Tag: Indy Eleven

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901 FC Draws Away to Indy Eleven

Phillip Goodrum, left, scored his 12th goal of the season to earn Memphis a point on the road. (Credit: USL/Indy Eleven)

It’s quite amazing how unbothered 901 FC can consistently look as they soak up (usually nonthreatening) pressure against most opponents. And when they recover possession, it looks like FIFA as they string passes together, break the press, and find themselves with an overwhelming numbers advantage heading into the opposing final third. Of course, their work in possession isn’t bad either (which is mostly what we saw in Indiana) when it’s called for, and that’s a credit to coach Ben Pirmann, who was recently nominated for the USL mid-season coach of the year. Probably goes without saying that he should receive a nice pay bump for the work he’s done so far.

Last Saturday, Indy Eleven was set to provide a different kind of challenge from what Louisville posed the week before. Our Kentucky opponents, #1 in the Eastern Conference, on July 16th played like they had a higher floor than most USL team’s ceilings. Indy, meanwhile, hadn’t been able to score in quite a long time. But anything can happen in soccer, which is why we love the sport. 901 FC had the first swing, with Luiz Fernando hitting the crossbar in the fourth minute, with a couple follow-ups also failing to find the back of the net. And a few lucky bobbles just minutes later went Indy Eleven’s way as they took the lead in the ninth minute, scoring their first goal in 459 minutes (wow!). And to compound our misery, Fernando hit the post after cutting in and unleashing a curler. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. And in the 22nd, some slick interplay in crowded spaces ended with Chris Allan slotting it past Sean Lewis, only for the offside flag to pop up.

But in the 23rd, Memphis finally did equalize with an incredible play across the board. A lofted through ball found Rece Buckmaster completely alone in the Indy box. The defender froze to draw out Lewis, and then stealthily slid a ball close to the back post for Phillip Goodrum to poke in for his 12th goal of the season. Fernando was then at it again in the 30th, cutting back in onto his left and forcing a good save from Lewis. And a minute later, Fernando played an inch-perfect pass to Derek Dodson, who shot straight at Lewis.

And that was pretty much the tale of the first half. Memphis’ attack factory churned out chance after chance. Indy’s strong press faded after the start, and all the chances were going 901 FC’s way. Such was the direction of traffic that fans could be forgiven for scratching their heads and wondering how we’d only scored once.

Indy’s press did come back out to start the second half, but whenever they threatened danger, a Memphis defender was there to mop things up. And Niall Logue set up Fernando in the Indy box early on, but he underhit his pass to set up a teammate, seeing another good chance squandered. And Memphis just continued to carve their way through the Indy midfield and back line, with Fernando usually at the center of every passage. In the 90th minute, the ref frustratingly blew the whistle instead of playing an advantage which could have seen Memphis 2v2 against the Indy defense. In fairness, we saw that kind of call go both ways, which is annoying for both sets of fans. And in one late scare, Indy worked one last headed chance through Manuel Arteaga, but goalkeeper Trey Muse came up big with the save.

A draw was a very frustrating result for 901 FC, but the overall performance continued a fine string of form that Memphis has put together this season. All game long, the players picked Indy apart with surgical precision. The well-oiled midfield machine constantly worked the ball around onrushing defenders and out to the wings, where a rotating player would drive into the open half-spaces left by the Eleven’s press. There, they could either loft a ball past the Indy back line, as happened for Goodrum’s equalizer, or ping a couple of passes around in tighter spaces as they worked their way into the box. Both approaches worked, but a couple of times Memphis’ final ball just let them down. For now, Memphis remains in third in the Eastern Conference standings. And if you noticed, a return to a 32-page Memphis Flyer means we have room for soccer columns in our pages again! Our 901 FC coverage has been away for a while, but hopefully I’ll be back with you all again, dear readers, for our next match away to New York Red Bulls II on August 3rd.

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Thin 901 FC Squad Prevails Over Division Leaders Indy Eleven

Memphis goalscorer Kyle Murphy shields the ball from Indy Eleven defender Jared Timmer. (Photo: Courtesy Indy Eleven)

On the way up to Indianapolis, it was no surprise that there were a few empty seats on the Memphis 901 FC bus. Due to suspension, injury, and international duty, the team was missing a total of six players. Much of the pre-match chatter didn’t give Bluff City much of a chance, but try telling that to the players. In adverse circumstances, 901 FC showed grit and character to produce an excellent 2-1 victory over former conference leaders, Indy Eleven.

Blitzkrieg Attack

Kadeem Dacres had been the catalyst for everything good coming out of 901 FC offensively. But with Dacres having picked up a second yellow card and dismissal in the last match for simulation, head coach Ben Pirmann would have to plan for an attack without its fulcrum. Dacres’ return will only be a good thing for the team, but he almost wasn’t even missed as Memphis roared into the lead within three minutes. Laurent Kissiedou (later named to the USL Championship Team of the Week) took down a high ball with aplomb and turned before splitting the defense with a slick through ball for Michael Salazar, who took the ball into stride and finished calmly past Indy goalkeeper Jordan Farr.

Salazar was involved again in the 35th minute, pressuring Aboubacar Sissoko into a turnover and driving into the Indy box unimpeded. The ball eventually fell to forward Kyle Murphy, who gleefully accepted the chance and made it 2-0 to Memphis. Meanwhile, Kissiedou continued his fine run of form. Nominally a playmaker, the midfielder has pitched in at both ends of the field so far this season, providing some penetrating runs and passes up top and dropping back to shield the defense when out of position. He was unfortunate to miss out on a goal but was a constant thorn in Indy’s side all match with clever flicks and tricks. And if that wasn’t enough, fullback Mark Segbers pitched in, too, with one phenomenal run in the 56th to beat four defenders and get a shot away. There’s plenty of firepower here, and this team still hasn’t even had time to gel yet.

Midfield on Lock

Mitch Guitar got a first start of the season next to Leston Paul, and together, the two formed an impenetrable wall. They were hungrier for 50-50 balls, and routinely shut down any of Indy’s attempts at building an attack. When they did recover the ball, they weren’t afraid to do something with it either, as epitomized by Guitar’s solo run in the 77th minute before playing in Kissiedou for a chance.

Francis Atuahene, for his part, acted as an effective ball shuttler for his 67 minutes on the field. Whenever he’d receive the ball under pressure, it was more likely than not that he’d turn his way out of trouble and charge into the open field ahead of him. He, Guitar, and Paul were crucial in acting as the springboard of Memphis’ attack, turning defense into offense in the blink of an eye. And whenever Indy did break through their screen, the defense, and fullback Andre Reynolds in particular, completely shut down whatever Indy was able to throw at them.

Of course, Indy did find a way through with a scrappy goal in the 96th minute to pull back a consolation. And there has to be a mention of Indy forward Manuel Arteaga’s howitzer strike in the 16th minute that the ref didn’t see go over the line. That was a big blow to Indy’s confidence, but sometimes the breaks don’t go your way. But on the balance of play, this was Memphis’ win.

Youth Movement

A lack of available players might have impeded 901 FC’s chances on another day, but this time around it was a sweet moment for two of the organization’s academy players. Tycho Collins and Collierville High School’s Matt Brucker both took to the field in stoppage time for their first-ever professional appearances. There wasn’t a whole lot of time left, but it will certainly be a moment to savor in their young careers.
Memphis 901 FC faces Louisville City away next Saturday, June 12th, at 6:30 p.m.

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901 FC Falls Short in Tim Howard’s Memphis Debut

CREDIT: 901 FC

901 FC

Defender Zach Carroll celebrates with Liam Doyle after scoring 901 FC’s second goal of the night

Before kick-off, it was clear that Memphis had greatly missed 901 FC and the constant stream of Saturday matches at AutoZone Park. The lines to get in the stadium stretched all the way back to the gates, Bluff City Mafia was in full voice, and a regular-season record 8,571 fans took their seats to see what a new season could bring. And while 901 FC played some of its best soccer since the team’s inception, defensive errors saw the home side fall 2-4 to Eastern Conference rivals Indy Eleven.

With six new faces in the starting lineup, the organization immediately made good on its promise to play more attacking soccer this year. Memphis started strong out of the blocks, controlling the game and putting constant pressure on Indy Eleven. As early as the ninth minute, good interplay between Duane Muckette and Pierre da Silva saw the latter loft a one-touch pass over the defense. Last season’s top scorer Brandon Allen took it down with aplomb before cutting inside two Indy defenders and curling the ball into the net.

With momentum on its side, Memphis continued to surge forward, keeping its opponent on the back foot. In the 16th minute, captain Marc Burch looped a corner kick into the box, where a completely unmarked Zach Carroll dove to head home for Memphis’ second and his debut goal. Just over a quarter of an hour in, and Memphis was running riot. So dominant was the team that sporting director and owner Tim Howard, who signed a contract to join the playing roster as goalie last week, spent most of the first half watching play unfold from the edge of the box.

But, as in most things soccer, it just takes one moment to turn a game on its head. Indy, which had been pinned back for 45 minutes, scored on what was only its third shot of the match. While Memphis emerged for the second half with the same fire and enthusiasm, Indy slowly grew back into the match and eventually capitalized on several defensive errors to steal the lead.

Unfortunately, Memphis’ transition defense was found wanting. Indy was lethal on the break, with goals two, three, and four all coming on quick counterattacks. As the goals started to come in, the team lost a bit of its shape and found itself hard-pressed to snuff out Indy’s continued advances forward. Of the opponent’s 15 shots, 12 came in the second half. In that sense, it was very much a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance. However, considering how well Memphis played in the attacking third, there should be nothing but optimism going forward.

“I saw two great goals, about a half a dozen chances. For me, there is a lot of improvement in that area,” said head coach Tim Mulqueen after the game. “We took a conference finalist and put them on their heels. Our press was very good for long stretches of the game. I think we just need to do a better job of adjusting when teams adjust to us. I know this one stings for our boys, it stings for me, but there is a lot of good to that game as well.”

The midfield three of Michael Reed, Jose Baxter, and J-Christophe Koffi combined well in the middle of the pitch and were able to facilitate a good number of attacks. At right back, Mark Segbers’ positioning and speed made him a crucial outlet for Memphis on the wing; receiving the ball on the right side, he frequently surged behind Indy’s defensive line. Those forward runs should give Memphis an extra dimension in the final third from last season, when the fullbacks didn’t always provide quality service. Finally, Allen is already off the mark for the season; with a more promising attack, he should improve on his 10 goals from last year.

While the final result could have been different with a bit more composure, the start to the 2020 season certainly gives fans plenty of reasons to be excited about 901 FC’s sophomore season. As Mulqueen said, there are plenty of positives to build on when St. Louis comes to town next week.

901 FC’s next match is at home against St. Louis FC on Saturday, March 14th, 7 p.m.

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Five Star Memphis Thrashes Bethlehem

CREDIT: Memphis 901 FC

You know what 901 FC looks like? A playoff team.

The visiting Bethlehem Steel on Saturday were only one point behind Memphis in the Eastern Conference standings before the contest, so the potential for a tough match was there. But Coach Tim Mulqueen and his squad revved up the steamroller and flattened any notion of a competitive contest in the first quarter-hour. With a 5-0 drubbing where every player excelled, 901 FC climbed ever closer to that elusive last playoff qualification spot.

Memphis 901 FC

Elliot Collier set the pace early with Memphis’ opening goal in the seventh minute.

It looks like Mulqueen’s roster-tinkering over the course of the season has finally constructed a squad with the right tools for his game-plan. We’ve seen how the attack has clicked into gear over the past few games, but there was always a chance the team’s good run of form could come to an end after the Pittsburgh Riverhounds snapped the team’s four-game winning streak last week. But just as he’s done many times before, Elliot Collier stepped up to assuage any nerves with less than seven minutes on the clock when he slotted his shot underneath the despairing Bethlehem goalkeeper.

From there, it was oneway traffic. The midfield looked devastating when picking up the ball between the lines; Lindley and Adam Najem surged forward as often as they could, looking to play positive, forward passes, and the 901 FC attack never let up for a second, raining in shots to seize complete control of proceedings.

The Bethlehem defense had no answer for the home team’s gusto. Press high up the pitch? No problem, defender Liam Doyle can just play an inch-perfect long ball to a streaking Marcus Epps for the second goal. Squeeze the midfield? Lindley and Najem didn’t even look bothered as they sucked in multiple defenders before dispatching an assist to Brandon Allen (the forward’s tally for Memphis rose to eight) for goals three and four.

The icing on the cake came with Doyle’s tap-in after a corner-kick routine. If it hadn’t been apparent by then, that made it game, set, and match. Allen could have even grabbed a hat-trick when Lagos Kunga crossed to the wide open striker, but it wasn’t to be. The game kind of petered out after that, but when you’re five goals to the good, it’s fine to ease up a little.

This was truly an impressive display from the whole squad. Beyond the excellent midfielders and attackers (who mustered 21 shots), goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell and the Memphis defense restricted Bethlehem to zero (!) shots on target for 90 minutes. That puts Caldwell up to six clean sheets for the season.

Memphis 901 FC

A complete team performance leaves Memphis well-poised heading into its final four games.

Memphis had already looked like a well-oiled machine over the last month, but an utter thrashing is the perfect tonic after what could have been a morale-sapping narrow defeat to Pittsburgh. And with only four games left in the season, it’s exactly what Memphis needed. The team remains in 12th place, five points out of the last playoff spot; each match from here on out is a must-win contest. Next up is fifth-placed Indy Eleven on Saturday, which on paper seems like the toughest opponent left on the schedule. However, the Indianapolis side has lost its last three games, making it the perfect time for Bluff City to strike.

And who’s to say Memphis can’t pull off the win? Mulqueen has his team’s foot pressed down firmly on the accelerator, with the entire attack in a goal-scoring mood and the rest of the squad on the same page heading into crunch time. It will be a fight to snag that number ten spot in the Eastern Conference, but 901 FC has more than shown lately it’s up for the challenge.