Kevin Johnston

IndyStar correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s safe to say Miami FC midfielder Dylan Mares is “the one that got away” for the Indy Eleven.

After having a breakout season for Indy in 2016, Mares earned himself a hefty paycheck in the offseason. Unfortunately for the Eleven, the ex-Indiana University standout out of Zionsville didn’t sign with his hometown club. With a reduced player budget this year, Indy simply couldn’t match the lucrative contract Miami FC offered the dynamic 24-year-old.

“They’re a $3 million team paying $300,000 transfer fees, and we’re not,” explained Eleven coach Tim Hankinson. “From a personnel standpoint, they have a better player right now at every position.”

Mares and the potent Miami FC attack downed Indy 3-0 at Carroll Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The loss dashed the Eleven’s slim playoff hopes; they’re now mathematically eliminated.

The damage started early when the visitors struck in the fourth minute on a pass and finish from Jaime Chavez to Stefano Pinho. Later in the first half, a moment of déjà vu put Miami up 2-0 on the exact same connection: Chavez to Pinho.

Mares reminded Indy fans of the 2016 glory days when he tacked on a third in the 38th minute, assisted by Kwado Poku. The home side found itself trailing by three at the break.

The Eleven showed a pulse in the second half, but remained unable to get on the board. They shifted out of the 4-2-3-1 they started in to a three-defender formation, swapping defense for offense. The change allowed Indy to generate some quality chances late, but the 3-0 score line held up.

“It’s hard to come back here to Indy because they always have a good crowd,” Mares said. “The fans are exciting. They make the game fun. Indy’s always a challenging team to play, especially toward the end of the year when everyone’s fighting for positions in the playoffs.”

Besides Mares, Miami has two other former Indy players: defenders Blake Smith and Lovel Palmer. Smith moved to left back this season after spending most of his career as a left-sided attacker. Palmer played for the Eleven in the spring season and beginning of the fall before parting ways with the club in August. Neither player featured in the Miami starting 11, but Palmer made a late cameo off the bench.

Indy will host Puerto Rico FC club next Saturday in a rescheduled contest that was originally slated as a Puerto Rico home match. The effects of Hurricane Maria caused the team to have to play out its remaining games away from home.

“Our thoughts are with the people of Puerto Rico as the island continues its recovery from Hurricane Maria,” North American Soccer League Interim Commissioner Rishi Sehgal said in a news release. “We felt that it was necessary to move Puerto Rico FC’s remaining home games off the island to allow the recovery efforts to focus solely on the needs of the Puerto Rican people. We look forward to bringing the joy and community created by the club back to Puerto Rico in the near future.”

Part of the revenue from next Saturday’s ticket sales will go to the Carmelo Anthony Puerto Rico Relief Fund. The NBA star owns Puerto Rico FC.