Switchbacks FC Earn 11th Win against Indy Eleven

June 18, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in action
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Credit: Ethan Mito)

Colorado Springs, CO – The Switchbacks FC earned four huge goals tonight in front of a sold out crowd to earn their 11th win of the season 4-2 against Indy Eleven.

The Switchbacks dominated early, and the first 15 minutes of the match saw 40% of action in Indy’s defensive third of the pitch. The Switchbacks earned the first goal of the night in the 17th minute, when #11 Michee Ngalina chipped the ball just outside the six yard box to lift the ball over Indy’s goalkeeper and land in the top center of the net. Indy Eleven tied it up in the 28′ by Manuel Arteaga.

Indy Eleven earned a penalty foul in the 45′ after Arreguin denied a goal scoring opportunity to Elvis Amoh. #10 Hadji Barry earned the second goal of the night for the Switchbacks in a penalty kick, and the score was 2-1 going into halftime.

Barry and Amoh both had shots in the early minutes of the second half, but Indy Eleven was able to tie it up in the 63′. Three minutes later the Switchbacks took the lead again when Barry’s shot rebounded off an Indy player, #8 Zach Zandi was able to get a beautiful half volley off the left foot from the bottom left corner of the box to the bottom right corner of the net.

The Switchbacks final goal of the night would come in the 69′ from an incredibly tight angled cross by #11 Michee Ngalina, as he winged the ball from the very top right corner of the pitch to curve it in just around the post and into the net. Indy Eleven would earn one final goal in the final seconds of the game, but it wouldn’t be enough to equalize and the match ended 4-3 Switchbacks.

Brendan Burke

Overall Thoughts:

“Sloppy performance at times. But our attacking talent can win us games. I thought the first 45 minutes we dominated the game, there was one little slip up but that happens. Second half I thought was a little more disjointed and we didn’t dominate the game the way we would expect to or want to. But that’s a very good team that we just beat, at 11-2 you can’t have any complaints.”

On what to work on to put teams away:

“That’s what we talked about in LA too. We weren’t good in the first 25 minutes out in LA and we had big spells where we weren’t good tonight. When we are good we’re almost unstoppable. I’m really happy where we are as a group but we do need to put together a 90 minute…