Kevin Johnston

IndyStar correspondent

While his native country celebrated its Independence Day on Saturday, Jamaican winger Don Smart induced a celebration of his own at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

The Indy Eleven winger collected a pass from midfielder Dylan Mares at the far post in second-half stoppage time and buried the game-winner to give Indy a 1-0 victory over Ottawa Fury FC. After scoring, Smart channeled a fellow countryman by sprinting onto the IUPUI track.

“I was trying to do Usain Bolt,” Smart said. “But Omar (Gordon) came behind me so I couldn’t slow down. I was trying to slow down, but he didn’t let me celebrate good so I just let it go.

“Coach (Tim Hankinson) has been stressing it all week, telling me that I’ve got to make the run back post. I finally made the run and it finally paid off, so I can say thanks to coach for making me run back post.”

Hankinson was thrilled to see Smart back in top form.

“He had a series of games where he was the starter,” Hankinson said. “Then he had an injury, and so he was out for quite a while. And it’s taken him a long time to kind of get his 90-minute match fitness. And even once you get your match fitness, getting the quality of your game back, it just takes time. Same thing for a striker. Even though you’re medically cleared, even though you get fit – you’re ready to play 90 minutes – the sharpness in front of the net is the last thing to come. And Don has finally gotten back to that plateau.”

Playing its third match in eight days, Indy had some knocks and tired legs to circumvent.

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With regular starter Justin Braun out with an injury, forward Souleymane Youla moved into the starting lineup. Smart earned another start on the right wing after a fine performance Wednesday against Jacksonville Armada FC. Nicki Paterson, who normally plays centrally, slid over to left midfielder. In the back, Cory Miller drew the start with Greg Janicki ineligible from a Wednesday red card.

The Fury entered the match on a three-game winning streak, and featured quite a bit of pedigree among their starting 11 in Canadian internationals Julian de Guzman and Maxim Tissot.

The Eleven controlled the tempo early by winning the possession battle, but couldn’t quite convert on numerous solid chances until Smart’s late heroics.

A stout defense again led the way for the Eleven, churning out its fourth clean sheet in eight fall matches. The win moved the Eleven back into first place in the North American Soccer League fall standings.

Indy will host Rayo OKC – a club currently in massive disarray – to cap off a three-game home stand next Saturday, before embarking on a three-game road trip.