Following a two-game homestand, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-9) will hit the road for a two-match road swing in Week 25, as the squad will first clash with Indy Eleven (11-7-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The sides tied their previous meeting this season, 0-0, at Highmark Stadium.
Unfriendly Confines
The Hounds will put their stellar 5-1-4 road record to the test this week, as they prepare for road matches against two projected playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. The squad will first head to Indy Eleven, which sits in sixth place in the East, before heading to FC Cincinnati, which leads the conference. In 2018 league play, the Hounds have a 0-0-2 record against these two foes.
Clearing the Way
Last time out against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, defender Joe Greenspan led the club with five clearances. He has helped protect the Hounds’ goal often this year, leading the team with 82 clearances this season despite playing in just 14 of its 24 games (missed time due to a lower-body injury). Greenspan and the Pittsburgh backline figure to clear more opposing scoring opportunities against Indy.
Pinpoint Accuracy
Even though he did not record an assist last time out against Tampa Bay, Christiano François played the role of a distributer. The attacking midfielder paced all Hounds with a 92 percent passing accuracy in the opponent’s half, in addition to tying for the team lead with two good crosses. François will continue to serve as a catalyst for the team’s offense moving forward.
With his assist last time out against the Rowdies, Neco Brett has reached the 30-point mark this season. He becomes the seventh different player in club history to post at least 30 points in a single season.
In their first meeting this year, Pittsburgh and Indy battled to a 0-0 result. During the match, the Hounds could muster just one shot on target, which ties a season low. The Black and Gold will need to find ways to bombard the opposing goal with additional shots on the road this Wednesday.
