Indy’s First Chance at a “Cupset” Since 2016 Comes Wednesday at Crew SC
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Match Preview – Third Round
Indy Eleven at Columbus Crew SC (MLS)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Lower.com Field – Columbus, Ohio
Follow Live:
Local/National TV: n/a
Streaming Video: Columbus Crew YouTube channel
Radio: n/a
In-game updates: @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: ColumbusCrew.com
2023 Records:
Indy Eleven: 1W-3L-2D (-4 GD), 5 pts.; T-8th in USL Championship Eastern Conference
Columbus Crew SC: 4W-3L-2D (+8 GD), 15 pts.; 5th in MLS Eastern Conference
Community Health Network Sports Medicine Indy Eleven Injury Report:
OUT: Jonas Fjeldberg (foot)
QUESTIONABLE: Adrian Diz Pe (hamstring), Gustavo Rissi (hamstring)
Discipline Report:
IND: none
CLB: none
The Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup brings most Major League Soccer clubs into the fold of U.S. Soccer’s national club championship – and for Indy Eleven it brings the first chance to take on a team from America’s top flight in seven seasons.
While Indy Eleven enters the contest at Columbus Crew SC reeling a bit – three straight losses in USL Championship action have left the Boys in Blue winless in their last four league outings – Wednesday offers a “throw caution to the wind” opportunity in addition to the rare chance to make club history. Indiana’s Team came close to knocking off MLS sides in two previous chances in U.S. Open Cup play, but an added extra time defeat away to Columbus during Indy’s inaugural 2014 campaign and a loss in penalties at Chicago Fire FC two years later left tantalizing “cupset” bids wanting.
Despite suffering a 2-3 loss over the weekend at home to Monterey Bay F.C., Indy Eleven does come out of the contest with some good vibes after getting its first multi-goal performance of the young USLC season courtesy of offensive headliners Sebastian Guenzatti and Solomon Asante – the latter of whom also provided his first league assist of 2023. Asante was also a game-changer during the Eleven’s 3-1 triumph over Michigan Stars FC in the USOC’s Second Round back on April 5, when he assisted on all three tallies after entering at halftime to help flip the script on a match that, despite dominating, saw Indy forced to come back in the second stanza before it pulled away in added extra time.
While Wednesday’s game serves as the middle match in a three-game week for Indy, an extra day of rest and the short travel east bodes well for Head Coach Mark Lowry to throw out a fresh-legged squad for the affair. Defenders Adrian Diz Pe and Gustavo Rissi remain questionable with hamstring injuries – which contributed to normal fullback Robby Dambrot getting his first look centrally on Saturday night since joining the squad nearly a year ago – Lowry will definitely be without the services of forward Jonas Fjeldberg, whose reaggravation of a foot injury forced him from Saturday’s contest before halftime. That could mean a reinsertion to the starting XI for winger Douglas Martinez, who as a member of Sacramento Republic FC helped the USLC side to a trio of upsets over MLS sides (Sporting KC, LA Galaxy & San Jose Earthquakes) en route to their shock Final appearance last year against Orlando City SC.
On the opposite side, Crew SC enters the match off a 0-1 road defeat at Charlotte FC. That ended Columbus’ four-match unbeaten streak that began with three wins on the trot, during which they outscored Atlanta United (6-1), Real Salt Lake (4-0), and D.C. United (2-0) by a 12-1 margin. Crew SC has defended their gleaming new(ish) home of Lower.com quite well in 2023, going 3W-0L-1D and outscoring their visitors 13-2 in the process.
Columbus’ solid start in MLS play has been driven by an attack whose 18 goals ranks tied for second across the league. Argentine striker Lucas Zelarayan continues to be worth every penny of his Designated Player status in his fourth year with America’s Hardest Working Team, as he paces the squad with four goals and has also added two assists. Former IU Hoosier (if only for one season in 2019) Aidan Morris and Christian Ramirez – a former foe of the Eleven’s as a member of the NASL’s Minnesota United from 2014-16 – follow close behind with three goals each, while Romanian playmaker Alexandru Matan is enjoying a breakout campaign with a team-best four assists in the early going.
Darlington Nagbe continues to serve as one of the most dependable holding midfielders in MLS and has been a steady presence on the midfield line alongside Morris and Mohamed Farsi, while in defense Steven Moreira and Milos Degenek have been “put it in pen” members of the Starting XI through nine games. In goal, the battle between 2022 regular Eloy Room and defending MLS Next PRO Goalkeeper of the Year Patrick Schulte may rage on; Schulte has allowed only 1.17 goals in his six starts while Room has been absent in the early season, but with the incumbent back from injury the choice for Head Coach Wilfried Nancy could be a tough one, starting with Wednesday night’s affair.
IND Last Time Out:
Indy Eleven 2 : 3 Monterey Bay F.C.
Saturday, April 22 | IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Recap & Highlights | Stats
Indy Eleven registered its first multi-goal game in league play in 2023, but the offensive effort wasn’t enough as Monterey Bay F.C. scratched across a pair in the second half to down Indy to a 2-3 loss at IUPUI Carroll Stadium.
The first goals of the season by Eleven forwards Solomon Asante (23’) and Sebastian Guenzatti (40’) – which were also Indy’s first two goals in first half play this season – helped Indiana’s Team overcome an early deficit and take a 2-1 lead into the halftime break. However, MBFC tallies by Christian Volesky (57’) and Nevello Yoseke (62’) midway through the second stanza gave the visitors the full three points and pushed the Eleven’s winless streak in league play to four games (0-3-1).
CLB Last Time Out:
Charlotte FC 1 : 0 Columbus Crew SC
Saturday, April 22 | Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Summary/Stats/Highlights
In a vein familiar to Indy Eleven faithful as of late, Crew SC dominated possession (67-33) and passes (654-314) by 2-to-1 margins or greater, but those advantages bore no fruit for the visitors in an away defeat last weekend in the Queen City. Charlotte striker Karol Swiderski’s 37th minute first-time rocket from 15 yards made the difference in the otherwise statistically even affair in front of more than 30,000 fans at Bank of America Stadium. Aidan Morris looked to have evened things up with 90 seconds left in regulation time, but a controversial offside ruling after a VAR check nullified the equalizer, downing the Crew to a third defeat in five trips away from Lower.com Field this season (1W-3L-1D).
Series vs. Columbus Crew SC:
All-time/U.S. Open Cup record: 0W-1L-0D (1 GF/2 GA)
Away record: 0W-1L-0D (1 GF/2 GA)
Indy Eleven All-time USOC Record: 4W-6L-1D (13 GF/14 GA)
Away Record: 0W-4L-1D (2 GF/6 GA)
Indy Eleven will renew acquaintances with Crew SC for the first time in official competition since the Eleven’s initial U.S. Open Cup run during its inaugural 2014 season. That year on June 17, the Boys in Blue took their Fourth Round affair at FirstEnergy Stadium in Akron into added extra time after Blake Smith’s 62nd equalizer canceled out Bernard Anor’s 4th minute opener. However, the upset bid ultimately fell short when Jairo Arrieta converted a penalty kick in the 113th minute against a fatiguing Eleven side.
Wednesday’s match will mark only Indy Eleven’s third against MLS competition in the U.S. Open Cup, and its first in nearly seven years dating back to a 4-3 penalty kick defeat at Chicago Fire FC following a 1-1 draw on June 16, 2016.
#CLBvIND Familiar Faces
In lieu of any actual cross-roster connections:
- Eleven defender Robby Dambrot is an Akron, Ohio-native and former member of NCAA powerhouse University of Akron from 2013-17, which he helped to the 2015 College Cup Semifinals.
- Indy forward Aodhan Quinn is a fellow alumnus of the Akron Zips, overlapping one season with Dambrot while suiting up for UofA from 2011-13.
- Indy midfielder Jonas Fjeldberg also played collegiately in the Buckeye State for the University of Dayton Flyers from 2017-20, where he earned Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year honors his last two seasons before being drafted by FC Cincinnati in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.
- While Fjeldberg was sent on loan to RGV Toros FC in the USL Championship prior to earning first team minutes with FC Cincinnati, forward Harrison Robledo indeed saw action in a pair of matches for FCC in 2022 before spending the bulk of last season with their MLS Next PRO side. Robledo joined the Eleven on loan from FCC for the 2023 campaign on February 8.
- On the opposite roster, the afore mentioned Aidan Morris played one standout season for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors during the 2019 season.
- In addition, defender Philip Quinton played his college ball at the University of Notre Dame, scoring a pair of goals in his 58 appearances with the Fighting Irish from 2018-21.
Eleven Player to Watch: FW Solomon Asante
The diminutive Ghanian can make magic happen at a moment’s notice – and as we all know, it takes a little magic to make a “cupset” come true. Asante proved his worth both as finisher and provider last Saturday evening when he darted between defenders to steer home a header off a corner kick for Indy’s first (as the shortest player on the pitch by a country mile, mind you), then followed that up by supplying an inch-perfect ball between defenders to set up Sebastian Guenzatti’s then go-ahead tally towards the end of the first half.
Saturday’s performance showcased the “dual threat” type player Indy hoped it would see after making the marquee signing for the two-time USL Championship MVP last April. He’s already proven he can make a difference in Open Cup play after pulling off the second three-assist performance in club history off the bench in the Second Round against Michigan Stars FC (he also had the first such occasion last season). If Indy Eleven is to take down one of Major League Soccer’s better sides of the season thus far on Wednesday, in all likelihood such a standout performance from Asante will be at the heart of the potential historic night for Indiana’s Team.
