
Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven 2 :3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Pedro Mendes & Don Smart Tally in NASL Expansion Outfit’s First Match of Arizona Stay
CASA GRANDE, ARIZ. (Wednesday, February 5, 2014) – The first scrimmage in Indy Eleven history had its highs and lows, but in the end the North American Soccer League expansion side would be downed 3-2 by Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC in a 90-minute match contested at the Grande Sports World complex. After taking a late lead through midfielder Don Smart in the 70th minute, a pair of goals from Whitecaps striker Omar Salgado in the final 15 minutes would see the MLS outfit push past the Eleven in both teams' first match this spring.
“For the first run out I think we got a little more than we expected out of the group, certainly in terms of the scoring,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “I could see there were some nerves to work out, but as we settled in we created some really good chances late in the first half. The second half allowed a chance to get a good look at many of the trialists. In the end it was a very productive first match for us, with a lot of things we can build upon as camp continues.”
After a tentative first 10 minutes, Indy Eleven would begin to gain some ground and put its stamp on the match through more controlled possession. However, it was Vancouver striking first in the 26th minute, as Ben Fisk intercepted a ball in midfield and rounded onrushing Indy goalkeeper Kristian Nicht before slotting home from a wide angle to put the Canadian club up 1-0.
The ‘Caps lead was short-lived though, as Indy Eleven forward Pedro Mendes struck off a free kick from 30 yards out just three minutes later, his curling shot sneaking past the wall and inside the right post to even the match up quickly at 1-1. Indy Eleven would push through the rest of the first half with the bulk of the quality chances, with a Mendes header off a Walter Ramirez cross from the left flank marking the best opportunity from either side during the rest of the first 45 minutes.
Indy Eleven would exchange 10 of its 11 players to start the second half, and another rusty start was in order for a group getting their first action together. Indy would eventually settle into an effective counter-attacking style that would create some havoc in the Vancouver attacking end, culminating in the 70th minute with Smart's go-ahead tally. The play looked much like Fisk’s opener for Vancouver, as the Jamaican winger stole a pass 40 yards from goal and finished off his one-on-one opportunity against Whitecaps ‘keeper Patrick McLain from a tough angle to give Indy a 2-1 lead.
The advantage would hold for just six minutes, as Salgado first finished low and just off the outstretched hand of Eleven ‘keeper Nathan Sprenkel for the equalizer in the 77th minute before heading home from close range to the far left post just four minutes later to cap the scoring.
Indy Eleven will have little rest before getting back to game action this Friday, Feb. 7, when the Hoosier State squad will head south to Tucson for a 120-minute meeting with defending MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City. Fans will be able to follow the action from the Kino Sports Complex as it unfolds via updates on the team’s new in-game @IndyElevenLive twitter feed.
INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER
On using two different line-ups for each half:
“We wanted to use the entire roster so that we could get a good look at how everyone performs under a little bit of pressure. We’ve seen what they can offer in the training sessions across the first few days, but it’s important to see what they do in game situations, so we wanted to get that look right out of the gate. We need to get a gauge with the trialists on what they can bring to the table and how they can complement the group we are building around.”
On what Indy Eleven will need to improve upon as camp continues:
“The fitness is going to take awhile to get going. That’s expected, I but couldn’t fault the work rate of the guys out there today. Was a good opportunity for the guys to shake off the rust a little bit and get used to the speed of the game again after some time off.”
On forward Pedro Mendes’ first half goal:
“[Pedro’s] free kick certainly gave us a lift, which we needed after going down a goal. We used some good possession to set it up and Pedro did well with the opportunity on the dead ball. He could have – maybe should have – gotten another goal there right at the end of the half.”
On the team’s defensive effort:
“Their first goal resulted from a slip by one of our guys, so I can‘t really pick that one apart too much. There were some communication issues that you might expect to see with a group of guys playing together for the first time, and I’m sure we’ll get those worked out as things move forward.”
Indy Eleven Preseason Scrimmage #1
Indy Eleven vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)
Grande Sports World – Casa Grande, AZ
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Scoring Summary:
26' VAN – Ben Fisk (Mamadou Diouf)
29' IND – Pedro Mendes (unassisted)
71' IND – Don Smart (unassisted)
77' VAN – Omar Salgado (Mitch Piraux)
81' VAN – Omar Salgado (Sam Adekugbe)
Indy Eleven Line-ups
1st Half (4-3-3): Kristian Nicht; * E. Cass, * R. Tipton, * F. Jefferson, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, * B. Elkhart, * B. Jennings; Mike Ambersley, Pedro Mendes, Walter Ramirez
2nd Half (4-3-3): Nathan Sprenkel; Chris Wey, Baba Omosegbon, * S. Allen, * F. Tippecanoe; * F. Jefferson (T. Lake 60), * Y. Grant, * M. Shelby; Don Smart, * S. Monroe, * S. Jay
* Denotes trialists (aliases used)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Line-up
39.Simon Thomas* (18.Patrick McLain 46'); 42.Jordan Cyrus* (29.Solomon Kwambe* 59'), 41.Jackson Farmer+, 22.Christian Dean, 27.Ethen Sampson^ (3.Sam Adekugbe 59'); 46.Adam Mena# (Michael Calderon# 46'), 25.Andre Lewis (51.Michael Kafari# 46'), 32.Marco Bustos+ (38.Kianz Froese+ 46'), 26.Aminu Abdallah (25. Mitch Piraux+ 46'), 30.Ben Fisk^ (17.Omar Salgado 59'); 45.Mamadou Diouf (19.Erik Hurtado 59')
*Trialist
+Whitecaps FC Residency
^Whitecaps FC U-23
#Whitecaps FC MLS Draftee
Discipline Summary:
VAN – Omar Salgado 68’ (caution; reckless challenge)
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule:
Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven 2 : 3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS) – Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, AZ
Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven v. Sporting KC (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ
Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven v. Portland Timbers (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ
Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven 2 :3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Pedro Mendes & Don Smart Tally in NASL Expansion Outfit’s First Match of Arizona Stay
CASA GRANDE, ARIZ. (Wednesday, February 5, 2014) – The first scrimmage in Indy Eleven history had its highs and lows, but in the end the North American Soccer League expansion side would be downed 3-2 by Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC in a 90-minute match contested at the Grande Sports World complex. After taking a late lead through midfielder Don Smart in the 70th minute, a pair of goals from Whitecaps striker Omar Salgado in the final 15 minutes would see the MLS outfit push past the Eleven in both teams’ first match this spring.
“For the first run out I think we got a little more than we expected out of the group, certainly in terms of the scoring,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “I could see there were some nerves to work out, but as we settled in we created some really good chances late in the first half. The second half allowed a chance to get a good look at many of the trialists. In the end it was a very productive first match for us, with a lot of things we can build upon as camp continues.”
After a tentative first 10 minutes, Indy Eleven would begin to gain some ground and put its stamp on the match through more controlled possession. However, it was Vancouver striking first in the 26th minute, as Ben Fisk intercepted a ball in midfield and rounded onrushing Indy goalkeeper Kristian Nicht before slotting home from a wide angle to put the Canadian club up 1-0.
The ‘Caps lead was short-lived though, as Indy Eleven forward Pedro Mendes struck off a free kick from 30 yards out just three minutes later, his curling shot sneaking past the wall and inside the right post to even the match up quickly at 1-1. Indy Eleven would push through the rest of the first half with the bulk of the quality chances, with a Mendes header off a Walter Ramirez cross from the left flank marking the best opportunity from either side during the rest of the first 45 minutes.
Indy Eleven would exchange 10 of its 11 players to start the second half, and another rusty start was in order for a group getting their first action together. Indy would eventually settle into an effective counter-attacking style that would create some havoc in the Vancouver attacking end, culminating in the 70th minute with Smart’s go-ahead tally. The play looked much like Fisk’s opener for Vancouver, as the Jamaican winger stole a pass 40 yards from goal and finished off his one-on-one opportunity against Whitecaps ‘keeper Patrick McLain from a tough angle to give Indy a 2-1 lead.
The advantage would hold for just six minutes, as Salgado first finished low and just off the outstretched hand of Eleven ‘keeper Nathan Sprenkel for the equalizer in the 77th minute before heading home from close range to the far left post just four minutes later to cap the scoring.
Indy Eleven will have little rest before getting back to game action this Friday, Feb. 7, when the Hoosier State squad will head south to Tucson for a 120-minute meeting with defending MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City. Fans will be able to follow the action from the Kino Sports Complex as it unfolds via updates on the team’s new in-game @IndyElevenLive twitter feed.
INDY ELEVEN HEAD COACH JUERGEN SOMMER
On using two different line-ups for each half:
“We wanted to use the entire roster so that we could get a good look at how everyone performs under a little bit of pressure. We’ve seen what they can offer in the training sessions across the first few days, but it’s important to see what they do in game situations, so we wanted to get that look right out of the gate. We need to get a gauge with the trialists on what they can bring to the table and how they can complement the group we are building around.”
On what Indy Eleven will need to improve upon as camp continues:
“The fitness is going to take awhile to get going. That’s expected, I but couldn’t fault the work rate of the guys out there today. Was a good opportunity for the guys to shake off the rust a little bit and get used to the speed of the game again after some time off.”
On forward Pedro Mendes’ first half goal:
“[Pedro’s] free kick certainly gave us a lift, which we needed after going down a goal. We used some good possession to set it up and Pedro did well with the opportunity on the dead ball. He could have – maybe should have – gotten another goal there right at the end of the half.”
On the team’s defensive effort:
“Their first goal resulted from a slip by one of our guys, so I can‘t really pick that one apart too much. There were some communication issues that you might expect to see with a group of guys playing together for the first time, and I’m sure we’ll get those worked out as things move forward.”
Indy Eleven Preseason Scrimmage #1
Indy Eleven vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)
Grande Sports World – Casa Grande, AZ
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Scoring Summary:
26′ VAN – Ben Fisk (Mamadou Diouf)
29′ IND – Pedro Mendes (unassisted)
71′ IND – Don Smart (unassisted)
77′ VAN – Omar Salgado (Mitch Piraux)
81′ VAN – Omar Salgado (Sam Adekugbe)
Indy Eleven Line-ups
1st Half (4-3-3): Kristian Nicht; * E. Cass, * R. Tipton, * F. Jefferson, Kyle Hyland; Brad Ring, * B. Elkhart, * B. Jennings; Mike Ambersley, Pedro Mendes, Walter Ramirez
2nd Half (4-3-3): Nathan Sprenkel; Chris Wey, Baba Omosegbon, * S. Allen, * F. Tippecanoe; * F. Jefferson (T. Lake 60), * Y. Grant, * M. Shelby; Don Smart, * S. Monroe, * S. Jay
* Denotes trialists (aliases used)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Line-up
39.Simon Thomas* (18.Patrick McLain 46′); 42.Jordan Cyrus* (29.Solomon Kwambe* 59′), 41.Jackson Farmer+, 22.Christian Dean, 27.Ethen Sampson^ (3.Sam Adekugbe 59′); 46.Adam Mena# (Michael Calderon# 46′), 25.Andre Lewis (51.Michael Kafari# 46′), 32.Marco Bustos+ (38.Kianz Froese+ 46′), 26.Aminu Abdallah (25. Mitch Piraux+ 46′), 30.Ben Fisk^ (17.Omar Salgado 59′); 45.Mamadou Diouf (19.Erik Hurtado 59′)
*Trialist
+Whitecaps FC Residency
^Whitecaps FC U-23
#Whitecaps FC MLS Draftee
Discipline Summary:
VAN – Omar Salgado 68’ (caution; reckless challenge)
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Indy Eleven 2014 Preseason Schedule:
Feb. 5 – Indy Eleven 2 : 3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS) – Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, AZ
Feb. 7 – Indy Eleven v. Sporting KC (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ
Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven v. Portland Timbers (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ