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Indy Shows Mettle in Comeback Victory

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 07/08/18, 1:14PM EDT

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Homestand ends on high note after 2-1 win against Independence

INDIANAPOLIS – Having been forced to burn two substitutions due to injuries inside the opening 20 minutes and down a goal to a Charlotte Independence side that was itself in great need of victory, Indy Eleven Head Coach Martin Rennie said he was delighted with the character his side showed to rally for a 2-1 victory on Saturday night before a crowd of 9,858 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The victory moved Indy back into the top four of the Eastern Conference standings, and ensured the side ended a three-game homestand that had seen it claim only one point previously on a high note as it reached the midway point of its regular season.

“I thought we were unfortunate not to have gotten more, but players showed a lot of character,” said Rennie. “We had a lot of adversity in that game. We had two players go off in the first fifteen minutes, we lost a goal and were down, but we managed to keep fighting and get the win. We showed a lot of character and confidence and we’re really happy with that.”

After suffering defeat on Wednesday night due to an own goal by Carlyle Mitchell, on Saturday it was the Trinidad & Tobago international’s turn for redemption as his powerful header on Ayoze’s corner kick proved the winner with 20 minutes to go. It was the second time the duo had teamed up for a goal this season, with Ayoze’s assist his fifth of the season. 


Indy Eleven center back Carlyle Mitchell is congratulated for his second-half goal that proved the winner against the Charlotte Independence. | Photo courtesy Matt Schlotzhauer / Indy Eleven

The winner came eight minutes after Ben Speas’ first goal of the season as the midfielder put home an excellent volleyed finish from Eugene Starikov’s knockdown header to the top of the penalty area to answer Jorge Herrera’s opener early in the second half for the visitors. Both Speas and Starikov had been forced into action early, with Starikov coming on for Justin Braun in the 10th minute and Speas seven minutes later for Kevin Venegas.

With another big contest coming up on the road on Wednesday night against the Charleston Battery – who sit two points back of Indy in sixth place after a 1-1 draw with North Carolina FC on Saturday night – the Eleven will have decisions to make in the final game of a tough stretch of games.

“Obviously, we’ll have to see how certain injuries are and see how players recover,” said Rennie. “We have got some good options. We have a lot of players getting back. We have been getting guys back so that’ll help us. We have to just think about that probably in the next few days.”

But with the race for the USL Cup Playoffs remaining tight up and down the Eastern Conference – third place and 11th place separated by only seven points going into Sunday’s action – picking up maximum points before heading on a four-game stint on the road was gratifying for Rennie and his side.

“Right now, we’ll enjoy this game,” said Rennie. “Then we’ll start thinking about Wednesday’s game. There is a little break after that which will be well deserved and well-earned but before that break we have to make sure we do well in the next game against Charleston.”

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