DURING HIS FIRST season with the Indy Eleven, second-year head coach Sean McAuley took the professional soccer team to impressive heights, winning 10 consecutive matches last summer with two draws—making 12 straight matches without a loss. The team played its way to the semifinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and earned a 2024 United Soccer League Championship playoff spot.
Success last season has raised expectations for the current season, though. As of the Eleven’s 3-1 home loss to Charleston Battery on April 19, its record sits at 1-2-2, good for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Boys in Blue have led in every one of their contests except their last but only have one win to show for it.
The tie against North Carolina FC at home on April 5 was especially painful, as an extra-time goal by the visitors resulted in a draw after the Eleven had built up a 2-0 lead earlier in the game. The tie came after Indy outshot North Carolina 13-6 overall and 5-2 on goal.
McAuley, who started his professional playing career with Manchester United and now lives in Carmel, shares, “This club’s got a 40 percent win record at home through its history at this field. … Last year, we had 47—I think it was—percent. … Forty percent is not good enough. And we’ve got to make sure that we’re better at home.”
To McAuley’s point, the Eleven have won 60 games at IUI’s Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, with 48 losses and 34 draws. Since they joined the USL in 2018, their record has been 27 wins, 26 losses, and 17 draws. Oddly, while playing at Lucas Oil Stadium from 2018 to 2020, they were 26-8-10.
One group McAuley doesn’t blame for any of his team’s struggles is the fans. “That’s the beauty of our football club … our supporters are absolutely fantastic,” he says. “During the downtimes, they don’t change. … Sometimes I would say in the league and sometimes in the world, when you’re having a bad time, sometimes the supporters can get after you and make it a little bit worse. Ours don’t, and we’re really fortunate, which is why we need to give back to them by winning games at home.”
While the Eleven clinched a second win against Miami FC in their fourth home game—their first win in Indianapolis this season—with an overtime point scored by defender Hayden White (a header from a corner kick pass by Hoosier native Cam Lindley), it doesn’t count toward the team’s USL win total or standing because it happened during the Open Cup.
With three of the Eleven’s top five goal scorers returning from last season, McAuley has said he will rely on “every single one” for leadership. “Everyone has a voice,” he adds, and “everyone has that opportunity to speak and have an opinion.”
As for the newcomers, McAuley is more explicit: “James Murphy has been fantastic for us. Quiet leader, goes about his business, but his quality of play is a real high standard, and he holds himself accountable for everything. You’ve got Pat Hogan who comes in, again a great sign for us, more of a vocal leader and holds other people accountable. And you’ve got Eddie Kizza who comes in and works incredibly hard at his own game and the things he knows that can help the rest of the team.”
The Eleven play at home on Saturday, May 3, against Detroit City FC on Mental Health Awareness Night.
