RECAP | Indy 2, Rowdies 0

Indy Eleven captured a much-needed three points over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, using second half goals by Erick Norales and Dane Richards to post a 2-0 win and snap a five-game winless streak in front of 8,500 fans at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.

After letting in the first goal in each of its last six games, Indy Eleven almost did it again in the 16th minute when Rowdies forward Maicon Santos opened fire from 25 yards out, but Eleven ‘keeper Kristian Nicht stood tall and parried the shot wide for a Rowdies corner.

As the half progressed Indy gained more of the chances, with the best of those coming in the 33rd and 34th minutes through midfielders Zach Steinberger and Duke Lacroix. The first attempt by way of a Steinberger header forced a routine save out of Pickens, while Lacroix’s chance was pushed just wide of the goal, leaving the teams to go into the halftime break level at 0-0.

The Rowdies would be the first to knock on the door in the second half when Brian Shriver was left unmarked in the box and rifled a shot in the direction of Indy’s net in the 56th minute. Once again, Nicht held his own and kept the ball out of the net.  The Boys in Blue would take the ensuing goal kick the length of the field in what looked to be their most promising attack of the opening hour of the match, but Richards’ far post cross was sent inches past the oncoming Lacroix.

But Richards would atone for the previous close call with the opener right on the stroke of the hour mark. After an interception from midfielder Daniel Keller at the center circle, the rookie finished his 30-yard run by sending the Jamaican winger into the area, where he moved past Ben Sweat and fired a low shot past Pickens and inside the far left post to earn his first goal in an Indy kit and give the Eleven the lead.

The home side wouldn’t quit there. As the rains begin to fall at Carroll Stadium, Richards went forward on yet another run in the 69th minute before being hauled down just outside the Tampa Bay penalty area. Norales and Kyle Hyland stood over the ensuing free kick, but it was the Indy captain who looked calm, cool, and collected as he stepped to and fired the ball over the wall and into the upper right corner past a leaping Pickens to double the Indy advantage in the 70th minute.

Tampa Bay created an opportunity in the 75th minute to get one back when Darwin Espinal got open in the box, but his shot with space from 10 yards out sailed on him.

Another member of the squad would nearly grab his first goal in an Indy Eleven jersey in the 81st minute when Zach Steinberger collected a loose ball outside in the attacking third. The rookie out of local Butler University turned and hit a shot curling towards the upper right-hand corner, but Pickens made a sprawling save to knock it wide.

Indy Eleven would go on to successfully close off any promising chances from Tampa Bay’s desperate pushes forward over the final 10 minutes, highlighted by Nicht’s save on Georgi Hristov’s near-angle blast a minute deep into stoppage.  Indy’s win marked just its second clean sheet on the season, meanwhile, the loss continued the Rowdies’ Fall Season slump, the Spring Season runner-up falling for the fifth time in its last seven contests with the result.