At this point in the season, there are few surprises left for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC when it comes to its opponents.
With five matches left in the regular season, the Black and Gold have already played every opponent left on their schedule at least once, including Saturday’s matchup against Indy Eleven.
The Hounds are 1-1 this season against Indy, including a 2-1 loss at Lucas Oil Stadium back on June 1 in their most recent matchup. That familiarity will go a long way in helping the squad prepare for its third matchup of the season come Saturday.
“We’ve played twice against them already, both games were really hot,” midfielder Thomas Vancaeyezeele said. “They have a lot of team experience and they’re really strong as well, so that’s not going to be easy and we already know that.”
And while the teams are more than familiar with each other at this point, Saturday’s matchup at Highmark Stadium figures to be anything but predictable.
Although the two squads faced off twice in the span of three days back in late May and early June, there have been significant changes to both clubs since then, including new additions in player personnel as well as a recent run of hot play from the Black and Gold that has helped catapult them to within two points of first place in the table after a middling start to the season.
“The higher you finish the more home games you get, so we try to finish first,” midfielder Kenardo Forbes said. “After a slow start, we have a chance to finish first, so we’re going for that, and I think that’s the goal for the whole team.”
The potential to clinch home field advantage for the playoffs looms even larger for the Hounds this season.
Pittsburgh has been literally unbeatable at Highmark Stadium, owning a 23-game regular-season unbeaten streak at home going back to the 2018 campaign, and is unbeaten in its last six. Indy, on the other hand, is looking to end a two-game skid.
Despite this incredible form, the Hounds know that records mean little once the game begins.
“We can’t use that for anything,” Forbes said. “Maybe they’re in a bad spot right now, but it’s a big game. I know they have experienced guys, a lot of guys who have been around the league. They know it’s a big game for them too, and it’s a big game for us. Whatever the past six games for us or two for them, it doesn’t matter. We just have to go out there and do the business on Saturday.”
As the season winds down into the final stretch, teams are clawing for top seeding, desperate to secure a better spot in the few games that remain.
So while the familiarity of the two squads will probably not present any major tactical surprises, the emotion and intensity of Saturday’s matchup will certainly have a different feel to it, a playoff feel.
Coming away with a “W” will come down to whom does more with that energy.
“I don’t think there’s any surprises left at this point,” Vancaeyezeele said. “Those two games we played them were a while ago, back in early June so that was a while ago. They have new players, and I feel like the emotion and everything is different. Now we’re rolling. We’ve been winning games and they’ve lost twice, so the mentality is going to be a bit different. We’re really close to them [in the standings] and there’s that first spot at the finish line, so there’s going to be a different pressure and intensity.”
