Supporter’s multi-day road trip inspires Indy win in Edmonton

"I started tweeting during the trip just to amuse a couple friends, but then the players got word of it."
August 2, 2017 by
Indy Eleven goal celebration

Photo credit: Tony Lewis/FC Edmonton

Hardcore Indy Eleven supporter Tony Hebenstreit had done this before, six times to be exact. But something about this time was different — way different. Maybe it was the distance; maybe it was the result; maybe it was everything.

Hebenstreit decided to do the unthinkable: drive from Indianapolis to Edmonton. What?!?

A quick plug into Google Maps will reveal just how daunting that is, as noted by Eleven midfielder Brad Ring on Twitter. It’s about a 28-hour drive one way, and that estimate of course assumes normal traffic and zero stops.

“I’m very surprised my trip created a huge buzz,” Hebenstreit said. “I started tweeting during the trip just to amuse a couple friends, but then the players got word of it.”

It created a buzz, alright. It also helped motivate the Eleven to snag three important road points in their NASL fall season opener. Hebenstreit could often be seen waving his Indianapolis flag in the background of the ESPN 3 broadcast during Indy’s 2-1 win over FC Edmonton.

“The team seemed to perk up when they saw me in the stands with my city flag and I hope that carried them throughout the game,” he explained. “This was my seventh trip for the team and the first time they actually won with me in attendance.”

Hebenstreit’s previous treks to watch Indy road matches weren’t quite as magical. He said the club produced four draws and two losses with him in attendance away from home prior to Sunday’s victory.

Even FC Edmonton — both the club and supporters — got in on the fun, welcoming Hebenstreit with open arms, but not before playfully trolling him.

“Whenever Brickyard Battalion members travel to other cities, we always have great interactions with the other team’s supporters,” Hebenstreit said. “For Edmonton, I had never met them, but one supporter let me crash on his couch for two nights and another one bought all my drinks on gameday.”

As for the match itself, every week is starting to sound like a broken record for Indy: Don Smart played well. The Indy Eleven right midfielder again put in a dominant shift, keeping the Eddies defense on its heels throughout.

Rookie forward David Goldsmith opened the scoring with a seventh-minute tap in after Smart got in behind the defense. Smart’s blast required a stern save from Eddies goalkeeper Tyson Farago, and Goldsmith was there to slot it home. The goal was Goldsmith’s first as a professional.

Goldsmith briefly exited the match in the second half after a nasty clash of heads during an aerial challenge, but was fortunately able to return to the pitch.

FC Edmonton leveled matters in the 33rd minute when Ben Fisk delivered a gorgeous service to the far post that found Tomi Ameobi’s head, then the back of the net. The tally was a fitting exclamation point for Ameobi in his 100th appearance with the club.

But the 1-1 scoreline ended up being short-lived. An Edmonton lapse among the back four in the 41st minute left Eamon Zayed not only onside, but with a one-v-one breakaway on the goalkeeper. Eleven midfielder Ben Speas recognized the opportunity and flicked a perfectly weighted through ball in for Zayed, whose low finish ricocheted off the far bar and in.

Eddies coach Colin Miller wasn’t thrilled with his side’s first-half performance. He praised Fisk’s liveliness in his halftime interview with the ESPN 3 crew, but said he’d have some harsh words in the locker room for the rest of his players who looked like they were “still on vacation” after the NASL break.

Miller’s team received the message. FC Edmonton gained more and more momentum as the match wore on, culminating in a hefty onslaught for about the final 20 minutes of the match.

Luckily for Indy, the second half was nothing short of the Jon Busch Show. As Edmonton cranked up the pressure, the sure-handed veteran goalkeeper thwarted attempt after attempt.

“I was on edge for the last 30 minutes of that game,” Hebenstreit recalled. “I couldn’t stay in one spot and fidgeted constantly.”

With Hebenstreit looking on, Indy somehow mustered up enough heart and resolve to cling to its 2-1 lead. As the final whistle sounded, one man was left with memories that’ll surely last a lifetime. And speaking of memories — his favorite one from the epic trip that spanned seven days total and required at least 56 hours of driving?

“The best part about the trip was seeing Banff National Park in Alberta and the views of the mountains from Lake Louise.”

Apparently Hebenstreit’s taste in geography is as sublime as his taste in soccer clubs.

***

You can follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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