PITTSBURGH (Oct. 9, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC hosts the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Rowdies in a match filled with playoff implications at 6 p.m. Sunday night at Highmark Stadium. The game will be televised live on 22 The Point, broadcast live on SiriusXM FC Channel 157 and streamed on ESPN+.
For the Hounds (14-8-6), the playoff math is simple: win and in. Of course, a draw earlier in the day between the Charleston Battery and Hartford Athletic would steal some of the game’s thunder, as the Hounds would already be assured of their team-record fourth consecutive postseason berth.
The Rowdies (20-6-1) have a clinching opportunity of their own. Tampa Bay, already assured of a playoff spot, would lock up the division title with a win or with a loss by Miami FC earlier in the day against Loudoun United.
On the head-to-head front, the match will decide the season series between the two teams. The Hounds and Tampa Bay split two matches earlier in the season in St. Petersburg before playing to a scoreless draw — the only 0-0 game for the Hounds this season — on Aug. 18 at Highmark Stadium.
The Hounds, despite being winless in their past three outings, are the healthiest they have been since the opening months of the season, as striker Albert Dikwa has been upgraded to questionable after being out since July and having surgery on his injured groin. Only Josh Gatt (knee) remains out for the Hounds, who have mixed up their formations in the previous meetings with Tampa Bay and could do so again to spark some offense from Russell Cicerone, who scored the game winner in the Hounds’ 2-1 win over Tampa Bay and leads the team with 14 goals.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is riding a nine-game winning streak that began the game after the scoreless draw with the Hounds and has the league’s best defensive record with only 19 goals allowed in 27 games. That defense, with the back three of Jordan Scarlett, Forrest Lasso and Aaron Guillen in front of goalkeeper Evan Louro, has been intact for every match this season.
At the stadium, there will be a pair of promotional nights. The Hounds will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Night, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. A special ticket offer for the night makes $20 Midview tickets available, with $5 of each ticket going to the PMAHCC’s Scholarship Fund.
It is also Kick Out Cancer Night, part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match, and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive special pink Hounds T-shirts provided by Allegheny Health Network.
The Tailgate Zone will be rocking as usual with a 4 p.m. opening time for the earlier-than-usual kickoff. This Sunday’s food trucks will be Haskel’s Deli and Benvenuti’s Pizza Factory, and there will be Riverhounds Session Copper beer on tap.
As part of the Hispanic Heritage Night celebration, expect some Latin flair to the Tailgate Zone music, and look for beer specials on Tecate and Dos Equis in the stadium.
For tickets to Sunday’s match, visit Ticketmaster or come to the Highmark Stadium Box Office, open four hours before kickoff.
To see the Hounds’ complete 2021 schedule, with two more home games left in the final three regular-season matches, visit https://www.riverhounds.com/game-schedule.
MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Sunday, Oct. 10
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Highmark Stadium
Tickets: Ticketmaster
TV: 22 The Point
Radio: SiriusXM FC, Channel 157
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live Updates: Twitter at @RiverhoundsSC and #PITvTBR
