to 10 men. Just before his first card, Barrett had the match’s best scoring chance, putting a header on frame from point-blank range only to see Rowdies goalkeeper John McCarthy deny him.
Once Indy went down to 10 men, it sat deep in a shell with the ball rarely leaving the Eleven’s half. For long stretches, it was seven Rowdies attackers going against 10 men sitting deep for Indy. Only 10.1 percent of the match was played in the Rowdies defensive third.
Playing their third match in eight days (including two road trips), the Rowdies didn’t find a way to break through. Tampa Bay posted 15 shots but none were on target. Nearly half of those came from outside the box.
Indy, meanwhile, only took seven shots but put four on target. McCarthy saved all of them and overcame a late injury scare to post his fifth clean sheet in nine matches. It appeared McCarthy would be forced out of the match with an apparent arm injury in the 73rd minute after challenging Dane Kelly for a ball, but he managed to stay in the game.
Up next, the Rowdies will enjoy a weekend off from competition before they visit Nashville SC next Wednesday night in a match that will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
Caution Summary
Indy: Paddy Barrett – 13th minute
Indy: Paddy Barrett – 20th minute (second yellow and red card)
Tampa Bay: Leon Taylot – 88th minute
Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (3-5-2): GK John McCarthy; D Mohamed Kone, Pape Diakite, Caleb Richards; M David Najem (Antoine Hoppenot 63′), Dom Oduro, Andrew Tinari, Jordan Doherty (Leon Taylor 46′), Leo Fernandes (Brandon Allen 81′); F Sebastian Guenzatti (c), Juan Tejada
Indy XI (4-4-2): GK Evan Newton; D Alex Crognale, Paddy Barrett, Neveal Hackshaw, Ayoze; M Tyler Pasher (Karl Ouimette 26′), Tyler Gibson, Matt Watson, Kenney Walker; F Thomas Enevoldsen (Nico Matern 90+3′), Dane Kelly (Alioune Diakhite 75′)
