Soony Saad carries Indy Eleven to first win at Lucas Oil Stadium

INDIANAPOLIS -- Usual Indy Eleven starting center back Reiner Ferreira was out injured. Another defensive starter, Karl Ouimette, was handed a three-match suspension after getting sent off last weekend at North Carolina FC. Carlyle Mitchell, a regular starter at center back, hobbled off the pitch late in that match.

With a patchwork defense that might as well have been held together with a piece of gum, the Indy Eleven downed Nashville SC 2-1 on Saturday afternoon for the club's first-ever win at Lucas Oil Stadium in front of 10,188 fans. All it took was a cohesive performance from the defense and a masterclass from forward Soony Saad.

Saad buried two goals in the first half, the second of which was worthy of Sportscenter Top 10 consideration.

"He played extremely well," said strike partner Jack McInerney of Saad. "Hats off to him. He put in the work and was rewarded with both goals."

The Eleven didn't twiddle their thumbs waiting around to open the scoring. In the 15th minute, left back Ayoze played a low, dangerous ball into space that was misplayed by an off-balance Nashville defender. It resulted in Saad finding himself alone behind the defense with Nashville goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Saad calmly slotted the ball home to put Indy up 1-0.Saad doubled Indy's lead about 20 minutes later on an absolute screamer from 35 yards out. Fellow striker Jack McInerney tapped the ball to Saad on an indirect free kick, who's rifled shot dipped and dived like a righty's two-seam fastball past Pickens.

Just before the half in stoppage time, Nashville SC midfielder Lebo Moloto connected with forward Ropapa Mensah to pull one back for the visitors. But the 2-1 scoreline held up after a fairly evenly contested second half.

For a ragtag defense featuring converted midfielder Brad Ring at right back and a guy who hadn't seen the pitch much over the past couple years in starting center back Brad Rusin, holding Nashville to a lone goal felt like an accomplishment. Rennie was impressed with how his back four stepped up.

"I thought overall we handled it," Rennie said. "Obviously, Brad Ring is playing right back. Brad Rusin is coming back. He's not really played for a while because he was in Miami and they had their team kind of set and he wasn't in the lineup. But I know how good a player he is, so it was great to see him playing with confidence and really doing a great job back there. And Mitchell has done that I think every game for us. He's been very, very good."

After laboring off the field last week, Mitchell's availability in the starting 11 definitely provided Indy a huge boost. Led by their anchor, Mitchell, an in-sync defensive performance combined with Saad's brilliant finishing ultimately carried the Eleven to victory.

Indy will get a week off before hitting the road for an April 28 meeting against the Charlotte Independence.