A hobbled and harried Carolina RailHawks saw the optimism of an early lead over the Indy Eleven evaporate quickly Saturday night as two minutes of second-half defensive lapses generated two Indy goals. That was enough for Indy Eleven to see out a 2-1 victory over the road RailHawks, snapping Carolina’s six-game, regular-season unbeaten run.

The RailHawks were without several key contributors in their starting XI. Co-leading scorer Nacho Novo did not make the trip due to a nagging illness, nor did midfielder Mark Anderson. Defender Futty Danso is in Africa following the passing of his mother on Tuesday. And with Carolina playing their third game in a week, expected starters like Austin da Luz and Simone Bracalello began the game on the bench.

An even more dire injury concern occurred in the 18th minute when Tiyi Shipalane was the target of a hard slide tackle by Indy’s Kyle Hyland. A furious Shipalane gesticulated at Hyland, and two minutes later the RailHawks’ scoring co-leader and leading assist man limped off the Carroll Stadium turf. Da Luz, who had already played 180 minutes over two games the past week, came on in place of Shipalane.

Notwithstanding those adversities, the RailHawks were the first on the scoreboard in the 43rd minute. Off a 25-yard free kick, the RailHawks nudged the ball over Nazmi Albadawi, who chipped a pass into the the 6-yard area toward a flying da Luz. The midfielder’s horizontal header found the upper 90 for a 1-0 lead. After the training ground goal, the pugnacious da Luz cupped his hand to his ear and posed in front of the Brickyard Battalion supporters group, which moments earlier were serenading Carolina with the refrain, “You’re not going to make it …”

Unfortunately, the Battalion’s song spoof proved prescient throughout the second half. In the 54th minute, a looping cross by Indy’s Kyle Hyland found forward Wojciech Wojcik stationed far post. Wojcik bodied away Kupono Low, then deposited a leaping, point-blank header past Carolina goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald for the equalizer.

Two minutes later, Indy Eleven grabbed the lead for good when a free kick by Victor Pineda found Erick Norales streaking unmarked toward goal. Norales slotted his one-touch half-volley into goal for a 2-1 advantage.

The RailHawks offered little offensive response after losing the lead with their leading scorers out of commission. Carolina’s best, nay only opportunity came in the 80th minute compliments of da Luz, who fired a rocket shot from 25 yards out that rattled the cross bar. Meanwhile, Indy Eleven failed to convert numerous close-range chances that should have further extended their margin of victory.

Tonight’s loss at Indy Eleven is Carolina's third this NASL regular season. Moreover, this defeat, coupled with Wednesday’s disappointing home draw with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, are two of the five games this year in which the RailHawks have surrendered a lead to end up with a draw or loss. These results are becoming a bad habit for a team purposely assembled with enough experience to supposedly avoid such collapses.

Indy Eleven (4-5-3, 17 pts.) extends their own unbeaten streak to five games and pulls within a point of the RailHawks for third-place in the combined NASL standings.

The RailHawks (4-6-3, 18 pts.) return to WakeMed Soccer Park next Saturday, July 18 when they host the San Antonio Scorpions. Kick off is 7:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

CAR: Fitzgerald; Knight, Scott, Tobin, Low; Thompson, Nurse (Bracalello, 75’); Shipalane (da Luz, 23’), Albadawi, Hlavaty; Baladez (Catic, 82’)

IND: Nicht; Hyland, Norales, Miller, Franco; Pineda, Mares, Ring (Keller, 23’), Stojkov (Lacroix, 65’); Wojick (Brown, 85’), Rugg

GOALS

CAR: da Luz (42’)

IND: Wojcik (54’) Norales (56’)

CAUTIONS

CAR: Thompson (40’)

IND: Wojcik (54’), Lacroix (67’), Keller (85’)

EJECTIONS

CAR: --

IND: --