Match info
Riverhounds (8-6-3) vs. Indy Eleven (6-7-3)
Date: Wednesday, July 6
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Highmark Stadium
Odds: Hounds -148 / Draw +275 / Indy +300 (Bet Rivers)
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Radio: Sirius XM FC Channel 157
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on Twitter
Match hashtags: #PITvIND and #HOUNDTAHN
PITTSBURGH (July 6, 2022) — The Hounds have their first midweek league game of the season, and it will be the first of back-to-back home games when they take on Indy Eleven tonight at Highmark Stadium.
After breaking back into the win column last Friday with a 3-0 triumph over New York Red Bulls II, the Hounds enter the second half of the season needing every point they can get in a tight race for a top-four finish — and the accompanying home playoff game. Points are precious to Indy, as well, as the Eleven come to town just three points behind Miami for the final playoff spot in the East.
The Hounds are coming off their best end-to-end performance since April, as the New York win was the team’s first clean sheet while scoring multiple goals since the Hounds did so three times at the start of Spring. Russell Cicerone has been on target with three goals in the past two games, which moved him into the team lead with seven. Alex Dixon (six assists) and Kenardo Forbes (five) have been finding space as playmakers, and they are on pace to be the first Hounds duo to hit double-digit assists in the same season.
Despite all those positives, it will be no easy task to topple Indy. The Hounds lead the all-time series, 4-3-2, but eight of those nine matches were settled by a goal or fewer, including the Hounds’ win last season in Indianapolis.
The visitors will be missing one of their main offensive weapons in Manuel Arteaga, who is suspended after being sent off in the Eleven’s last match. But Indy still has leading scorer Stéphano Pinho (seven goals) and playmaker Nicky Law (four assists), and they bolstered their last line of defense early this week by trading to acquire Tulsa goalkeeper Sean Lewis, though it is not clear whether Lewis will be in the 18 for Indy.
Being a Wednesday night match won’t slow down the Tailgate Zone, where DJ TJ Harris will be back. (Editor’s note, updated at 3 p.m. — Due to unexpected scheduling changes, tonight’s food truck will be El Rincon Oaxaqueno.) The Tailgate Zone is open to all ticketed fans starting at 5 p.m., and the main gates will open at 6.
Tickets for the game are still available via Ticketmaster or in-person at the Highmark Stadium Box Office. The game will be aired throughout North America on Sirius XM FC Channel 157 as part of their national USL Championship package, and fans can stream the match, as always, via ESPN+.
Fans looking to make it a full day of soccer can also head out to Highmark Stadium early, where the Hounds’ USL Academy League side will try to improve to 2-0-0 when they host the Dayton Dutch Lions at 2 p.m. Admission to the Academy League match is free, and the stadium pub will be open during the game. Fans will have to leave the stadium and re-enter before the First Team match.