Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City
Indy Eleven Scores Just 20 Seconds in, but Can’t Hold off Reigning MLS Cup Champion in 105-Minute Scrimmage
TUCSON, ARIZ. (Friday, February 7, 2014) – Indy Eleven took a lead against a Major League Soccer opponent for the second game in a row, but the lead was short-lived as defending MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City would rally to post a 3-1 victory over the expansion North American Soccer League side. The scrimmage was a 105-minute affair that was contested at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson.
“We had a great start, and I thought our group was very composed and stayed in the match even after we went behind,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “We had one or two defensive breakdowns that did come back to bite us, but we were also able to create some chances of our own on the attacking side. I think the camaraderie of the group is starting to show after being together for the last week, so across the board we are pleased with our progress.”
Click here for more post-game reaction from Coach Sommer, midfielder Don Smart and goalkeeper Kristian Nicht.
A “dream start” might not be fitting enough to describe the first minute for Indy Eleven, as the NASL squad went up just 20 seconds into the match. A pair of trialists hooked up on the play, as center back “R. Tipton” (aliases utilized for trialists) sent a ball over the Sporting KC backline and down the right flank for onrushing forward “B. Elkhart.” Noticing Sporting KC goalkeeper Eric Kronberg was off his line, the striker took a first-time shot that dipped under the crossbar and inside the far left post to put the Hoosier State side up 1-0 before some players could even blink.
The early tally clearly got Sporting’s attention, and a line-up that featured the bulk of the starters from last December’s MLS Cup began to pile up chance after chance in attack. Argentine striker and Designated Player Claudio Bieler would even things up at 1-1 in the ninth minute, when his first time strike off a cut-back pass from defender Seth Sinovic cut through traffic and beat Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht inside his left post. Two minutes later it was forward C.J. Sapong giving Sporting the lead, as he finished off a pass from U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Graham Zusi at the doorstep to push the MLS outfit in front.
Sporting KC would keep the pressure coming, but Nicht would come up big to keep things at 2-1 heading into the break, his stop on Bieler’s header from 10 yards out in the 41st minute marking the highlight of the half for the German netminder. However, it was Kansas City returning the favor in the quick goal category at the start of the second half, as midfielder Sal Zizzo would finish from six yards out just 15 seconds into the second stanza to push the KC advantage to 3-1 in the 46th minute.
After a “line change” for both teams at the hour mark, an Indy Eleven unit consisting mostly of trialists and guest players would keep things even over the last 45 minutes – and were unlucky not to cut into the lead. The right post was kind to the MLS’ers down the stretch, as both trialist forward “S. Monroe” and midfielder Don Smart would strike the woodwork in the final 15 minutes, beating KC ‘keeper Andy Gruenebaum only to see their efforts bounce back into play.
After two games in three days, Indy Eleven (0-2-0 in preseason) will get a respite from match action for a handful of days before finishing the scrimmage portion of its Arizona schedule back at the Kino Sports Complex next Wednesday, Feb. 12 against another MLS side, Portland Timbers FC. Kickoff from Tucson is set for 8:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. MT (local), and fans will be able to follow the action as it unfolds via updates on the team’s new in-game @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed.
Indy Eleven Preseason Scrimmage #2 (105 minutes)
Indy Eleven (NASL) 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Kino Sports Complex – Tucson, AZ
Friday, February 7, 2014
Scoring Summary:
IND – trialist “B. Elkhart” (trialist “R. Tipton”) 1’
KC – Claudio Bieler (Seth Sinovic) 9’
KC – C. J. Sapong (Graham Zusi) 11’
KC – Sal Zizzo (Benny Feilhaber ) 46’
Indy Eleven Line-ups:
1st-60th min. (4-4-2): Kristian Nicht; *E. Cass, *R. Tipton, *F. Jefferson, Kyle Hyland; Pedro Mendes, Brad Ring, *M. Crawford, Walter Ramirez; Mike Ambersley (Don Smart 46’), *B. Elkhart
61’-105’ min. (4-4-2): *D. Jasper; Chris Wey, *S. Allen, *S. DuBois, Baba Omosegbon; Don Smart, *B. Jennings, *R. Gibson, *M. Shelby; *S. Monroe, *S. Jay
* Denotes trialists (aliases used)
Sporting Kansas City line-up (4-3-3): Eric Kronberg (Andy Gruenebaum 60); Seth Sinovic (Trialist 1 60), Matt Besler (Peter Schmetz 60), Aurelien Collin (Mechack Jerome 60), Chance Myers (Kevin Ellis 60); Paulo Nagamura (Lawrence Olum 60), Oriol Rosell (Christian Duke 60), Benny Feilhaber (Soony Saad 60, Alex Martinez 64); C.J. Sapong (Jacob Peterson 60), Claudio Bieler (Dom Dwyer 60), Graham Zusi (Sal Zizzo 46, Adnan Gabeljic 91)
Discipline Summary:
IND – trialists “E. Cass” (caution; reckless foul) 56’
KC – Peter Schmetz (caution; reckless foul) 75’
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 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ
Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven v. Portland Timbers (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, A
Preseason Recap – Indy Eleven 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City
Indy Eleven Scores Just 20 Seconds in, but Can’t Hold off Reigning MLS Cup Champion in 105-Minute Scrimmage
TUCSON, ARIZ. (Friday, February 7, 2014) – Indy Eleven took a lead against a Major League Soccer opponent for the second game in a row, but the lead was short-lived as defending MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City would rally to post a 3-1 victory over the expansion North American Soccer League side. The scrimmage was a 105-minute affair that was contested at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson.
“We had a great start, and I thought our group was very composed and stayed in the match even after we went behind,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Juergen Sommer. “We had one or two defensive breakdowns that did come back to bite us, but we were also able to create some chances of our own on the attacking side. I think the camaraderie of the group is starting to show after being together for the last week, so across the board we are pleased with our progress.”
Click here for more post-game reaction from Coach Sommer, midfielder Don Smart and goalkeeper Kristian Nicht.
A “dream start” might not be fitting enough to describe the first minute for Indy Eleven, as the NASL squad went up just 20 seconds into the match. A pair of trialists hooked up on the play, as center back “R. Tipton” (aliases utilized for trialists) sent a ball over the Sporting KC backline and down the right flank for onrushing forward “B. Elkhart.” Noticing Sporting KC goalkeeper Eric Kronberg was off his line, the striker took a first-time shot that dipped under the crossbar and inside the far left post to put the Hoosier State side up 1-0 before some players could even blink.
The early tally clearly got Sporting’s attention, and a line-up that featured the bulk of the starters from last December’s MLS Cup began to pile up chance after chance in attack. Argentine striker and Designated Player Claudio Bieler would even things up at 1-1 in the ninth minute, when his first time strike off a cut-back pass from defender Seth Sinovic cut through traffic and beat Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht inside his left post. Two minutes later it was forward C.J. Sapong giving Sporting the lead, as he finished off a pass from U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Graham Zusi at the doorstep to push the MLS outfit in front.
Sporting KC would keep the pressure coming, but Nicht would come up big to keep things at 2-1 heading into the break, his stop on Bieler’s header from 10 yards out in the 41st minute marking the highlight of the half for the German netminder. However, it was Kansas City returning the favor in the quick goal category at the start of the second half, as midfielder Sal Zizzo would finish from six yards out just 15 seconds into the second stanza to push the KC advantage to 3-1 in the 46th minute.
After a “line change” for both teams at the hour mark, an Indy Eleven unit consisting mostly of trialists and guest players would keep things even over the last 45 minutes – and were unlucky not to cut into the lead. The right post was kind to the MLS’ers down the stretch, as both trialist forward “S. Monroe” and midfielder Don Smart would strike the woodwork in the final 15 minutes, beating KC ‘keeper Andy Gruenebaum only to see their efforts bounce back into play.
After two games in three days, Indy Eleven (0-2-0 in preseason) will get a respite from match action for a handful of days before finishing the scrimmage portion of its Arizona schedule back at the Kino Sports Complex next Wednesday, Feb. 12 against another MLS side, Portland Timbers FC. Kickoff from Tucson is set for 8:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. MT (local), and fans will be able to follow the action as it unfolds via updates on the team’s new in-game @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed.
Indy Eleven Preseason Scrimmage #2 (105 minutes)
Indy Eleven (NASL) 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Kino Sports Complex – Tucson, AZ
Friday, February 7, 2014
Scoring Summary:
IND – trialist “B. Elkhart” (trialist “R. Tipton”) 1’
KC – Claudio Bieler (Seth Sinovic) 9’
KC – C. J. Sapong (Graham Zusi) 11’
KC – Sal Zizzo (Benny Feilhaber ) 46’
Indy Eleven Line-ups:
1st-60th min. (4-4-2): Kristian Nicht; *E. Cass, *R. Tipton, *F. Jefferson, Kyle Hyland; Pedro Mendes, Brad Ring, *M. Crawford, Walter Ramirez; Mike Ambersley (Don Smart 46’), *B. Elkhart
61’-105’ min. (4-4-2): *D. Jasper; Chris Wey, *S. Allen, *S. DuBois, Baba Omosegbon; Don Smart, *B. Jennings, *R. Gibson, *M. Shelby; *S. Monroe, *S. Jay
* Denotes trialists (aliases used)
Sporting Kansas City line-up (4-3-3): Eric Kronberg (Andy Gruenebaum 60); Seth Sinovic (Trialist 1 60), Matt Besler (Peter Schmetz 60), Aurelien Collin (Mechack Jerome 60), Chance Myers (Kevin Ellis 60); Paulo Nagamura (Lawrence Olum 60), Oriol Rosell (Christian Duke 60), Benny Feilhaber (Soony Saad 60, Alex Martinez 64); C.J. Sapong (Jacob Peterson 60), Claudio Bieler (Dom Dwyer 60), Graham Zusi (Sal Zizzo 46, Adnan Gabeljic 91)
Discipline Summary:
IND – trialists “E. Cass” (caution; reckless foul) 56’
KC – Peter Schmetz (caution; reckless foul) 75’
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 1 : 3 Sporting Kansas City (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ
Feb. 12 – Indy Eleven v. Portland Timbers (MLS) – Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, A
