Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-4-8) will take on Ottawa Fury FC (10-4-9) at 7 p.m. this Friday at TD Place Stadium. Since Ottawa joined the USL Championship in 2017, the club has posted an 0-3-2 all-time record against the Black and Gold.
The Season So Far
With 39 points, Ottawa holds the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Fury FC is riding a two-game win streak into Friday’s match and the club is 3-1-1 in its last five outings.
With a 7-1-4 record at TD Place Stadium, Ottawa has dominated its home slate this season. Fury FC carries an 11-game unbeaten streak at home, having not dropped a result since April 6.
Earlier this season, the Hounds played Ottawa to a 2-2 draw on June 8 at Highmark Stadium.
Players to Watch
Five members of Fury FC have scored five or more goals this year. Forward Carl Haworth leads the way with eight tallies and has also posted a team-high eight assists. Fellow striker Mour Samb and midfielders Wal Fall and Christiano François are right behind Haworth in the goal category, each with seven goals so far.
Callum Irving has locked down the cage for Ottawa this year. Through 20 appearances, the keeper has made 48 saves and has notched six clean sheets. Fury FC has only conceded 20 goals in 2019, which is tied as the 30th-fewest mark in the entire USL Championship.
Strength: Offensive Depth
Goals have come from all over the place this year for Ottawa. With the contributions from Haworth and Samb, as well as the others mentioned above, Fury FC can rely on a number of different contributors to find the back of the net on any given night.
Weakness: Stiff Competition
Seven of Ottawa’s 10 wins have come against teams currently not in the playoff picture. While Fury FC has taken care of business against teams one would expect them to defeat this year, they have had a bit more trouble with the Eastern Conference’s strongest club.
