MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Kyle Murphy notched a landmark 20th goal of the season while Laurent Kissiedou had a pair of assists as Memphis 901 FC took a 3-0 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday night at AutoZone Park to close out its regular season with a win as it heads to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs, presented by TwinSpires next weekend.

The teams exchanged early chances, but Memphis took the lead in the 12th minute when Mark Segbers delivered a through-ball that picked out Michael Salazar cutting in from the right flank, and the Belize international centered to Roland Lamah for a simple tap-in finish at the top of the six-yard area. The hosts almost doubled their lead eight minutes later when Murphy sent a looping header back across goal from a corner kick from the left, but the ball was headed off the line by Gershon Koffie on the left post.

901 FC had another good opportunity blocked in the 26th minute when a shot by Kissiedou was blocked on the line up Jared Timmer and then caromed back to goalkeeper Jordan Farr off a teammate. Indy then created a pair of good chances as Aboubacar Sissoko and Manuel Arteaga both forced saves from Memphis’ Brady Scott – the second on Arteaga a fine diving effort – but on a counterattack off that chance Murphy struck for the hosts as he received a pass from the left inside the penalty area from Kissiedou and drove a low finish in at the near post for his 20th goal of the season.

The hosts then made it a three-goal game 11 minutes into the second half as they build a well-worked counterattack that saw Salazar hold up play before passing laterally to Kissiedou at the top of the penalty area for a chipped pass into the box for Dre Fortune. The Trinidad and Tobago international audaciously lifted a first-time lobbed finish into the left corner of the net, leaving the goalkeeper stranded.

Kissiedou had a chance to add to his two assists with 15 minutes to go but slid a shot just wide of the left post as he broke onto a pass from Leston Paul into the right side of the penalty area, while Timmer headed just wide of the left post for the visitors two minutes later as Indy tried to find a way back into the game. After another pair of late chances for the hosts for Lamah and Rashawn Dally caught naught, though, 901 FC wrapped up a solid victory to prepare for its first postseason journey.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC – Kissiedou had a pair of assists and had four shots and five key passes overall while completing 47 of 54 passes to provide dynamism in the 901 FC midfield throughout.

Scoring Summary
MEM – Roland Lamah (Michael Salazar) 12’
MEM – Kyle Murphy (Laurent Kissiedou) 31’
MEM – Dre Fortune (Laurent Kissiedou) 56’

Full Box Score