The Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ (5-7-6) next match sees the team travel to New York this Saturday, July 22, to take on the Rochester Rhinos (6-3-7) at Capelli Sport Stadium. This will be the first time the teams have met this season. Historically, the Rhinos have had the upper hand in head-to-head competition, holding an all-time record of 23-6-4 against the Hounds.
Rochester comes into the game in the top-eight in the USL Eastern Conference with a goal differential of plus-2 (18 for/16 against) – the lowest of clubs with a positive goal differential in the East.
In the third week of the season, the Rhinos suffered their worst loss of the season when they fell 5-0 to conference-leader Charleston Battery. Two weeks later, Rochester claimed their largest win of the season by beating the Charlotte Independence in the midst of an eight-game unbeaten run for the Rhinos. Since then, Rochester has won only one of their last five games (1-2-2), dropping five points against teams below them in the table.
At home, the Rhinos have earned 17 out of 24 possible points this season with a 5-1-2 record. Rochester has only conceded four goals at home, earning them a home goal difference of plus-7.
Rochester midfielder Kenardo Forbes will be the man to watch for Pittsburgh this Saturday. In 15 appearances, he has tallied two goals, three assists and leads the Rhinos in passes-per-game averaging 56.6.
Forbes, who was featured in the 2016 USL All-League Second Team, also leads the team in shots (28) and chances created (30).
Strengths
- Goalkeeping – The Rhinos’ starting goalkeeper, Tomas Gomez, is currently tied for first in the USL in clean sheets with seven. The 2016 USL Golden Glove winner will certainly be a threat to keep another clean sheet this week, as the Hounds continue find their footing on the attack, tallying only seven goals in their last 10 league contests.
- Home-field Advantage – Rochester has only conceded four goals at home this season, due mainly in part to Gomez’s clean sheets. Five of his seven clean sheets have come at home for the keeper. Additionally, Pittsburgh has not won in Rochester since June 7 of the 2014 campaign and dropped both of its trips last season by a combined score of 5-to-1.
Weaknesses
- Discipline – The Rhinos’ 255 fouls conceded is the fourth-most in the USL Eastern Conference. The Riverhounds, who have won 218 fouls this season, should expect to have the opportunity of taking free kicks in key areas this weekend.
- Goals Scored – Rochester’s 18 goals scored is tied for 10th in the East, though the club has also played the fewest games to date at 16. The Rhinos’ goals-per-game average of 1.12 might provide a more telling story of their attack, as it ranks them ninth in the East and the club has scored multiple goals only three times this season.
