Coming off of a 3-1 season opener win against Louisville City FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (1-0-0) will travel to Chester, Pennsylvania for the chance to win two straight.
The Hounds will face off against Philadelphia Union II (0-0-1) at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday at Subaru Park. The Keystone State rivalry match will be broadcasted on 22 The Point.
Here are some things to look for ahead of the matchup.
1.) Team of the Week Honorees
After the Hounds’ road victory this past weekend, defender Jordan Dover and midfielder Robbie Mertz were named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 3.
Both Dover and Mertz scored goals, contributing to the win. Forward Ropapa Mensah was named to Team of the Week bench after assisting two of the three goals from their win Sunday.
With accolades being awarded after a strong win to open the season, the team will be looking forward to showing its skills against Philadelphia.
2.) Past History
Since 2018, the Hounds have the overall lead on wins against Philadelphia, going 3-1-1 against Union II.
In a year when all teams in the USL Championship faced challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, both teams have had a short lead-up time to the now 16-game season, with both teams eager to play.
The Hounds have since had one game under their belt, which should have allowed the team to get all of their preseason jitters out and make adjustments in training this week.
3.) Respect in the Keystone State
Any game between two Pennsylvania teams is sure to create a stir among the state’s resident soccer fans, and this Keystone matchup is sure to cause some excitement.
According to an article published by Philadelphia Union II, head coach Sven Gartung of Union II had great things to say about the Hounds.
“Pittsburgh is a very well-run organization and are led by Bob Lilley, a coach that I greatly respect,” Gartung said . “When you watch them on tape, they are a very organized team that is tough to break down and that comes from Lilley’s experience coaching this game.”
