San Francisco traveled to Indianapolis and secured an away point against an Indy Eleven team that has not lost at home since October 2015. Here are three things we learned from the game:
1) Kenny Teijsse is a revelation for the Deltas
The Dutchman has been one of the most consistent performers for San Francisco since the start of the season. According to NASL.com, he leads the teams in touches, duels, duels won, and tackles. He has not only admirably held his own at left-back for a staunch Deltas defense, but at every opportunity, he will press into the offense.
Teijsse’s strong run up the wing in the Deltas’ first game eventually set up Kyle Bekker’s goal, the first in team history.
It will be interesting to see how the former Dutch Eredivisie player also develops his understanding on the left side of the pitch with the dynamic Brazillian winger Pablo Dyego.
2) Nana Attakora is the defensive leader of the team
Deltas’ head coach Marc Dos Santos first priority in building the team was having a stout defense. The Canadian international Attakora was among his first signings. He was named the team captain during the pre-season and has done nothing less than lead the way from the backline.
In Saturday’s match, Attakora was often matched up against Indy striker Justin Bruan, who is leading the NASL with two goals and two assists. His pressure successfully stymied Bruan. In an attempt to create space the striker started leaking out to the sideline during the second half far away from the central defender.
Besides often shutting down the opposition’s top attacking threat, Attakora is often the sweeper for the defense. He had seven clearances against the Eleven.
3) Head Coach Marc Dos Santos has built a solid team
After four games, it’s clear that Dos Santos has assembled a team that is strong defensively, organized, and players know their roles on the field.
“We want to be a team that is very compact, a team that is very aggressive without the ball, a team of players that are very determined so the character and personality is important here,” Dos Santos told the SFGATE last August when he was announced as coach. “The type of human beings they are to be humble enough to understand that this is an important part of our game.”
The back four of Karl Ouimette, Nana Attakora, Reiner Ferreira, and Kenny Teijsse have been solid positionally the full 90 minutes. They have received coverage from the diligent work of defensive midfielder Cristian Portilla. Through four games the Deltas have only conceded two goals.
That has allowed front runners Tommy Heinemann, Kyle Bekker, Michael Stephens, Pablo Dyego, and (when he returns from suspension) Jackson, to press the opponents back line aggressively.
“On the offensive side, I want a team that is very fast,” Dos Santos noted. “We want to build a team that is fast in transition, that is quick going to goal.”
The Deltas’ aggressiveness often forces the other team onto their back heel, kicking square balls far away from Romuald Peiser’s net.
Despite ceding the majority of the ball possession in their first four games, the Deltas have outshot three of the four teams they have played (by a combined 47 shots to 32).
With a strong defense and an offense still learning to play together, it seems only a matter of time until the Deltas start scoring goals and turning draws into wins.
