Currently on a three-game unbeaten streak, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (6-1-7) will have perhaps its toughest challenge of the season to this point.
At 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field, the Hounds will battle reigning champion Louisville City FC (7-2-4) for the first time this season.
Like Pittsburgh, Louisville also is working on an unbeaten streak, as its spans five games. This Wednesday’s match also marks a meeting of top three teams in the Eastern Conference, as Louisville sits in second place whereas the Hounds are ranked third. Each have 25 points and are separated by only a tiebreaker.
“I’m really excited for this game,” forward Neco Brett said. “I know it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a hard battle, but these are the big games I really like to play. I’m pretty sure my teammates are ready as well.”
With an upper-tier showdown in sight, the Hounds will try to not only snap Lou City’s unbeaten streak, but also a winless stretch of their own. Against the current era of USL title winners (since 2011), Pittsburgh is 0-3-2 in its first match against defending league champions the following season.
“It’s a good thing to test where the team is against defending champions and a really good team in Louisville,” midfielder Kenardo Forbes said. “I think the players are excited for that.”
With Louisville in sight, here is how the team has fared in its first meeting with recent defending champions in the subsequent campaign.
2017: New York Red Bulls II
In 2017, the Hounds had an energetic, high-scoring affair with the reigning league-champion New York Red Bulls II at Highmark Stadium. Ending in a 3-3 draw, Corey Hertzog (two goals) and Kevin Kerr (one goal) teamed up on the squad’s score sheet. The former notched a brace – and the equalizer – in the 81st minute of the Hounds’ season opener.
2016: Rochester Rhinos
Also a season opener match at Highmark Stadium, the Hounds lost to the Rochester Rhinos, 1-0, in 2016. Pittsburgh head coach Bob Lilley, who then led the Rhinos, oversaw his former team earn the victory off a goal from Christian Volesky in the 7th minute.
2014: Orlando City SC
Keeping with the trend of playing reigning champions in the season opener, the Hounds clashed with Orlando City SC in the first game of their 2014 season. On the road, Pittsburgh competed to a 1-1 draw. Striker José Angulo recorded the Black and Gold’s goal in the 50th minute before Luke Boden tied it up eight minutes later.
2013: Charleston Battery
The Hounds fell to the reigning champion Charleston Battery in 2013. The Battery were fueled by a brace from Michael Azira en route to their 2-0 victory in Charleston.
2012: Orlando City SC
After winning the first USL Cup in the current era, Orlando City SC also defeated the Hounds in their first meeting afterward. In a higher-scoring match, Orlando used three second-half goals, including one from current Hounds forward Dennis Chin, to propel it to a 3-2 victory at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Pittsburgh received its tallies from the foot of Wes Allen (own goal) and Matt Kassel.
