After moving their unbeaten streak to five matches last time out with a 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati, the Riverhounds (8-8-10) return to Highmark Stadium to battle with Louisville City FC (14-5-5) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Louisville holds the season advantage over Pittsburgh, winning the previous two meetings.
Jack it Up
Jamal Jack has held down the Pittsburgh backline over the course of this season. The center back has come up large for the Hounds as they make their playoff run and has averaged 10.25 clearances per match over the past four games. He should continue to be a force defensively moving forward.
Home Improvement
After starting the season 3-5-1 at home, the Hounds have gone undefeated in their past three matches at Highmark Stadium (1-0-2). Pittsburgh, which lost 1-0 at home earlier this year to Louisville, will look to keep its point streak alive on Saturday.
Collective Effort
This season, all but one player who has appeared in a match for Louisville has notched at least one point for the club. Even more, only two players who have appeared in games have been held without a goal. Louisville is deep in terms of its attack, and the Hounds will need to account for every opposing attacker in the defensive third this weekend.
With his goal this past weekend, Hertzog moved into fourth all-time in club history with 24 career tallies. Next up on the list is Hounds great Rob Vincent, who scored 25 goals in his illustrious career.
Louisville ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 391 total shots and the club has posted 37 total shots in its previous two meetings against the Hounds in 2017. The Pittsburgh backline will need to be crisp with its passing and limit shots on target against an explosive Louisville attack this Saturday.
