Things keep rolling for the Hounds after a third consecutive win last Friday over New York, and next up is the second and final trip this season to Segra Field in Leesburg, Va., where the Hounds will face Loudoun United FC at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
With so many things clicking for the Hounds over the last two weeks, a midweek road trip against a struggling team looks like the blueprint for the proverbial “trap game.”
Here are the things to watch for as the Hounds try to maintain their perfect all-time record against Loudoun:
1.) Next men up
As per usual with a midweek match, expect Bob Lilley and Dan Visser to elect for some lineup changes in an effort to keep players fresh with another match looming Saturday.
Another wrinkle to the selection puzzle involves who is available, as the back line is depleted with Jelani Peters on international duty and Jordan Dover still listed as questionable with a lower-body injury.
The Hounds might get creative again as they did two weeks ago in Indy, where Josh Gatt, a forward by trade, was rather effective playing as a right-side wing back. Other lineup shuffling could involve a third start for goalkeeper Jake Leeker, while Anthony Velarde, who scored in the earlier meeting with Loudoun, could be tabbed for a repeat performance in the midfield, where Danny Griffin and Kenardo Forbes have been logging heavy minutes.
2.) Keep the foot on the gas
Leading 2-0 at halftime in the teams’ previous meeting on June 2, the Hounds got a bit too defensive and sloppy with the ball in the second half, which allowed Loudoun to make it a 3-2 game with a tense finish.
Especially given the relative youth of the Loudoun side, the Hounds would be well-served to put the home side to the sword early, if given the chance.
That might be easier said than done, however, as Loudoun, despite its 1-7-0 record, has played the best in the division tightly. It took a stoppage-time goal for Hartford to put the side away, and Loudoun has also played one-goal games with Tampa Bay, Miami and the Hounds in the aforementioned meeting.
3.) Heat check
The next 48 hours are important for the Hounds, not just for tactical preparation, but in physically gearing up their bodies for what could be the hottest match of the year for them.
The predicted high temperature each of the next two days in Leesburg is 93, which was also Monday’s high to go with a heat index of 104. Add in the lack of cover around the Segra Field surface, and the turf could easily reach temperatures closer to 120 — an uncomfortable number for even the biggest summer lovers.
Lilley ended Monday’s practice by reiterating a message for his players to get hydrated now and stay out of the sun as much as possible before boarding the bus to Virginia tomorrow. Once there, the players are expected to go through an abridged training session at Segra before retreating to the comfort of air conditioning and some carefully curated pre-match meals Tuesday night and Wednesday.
