After falling to first-place Louisville City FC, 3-0, the Riverhounds (8-9-10) will try to bounce back against the Rochester Rhinos (11-5-9) at 7 p.m. this Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The teams tied their previous meeting at Rochester, 0-0.
Two-Headed Attack
The Rhinos had relied on Jochen Graf and Wal Fall for much of their offensive output this season. Both players are the only athletes on Rochester’s roster who have at least 10 points this season, and they each rank No. 1 and No. 2 in goals scored (Fall with eight tallies and Graf with six goals). The Hounds defense will need to mark this duo come Saturday.
Iron Man
Tobi Adewole has not missed a minute in the past 12 games for the Hounds. In fact, the center back joins Joe Greenspan and Lalas Abubakar as the only non-goalkeepers this year who have played a full-90 minutes in every one of their appearances. Of these three, Adewole paces the group in games started, logging four more caps than the next closest in Greenspan. Expect the rookie defender to help hold down the backline moving forward.
Wrong Side of the Whistle
For the first time since a July 8 meeting against Orlando City B, Pittsburgh recorded more fouls than its opponent this past weekend against Louisville. This season, the Hounds have tallied the least amount of fouls in the Eastern Conference, so expect a bounce back performance in the discipline department against Rochester.
Ritchie Duffie has made five straight starts on the Pittsburgh backline. In this timeframe, the defender has six tackles and 17 clearances, helping the Hounds to a 3-1-1 record and a shutout of the rival Harrisburg City Islanders on Aug. 12.
Last time out against Louisville, the Hounds struggled to apply consistent offensive pressure. Pittsburgh recorded six shots, tying its season-low total. Although Rochester will be another tough team to crack as it has allowed the least goals in the Eastern Conference, the Hounds will need to up their attack come Saturday.
