Pittsburgh veteran Mike Green led the offensive attack early in the game.
In the 14th minute, the midfielder collected a loose ball and took a strike just outside of the 18-yard box. The ball weaved through the Akron defense, ricocheting off of the left post.
“Whenever the ball is popping up like that, any player’s eyes will light up and you want to take that shot,” Green said. “I probably should’ve hit it a little bit more on the outside so it’d curl in, but it was a nice shot.”
The Pittsburgh midfield controlled the ball for much of the game, leading the team to a 3-0 victory over Akron. The Riverhounds now hold a 2-0-1 record in preseason play.
Later in the first half, Green found another hole in the Zips defense – this time setting up a scoring opportunity for teammate Taylor Washington. The defender received Green’s through-ball and bolted up the left side of the field. Washington blasted a shot as he approached the net, but again the ball veered just wide of the target.
“All credit to Taylor,” Green said. “Taylor is a fast player, so it was easy to slip him in.”
At the start of the second half, the Pittsburgh midfield continued to pressure the Zips and provided the team with its first tally of the game.
Forward Corey Hertzog hit midfielder Marshall Hollingsworth with a pass inside of the 18-yard box. Hollingsworth collected the ball, moved it to his left foot and released a shot on the ground past the Akron goalkeeper in the 53rd minute.
Hertzog added a couple goals soon after his assist, scoring in both the 57th and 67th minutes.
No. 11 scored his first goal with a shot from inside the six-yard box, nudging it by the Akron goalkeeper. Hertzog tallied his second goal via a penalty kick, as midfielder Dan Bedoya was tripped inside the penalty area.
“I think we moved the ball well offensively,” Green said. “I’m excited for the midfield and the pieces we have in place.”
