April 5, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Indy Eleven News Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Indy Eleven survived a scare in its 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup debut against Michigan Stars FC, but a second half equalizer from Harrison Robledo and a pair of goals in the first added time period lifted Indiana’s Team to a 3-1 win in Second Round action. Halftime substitute forward Solomon Asante provided a spark off the bench, providing assists on all three goals to spur the Eleven on to a hard-fought victory over the NISA side at IUPUI Carroll Stadium.
After the match was pushed back an hour to accommodate weather moving through Central Indiana, the Boys in Blue got to work on the offensive end early and often. Similar to its USL Championship match against Las Vegas at Carroll Stadium four nights earlier, Indy Eleven dominated possession, allowing Michigan only rare counterattack opportunities while holding the ball in its attacking half for the vast majority of the first half.
Despite cross after cross sent into the area – mostly from the right flank through Younes Boudadi and Jack Blake – Indiana’s Team had trouble beating Stars FC’s last line of defense, with two close efforts from Sebastian Guenzatti that were blocked just prior to the half hour mark registering as Indy’s best looks of the opening stanza.
In first half stoppage time Michigan saw one of its few chances of any note result in a point to the penalty spot after Indy defender Mechack Jerome’s high challenge on Nebojsa Popovic was whistled as a foul. Nebojsa slotted the ensuing penalty kick low and right, sending Eleven goalkeeper Yannik Oettl the wrong way to give the visitors a shock 1-0 lead heading into the break.
The Eleven came out blazing again in the second 45 minutes, with Juan Tejada’s glancing redirect two minutes in serving notice to the Stars. After Guenzatti’s 56th minute finish was nullified for offside, Robledo finally scratched one across for the Eleven three minutes later when he accepted Asante’s cross to the top of the area with a touch before poking past diving Michigan goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva to even the proceedings.
Asante continued to provide dangerous service from the right flank, but time and time again his efforts were repelled or ensuing shots that he set up were blocked to keep the match 1-1. The 77th minute saw fellow halftime substitute Aodhan Quinn nearly punch one directly off a 30-yard free kick, while his service on another set piece in the 87th…