Memory Of Last Meeting To Spur On Indy In Saturday's Clash With Cosmos

Photo credit: Indy Eleven/Trevor Ruszkowski

Indy Eleven had a dream run to the Spring Season title, finishing with an unbeaten record and claiming the club’s first piece of silverware to guarantee a spot in The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament.

Part of that sensational run was overturning a 1-0 deficit to the New York Cosmos in the waning moments of the clash at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in the Spring Season. Forward Eamon Zayed stunned the visitors with two goals to send the Boys in Blue to victory – the first for any team in the series between Indy and New York.

“That result that night in April, in front of the home fans, may have been the most important result of the season because it propelled our fans into the belief that we could win the Spring Season Championship and compete at that level,” Indy coach Tim Hankinson told NASL.com.

The last meeting between the teams, though, will provide fuel for the Eleven this Saturday. New York planted Indy’s feet firmly back on the ground with a 3-0 win at Shuart Stadium with a pair of goals from Venezuelan star Juan Arango.

“We’re looking forward to this game,” Hankinson said. “Our memory of last time out hasn’t faded, so we’re looking forward to great competition.”

Both sides are early title contenders as Indy will host a semifinal game in The Championship, while the Cosmos could very well do the same. The Cosmos are holding firm to leads in the Fall Season and Combined Standings. A result for either side is crucial for The Championship picture. A win for Indy would extend an unbeaten run at home to 16, but more importantly begin to close the gap in both tables – Indy trails New York by seven points in both. A win for New York would not only give the side more confidence on the road – posting a 3-2-6 record so far away from home – but push the club further towards a Fall Season title and a No. 1 overall seeding in the postseason.  

“Certainly, the Cosmos are the premier team in the league – they show that year in and year out since they’ve joined – but we’ve had a set of very even results over the years with us having the opportunity to get the first win in the Spring, then them giving us a spanking in the second game,” Hankinson said.

He added: “I think each season has a story – a journey that you go on. There are some disappointing moments that test your character and build your strength, but there are also some magical moments that occur that can propel you and make you believe you can do things beyond what you believed in before.”

Both the Eleven and Cosmos will hope the magic is on their side on Saturday as both sides continue their path towards a potential meeting in November.