Scouting Report: Indy Eleven

While the rest of the world continues their focus on the 2014 World Cup, the Columbus Crew and the Indy 11 have a soccer game to play. This U.S. Open Cup match - being played at the University of Akron's FirstEngergy Stadium - will break up the team's league sabbatical for the World Cup.

The Crew went into the break on a decent note, responding from a last second lost to Toronto FC by earning two points in two matches against Real Salt Lake and D.C. United. Indy, on the other hand, has only won one game this season, over the Dayton Dutch Lions in the last round of the Open Cup.

The Indy Eleven are an expansion side in the North American Soccer League, the United States' second division of professional soccer. In NASL league play, Indy has just four points with a record of 0-4-5. Recent form saw them finish the first half of the season with a 3-3 draw with the Atlanta Silverbacks on June 7 after a 2-1 loss to the San Antonio Scorpions and a 1-1 draw with the New York Cosmos.

In their nine games this season, the Indy Eleven have scored 14 goals but conceded 20. They are led by Michael Ambersley, who has five goals and one assist on the season. The former FC Dallas draft selection is a product of Indiana University, where he scored 18 goals in a national championship winning career.

Indy also features former Manchester United midfielder Kleberson. The World Cup winning Brazilian joined Indy Eleven in late March and has three goals in six appearances this season.

The Black and Gold won their first trophy, by taking the 2002 Open Cup title and have appeared in the final of the tournament two other years. Columbus has not had recent success in the Open Cup, being bounced in the early rounds in each of the last two seasons.

The Crew would love to make a deeper run into this year's tournament and that push would begin with this game in northeastern Ohio.