Indy Eleven 3-0 Des Moines Menace
With only 11 games having been played indoors in the extensive history of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, two more would be in this round. The site for ours was the warehouse known as Community Health Network Events Center at Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN - a facility notably home to Indy Eleven USL W team while the club pontificates about its stadium plans.
Josh O'Brien had the first shot on target for either side, for Eleven with ten minutes played. Edward Kizza had an easy chance, set up by Loïc Mesanvi (former Lakeville South, Crow, Loon, and Twoon), but the Des Moines Menace goalie Jamie Barry stopped it. Alcides Diaz hammered a ball for Des Moines in the 25th minute, spilled momentarily by Reice Charles-Cook in what would be one of the clearest cut chances for the Menace.
The opener came in the 31st minute. Mesanvi opened his Indy account after Barry charged towards a clearance and missed it, taking out a defender and leaving his goal unguarded for the Togolese striker to lift the ball into the empty net from distance. It would go to half-time as a one-goal game, but truly not one where the noisy Brickyard Battalion were ever forced into a nervous hush.
With an hour on the clock, Alejandro Mitrano attacked down the left wing and stood it up on the back post for Noble Okello to double their lead.
In the 75th minute, the game was sealed. Dylan Sing went up for a challenge with Barry, and the ball dropped to Charlie Sharp for a tap-in from close range.
Other key games
Wednesday - BOHFS St. Louis (Midwest Premier League) 0-8 Union Omaha (USL League One). Goals from Gabi Cabral, Sami Guediri, Dylan Borczak, Pato Botello Faz, and doubles from Samuel Owusu and substitute Sergio Ors-Navarro.
Thursday - Flint City Bucks (USL League Two) 2-0 Forward Madison FC (USL League One)
The Bucks have made a habit of beating professional sides; this was their 11th victory over a professional side in the Cup. The most of any team in the Modern Era. We'll have the details tomorrow in Flamingo Friday.
