Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-7) will be back home this weekend to battle the Charlotte Independence (7-9-7) for the first time this season at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18 at Highmark Stadium.
Coming into the Steel City, the Independence hold a record of 7-9-7 and have configured 28 points. Currently sitting at 11th in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte will be coming off a 10-day hiatus. The squad last faced Bethlehem Steel FC on Aug. 8, which resulted in a 3-0 loss for the Independence. The club is 1-3-1 in its past five games.
The Hounds’ defense will be on the lookout this weekend for the attacking duo of Cordell Cato and Jorge Herrera. Cato (eight) and Herrera (10) are both in the top-10 in the Eastern Conference for goals scored this season. Herrera has been with the club for five straight seasons and has totaled 43 goals in this five-year span.
Strengths
Distribution: Compiling a high of 11,037 passes, Charlotte is tied for second in the East with an 81 percent passing accuracy.
Conversion: With a 17.30 percent conversion rate, Charlotte holds the third-highest conversion rate in the Eastern Conference.
Weaknesses
On the road: Charlotte often struggles on its opponent’s turf, with seven of its nine losses coming on the road and holding a 2-7-2 record overall.
Defending: On the defensive end, the Independence have tallied a low of only four clean sheets and are allowing an average of 1.61 goals per game.
