GAMEDAY: #MNUVIND
Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview

Indy Eleven at Minnesota United FC
Saturday, July 16, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET
National Sports Center Stadium – Blaine, MN
Team Records:
- Indy Eleven:
2W-1D-0L, 7 pts., 2nd in NASL Fall Season
6W-7D-0L, 25 pts., 2nd in Combined Season - Miinnesota United FC:
1W-0D-1L, 3 pts., 6th in NASL Fall Season
6W-1D-5L, 19 pts., 4th in Combined Season - Click here for the complete NASL Fall Season standings
- Click here for the complete NASL Combined Season standings
Watch Live:
- Local: None
- National: beIN SPORTS
- Online: beIN SPORTS CONNECT ($)
Follow Live:
- Play-by-play updates via the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
- Live in-game stats powered by Opta at the NASL.com MatchCenter
- Vote for the Indy Eleven “Man of the Match” on the @IndyEleven Twitter feed immediately following the match
- Game Hashtag = #MNUvIND
Media Game Notes:
Indy's Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 3 : 0 Fort Lauderdale
After a good old-fashioned Midwestern thunderstorm outbreak and its subsequent three-hour delay of kickoff, Indy Eleven would come out raining goals on the Strikers, scoring all three of its tallies before the half hour mark hit the scoreboard – and before Fort Lauderdale knew what had hit them. Midfielder Nicki Paterson assisted on a pair of the tallies – Eamon Zayed's 10th minute opener from the run of play and Greg Janicki's header off a corner kick in the 26th minute – which bookended Duke Lacroix's first goal of the season in the 21st minute.
Indy's relentless first half onslaught could have been worse for the visitors if not for some help from the woodwork and some timely saves by Diego Restrepo, who stopped six of the nine shots on frame on the evening. The Boys in Blue easily rode out the result after the trio of goals and Geison Moura's 41st minute red card, electing to dial back the pressure and save their legs for Saturday night's "return leg" at Minnesota.
Minnesota's Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 1 : 0 Minnesota United FC
In a quirk of the Fall Season schedule, Minnesota's last time out was at Indy Eleven last Saturday, when Indiana's Team used big plays on both ends of the field late by midfielder Dylan Mares to capture its first 1-0 win of the 2016 season over the Loons. The "Eleven Original" Mares put his stamp on the game in the 78th minute when he intercepted Lance Laing's pass and took two touches before unleashing a 25-yard blast that beat Minnesota 'keeper Sammy Ndjock to the upper right corner.
Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch was huge on the night with four saves, the biggest coming in the 38th minute when he stoned NASL Golden Boot leader Christian Ramirez on his low PK attempt at the left post. For the one shot Busch couldn't get to en route to his fourth shutout of the season Mares was on the spot, heading Ramirez's point-blank header in the 90th minute off the goalline to preserve a massive three points for the "Boys in Blue."
Eleven Shoot for Season Sweep, NASL Record on its Own
Last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Minnesota accomplished one first for Indy Eleven – its first series win over the Loons in three tries when combined with a 4-2 win on May 21st, also at The Mike. Another first in club history on Saturday night – its first point (or points) earned at the National Sports Center Stadium outside the Twin Cities – will result in Indy Eleven going 14 straight games unbeaten and therefore claming the league's record undefeated streak it tied on Wednesday all for itself.
While getting greedy and having the record on its own would be nice, quite frankly the pressure should be off Indy Eleven after having already rewritten the NASL record book midweek. Plus, there are more important things at hand, primarily not allowing the New York Cosmos to break away from the peleton (happy Tour de France season!) early on in the Fall Season race. What might be even more important for Indy is proving the ability to grind out a result at the end of a difficult week in hostile territory – both games versus Minnesota over the last six weeks at Carroll Stadium were a grind to get through, and when you throw one of the better environments in the NASL into the mix it makes Saturday night one of those "calendar-circling" affairs for the duration of the NASL's Fall fixture list.
Suddenly Possessed
After enjoying the majority of possession just once in its 10 Spring Season games – and by the slimmest of majorities (51/49) at that on May 28 at Jacksonville – Indy Eleven has seen the better of the ball in all three Fall games thus far at Puerto Rico (61/39) and home against Minnesota (58/42) and Fort Lauderdale (52/48).
Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: MF Nicki Paterson
Coming off his most complete game of the season, the Scottish midfielder will be the key in unlocking a Minnesota defense amongst the stingiest in the league. The question is, will he have time to get into the attack? Or will he have to be more of a "Stay-at-Home" central mid on Saturday alongside Brad Ring (or maybe Gerardo Torrado???) considering the Loons are quite unlikely to sit back and absorb like they did a week ago at "The Mike"? Whatever scenario occurs, Paterson looks to be 100% back from his ACL injury suffered a year ago, which bodes well moving forward for the "Boys in Blue."
Who to Watch, Minnesota edition: DF Damion Lowe
Tiago Calvano's red card in the scuffle that followed last Saturday's affair at Carroll Stadium opens the door back up for Lowe's return to the Minnesota XI. No stranger to the Loons' starting lineup (started 8 of his 10 appearances) or the Eleven (started on May 21 and came off the bench last weekend), the sizeable Jamaican center back is a threat on set pieces with two goals off of corner kicks. However, the 23-year-old Seattle Sounders loanee will have his hands full with an Indy attack that has put up at least three goals thrice in its last seven games – a streak that started with Lowe in the line-up during that contest in May.
Match-up to Mark: FW Eamon Zayed vs. FW Christian Ramirez
The Golden Boot race pacers face off once again, but this time with Zayed (7 goals) within one tally of Ramirez (8) thanks to the Irishman's finish on Wednesday night. Will Ramirez have some extra motivation after Jon Busch stoned his PK attempt a week ago? Will Zayed – whose has a league-best 5 goals since May 20th – be able to continue his momentum and help Indy to a first result in the Land of 10,000 Lakes? Who knows … but we can't wait to watch!
GAMEDAY: #MNUVIND
Indy Eleven Gameday & Match Preview

Indy Eleven at Minnesota United FC
Saturday, July 16, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET
National Sports Center Stadium – Blaine, MN
Team Records:
- Indy Eleven:
2W-1D-0L, 7 pts., 2nd in NASL Fall Season
6W-7D-0L, 25 pts., 2nd in Combined Season - Miinnesota United FC:
1W-0D-1L, 3 pts., 6th in NASL Fall Season
6W-1D-5L, 19 pts., 4th in Combined Season - Click here for the complete NASL Fall Season standings
- Click here for the complete NASL Combined Season standings
Watch Live:
- Local: None
- National: beIN SPORTS
- Online: beIN SPORTS CONNECT ($)
Follow Live:
- Play-by-play updates via the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
- Live in-game stats powered by Opta at the NASL.com MatchCenter
- Vote for the Indy Eleven “Man of the Match” on the @IndyEleven Twitter feed immediately following the match
- Game Hashtag = #MNUvIND
Media Game Notes:
Indy’s Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 3 : 0 Fort Lauderdale
After a good old-fashioned Midwestern thunderstorm outbreak and its subsequent three-hour delay of kickoff, Indy Eleven would come out raining goals on the Strikers, scoring all three of its tallies before the half hour mark hit the scoreboard – and before Fort Lauderdale knew what had hit them. Midfielder Nicki Paterson assisted on a pair of the tallies – Eamon Zayed’s 10th minute opener from the run of play and Greg Janicki’s header off a corner kick in the 26th minute – which bookended Duke Lacroix’s first goal of the season in the 21st minute.
Indy’s relentless first half onslaught could have been worse for the visitors if not for some help from the woodwork and some timely saves by Diego Restrepo, who stopped six of the nine shots on frame on the evening. The Boys in Blue easily rode out the result after the trio of goals and Geison Moura’s 41st minute red card, electing to dial back the pressure and save their legs for Saturday night’s “return leg” at Minnesota.
Minnesota’s Last Time Out – Indy Eleven 1 : 0 Minnesota United FC
In a quirk of the Fall Season schedule, Minnesota’s last time out was at Indy Eleven last Saturday, when Indiana’s Team used big plays on both ends of the field late by midfielder Dylan Mares to capture its first 1-0 win of the 2016 season over the Loons. The “Eleven Original” Mares put his stamp on the game in the 78th minute when he intercepted Lance Laing’s pass and took two touches before unleashing a 25-yard blast that beat Minnesota ‘keeper Sammy Ndjock to the upper right corner.
Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch was huge on the night with four saves, the biggest coming in the 38th minute when he stoned NASL Golden Boot leader Christian Ramirez on his low PK attempt at the left post. For the one shot Busch couldn’t get to en route to his fourth shutout of the season Mares was on the spot, heading Ramirez’s point-blank header in the 90th minute off the goalline to preserve a massive three points for the “Boys in Blue.”
Eleven Shoot for Season Sweep, NASL Record on its Own
Last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Minnesota accomplished one first for Indy Eleven – its first series win over the Loons in three tries when combined with a 4-2 win on May 21st, also at The Mike. Another first in club history on Saturday night – its first point (or points) earned at the National Sports Center Stadium outside the Twin Cities – will result in Indy Eleven going 14 straight games unbeaten and therefore claming the league’s record undefeated streak it tied on Wednesday all for itself.
While getting greedy and having the record on its own would be nice, quite frankly the pressure should be off Indy Eleven after having already rewritten the NASL record book midweek. Plus, there are more important things at hand, primarily not allowing the New York Cosmos to break away from the peleton (happy Tour de France season!) early on in the Fall Season race. What might be even more important for Indy is proving the ability to grind out a result at the end of a difficult week in hostile territory – both games versus Minnesota over the last six weeks at Carroll Stadium were a grind to get through, and when you throw one of the better environments in the NASL into the mix it makes Saturday night one of those “calendar-circling” affairs for the duration of the NASL’s Fall fixture list.
Suddenly Possessed
After enjoying the majority of possession just once in its 10 Spring Season games – and by the slimmest of majorities (51/49) at that on May 28 at Jacksonville – Indy Eleven has seen the better of the ball in all three Fall games thus far at Puerto Rico (61/39) and home against Minnesota (58/42) and Fort Lauderdale (52/48).
Who to Watch, Indy Eleven edition: MF Nicki Paterson
Coming off his most complete game of the season, the Scottish midfielder will be the key in unlocking a Minnesota defense amongst the stingiest in the league. The question is, will he have time to get into the attack? Or will he have to be more of a “Stay-at-Home” central mid on Saturday alongside Brad Ring (or maybe Gerardo Torrado???) considering the Loons are quite unlikely to sit back and absorb like they did a week ago at “The Mike”? Whatever scenario occurs, Paterson looks to be 100% back from his ACL injury suffered a year ago, which bodes well moving forward for the “Boys in Blue.”
Who to Watch, Minnesota edition: DF Damion Lowe
Tiago Calvano’s red card in the scuffle that followed last Saturday’s affair at Carroll Stadium opens the door back up for Lowe’s return to the Minnesota XI. No stranger to the Loons’ starting lineup (started 8 of his 10 appearances) or the Eleven (started on May 21 and came off the bench last weekend), the sizeable Jamaican center back is a threat on set pieces with two goals off of corner kicks. However, the 23-year-old Seattle Sounders loanee will have his hands full with an Indy attack that has put up at least three goals thrice in its last seven games – a streak that started with Lowe in the line-up during that contest in May.
Match-up to Mark: FW Eamon Zayed vs. FW Christian Ramirez
The Golden Boot race pacers face off once again, but this time with Zayed (7 goals) within one tally of Ramirez (8) thanks to the Irishman’s finish on Wednesday night. Will Ramirez have some extra motivation after Jon Busch stoned his PK attempt a week ago? Will Zayed – whose has a league-best 5 goals since May 20th – be able to continue his momentum and help Indy to a first result in the Land of 10,000 Lakes? Who knows … but we can’t wait to watch!