Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s full schedule for the 2021 USL regular season, a 32-game slate that begins May 8 and concludes Oct. 30, was announced Tuesday by the league.
Two consecutive away games to begin the season, followed by a newly scheduled home opener on Saturday, May 22, will be the start of the Riverhounds’ 22nd season of play. It will be the fourth season under head coach Bob Lilley, and the team is seeking a club-best fourth consecutive postseason berth.
For the second time in three seasons, the Hounds will begin on the road at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The last time the teams met in Florida was the 2019 season opener won by the Rowdies, 2-0, which was the only time in the past nine years the Hounds have lost their first road match in a season. The Hounds are 3-2-4 in season openers since 2012, and this is the fourth straight year the team has opened its season away from home.
Also notable on the full schedule is a new first home date that will see the Hounds take to the turf at Highmark Stadium two weeks sooner than originally announced by the league. The Hounds will host the Charlotte Independence on May 22 in their first home game of the season, which is the team’s ninth year calling Highmark Stadium home. The team is 2-4-2 in home openers at Highmark.
Also on the team’s slate is a busy June with seven total matches, including first-time meetings at home with Austin Bold FC (June 6) and Miami FC (June 12). Charlotte returns to face the Hounds on Independence Day weekend match Saturday, July 3, and the Hounds have three home dates each month from June-October, closing the regular season with a two-game homestand against longtime foe Charleston Battery (Oct. 23) and newfound divisional rival Hartford Athletic (Oct. 30).
The full 2021 schedule is available at www.riverhounds.com.
Riverhounds SC is entering the 2021 season prepared to safely welcome its fans to Highmark Stadium. Current Pennsylvania regulations allow for capacity of 1,100 on match days, and the team’s plans will continue to evolve as state guidelines for outdoor gatherings change. Season and half-season ticket holders will be able to attend under the current guidelines, and further ticket sale and distribution policies will be announced at a later date.
