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Indy, Braun Buoyed by Scoring Streak

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/27/18, 10:32AM EDT

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Long road back from torn Deltoid ligaments has provided timely boost for the Eleven

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The road back to full fitness still has a little way to go for Indy Eleven forward Justin Braun, but after Wednesday night’s tally in a 2-0 victory against Nashville SC in the USL Game of the Week at First Tennessee Park gave Braun his third goals in the past two outings it’s certainly feeling as though the veteran striker is getting close to where he wants to be.

After suffering torn Deltoid ligaments last August that required plenty of patience over the course of recovery, Braun’s progression back into the starting lineup for the Eleven has been rewarding for both the striker and his side.

“​It's nice,” said Braun, who went 74 minutes in his sixth start of the season on Wednesday. “As a striker, you want to try to get on these runs. It's one of those runs where it seems like the ball's going into the net for me, so that's nice. All the work I've been putting in to this point is coming together, I've been getting good service and being able to get on the end of things. It's nice to be able to walk away with three points – that's the biggest thing.”

Indy’s third consecutive victory – which brought an end to both Nashville’s eight-game league undefeated streak and the club’s undefeated home record – saw the Eleven capitalize on their chances in clinical fashion as the hosts carried much of the play before a crowd of 8,482 at FTP.

Braun almost put his side ahead in the 14th minute with a headed finish that Nashville goalkeeper Matt Pickens did very well to palm away from the top-right corner, but after the visitors took the lead on Karl Ouimette’s header from the ensuing corner, Braun doubled his side’s lead 10 minutes before halftime that slid past Pickens from the left side of the penalty area. In putting four of the side’s five overall shots on target in the contest, Indy made Pickens work when it had the chance.


After taking a two-goal lead, Indy Eleven put in a solid defensive effort to hold Nashville scoreless at home for the first time since its home opener on March 24. | Photo courtesy John Wilkinson III / Nashville SC

Once it had taken a two-goal lead, though, it was time for the side’s midfield and defense to carry the weight as goalkeeper Owain Fôn Williams recorded a four-save shutout and Ayoze needed to make a crucial goal-line clearance midway through the second half to deny Nashville much momentum. After scoring the opening goal, Ouimette paired with Carlyle Mitchell to combine for 20 clearances as Nashville barraged its visitors with 36 crosses on the night, but only 11 found their mark as Indy moved above their hosts into fourth place in the standings.

“It was a hard game tonight,” said Indy Head Coach Martin Rennie. “Nashville are very good and I don't think they've lost at home all season. They're a very strong team that did well. It's an excellent win for us. We showed improvement in our performance and winning three in a row builds our confidence, which we are continuing to build on.”

The Eleven return home this Saturday to kick off a big three-game stretch that sees it welcome another side currently on the surge up the standings in Penn FC. With the positive momentum the club has behind it, both Indy and Braun are getting close to being where they want to be as the side’s first season in the USL unfurls.

“​I'm definitely close,” said the 2014 USL Cup winner. “I think with my injury, I had talked to the surgeon and he said that it would be about a year before you don't have any effects with it. Every week it's feeling better and my body is feeling good. I don't feel like it's hindering me at all throughout the play. I'm kind of feeling back to myself at this point.” 

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