USA – Ladies Play today at 5 pm on ESPN
The US ladies got off to a great start stomping the English 2-0 Thursday in Orlando. The US got a fantastic goal from Christen Press and another from Lloyd who also had the 1st assist in a dominating 2nd half. England did have 6 shots on goal and looked dangerous on Corners – as the stupid US zone coverage was busted for almost 3 goals on the night !!!! Put someone on the post and play man or woman to woman – come on coaches!!! Anyway – overall the US dominated possession almost 2 to 1 and had more dangerous looks all night. The English talked a good game coming in but did not deliver on the field. On the men’s side US Christian Pulisic might make the bench for Chelsea this weekend as he has returned to training.
2020 SHEBELIEVES CUP, PRESENTED BY VISA, SCHEDULE
- Date Matches Stadium City Kickoff (TV)
- Sun Mar. 8 USA vs. Spain Red Bull Arena Harrison, N.J. 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, TUDN.
- Weds Mar. 11 USA vs. Japan Toyota Stadium Frisco, Texas 7 p.m. CT on ESPNews, TUDN.
Full U.S. roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders (8): Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Kelley O’Hara (Utah Royals FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Orlando Pride)
Midfielders (5): Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)
Forwards (7): Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC), Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC), Mallory Pugh (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC), Lynn Williams (North Carolina Courage)
Indy 11 Wins 1st Game
The Indy 11 fought back from 2-0 down in the first half to win 4-2 in a spectacular 2nd half of play at Memphis. The 11 – made former US Goalkeeper Timmy Howard look like he should retire again as they slotted shot after shot past him in the 2nd half. The insertion of Nick Moon at mid in the 2nd half sparked the 11 to 3 goals with his fantastic play and 2 assists to Tyler Pasher. Just an amazing 2nd half display by the 11 who will be on the road again next week at Swope Park Rangers Sat at 5 pm on ESPN+.
The Manchester Derby between Man U fighting for a top 4 spot and Man City – in 2nd in the table is slated for 12:30 pm today – see stories in the OBC. Also Italy is back to playing with no fans in the stands as Juve will host Inter at 3:45 pm on ESPN+. Great to see American stars in Germany get off the snide for 2020 as 2 scored fantastic goals on Saturday. McKinney and Josh Sarrgent both scored great goals on the day. Of course Champions League is back this week Tues/Wed. as Liverpool look to turnaround the 1 goal deficit to Atletico at home Wed on TNT at 3 pm. while PSG will look to make up their 2 goal deficit at home to Dortmund and American Gio Reyna at the same time.
GAMES ON TV
Sun 3/8
10 a.m. NBCSN Chelsea vs Everton
9:30 am Fox Sport2 Bayern Munich vs Ausburg
12:30 NBC Man United vs Manchester City
12:30 NBCSN Burnley bs Tottenham
2:15 pm ESPN3 Japan vs England (She Believes Cup)
3:45 pm ESPN+, Uni Juventus vs Inter
5 pm ESPN USA Ladies vs Spain (She Believes Cup)
7 pm ESPN Portland vs Nashville MLS
10 pm FS1 LAFC vs Philly Union MLS
Mon 3/9
4 pm NBCSN Aston Villa vs Leicester City
Tues 3/10– Champions League
3 pm Gala, fubotv, B/R Valencia vs Atalanta
3 pm TNT RB Leipzig (adams) vs Tottenham
Weds 3/11 – Champions League
3:30 pm NBCSN Man City vs Arsenal
4 pm TNT Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
4 pm Gala, fubotv, B/R PSG vs Dortmund (Reyna)
7 pm ESPN News USA Ladies vs Japan (She Believes Cup)
8 pm Fox Sport 2 NYCFC vs Tigres (CCL)
10:30 pm Fox Sport 2?? America vs Atlanta United (CCL)
Thur 3/12– Europa League+ CCL
3 pm BR Live/fubotv, LASK Linz vs Man United
10:30 pm Foxsport.com LAFC vs Cruz Azul (CCL)
Sat, 3/14
8:30 a.m. NBCSN Watford vs Leicester City
10:30 am Fox Sport2 Dortmund (Reyna) vs Schalke (Mckinney)
11 am NBCSN Man City vs Burnley
1:30 NBCSN Aston Villa vs Chelsea (Pulisic)
2:30 pm FOX Inter Miami vs LA Galaxy MLS
5:30 pm ESPN+ Cincy vs DC United
5 pm ESPN+ Swope Park Rangers vs Indy 11
7 pm ESPN+ Atlanta United vs Sporting KC
Sun 3/16
10 a.m. NBCSN Chelsea (Pulisic?) vs Everton
10:30 am Fox Sport2 Frankfurt (Chandler) vs B Mgladvach
12:30 NBC Tottenham vs Man United
3:45 pm ESPN+ Milan vs Roma
7 pm FS1 Min United vs NY RB MLS
USA
Don’t recognize this USWNT lineup? It’s part of Andonovski’s plan 2hAndrea Adelson
USA Women vs England Women result: Revenge mission falls flat as world champions see off Lionesses
England handed stinging defeat by the USA in SheBelieves Cup opener The Telegraph
Press, Lloyd on target as USA sink England in SheBelieves Cup
USA Women vs England Women result: Revenge mission falls flat as world champions see off Lionesses The Independent
Phil Neville says England lack mentality to beat the best but insists they are getting betterThe Telegraph
Spain downs Japan 3-1 in SheBelieves Cup opener
Rapinoe adjusting to life in the spotlight
Megan Rapinoe ‘positive’ over equal pay dispute before England clash
Ertz becomes 40th U.S. woman to earn 100 caps
‘The U.S. is my home’ – Reyna shuts down reports of England call-up
Chelsea issue positive injury update on Pulisic
Games to Watch to see US Players Play
2020 SHEBELIEVES CUP, PRESENTED BY VISA, SCHEDULE
- Date Matches Stadium City Kickoff (TV)
- Sun Mar. 8 USA vs. Spain Red Bull Arena Harrison, N.J. 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, TUDN.
- Wed Mar. 11 USA vs. Japan Toyota Stadium Frisco, Texas 7 p.m. CT on ESPNews, TUDN.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Liverpool warned Atletico will be ‘more difficult’ to overcome than Barcelona
Real Madrid can emulate Man Utd & stun City in Champions League, says Mijatovic
Bad news for Dortmund: Mbappé’s becoming even more prolific
WORLD
Serie A to resume with last weekend’s postponed matches
Can Conte’s prodigious man-management skills lift Inter to win Serie A?
Soccer-Inter director says Serie A risks not finishing due to coronavirus
Simeone anticipated tough spell but happy Atletico stayed patient
Van Basten: Those who think Ronaldo’s better than Messi know nothing about football
EPL
Premier League drop pre-match handshake over coronavirus concern
Man City and Man United will be Liverpool’s rivals next season 1dMark Ogden
Harry Maguire a doubt for Manchester derby with ankle injury
Manchester United star Ighalo matches personal record in Derby County FA Cup victory
Soccer-Guardiola sweats over De Bruyne fitness ahead of Manchester derby
Solskjaer slams fixture list as Man City get extra day’s rest before Manchester derby
A must-win Manchester derby up next for Manchester United
United will try to make Manchester derby a ‘classic’ – Solskjae
Soccer-Inter director says Serie A risks not finishing due to coronavirus
Simeone anticipated tough spell but happy Atletico stayed patient
Van Basten: Those who think Ronaldo’s better than Messi know nothing about football
FA Cup Draw: Chelsea draw Leicester; Man City visit Newcastle
FA Cup Wrap: Norwich stun Spurs
MLS
Hernandez: no pressure to replace no-title Ibrahimovic in MLS
MLS Week 2 preview: Rapids aim for 2-0; LAFC hosts Philly
26 Thoughts: Bruce Arena says Carlos Cordeiro has ‘no business being’ USSF president, and details his plan in New England
Indy 11 & USL
Season and Half Season Plans on Sale
RECAP | INDY ELEVEN KNOCKS OFF DETROIT CITY FC 2-1 IN PRESEASON FRIENDLY
LINDLEY BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA
FORWARDS CONTRERAS, RAFANELLO JOIN INDIANA’S TEAM
SOLID FOUNDATION
ELEVEN ADDS U.S. YOUTH INTERNATIONAL FORWARD ANDREW CARLETON
Howard back in goal, for USL Championship club Memphis 901 FC
USA Women vs England Women result: Revenge mission falls flat as world champions see off Lionesses
England’s attempt to exact World Cup revenge on the United States fell flat as they were outplayed by the world champions in a 2-0 defeat in their SheBelieves Cup opener in Orlando. The Lionesses, who won the competition for the first time last year, struggled once again to compete with their long-standing foes who scored twice in two minutes to pile pressure on Phil Neville. Christian Press, who headed the Americans to World Cup victory in Lyon, scored the opener before Carli Lloyd wrapped up the win with her 123rd international goal to consign the Lionesses to their first defeat of the year.There were four changes to the England starting eleven that lost to USA in last summer’s World Cup semi-final in France, with Alex Greenwood, Leah Williamson, Georgia Stanway and 19-year-old Lauren Hemp coming in to replace Demi Stokes, Rachel Daly and injured duo Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead. And just like that fateful night back in July, it was all USA in the opening stages as Lloyd and Rose Lavelle both tested Carly Telford early with the Lionesses struggling for control under pressure early on. England’s first chance came from nowhere when Keira Walsh lifted the ball into the box for Nikita Parris but after taking the ball down beautifully, the winger headed directly at Alyssa Naeher before the lineswoman ruled her offside.Somehow the USA had nothing to show for their efforts despite dominating the first half of action, Telford coming to England’s rescue again when she smothered a one-on-one effort from Lindsey Horan.The Lionesses rode their luck in the first half and breathed a sigh of relief to go in goalless at the break, especially after the USA saw their penalty shout turned down when Tobin Heath was taken down by Greenwood in the box, prompting jeers from all corners of the Exploria Stadium. It came 43 minutes later than it did in Lyon but once again it was Press, who scored five goals in Olympic qualifying, who gave the Americans the lead against England as she cut in from the left to curl into the top right corner from 25 yards out.It wasn’t all World Cup déjà vu though as instead of seeing an Ellen White equaliser, the Lionesses found themselves fighting a 2-0 deficit just a matter of minutes later. The Americans doubled their lead on 55 minutes through Lloyd, who ran onto a perfectly lifted ball from Horan to scoop over Telford, England’s backline in no man’s land to deal with her run. For an England side struggling for cohesion at both ends, the bright spark of the evening was without a doubt Hemp, who on her starting eleven debut, consistently caused trouble for the experienced Kelly O’Hara down the right flank. Jordan Nobbs, Toni Duggan and the in-form Bethany England were brought on by Phil Neville to help provide more attacking impetus for Hemp, but no matter what the Lionesses did going forward they continued to struggle with the pace of the USA frontline, Lloyd almost making it three when she blazed over the bar. Julie Ertz, making her 100th international appearance, thought she’d wrapped up the win in Orlando when she thumped a superb strike from a tight angle into the back of the net, but the USA midfielder was denied by the offside flag. The introduction of Chloe Kelly couldn’t change England’s fortunes as shaky defending and a lack of ruthless edge in front of goal once again cost the Lionesses as the World Cup semi-final rematch reached the same conclusion of a dominant US victory.
Lionesses outclassed by imperious USA in SheBelieves Cup opener
Suzanne Wrack in Orlando
The GuardianMarch 5, 2020, 9:09 PM EST
Any ambition Phil Neville’s Lionesses had of asserting their claim to be the biggest rivals to four-times world champions the US took a heavy bruising as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat in their SheBelieves Cup opener.
It will not be the defeat that sees the pressure ramp up on Neville, whose side laboured to two wins in their seven games sandwiched by this tie and their defeat to the US in the World Cup semi-finals, more the manner of it.
Related: Lauren Hemp gives Lionesses hope with feisty performance against USA
If attempting to determine which side has the majority of their players domestically in their off-season and which is made up of those in the middle of a fiercely competitive league season you would have been forgiven for guessing incorrectly. “I think that shows the mentality of this team and what we’re trying to do,” said Lindsey Horan. “We’re not in season so we’re not in full fitness and this tournament is going to help us out with that.”
England’s passing was sloppy at best and the Lionesses were second to every loose ball. It contrasted brutally with the slick confidence and intuition of an American side that has not lost in 14 months.
Neville, though, insisted he sees progress in a team many deem to be going backwards, one which has dropped from third to sixth in the world rankings since the start of the World Cup. “I don’t see a team that lacked confidence in terms of the way that we want to play,” he said. “I see a team that are trying to play the right way and it feels as if we are so close but yet so far at this moment in time, and that is how the players feel as well. We’ve got to overcome that.”
If there was a feeling that any bad blood between these two sides would be watered down by the friendly occasion then the booming pyrotechnics and rambunctious chanting led by the American Outlaws fan group helped ratchet up the tension.
The absence of Ballon d’Or winning forward Megan Rapinoe from the starting lineup for the USWNT seemed strange. Last summer she sat out with injury, this time the decision to sit her out was more about preservation of their 34-year-old talisman. The only change to the starting XI from the World Cup semi-final game was forced, the pregnancy of Alex Morgan meaning Carli Lloyd stepped in for her 292nd cap. Their biggest change was offthe field, with Jill Ellis replaced by Vlatko Andonovski as head coach.
Neville had been caught out by the benching of Rapinoe in Lyon, having broken apart the powerful Lucy Bronze, Nikita Parris and Jill Scott axis on the right to try and find a way to stifle the attack. Instead it had stunted England’s previous fluidity.
Seven players remained from that game for England and, bar players missing through injury, the line up and formation was much more familiar. The addition of 19-year-old Lauren Hemp, for her first start, proved fruitful. Within the first 15 minutes the fearless teenager had tested right-back Kelley O’Hara and she was England’s brightest outfield outlet. “There was a girl there that played without fear. She’s literally a bull,” said Neville.
Her performance was matched only by Chelsea goalkeeper Carly Telford. The No 1 saved smartly after a header by Julie Ertz – the defensive midfielder making her 100th appearance who was described by Neville as “phenomenal” and “probably the one player I would take out of that team” – before pulling off a fantastic double save to deny Horan.
Related: USA 2-0 England: SheBelieves Cup – as it happened
The Lionesses were extremely fortunate to be level at the break with the US pressing them hard and high and Neville’s somewhat makeshift back line, with Leah Williamson standing in for injured Bronze at right back and a not very defensively minded Alex Greenwood at left back struggling with the pace and slick passing of Horan and Press.
It was only a matter of time for the US to make the breakthrough and to rub salt in the wound they hit two in two minutes. First, Press curled into the top right corner from 25 yards to cruelly end Telford’s resolute stand. Then, Horan cheekily clipped the ball into the run of Lloyd who had crept between Millie Bright and Steph Houghton before firing low past the England goalkeeper with ease.
The rapturous cheering for Rapinoe as she warmed up was rewarded just past the hour mark when the stadium erupted on her introduction. While Andonovski’s changes were, on the whole, like for like as they looked to see out the game, Neville’s were baffling. In a game crying out for more fluidity from England up top, the manager waited until the 81st minute before bringing on joint WSL top scorer Beth England. By then the damage was well done and in the end the scoreline flattered the visiting team.
“We as a team feel like we have [gone up a level],” said Ertz of their performance. “It’s just about getting better and holding yourselves to a higher standard. We know that what we did in 2019 isn’t going to win us the Olympics. We learned that in 2015 [after winning the World Cup] and 2016 [when they lost to Sweden in their Olympic quarter-final].”
Chelsea issue positive injury update on Pulisic
Joe Prince-WrightNBC Sports•March 6, 2020
Chelsea finally have a positive injury update on USMNT star Christian Pulisic.Hurrah!Pulisic, 21, last played for Chelsea on Jan. 1 as he suffered a nasty adductor injury in training.Frank Lampard has given plenty of updates on the fitness of the American winger in recent weeks and not many of them have been positive. The latest was.“Actually we just had an in-house game which Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] and Pulisic took part in. Great to see Pulisic playing but he is short on match fitness. It is a big step forward. Ruben is trying to find match fitness,” Lampard said.Chelsea host Everton on Sunday (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com) in a massive game in their battle for a top four finish.With Man United and Wolves breathing down their necks, Chelsea’s form over the last few months has been terrible compared to their fast start to the season.The Blues have made it through to the FA Cup quarterfinals (where they will travel to Leicester City) after beating Liverpool in midweek and although they look likely to exit the UEFA Champions League at the Round of 16 stage, a top four finish and an FA Cup final appearance would be a good first season in charge for Lampard and his young players.There’s no coincidence that Chelsea’s poor run has coincided with Pulisic’s absence as the American winger was finding his stride in the fall and his creativity and direct running gave Chelsea something different in the final third. With Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi out injured, Chelsea will be keen to have Pulisic back as soon as possible and he may be fit enough for a place on the bench this weekend or next.Lampard and Chelsea have admitted they’ve missed Pulisic and the Pennsylvanian native pushed hard to come back sooner than expected but suffered a setback in February.With big games coming up against top four rivals between now and the end of the season, Pulisic will be hoping to finish the season strong after a injury-hit first season in the Premier League.
RECAP | INDY COMES BACK TO START SEASON WITH WIN
By Indy Eleven Communications, 03/07/20, 10:45PM EST
MEMPHIS (Saturday, March 7, 2020) – For Indy Eleven, it wasn’t how it started its 2020 USL Championship opener, it was how it finished it, as the Boys in Blue put four unanswered on the board after spotting Memphis an early lead to post a 4-2 victory at AutoZone Park.Indy Eleven’s 2019 leading scorer, forward Tyler Pasher, picked up where he left off with equalizing and game-winning goals midway through the second half that were assisted by new strike mate Nick Moon. The wing back tandem of Ayoze and Carl Haworth opened and finished the scoring, respectively, to give Indy Eleven an emphatic road win to start a promising campaign on the right foot after some early adversity.“I’ve always thought the best team-building event you can ever do is to go and win a game, especially on the road, and that’s what we did tonight. Everybody enjoys winning, and especially a comeback win like that,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Martin Rennie. “Scoring four goals on the road – I don’t think we’ve done that since I’ve been coaching here. There were a lot of things there tonight that can help bring the team together and obviously we’re just getting started and have a lot to look forward to.”
Head Coach Martin Rennie Quote Sheet: #MEMvIND (03-07-20)
Memphis struck first, and a bit against the run of early play, nine minutes in through Brandon Allen, who took Pierre Da Silva’s looping ball inside the area and curled a shot into the left side of goal to give the home side the quick advantage. Memphis would double up on the quarter hour, when Zach Carroll got to Marc Burch’s corner kick at the six and buried a low header to push the Memphis lead to 2-0. Indy dodged a bullet off another corner in the 22nd minute, when goalkeeper Evan Newton did well to kick save 901 FC defender Liam Doyle’s eight-yard effort, keeping the visitors within reach.It was Newton coming up big again just minutes before the half when he used both hands to parry away Memphis striker Duane Muckette’s breakaway attempt from near the penalty spot. That stop would prove big as Indy clawed one back just before the three minutes of added time elapsed via Ayoze, who ran onto Haworth’s square ball at the top of the area and lashed a low, first-time blast to the right post that gave recently unretired Memphis goalkeeper Tim Howard no chance and halved the Indy deficit.“First of all, full credit to Memphis because they started the game and with a lot of energy, and I think they caught us cold a little bit. They were 2-nil up very early on and showed us things we definitely could improve upon,” Rennie said. “But even at 2-nil down I still felt confident that we would come back and do well in the game, and it was really important to get the goal just before halftime because that gave us a bit of momentum going into the break.A very active second half began with Indy getting the better chances, first Pasher seeing a low shot flash just past the left post in the 51st minute and Yeferson Contreras having a header saved by a diving Howard a few minutes later. Minutes after coming on for Contreras in the 63rd minute, Moon would rue missing contact on a through ball that put him in alone on Howard, but the Eleven debutant would soon make amends by assisting on a pair of vital goals by Pasher.The Canadian forward did the heavy lifting himself in the 69th minute, accepting Moon’s through ball at the midfield stripe and racing inside the area before beating Howard low to even things at 2-2. Just three minutes later it was Moon taking advantage of a defensive miscue at the edge of the final third and carrying into the area before playing an early cross to the six, where Pasher easily swept past a stranded Howard to put Indy in the lead at 3-2. In the 83rd minute it was Pasher playing provider, his cross from the left going through the area and meeting the late run of Haworth, who smashed first time from near the corner of the six to give Indiana’s Team a vital insurance tally. Rennie was indeed correct, as tonight’s opening game of Indy Eleven’s seventh season marked the first time the club had scored four times away from home.“As we came out in the second half thought we improved a lot, had better possession and obviously finished better with three scores, and we could have had even more,” Rennie said. “Hopefully this will help us brighten up and start the next game better, and overall we can still take a lot from this game in how we finished it off.”Indy Eleven will continue its month-long road trip to begin the 2020 USL Championship regular season next Saturday, March 14, when the Boys in Blue travel west to face Sporting Kansas City II. Kickoff from Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., is set for 5:00 p.m. for a match that fans can watch live on ESPN+.
USL Championship Regular Season – #MEMvIND
Memphis 901 FC 2 : 4 Indy Eleven
Saturday, March 7, 2020 – 7:00 p.m. ET
AutoZone Park – Memphis, Tenn.
Attendance: 8,571
2020 USL Championship records
Indy Eleven (1W-0L-0D, 3 pts.)
Memphis 901 FC (0W-1L-0D, 0 pts.)
Scoring Summary:
MEM – Brandon Allen (unassisted) 9’
MEM – Zach Carroll (Marc Burch) 16’
IND – Ayoze (Carl Haworth) 45+3’
IND – Tyler Pasher (Nick Moon) 69’
IND – Tyler Pasher (Nick Moon) 72’
IND – Carl Haworth (Tyler Pasher) 83’
Disciplinary Summary:
IND – Yeferson Contreras (yellow card) 11’
MEM – Marc Burch (yellow card) 12’
IND – Andrew Carleton (yellow card) 13’
MEM – Duane Muckette (yellow card) 17’
IND – Ayoze (yellow card) 88
Indy Eleven lineup (3-4-3, L–>R): Evan Newton; Neveal Hackshaw, Paddy Barrett (captain), Karl Ouimette; Ayoze, Drew Connor, Tyler Gibson, Carl Haworth; Yeferson Contreras (Nick Moon 63’), Andrew Carleton (Ilija Ilic 70’), Tyler Pasher (Matt Watson 86’)
IND Substitutes: Jordan Farr (GK), Conner Antley, Mitch Osmond, Cam Lindley
IND Stats: Shots: 15, Shots on Goal: 7, Possession: 51%, Passing Accuracy: 68%, Fouls: 16, Corners: 4, Offsides: 4
Memphis 901 FC (4-3-3, L–>R): Tim Howard; March Burch (captain), Liam Doyle, Zach Carroll, Mark Segbers; Michael Reed, Jose Baxter (Dan Metzger 82’), Jean-Christophe Koffi; Pierre Da Silva (Rafael Mentzingen 75’), Duane Muckette (Matthew Hundley 64’), Brandon AllenMEM Substitutes: Jimmy Hauge (GK), Jackson Morse, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Leston Paul
MEM Stats: Shots: 11, Shots on Goal: 5, Possession: 49%, Passing Accuracy: 69%, Fouls: 11, Corners: 6, Offsides: 1
PASHER RECORDS TWO GOALS, AYOZE AND HAWORTH BOTH ON TARGET IN 4-2 VICTORY FOR ELEVEN
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tyler Pasher picked up where he left off in 2019 with two goals and one assist as Indy Eleven spoiled the Memphis 901 FC debut of Tim Howard in a 4-2 victory before a crowd of 8,571 fans at AutoZone Park on Saturday night.
901 FC took the lead in the ninth minute on its first good look at goal when Pierre Da Silva floated an angled cross from the left to the back post where Brandon Allen controlled, turned back centrally and fired into the top-left corner. The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes later as Zach Carroll arrived unmarked at the back post on Marc Burch’s corner kick from the right to send a diving header into the bottom-right corner.Memphis threatened again in the 22nd minute from another corner as Liam Doyle’s low shot was kept out by a kick-save from Indy goalkeeper Evan Newton before the visitors found their first big chance of the game on the half-hour mark. A quick throw-in wasn’t dealt with by Memphis’ defense, but Andrew Carleton sent his finish from the right of the penalty area high and wide of the far post, failing to test Howard.
The hosts almost added a third just before halftime as Jean-Christophe Koffi stole possession in the Indy half and was played in for a shot by Duane Muckette that was parried by Newton, but instead it was Indy that hit back in first-half stoppage time when Ayoze rifled home a finish into the bottom-right corner of the net from the top of the penalty area after good work by Carl Haworth.
Memphis had a big opportunity to restore its two-goal advantage when Da Silva got a clear look on goal two minutes into the second half, only to fire over from 15 yards. Indy also had a good chance 11 minutes after the break when Yeferson Contreras’ header toward the bottom-right corner forced a save from Howard.
The Eleven pulled level with 21 minutes to go, however, when Pasher broke forward quickly on a counterattack, cut past a defender and shot low into the bottom-right corner of the net. Two minutes later, Pasher added his second of the night as he slid home to convert a low cross from the right by Nick Moon after a miscue in the Memphis defense.
Indy then put the game away with seven minutes to go as Pasher added an assist, with his low cross from the left being met by a first-time finish at the back post by Haworth to cap his debut for the Eleven with a goal. Newton was forced into one final big save in stoppage time to keep out Rafael Mentzingen, but Indy’s big second half earned all three points to open the new season.
USLChampionship.com Man of the Match
Tyler Pasher, Indy Eleven – Pasher scored twice, including a phenomenal solo effort, and added an assist to lead his side to a big comeback on the road to start the campaign.