The Harrisburg City Islanders (6-11-6) prepare to defend the Keystone Derby Cup, presented by K&L Gates and the Pennsylvania Lottery, this weekend as they host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5-8-9) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at FNB Field. Pittsburgh holds the head-to-head advantage through two matches this season with a 1-0-1 record.
Heading into its first match against the Hounds on April 29, Harrisburg started the 2017 campaign well, as it took seven points in its first four games. However, the City Islanders lost their first meeting with Pittsburgh, 1-0, and since struggled to regain their early season form. The April 29 match marked the beginning of a nine-game winless streak in which the club went 0-6-3.
Most recently, the City Islanders have been in a scoring drought, being shutout in their past four matches and held scoreless in 405 consecutive minutes to date. In two of these games, Harrisburg has allowed a goal in the 85th minute or later. The team has given up a total of five such goals in 2017.
Despite this rough patch, Harrisburg still remains in the Eastern Conference postseason race and sits in 11th place with 24 points – just three points out of a playoff spot.
Thus far into the season, Ropapa Mensah has made 11 appearances for the City Islanders. The striker has scored twice in 2017 – both tallies accounting for Harrisburg’s most recent goals to date.
In addition to his five points, Mensah ranks second on the club with 24 shots. With his scoring uptick this past month, the forward appears to be hitting his stride heading into Saturday’s rivalry match.
Strengths
- Strong at home: Harrisburg holds a 4-2-4 record at FNB Field this season.
- Tackling: The Eastern Conference club has recorded a 79.9 percent success rate on its tackles this season.
Weaknesses
- Fouls: Harrisburg leads the East with 364 fouls on the season.
- Converting chances: The City Islanders have struggled to convert scoring opportunities, holding a 9.3 percent conversion rate this year. This mark ranks No. 13 in the conference.
