The Swope Park Rangers continued preparations for the 2017 USL season with a 1-1 draw against NASL outfit Indy Eleven at Grand Park Sports Complex on Thursday afternoon. Robert Mirosavic scored for the second game running to salvage a draw for his side after Eamon Zayed had given last season’s NASL runners-up an early lead.
The Rangers began on the front foot with Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal taking aim from distance, but his strike flew over the bar in the second minute.
Moments later, Indy Eleven took the lead when Zayed snuck in behind the SPR defense to latch onto a pass from Brad Ring and fire past David Greczek to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
The Rangers almost found an equalizer in the 25th minute but Felipe Hernandez’s sweetly struck free kick rattled the underside of the bar and bounced out as the side headed to halftime trailing by a goal.
Christian Duke went close early in the second period when his strike was saved well by Keith Cardona.
In the 58th minute, SPR finally found their equalizer. Hernandez split the Indy defense with a sumptuous through ball for substitute Mirosavic, and the Swedish winger clipped his finish beyond Cardona to make the score 1-1.
Hernandez then flashed a free kick across goal that narrowly evaded his teammates in the box as SPR settled for a draw against Indy Eleven and push their preseason record to 2-0-1.
Swope Park Rangers vs. Indy Eleven
March 2, 2017 – Grand Park Sports Complex (Westfield, Ind.)
Swope Park Rangers 1, Indy Eleven 1
Scoring Summary:
IND – Eamon Zayed (Brad Ring) 4’
SPR – Robert Mirosavic (Felipe Hernandez) 58’
Misconduct Summary:
IND – Brad Ring (Yellow Card) 16’
IND – Lovel Palmer (Yellow Card) 16’
SPR – Felipe Hernandez (Yellow Card) 72’
IND – Don Smart (Yellow Card) 72’
Swope Park Rangers: David Greczek; Colton Storm (Joe Amico 46’), Amer Didic (Patrick Wilkinson 76’), Oumar Ballo (Liam Doyle 46’), Parker Maher (Ezra Armstrong 76’); Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal (Dakota Barnathan 76’), Christian Duke © (Chase Bromstedt 76’), Felipe Hernandez (Louis Bennett 76’); Kharlton Belmar (Robert Mirosavic 46’), Mark Anthony Gonzalez (Max Rugova 61’ (Will Little 86’)), Nansel Selbol (Leroy Enzugusi 76’).
