Going into its final regular season match against Philadelphia Union II on Saturday, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC looks to gain momentum as it heads into the USL Championship Playoffs.
A win would put the Hounds on top of Group F, pending Hartford’s result on Sunday. Hartford currently sits ahead of the Hounds by a point in the Group F standings. Pittsburgh will kick off against Philadelphia at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium.
“We have to try to get a full three points,” head coach Bob Lilley said this week as the team is coming off a 1-0 loss to Hartford. “We need to try to bounce back and get some momentum.”
This season, the Hounds are no strangers to overcoming adversity. They battled through a three-games-in-nine-days stretch early in the schedule, and lost matches to Indy Eleven and New York Red Bulls II to end the stint. After this, the Hounds went on to win eight of their next 10 matches.
During their hot streak, the Hounds experienced another three-games-in-nine-days stretch in August. This time, the Hounds earned a point in all three matches, which included a 2-2 tie against Saint Louis FC back on Aug. 22.
“The guys deserve a lot of credit for putting it together quickly,” Lilley said. “Without two wins against Hartford, we might not be in the position that we’re in now. We need to make sure we take care of what we can because that’s the only thing we can control.”
If the Hounds win on Saturday, they can clinch the Group F title with a Hartford win or draw on Sunday. However, Hartford ultimately controls the group picture, as it can clinch first place with a win against New York Red Bulls II on Sunday.
“I think it was good to review the game and I think we all knew that we gave something back that we desperately didn’t want to,” Lilley said. “But there was also a recognition that we’re in the playoffs, and we have an important game this week. I think they’ve come through this a little mad, if you will. They know we are a better team than we showed the other night. I’m happy to see that they’re putting it behind them, that they’re looking forward to our matches in the future.”
