The Indiana Blast's playoff hopes may very well hinge on their four-game in three-week cluster against the Charlotte Eagles.
Indiana dropped the first match of the set Saturday on a last-minute goal by the host Eagles but it evened the score Friday with a 1-0 win at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis.
Reserve forward Matt Fundenberger, who entered the match at the start of the second half, scooted through the depths of the Charlotte defense and put in the game's only goal, in the 67th minute.
The goal, assisted by leading scorer Rodrigo Costa, was the first of the season for Fundenberger. The former Indiana University star was getting back to speed after missing a month because of injuries.
"He got the monkey off his back," Blast coach Ian Martin said. "It was a critical goal because it was a difficult one and there was a guy right on his shoulder."
It also made Indiana's second-half assault worthwhile. The Blast (8-10-0, 35 points) overcame a sluggish first half and took eight shots on goal in the final 45 minutes, with three of those besides the goal very good chances. The final shot total was 14-7 in Indiana's favor.
Blast goalkeeper David Winner stopped five Eagle shots in picking up his fourth shutout of the year.
Charlotte's best shot, though out of Winner's reach, found iron. Jose Correa broke free and fired a blast from 10 yards out in the 87th minute, but it hit the crossbar.
"We had most of the possession (in the second half), we stretched (the Eagles) out and I think their legs got a little bit weary," Martin said. "That's the game.
"In the first half we were defending too much. And to their credit they're very organized in the back, they held on really well and then we penetrated them a couple of times, we took away their strength in the midfield and they were struggling."
Another key, Martin said, was the difference in the size of the teams and their pitches. Indiana has bigger players and that as well as its larger pitch works to the Blast's advantage, as opposed to Charlotte's technical and speed edge that plays well on its compact field.
Friday's win was crucial for the Blast, because Charlotte (7-8-0, 30 points) has three games in hand on Indiana (the Blast have eight games left in the regular season). The top 12 teams in the A-League make the playoffs and Indiana went into Friday's match in 15th place.
Indiana visits Central Conference leader Richmond Friday, then commences another back-to-back series with Charlotte the next night in North Carolina. The return match with the Eagles - also the Blast's next home contest -- will be at Kuntz Stadium Aug. 10.
LINEUPS
Charlotte - 0-Andrews, 4-Watkins, 5-Correa (12-Gonzalez, 88th), 6-Galgeano, 7-Gajardo, 10-Leib, 14-O'Brien, 16-Gomez, 17-Mouw, 18-Swinehart (20-Norkus, 73rd), 24-Coggins (23-Miller, 61st).
Indiana - 31-Winner, 2-Aldrich, 3-Knott, 6-Otteson, 8-Tenoff (12-Weiger, 75th), 9-Donaldson (11-Prosser, 84th), 10-Costa (4-Dresser, 86th), 14-Allen, 15-Less (5-Sweeney, 71st), 16-Keenan (18-Fundenberger, 46th), 23-McDermott.
Scoring: I-Fundenberger (Costa, 67th)
Cautions: C-Watkins (9th), I-Donaldson (27th), I-Costa (38th), C-Swinehart (54th).
Shots on goal: C 7, I 14.
Saves: C 5, I 5.
Fouls: C 20, I 22.
Offsides: C 4, I 3.
Corner kicks: C 8, I 2.
