Michael Pointer

michael.pointer@indystar.com

Eleven at New York%2C 8 p.m. Saturday

The Indy Eleven's consistency during their inaugural North American Soccer League season continued on Saturday night.

A sellout crowd again showed up at IUPUI's Carroll Stadium, the 12th in as many home contests. But once again, it went home disappointed, as Carolina's Nazmi Albadawi scored in the 53rd minute and the Railhawks made it stand up for a 1-0 victory, keeping the Eleven winless at home.

With just two home games remaining — against the NASL's best teams in Minnesota and San Antonio — the probability of a winless record at home is looking pretty high after Saturday night. The Eleven have seven losses and five draws in their first 12 home matches.

"I can't really put my thumb on it," said veteran forward Mike Ambersley, who is in his ninth pro season. "It's been one of those seasons where we've been a little unlucky, but we haven't created much luck either. We'll just keep grinding it out and try to finish the season strong."

The loss officially eliminated the Eleven (3-13-7, 3-8-3) from finishing in the top four of the NASL's overall standings, which would have earned them a playoff spot. They still are mathematically alive to win the fall portion of the schedule, but that's a pipe dream at this point.

"We try not to talk about (being winless at home)," Eleven coach Juergen Sommer said. "We just talk about the task at hand, the game at hand. Everyone wants to win. I don't see our effort be more or less because of it. We gave a true honest effort. Just a little bit unlucky with the opportunities in front of goal. We give one good opportunity away and teams score on us."

Neither team scored in an evenly-played first half, in which possession time was split 50-50, according to the official statistics. The Eleven's best chance came when Ambersley headed a Jaime Frias cross into the box in the 38th minute, but it bounced off a Carolina defender and went just wide.

Carolina got the game's only goal when Albadawi got a step on the Eleven's defense, took a short pass from Enzo Martinez in the box and kicked it into the right-hand corner past Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht, who had no chance.

The Eleven have scored the first goal in just three of their 12 home games this season. They have a two-goal lead only once, which they eventually lost en route to a 2-2 tie to the New York Cosmos on Aug. 30. The Eleven play at New York next Saturday.

"I knew one mistake would separate the winner and loser tonight because we did not get a lot of clean looks,'' Sommer said. "I'll have to go back and look at the goal, but it seemed like we had enough people back and in position. He just finished well and put it away."

Marco Franco, who the Eleven acquired on loan from MLS' Chicago Sting, made his Indy debut and played the entire game at outside back. He contributed to one of the better defensive performances of the season for the Eleven, who have allowed a NASL-high 44 goals. But Carolina (11-9-3, 7-6-1 fall) didn't give up many chances either while beating the Eleven for the first time in three meetings.

"We're just not finishing well," Sommer said. "We have to look for a combination of players or that person that will step up for us."

Call Star reporter Michael Pointer at (317) 444-6307. Follow him on Twitter @michaelpointer.

Eleven at New York, 8 p.m. Saturday