Indy Eleven’s woes continue in loss to Jacksonville Armada FC

Kevin Johnston | For IndyStar

The Indy Eleven’s elusive first win of 2017 will have to wait for another day.

Jacksonville Armada FC visited Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday night and handed Indy its fourth loss of the season — another blemish to go along with its zero wins and seven draws. The 4-1 Armada victory kept the reeling Eleven in last place in the eight-team North American Soccer League, while leaving a thriving Jacksonville side in second.

The match certainly didn’t lack in the excitement department; both clubs scored in the first 10 minutes of the match.

After Eleven captain Colin Falvey committed a foul in the 18-yard box, Armada midfielder Jack Blake stepped up to the spot and missed the ensuing penalty attempt; however, goalkeeper Jon Busch’s parry landed right at the feet of Blake, who calmly slotted home the rebound in the fourth minute.

Six minutes later, Indy responded on an Eamon Zayed header with service from Nemanja Vukovic to make it 1-1. Jacksonville eventually reclaimed the lead on winger J.C. Banks’ 41st-minute goal, a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

Just before the break, Indy defender Lovel Palmer received a straight red card on a shove that head referee Younes Marrakchi deemed violent conduct. With Palmer sent off, Daniel Keller slid from the midfield to the back four to help keep the defense intact. But the man disadvantage afforded Jacksonville too much space in the central midfield and on the flanks.

Banks scored again in the 50th minute, then forward Derek Gebhard added another to seal the 4-1 win for the visitors. Armada FC earned a red card of its own in the 68th minute when goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell used his hands outside the box, but the damage had been done.

“If we hadn’t gotten the third and fourth goal, it could’ve been a lot different game going 10 on 10 for the last 15 minutes,” said Armada midfielder Zach Steinberger. “I’m really glad we capitalized on the man advantage.”

Steinberger played at Butler and briefly for Indy Eleven while on loan from the Houston Dynamo. He nabbed NASL Player of the Month honors for his eye-popping May numbers. Across four matches in the month, he recorded four goals and an assist. Indy kept Steinberger off the scoresheet, but he was a threat throughout and created numerous opportunities.

Indy will host North Carolina FC, formerly the Carolina RailHawks, next weekend at Carroll Stadium.

“We’ve got to have a no-quit attitude — business as usual,” suggested Eleven coach Tim Hankinson on how to lift his team up in training this coming week. “We know that our position in the league has us lower than we should be. We feel we have a better team than last place. All we can do is lick our wounds and digest how this game went.”