Indy Dominates Statistics, but Penalty Concession Dooms Boys in Blue to Defeat
IRVINE, Calif. (Saturday, April 15, 2023) – Indy Eleven searched for its second straight road win tonight at Orange County SC, but a penalty kick conversion at the half hour mark by reigning USL Championship Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski lifted the home side to a 1-0 victory at Championship Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening. Despite outshooting OCSC 13-8 and holding 39-8 and 11-2 edges in crosses and corner kicks, respectively, Indy failed to capitalize on its considerable time in the attacking third and was held scoreless for a third straight regular season contest.
It didn’t take long for Orange County to have a legit look at an opener, as just 20 seconds after kickoff Thomas Amang found his way into the top of the area and unleashed a shot from 15 yards that just soared over the Indy goal. Indy’s high press nearly paid dividends in the 7th minute through Douglas Martinez’s forced turnover and quick shot that pressed Orange County goalkeeper Cody Cropper into action for the first time. Indy forward Harrison Robledo, making his first start in league play for the Eleven, found a clean look from 20 yards in the 17th minute, the chance taking a deflection wide.
Just before the half hour mark Orange County earned a penalty when Bryce Jamison went to ground under the slightest of contact by Indy’s Aodhan Quinn, setting up a spot kick that defending USL Championship Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski finished low and right to put the home side up, 1-0. Minutes later Alex Villanueva had a look similar to Amang’s first minute blast to quickly double the lead, but the last look of note for either side for the rest of the half also rose over frame.
The Eleven came firing out of the gates to start the second half, as Jack Blake’s 47th minute shot pressed Cropper into a stop, and defender Adrian Diz Pe’s header from less than 10 yards missed just high shortly after. Indy defender Robby Dambrot began to assert himself into the match with the first of several successful dribbles into OCSC area in the 55th minute, which started a slew of chances off crosses and set pieces that would go for naught for the visitors. It was Oettl being forced to step up in the 58th minute, when he steered wide Alex Villanueva’s acrobatic header from close range.
The insertion of forwards Jonas Fjeldberg and Solomon Asante for Robledo and Douglas Martinez in the 65th minute only further swung possession and the volume of changes towards the direction of the Eleven, as just two minutes later Fjeldberg saw his near post shot smack into the chest of Cropper, while Dambrot’s follow on the rebound would have found goal if not for a deflection. Minutes later Dambrot finished off a nifty 50-yard run with a short square pass for Sebastian Guenzatti that the Indy attacker couldn’t redirect on frame.
Dambrot again was in the middle of the action – and the middle of the area – in the 80th minute, when he settled a looping ball with his first touch and poked a shot from eight yards with his second that missed just wide left. That proved to be Indy’s best quality look of regulation and four minutes of stoppage time as Orange County proved adept at killing time on counter attacks and drawing fouls, allowing the home side to collect the full points.
Indiana’s Team will return home next Saturday, April 22, when Monterey Bay F.C. will make its first visit to the Circle City for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff on Community Heroes Night at “The Mike.” Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with 17-game Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets, and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
USL Championship Regular Season
Orange County SC 1 : 0 Indy Eleven
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Championship Soccer Stadium – Irvine, Calif.
Indy Eleven: 1W-2L-2D, 5 pts.
Orange County SC: 1W-2L-3D, 6 pts
Scoring Summary:
OC – Milan Iloski (penalty kick) 30’
Discipline Summary:
IND – Adrian Diz Pe (caution) 23’
IND – Jack Blake (caution) 36’
OC – Bryce Jamison (caution) 56’
OC – Kyle Scott (caution) 73’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-3-3): Yannik Oettl; Younes Boudadi (Bryam Rebellon 75’), Jesus Vazquez, Adrian Diz Pe, Robby Dambrot; Aodhan Quinn, Cam Lindley, Jack Blake (Juan Tejada 79’); Sebastian Guenzatti (captain), Harrison Robledo (Solomon Asante 65’), Douglas Martinez (Jonas Fjeldberg 65’)
Indy subs: Tim Trilk (GK), Mechack Jerome, Gustavo Rissi
Orange County SC line-up (4-4-2): Cody Cropper; Ryan Doghman, Andrew Fox, Markus Nakkim (captain), Brent Richards; Milan Iloski, Ashish Chattha, Kyle Scott (Morten Bjorshol 74’), Bryce Jamison (Emil Nielsen 80’); Alex Villanueva (Brian Iloski 86’), Thomas Amang (Oluwakorede Osundina 80’)
Orange County subs: Mark Hyan (GK), Dillon Powers, Nicolas Ruiz
