#HFDvIND Preview
Indy Eleven at Hartford Athletic
Saturday, September 7, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Trinity Health Stadium – Hartford, Connecticut
Follow Live
Stream: ESPN+ (click to subscribe)
In-game updates: IndyElevenLive
Stats: #HFDvIND MatchCenter at USLChampionship.com
2024 Records
Indy Eleven: 10-9-6 (-4), 36 pts; 6th in Eastern Conference
Hartford Athletic: 8-12-5 (-17), 29 pts; 11th in Eastern Conference
| IND | HFD | |
| 25 | Games | 25 |
| 36 | Goals | 24 |
| 40 | Goals Conceded | 41 |
| 23 | Assists | 20 |
| 110 | SOT | 103 |
| 111 | Shots Faced | 141 |
| 5 | Clean Sheets | 5 |
SERIES VS. HARTFORD
Saturday marks the ninth meeting all-time between the sides, with Indy leading the series 5-2-1.
The Boys in Blue recorded a 4-1 victory over Hartford at Carroll Stadium on May 18. Midfielder Jack Blake converted a penalty in the third minute to put his team on top. Defender Ben Ofeimu scored in stoppage time in the first half to give Indy a 2-0 edge at the break. Forward Douglas Martinez made it 3-0 in the 54th minute on an assist from Aedan Stanley, before forward Augi Williams scored four minutes later to make it 4-0.
Indy leads 5-2-1 | GF 15, GA 7
Recent Meetings
May 18, 2024 W, 4-1 Home
June 24, 2023 W, 2-0 Away
June 10, 2023 D, 1-1 Home
Aug. 13, 2022 L, 2-1 Away
April 30, 2022 W, 1-0 Home
July 29, 2020 W, 4-1 Home
MARTINEZ GETS ANOTHER CALL-UP TO NATIONAL TEAM
Indy Eleven forward Douglas Martinez has been called up by the Honduras Football Federation for the FIFA International window that runs September 2-10.
Martinez will be available for the Senior National Team in the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League A Group B home matches vs. Trinidad and Tobago on Friday at 10 pm ET and against Jamaica on Tuesday at 10 pm ET. The top two teams from each six-team group will advance to the quarterfinal round, where they will join the top-ranked League A teams: Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada.
SEPTEMBER STRETCH RUN
Indy Eleven finishes the regular season with eight of its nine matches against Eastern Conference opponents. Just nine points separate teams in fourth through 11th place in the conference. The top eight teams will make the playoffs, with the top four hosting first-round games the first weekend in November.
ROAD RED
Indy is 5-4-3 (7-5-3 overall) away from Carroll Stadium in 2024, becoming the first USL Championship team to earn five road wins this season with their June 9 victory at Birmingham.
The Eleven finished the 2023 regular season 8-5-4 on the road, the most regular season wins away from home in the club’s USLC history (previously 6 in 2019).
#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 36 goals this season (T9th USL), with at least one tally in 21 of their 25 matches.
The Boys in Blue have scored 22 first half goals this season, the third-most of any USLC team behind Eastern Conference leaders Louisville City (26) and Charleston (24).
Defensively, Indy has held opponents scoreless in the first half in 16 of 25 matches in 2024.
VIVA ROMARIO
Forward Romario Williams recorded his first goal for the Boys in Blue in dramatic fashion in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to give the hosts a 1-1 draw against Pittsburgh at Carroll Stadium on Saturday.
The Eleven earned a free kick from a central position, 25 yards from goal, with Williams and Aodhan Quinn lined up on each side of the ball. The Jamaican international took a quick two-step run-up and delivered a laser into the top-right corner of the net. Williams’ effort was nominated for the USLC Goal of the Week.
Williams and Hartford Athletic defender Younes Boudadi were on opposite sides when Indy Eleven faced Hartford on May 18 at Carroll Stadium. On June 14, the two teams transferred the pair.
BIG BEN
Defender Ben Ofeimu earned USL Championship Team of the Week recognition for the fourth time this season with his performance vs. Pittsburgh and at Sporting Kansas City last week. The 6’3 Ofeimu earned Team of the Week honors for Week 13, and he was voted to the Team of the Week-Bench in weeks 11, 19, and 26.
At Sporting Kansas City on August 27, the 23-year-old Ofeimu tied for the team lead with two tackles won, adding a shot and three recoveries.
The seven-year USLC veteran leads Indy with 95 clearances (ninth in the league) and 21 blocks this season.
The West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, native has started 15 of the last 17 games for the Indy Eleven since being acquired from Miami on April 11.
MUSA MAINSTAY
Defender James Musa has started the last two USLC matches for the Eleven. The Plymouth, England native has 198 career appearances and 186 career starts in the USLC. The 32-year-old Musa missed six matches after suffering a foot injury during the first half of his Boys in Blue debut on July 5 at Rhode Island after joining the team on June 28.
NEWCOMERS DEBUT IN STARTING XI
Forward Maalique Foster and defender Hayden White both made their Indy Eleven starting debuts vs. Pittsburgh on Saturday.
The speedy Foster was acquired from Colorado Springs on August 23. On Saturday, Foster was tied for second on the team in shots (2) and shots on target (1) while playing the full 90.
White, signed on August 29 after playing professionally for more than a decade in England, made an immediate impact in his debut for the Boys in Blue with a team-high three tackles won.
SOUMAORO SIGNS
On Tuesday, Indy Eleven added midfielder Abrahim “Brem” Soumaoro, who joins the Boys in Blue with more than a decade of professional experience in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Soumaoro is the third new player acquired by Indy in a 12-day stretch from August 23-September 3.
The 6’2 Soumaoro played the last two seasons for York United FC in the Canadian Premier League, serving as a captain. The 28-year-old defender played 39 total matches for York as a center back and a defensive midfielder, recording two goals and two assists. He helped the Nine Stripes reach the quarterfinals of the Canadian Championship in 2023. This season, Soumaoro played in 11 matches, notching one assist.
Prior to York, Soumaoro played for Cypriot second division side PAEEK. He began his career in the Netherlands with Jong FC Twente and the Go Ahead Eagles, with the defender then signing with Serie B side Livorno. A short return to Jong FC Twente followed before a switch to Den Boscha, after which his Dutch movement continued with MVV Maastricht.
Soumaoro has played in 10 matches for the Liberian national team, including two World Cup qualifiers in 2021.
LAST TIME OUT
Indianapolis – Indy Eleven forward Romario Williams recorded his first goal for the Boys in Blue in dramatic fashion in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to give the hosts a 1-1 draw against Eastern Conference rival Pittsburgh in front of 10,319 fans at Carroll Stadium.
The Eleven earned a free kick outside the area with Williams and Aodhan Quinn lined up on each side of the ball. Romario took a quick two-step run-up and delivered a laser into the top right corner of the goal to give his team a key point in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Indy remained four points ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings with the draw.
The Boys in Blue had the better of play in the first half. Forward Sebastian Guenzatti had a great opportunity in the third minute off a pass from Maalique Foster, by Pittsburgh goalie Eric Dick made the stop. Indy outshot Pittsburgh in the first half, 3-2, with Guenzatti having two shots and Romario Williams one.
Pittsburgh took the lead in the 73rd minute. Defender Logan Neidlinger entered just after the goal in the 74th minute and he had a good scoring opportunity in the 92nd minute with a shot from outside the box off a pass from Ben Ofeimu saved in the bottom right corner.
That set the stage for Romario’s heroics.
Indy Eleven 1:1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Saturday, August 31, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis
2024 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 10-9-6 (-4), 36 pts, 6th in Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 7-9-11 (+2), 32 pts, 9th in Eastern Conference
Attendance: 10,319
Weather: Sunny, 81 degrees
| Score | 1 | 2 | F |
| Indy Eleven | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring Summary
PIT – Danny Griffin (Illal Osumanu) 73’
IND – Romario Williams 90+7’
Discipline Summary
PIT – Pat Hogan (ejection) 4’
IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 34’
PIT – Robbie Mertz (caution) 66’
IND – Cam Lindley (caution) 71’
IND – Romario Williams (caution) 72’
Indy Eleven line-up: Hunter Sulte, Aedan Stanley, James Musa (Logan Neidlinger 74’), Benjamin Ofeimu, Hayden White (Josh O’Brien 62’), Aodhan Quinn (captain), Laurence Wootton (Cam Lindley 62’), Sebastian Guenzatti (Augi Williams 62’), Maalique Foster, Douglas Martinez (Elliot Collier 82’), Romario Williams.
Indy Eleven Subs Not Used: Yannik Oettl, Tyler Gibson, Ben Mines.
Match Statistics
| Stat | IND | PIT |
| Shots | 12 | 6 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 2 |
| Saves | 1 | 3 |
| Fouls | 15 | 13 |
| Offsides | 3 | 0 |
| Corner Kicks | 11 | 3 |
