#SKCvIND Preview
Sporting Kansas City vs. Indy Eleven
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kansas
Follow Live
Radio: 93.5/107.5 the fan, Greg Rakestraw & Brad Hauter
Stream: Free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
In-game updates: IndyElevenLive
Stats: #SKCvIND MatchCenter
2024 Records
Indy Eleven: 10-9-5 (-4), 35 pts; 5th in USL Championship Eastern Conference
Sporting Kansas City: 7-14-6 (-8), 24 pts; 12th in MLS Western Conference
| SKC | IND | |
| 27 | Games | 24 |
| 44 | Goals | 35 |
| 52 | Goals Conceded | 39 |
| 45 | Assists | 24 |
| 118 | SOT | 106 |
| 129 | Shots Faced | 106 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 5 |
SERIES VS. SPORTING KANSAS CITY
This is the first meeting between the two clubs.
2024 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP SEMIFINALS
Tuesday, August 27
Sporting Kansas City vs. Indy Eleven | 8 p.m. ET
Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.
Wednesday, August 28
Seattle Sounders FC vs. LAFC | 9:30 p.m. CT
Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
ROAD TO THE 2024 US OPEN CUP SEMIFINALS
Third Round | April 17, 2024 | Chicago Fire FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) 0:1 Indy Eleven (USLC)
Round of 32 | May 8, 2024 | Indy Eleven (USLC) 2:0 San Antonio FC (USLC)
Round of 16 | May 22, 2024 | Indy Eleven (USLC) 3:0 Detroit City FC (USLC)
Quarterfinals | July 9, 2024 | Atlanta United (MLS) 1:2 Indy Eleven (USLC)*
Semifinals | August 27, 2024 | Sporting KC (MLS) vs Indy Eleven
* 1st win vs. MLS for @IndyEleven
* 2nd Indiana team ever to advance to the Semifinals (Indianapolis Inferno in 1992)
* 15th time a lower division team has reached the Semifinals since MLS joined the competition in 1996, 10th different club.
2024 INDY ELEVEN LEADERS (U.S. OPEN CUP)
Stat Player Number
Goals Augi Williams 3
Assists Aedan Stanley 2
Shots Douglas Martinez 7
Saves Hunter Sulte 13
SEMIFINAL PREVIEW
Indy Eleven will play the biggest match in the club’s 11-year history, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals at Major League Soccer (MLS) side Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday, August 27 at 8 p.m. ET. The Boys in Blue are the only non-MLS team to reach the semifinals.
Indy Eleven are making the team’s first ever appearance in the U.S. Open Cup Semifinals after earning a 1-0 road result at Chicago Fire FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) in the Third Round, a 2-0 victory over San Antonio FC (USL Championship) in the Round of 32, a 3-0 home win over Detroit City FC (USL Championship) in the Round of 16 and a 2-1 upset of Atlanta United (Major League Soccer) in the Quarterfinals on July 9 for the first-ever win over an MLS team in franchise history.
Led by first-year head coach Sean McAuley, the Indy Eleven roster features nine players with MLS experience.
Open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer, the 2024 U.S. Open Cup will crown a champion on Sept. 25 after eight rounds of single-elimination play and the winner will claim the Dewar Challenge Trophy along with $300,000 in prize money and a berth in the 2025 Concacaf Champions League.
The U.S. Open Cup, named in honor of former Kansas City Wizards owner Lamar Hunt, has crowned a champion since 1914 and Sporting KC (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017) are four-time winners of U.S. Soccer’s national championship, tied for the most among MLS clubs. Sporting have prevailed in 28 U.S. Open Cup matches since 2012, more than any other team in American soccer, during a run that includes an active 15-match home unbeaten streak in U.S. Open Cup play since the start of 2015.
MLS Multiplex, Aug. 21
Indy Eleven One Step Away from Concacaf Championship While Competing in the USL
US Soccer.com, Aug. 19
Indy Eleven Cinderella US Open Cup Semifinalists
US Soccer.com, July 10
Indy Eleven ask Why Not Us in Landmark US Open Cup run
U.S. OPEN CUP QUARTERFINALS RECAP
KENNESAW, Georgia (Tuesday, July 9, 2024) —Indy Eleven made history, defeating Atlanta United, 2-1, to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time since opening play in the tournament in 2014. The victory was also the first for the Boys in Blue over an MLS opponent in its fourth match-up.
Indy is now 8-7-1 all-time in U.S. Open Cup action and picked up its second road victory in tournament history, with the first coming in this season’s Third Round at Chicago Fire II. The Boys in Blue have outscored opponents, 8-1, in this season’s edition.
Indy’s leading goal scorer in U.S. Open Cup action, Augi Williams, opened the scoring in the 31st minute off an assist from Douglas Martinez, his second helper of the tournament. The tally was the third for Williams in the Cup, scoring in the third consecutive match, while the goal was the first Atlanta had given up after opening the tournament with a pair of shutouts.
The insurance goal, and what proved to be the match winner for Indy, was another product of Williams, who played a dangerous cross into the Atlanta box intended for Elliot Collier, but was errantly touched in for an own goal.
Offensively, Josh O’Brien led the Boys in Blue with three shots, while Sebastian Guenzatti had a pair on frame. On defense, Benjamin Ofeimu had a match-high seven clearances and Hunter Sulte registered two saves.
Tuesday night was the second appearance in the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals for Atlanta, who won the 2019 tournament.
Scoring Summary
IND – Augi Williams (Douglas Martinez) 31’
IND – Own goal 83’
ATL – Nick Firmino (Daniel Rios) 90+2’
Discipline Summary
ATL – Caleb Wiley (caution) 48’
IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 52’
BLAKE’S BACK
Midfielder Jack Blake made the most of his first start in more than two months (June 22 vs. Orange County) with two assists in the first half at Las Vegas on Saturday. The 29-year-old Blake set up Sebastian Guenzatti’s 75th career goal in the 26th minute with a perfect pass into the area. Just 22 minutes later, he made a quick touch pass to Elliot Collier to set up his fourth goal of the season. For his efforts, Blake was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week Bench for Week 25.
SEBA JOINS 75 CLUB; TOP-10 TWOSOME
Veteran forward Sebastian Guenzatti became the fifth player in USL history to score 75 career goals in regular season play with a clinical strike in the 26th minute on Saturday. He is tied with Augi Williams for second on the team with five goals this season, trailing only Jack Blake (8).
Guenzatti (5th, 75) and Augi Williams (9th, 71) are the only pair of active teammates in the USL Championship’s top 10 for all-time regular season goals. Williams also has three in U.S. Open Cup action this season to lead Indy.
COLLIER TURNS AND FINISHES
Forward Elliot Collier made the most of his second start of the season and the first since July 5 with his fourth goal of 2024. He caught a short pass from Jack Blake in the third minute of first-half stoppage time and quickly turned and powered it home.
ROAD RED
Indy is 5-4-3 (7-4-3 overall) away from Carroll Stadium in 2024, making them the first USL Championship team to five road wins.
GOALS
The Boys in Blue scored in 15 straight USLC matches to open the 2024 campaign. The streak, which ended on June 22 against Orange County, is the longest to open a USLC campaign and is the longest run overall within the same season for the club. In total, Indy scored in 18 straight regular season matches dating back to Sept. 30, 2023.
They have 33 goals this season (8th USL), with at least one tally in 19 of their 23 matches.
The Boys in Blue have scored 20 first half goals this season, the third-most of any USLC team. Defensively, Indy has held opponents scoreless in the first half in 15 of 23 matches in 2024.
LAST TIME OUT
Las Vegas – Las Vegas Lights FC scored last in an exciting first half which saw five goals to edge the Indy Eleven, 3-2.
Vegas took a quick lead in the second minute, but the Eleven evened it in the 26th minute on a beautiful left-footed strike from forward Sebastian Guenzatti on an assist from Jack Blake on a deft delivery into the box. It was Guenzatti’s fifth goal of the season and the 75th in his USL career (fifth on the all-time list).
Las Vegas countered in the 43rd minute to take a 2-1 lead, but the Eleven responded with an impressive turn and fire from Elliot Collier in tight space in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Blake delivered a quick pass to record his second assist in the first half.
But the hosts answered with the game-winner just one minute later for what proved to be the clincher.
Las Vegas Lights 3:2 Indy Eleven
Saturday, August 24, 2024 – 10:30 p.m. ET
Cashman Field | Las Vegas
2024 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 10-9-5 (-4), 35 pts, 5th in Eastern Conference
Las Vegas Lights: 9-8-8 (-1), 35 pts, 5th in Western Conference
Weather: Sunny, 92 degrees
| Score | 1 | 2 | F |
| Indy Eleven | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Las Vegas Lights | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Scoring Summary
LV – Jean-Claude Ngando (Christian Pinzón) 2’
IND – Sebastian Guenzatti (Jack Blake) 26’
LV – Valentin Noël (Christian Pinzón) 43’
IND – Elliot Collier (Jack Blake) 45’+3
LV – Khori Bennett (Grayson Doody) 45’+4
Discipline Summary
LV – Raiko Arozarena (caution) 21’
LV – Jean-Claude Ngando (caution) 33’
LV – Gennaro Nigro (caution) 54’
IND – Ben Mines (caution) 56’
Indy Eleven line-up: Yannik Oettl, Logan Neidlinger (Karsen Henderlong 84’), James Musa, Josh O’Brien (Benjamin Ofeimu 45’), Ben Mines, Jack Blake (Maalique Foster 45’), Laurence Wootton (Cam Lindley 72’), Tyler Gibson (captain), Elliot Collier (Ethan O’Brien 63’), Sebastian Guenzatti, Romario Williams.
Indy Eleven Subs Not Used: Hunter Sulte, Maverick McCoy.
Las Vegas Lights line-up: Raiko Arozarena, Gennaro Nigro, Maliek Howell, Emrah Klimenta (Ousman Jabang 45’), Grayson Doody, Christian Pinzón (Coleman Gannon 79’), Jean-Claude Ngando, Andre Fortune II (Charlie Adams 79’), Joe Gyau (Solomon Asante 79’), Khori Bennett (Vaughn Covil 89’), Valentin Noël.
Las Vegas Lights Subs Not Used: Elias Gartig, Austin Wormell, All Gue.
Match Statistics
| Stat | LV | IND |
| Shots | 20 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 3 |
| Saves | 1 | 4 |
| Fouls | 11 | 14 |
| Offsides | 0 | 1 |
| Corner Kicks | 8 | 4 |
