Indianapolis – The Race to the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs comes down to the final two games of the regular season for Indy Eleven after the Boys in Blue fell to USL-C Players’ Shield leader Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-1 at Carroll Stadium.
Forward Edward Kizza put the hosts on top in the fifth minute with his fourth goal of the season. Captain Aodhan Quinn started the scoring sequence with a long ball down the left sideline. Kizza won a 50-50 ball and took two touches outside the six, finishing inside the near post to give his team a 1-0 lead. It is his 24th career goal in USL-C regular-season play.
The Boys in Blue had a chance to increase their lead in the 25th minute, when Quinn won a 50-50 ball in the midfield and played a perfect one-touch pass to lead Rendon, who took two dribbles and fired a left-footed shot that Rowdies keeper Jahmali Waite deflected wide.
In the 55th, defender Joe Hafferty earned an Indy Eleven corner kick. Quinn took it on the right side and played a ball to the far edge of the six, where defender Nabi Kibunguchy headed it to Kizza, who flicked it from a tough angle over the crossbar.
Midfielder Cam Lindley created another chance in the 61st with a long diagonal ball that Rendon headed down for a left-footed strike that Waite deflected into the air and caught.
Hafferty and Rendon each had three shots, while Quinn recorded three chances created to increase his season total to a team-high 49.
Indy Eleven travels to Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7 p.m. on MyINDY-TV 23 and CBS Sports Golazo Network, before finishing the regular season at Charleston Battery on October 24. The top eight teams in the East after play on Decision Day will compete in the playoffs. The Boys in Blue trail eighth-place Miami FC by two points with Miami having just one game left.
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- USL Championship
Indy Eleven 1:3 Tampa Bay Rowdies - Sat., Oct. 10, 2026 – 7:00 p.m.
- Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis
- Weather: Cloudy with rain, 65 degrees
- Attendance: 9,627
USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 9-12-7 (-2), 34 pts, #9 in Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Rowdies: 16-5-7 (23), 55 pts, #1 in Eastern Conference
| Score | 1 | 2 | F |
| Indy Eleven | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | 3 | 3 |
- Scoring Summary
- IND – Edward Kizza 5’
- TBR – MD Myers (Russell Cicerone) 73’
- TBR – Sebastian Cruz (Marco Micaletto) 85’
- TBR – Marco Micaletto (Karsen Henderlong) 92’
- Discipline Summary
- IND – Bruno Rendon (caution) 50’
- TBR – Charlie Ostrem (caution) 67’
- TBR – MD Myers (caution) 75’
Indy Eleven Lineup: Eric Dick, Aodhan Quinn (captain), Anthony Herbert, Nabi Kibunguchy, Makel Rasheed, Mohamed Omar (Dylan Sing 81’), Cam Lindley (Alejandro Mitrano 76’), Josh O’Brien, Joe Hafferty, Edward Kizza (Loïc Mesanvi 81’), Bruno Rendon.
Indy Eleven Subs not used: Malik Henry-Scott, Reice Charles-Cook, Paco Craig, Hesron Barry.
Tampa Bay Rowdies Lineup: Jahmali Waite, Charlie Ostrem, Nate Dossantos, Brian Schaefer (Laurence Wyke 62’), Dion Acoff (Leland Archer 83’), Pedro Dolabella, Sebastian Cruz, Max Schneider, Russell Cicerone (Karsen Henderlong 83’), MD Myers, Louis Perez (Marco Micaletto 72’).
Tampa Bay Rowdies Subs not used: Gino Vivi, Austin Pack, Alex Rodriguez.
Quotes
Sean McAuley
Match takeaway
“The result is difficult for us in terms of looking at it and saying it’s 3-1. I don’t think it was a 3-1 game.”
Remaining regular-season matches
“We know that whatever happens, we may be able to take it into the final game.”
Fan support during his three years in Indy
“They are incredible and fantastic. We should appreciate them again and again. I’m a football supporter as well, so I know what it means to support your team.”
Edward Kizza
Goal in the fifth minute
“Those are some of the things we work on in practice. When Quinny played the ball, I looked up, I saw Bruno, then there was so much space in front of me.”
Opportunities tonight
“Everything reflects the hard work we put in every day. Having that connection, Bruno, and me–Bruno’s been on fire.”
What fan support means
“The fans have been amazing. Our games, we always have fans there, and that’s something we’re thankful to have.”
Cam Lindley
How he’s feeling at this point of the season
“You have to get through injuries and whatnot–I want to do whatever I can to help the team.”
Physicality of the match
“We love to compete; they like to compete. They’re a good team; we’re a good team. Games are important this time of year.”
Next two games
“Getting our guys in good positions, that’s my job and I’m going to continue doing that.”
