All hands were on deck.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC faced a grueling stretch in the schedule – a whopping six games in 18 days. Alternating between Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action and USL league play this May, the Hounds utilized their full roster and cycled players in and out of the starting 11.
Now the Hounds (9-2-7) will prepare for another daunting stretch, starting with their showdown with North Carolina FC (6-8-5) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park. This match will kick off an eight-day period that Pittsburgh will play three games.
“We’ve done exceptionally well so far with not letting our foot off the gas,” midfielder Noah Franke said. “We can’t take any game lightly. We’re continuing to hold a high standard.”
As the Hounds will rely on depth in the busy upcoming weeks, Franke could be one of the many players they work more into the lineup. Recently, the rookie has cracked the game-day 18 in each of the team’s past two matches.
Playing at Creighton University from 2014-17, Franke largely patrolled the field in an attacking position, which differs from what he has learned under head coach Bob Lilley during his first professional season.
Franke said he has had to absorb a lot of defensive tactics, pay more mind to the defensive end of the play and not always look to rush forward, in addition to being more calm on the ball.
“The thing I have learned the most is you have to be consistent,” Franke said. “You can’t take days off in training, weeks off in training. There’s a standard we have to hold, so you can’t take days off.”
During this upcoming stretch, the Hounds have another piece they can deploy in the midfield. Mouhamed Dabo, who started four games for the team before sustaining a lower-body injury in late April, has been slowly worked back into the lineup. Over the past five games, he has logged 93 minutes.
“It’s always difficult, because everyone wants to play, especially when you’re used to playing,” Dabo said about missing time due to injury. “I always want to play. I always want to practice, but injuries are part of the game.”
Having Dabo back from injury strengthens the Hounds’ holding midfield, which has recently featured Kenardo Forbes and Thomas Vancaeyezeele. The Senegal native’s return provides the club greater flexibility, such as having the option to move Forbes up into a more attacking-friendly position.
With Franke and Dabo, as well as other players, ready to provide the club with a boost over the next week, Pittsburgh will aim to keep pace with the competition at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The third-place Hounds currently sit 10 points behind first-place FC Cincinnati, but they can close this gap with three games in hand plus an opportunity at nine points in the next eight days.
This run would start with a strong showing against North Carolina FC this Saturday.
“This game coming against North Carolina, we have to win because we want to be at the top of the table,” Dabo said. “The good teams cannot give points two times in a row. We are focused for this week, and hopefully we will play very well and be ready.”
