Steel falls to Indy 2-1

Fueled by a strong win at home over Swope Park Rangers and a comeback draw away to a powerful North Carolina FC team, Bethlehem Steel FC gave the Eastern Conference’s second-placed side, Indy Eleven, a run for their money in their own building. The two sides played to a 2-1 win in favor of Indy in the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, with the hosts breaking out all the stops to get the three points.

Steel FC made a strong showing against Indy Eleven in the first half, holding the hosts scoreless through halftime in front of a 12,000 plus crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium. Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Matt Freese came up big, making a total of four saves in his return to the Steel, including a massive diving save to keep the sides level in the first 45. A header was put down to the left of the shot stopper, as he dove into the net and narrowly kept the ball out. The Pennsylvania side would continue showing defensive strength, holding a 0-0 score line until the 57th minute. The Eleven broke the deadlock through an Ilija Ilic goal that required a near-perfect touch to beat Matt Freese.

When asked to step up for Steel FC, Ben Ofeimu was there. The defender got on the end of a Michee Ngalina cross, as the ball fell to his feet at the top of the six-yard box to level for the Steel. A first-time touch sent the ball into the net for Ofeimu’s second goal all-time, giving Ngalina his second assist of the season. The tie wouldn’t last long, with Indy burying an 80th-minute strike that was just as impressive as their first. USL legend Dane Kelly, who was brought on as a substitute in an Ilsinho-esque manner, was the man with the game-winning goal for the Indiana side. The match would end as a 2-1 loss for Steel FC, despite a strong showing on the road from Brendan Burke’s side.

The Steel were active across their formation, with everyone getting involved in the match. Forward Yomi Samuele Scintu led the team with five tackles, while midfielder Zach Zandi won a team-high three fouls.

Defender Walter Cortés, serving as team captain for this match, led his side in distribution with a passing accuracy of 84.8% and also had the most touches (63) of any Steel player. Midfielder Issa Rayyan led with a team-high three shots.

Bethlehem Steel FC next hosts Loudoun United FC in their next matchup on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET for Kids Night at Talen Energy Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET | Talen Energy Stadium | Chester, Pa. | ESPN +).