Kevin Johnston

IndyStar correspondent

The Indy Eleven are no strangers to ruining an expansion club’s coming-out party.

Indy will try to do so for the second time in less than a calendar year Saturday at Kezar Stadium in the expansion San Francisco Deltas’ inaugural North American Soccer League match. The Eleven previously spoiled Puerto Rico FC’s debut to start the 2016 fall season by scoring a late equalizer to escape with a draw.

In the scheme of things, the season opener is just an early chance to snag one or three valuable away points — nothing more, nothing less. The Eleven are focused on the big picture: winning the 2017 Soccer Bowl Trophy.

After coming up just short in a penalty shootout last season against the New York Cosmos, Indy again figures to be one of the NASL’s top dogs. But if Indy wants to make a run this year, it’ll have to be with a youthful, less-experienced bench.

Indy returns 13 players from its runner-up 2016 campaign, including nine core starters. Former starting center back Greg Janicki retired in the offseason, and left midfielder Dylan Mares took his talents to South Beach.

>> Returning: Eamon Zayed, Justin Braun, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Gerardo Torrado, Brad Ring, Don Smart, Nemanja Vukovic, Colin Falvey, Lovel Palmer, Marco Franco, Jon Busch, Keith Cardona and Daniel Keller.

>> Departed: Janicki (retired), Mares (Miami FC), Souleymane Youla (FA), Nicki Paterson (East Fife FC), Duke LaCroix (Orange County SC), Jair Reinoso (Club San Jose), Omar Gordon (Montego Bay United FC), Neil Shaffer (retired) and Cory Miller (FA).

New to the roster in 2017 are forward David Goldsmith (Butler); midfielders Ben Speas (Minnesota United FC), Craig Henderson (GAIS Goteborg) and Tanner Thompson (Indiana); defenders Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Orange County SC) and Anthony Manning (Portland Timbers II); and goalkeeper Christian Lomeli (Indiana).

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Among the new faces, Speas and Watson-Siriboe figure to start straight away at left midfield and center back, respectively.

“Speas can play either side, and play centrally,” Hankinson said. “We think his movement will create goal-scoring opportunities.”

Captain Colin Falvey, meanwhile, is on the mend from a sports hernia that required offseason surgery. It’s unclear when he’ll return to full fitness. Lovel Palmer is expected to start at the other center back spot until then.

In addition to championship aspirations, Indy and its supporters can look forward to a cameo by NASL interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal. He’s an adopted Hoosier via marriage (his wife is from Indiana).

“I haven’t been to Carroll Stadium in Indy yet,” Sehgal said. “When I’m there, you’ll know, and I’ll come pop in the Brickyard Battalion and take in part of the game from that vantage point.”

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Eleven watch party and Battalion Ale tapping

Lafayette-based People’s Brewing Company has teamed up with the Indy Eleven and their official supporters’ group, the Brickyard Battalion, to create a new American pale ale offering: Battalion Ale. The beer will be on tap Saturday at Union Jack Pub in Broad Ripple for a special prerelease tasting before it hits stores.

The tasting and soccer trivia start at 8 p.m., followed by a watch party for the 10 p.m. kickoff . The event is open to all ages; tasting is for adults 21 and older.