Indy Eleven beat USL defending champs on Ayoze's penalty kick

INDIANAPOLIS -- What better way to test a team's mettle in a new league than by facing the defending champions? Evidently, the Indy Eleven measure up just fine.

Playing their third game in eight days, the Eleven downed Louisville City FC, the defending USL champs, 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium. A converted penalty kick by Ayoze Garcia Perez -- or simply Ayoze as he's known -- in the 78th minute was enough for Indy to snatch a crucial three points against the class of the Eastern Conference.

Eleven coach Martin Rennie used something close to a 4-1-4-1 formation to try to flummox the talented Louisville City FC attack. City manager James O'Connor, meanwhile, deployed a 4-4-1-1.

After fans witnessed a four-goal first half in Wednesday's 3-2 home loss to FC Cincinnati, Saturday's match featured much more defense early. Both sides jockeyed to control the middle third of the field.

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"Much more compact, much closer together," Rennie said of his midfield Saturday compared to Wednesday. "A guy like Nico (Matern) does an amazing job. As a coach, you really, really, really appreciate that. He's filling gaps, he's taking the ball under pressure all the time, playing it out of pressure. He's got a strong body, strong physical presence. He organizes and keeps people close to him."

The Eleven's best opportunity to open the scoring came in the 34th minute when Zach Steinberger served in a bending ball that Soony Saad got on the end of. Saad had Louisville City goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh beat, but his header drifted just over the crossbar.

To start the second half, Louisville City made a lineup change that provided a lift. Wing threat Brian Ownby entered for Magnus Rasmussen and promptly darted in behind Indy's back four and found a seam to go at goal, and his effort required a diving save by Eleven goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams.

The winning tally finally came after Eleven right midfielder Nathan Lewis crossed a ball into the penalty area that was deflected by defender Paco Craig's extended hand. Craig earned a yellow card for the infraction, and -- worse yet -- allowed Ayoze to step to the spot and place his shot in the top left corner of the net. The penalty conversion was the Spaniard's second in as many games.

"We worked very hard for today because we know that (Louisville City) is a great team," Ayoze said. "I think today we pressured hard. Everyone was working 100 percent, and when everyone works the team has very good quality."

Ownby had a good chance to tie it very late in stoppage time on a volley from close range, but Indy center back Carlyle Mitchell's excellent positioning allowed him to block the attempt.

Midfielder-turned-defender Brad Ring made his 100th appearance for the club as a late substitute, coming on for starting right back Kevin Venegas.

The official attendance at Lucas Oil was announced as 9,008. Next, Indy visits the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Friday night.