Mark Ambrogi

mark.ambrogi@indystar.com

After losing on a goal in the closing seconds, a frustrated Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht didn't mince words.

"It goes back to what I've said 25 times already is we have to be defensively strong for 90 minutes or 94, 120 or whatever to win a game," Nicht said. "You can't say you defended well for 70 minutes. Who the (bleep) cares?"

San Antonio's Walter Restrepo scored in the final 30 seconds of four minutes of extra time to give the Scorpions a 2-1 victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,285 at IUPUI's Carroll Stadium on Saturday night.

The Eleven are now 0-5-3 in the North American Soccer League's spring season in the team's inaugural season. The Eleven, which did beat Dayton in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, close the spring league season at Atlanta on Saturday.

"The most tiring thing is we always get together after the game and say we are equal or better, but we couldn't convert it into a win," Nicht said. "We have the talent and ability.

"I think we were better than them (San Antonio). I was pretty sure we would score the second goal and get our first win here."

Nicht saved eight shots as the Scorpions (5-2-1) had 10 shots on target, compared with five for the Eleven.

"I always take the pressure off the back line because they are the last chain in the whole thing," Nicht said. "We haven't got a clean sheet (shutout) yet. You could try to find nice words, but bottom line is we are not good enough defensively. The offense is looking good. Everyone can score on our team."

After a scoreless first half, San Antonio's Billy Forbes scored in the 52nd minute to take a 1-0 edge. Eleven midfielder Blake Smith tied the game in the 74th minute. Don Smart had found Smith on a cross for the assist.

"We showed a lot of character to fight back, and at that point we were dominating," Smith said. "But there is a lesson to be learned that we have to play until the final whistle. We took our foot off the gas a little bit and let them get an opportunity they should have never gotten."

Smith, who joined the team on May 13 on loan from Major League Soccer's Montreal Impact, said the defense has been improving.

"The first game I played with them there were definitely a lot of holes in the defense," Smith said. "But we've really corrected a lot of those problems. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it was (Saturday night). For the most part, we were good defensively, but there is something we've got to tweak a little bit more to make sure that goal doesn't go in the last 30 seconds of the game."

Eleven coach Juergen Sommer said he had to look at the video of the final goal to see where the breakdowns were.

"I'm sure everyone here was disappointed, as were the players," Sommer said. "Defensively I thought we were a lot better and a lot more committed."

Sommer said the Eleven had several great opportunities to score in the final part of the second half.

"I wish on a couple we would have been more patient to finish," Sommer said.

Sommer said San Antonio is a strong, experienced NASL team.

"We really took it to the wire," Sommer said. "We're getting there. We're growing. Offensively we did some nice things. Blake Smith had a really bright game."

Smith couldn't celebrate the goal too much.

"If we're not getting the win, my goal is really for no reason," Smith said. "If feels good, but at the same time it's bittersweet. Hopefully next time if I get a goal, it will be to help the team win."

Call Star reporter Mark Ambrogi at (317) 444-6047. Follow him on Twitter: @mark_ambrogi.