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Another brief walkthrough session ended the week before boarding the bus to travel to Indianapolis for Saturday’s fifth preseason game against Indy Eleven.

Both new forwards to the team, academy-contracted Wyatt Borso and on-loan Tommy Williamson, made the trip, so both potentially could see their first action in a Hounds uniform as the team tries to bounce back from being shut out for the first time this preseason by Louisville City last week.

Other things to watch for include a chance for the team’s other goalkeepers, after returning starter Danny Vitiello has played the previous three matches in net. Match fitness will also be tested, as the Hounds try to establish who is ready for a 90-minute shift in Tampa Bay in two weeks’ time.

Russell Cicerone caught up with #HoundsTV about upcoming opponent Indy Eleven, playing their third straight road preseason match, and how he and his teammates are getting used to each other and the City of Pittsburgh. 

It’s a typical Pittsburgh spring, as the 70-degree weather of the early week gave way to 30 degrees and snow flurries during this afternoon’s training session.

The cold puts an added importance on players taking care of their bodies during the preseason, which was one of the topics midfielder Anthony Velarde talked about in a post-practice chat.

Keeping up with a recent trend, the team was on and off the field after about 90 minutes of the scheduled hour, having gone through a quickly paced session and getting the necessary work done.

Players are never too old to work on fundamentals, and the session started with assistant coach Dan Visser leading the players through some basic touch and footwork drills, testing both the agility and technique of the players while getting them loose.

From there, the drills were variants on others used during preseason, including a short-field, 5-on-5 rush drill that again incorporated the goalkeepers taking some live fire.

After the official practice ended, many of the players elected to stay on the field and do some individual work. About eight or nine elected to try their luck from the penalty spot, a task for which goalkeeper Danny Vitiello was happy to provide the opposition.

The shooters had the upper hand in the early going, but Vitiello started to get a read on his teammates and ran off an impressive streak of four consecutive saves. That prompted Bob Lilley, who had been speaking with some of the players individually, to jump to the front of the line, much to the delight of his players.

Lilley took a deliberate run-up to the ball and showed he still has the touch from his pro playing days, deftly placing the ball under the crossbar and far enough toward the right corner that Vitiello couldn’t reach it. The goal was greeted with cheers — and a few playful jeers for Vitiello for letting the coach score — but it was the sort of lighthearted moment that can help break up the grind of a five-week preseason hitting its final week and a half.

Back on the practice field with only two weeks remaining in preseason, the Hounds honed in on some specific areas of improvement, including possession in tight quarters and finishing.

The latter was lacking in Saturday’s preseason match against Louisville City FC, a 2-0 setback that was the team’s first loss of the exhibition schedule. But counterintuitive as it may seem, the staff and players seemed more content with the all-around play at Louisville — one of the USL Championship’s top sides — than they did a week earlier with a win over FC Cincinnati, an MLS side.

“I think going into the game, we worked on some things like cleaning up our defense and not allowing so many chances in behind. Where Cincinnati created a few more, we did a lot to limit Louisville’s chances and create chances of our own,” midfielder Danny Griffin said.

Some of the more basic peripheral numbers indicated that, as the edge in shots, shots on goal and corner kicks all leaned the way of the black and gold. And, of course, finishing requires a little more in the timing and precision department, so it’s natural that would be the aspect of the Hounds’ game that needs a little more time to come together.

“Now being three weeks in, the attacking six kind of knows more about the kind of runs each other likes to make, the spots we take up, and you can definitely see that it’s getting more connected as we’re playing more, and it’s positive,” Griffin said.

Griffin had the best view of what was going on in the middle of the park Saturday, as he was the only field player to log a full 90-minute shift. Going into his second year with the Hounds, the 22-year-old has the opportunity to take on a larger role, and his fitness could play a big part of that.

“Just getting the 90 minutes in, I feel fit. I feel ready to go. I’m just looking to keep getting better before our first game against Tampa,” Griffin said. “You can see it building up, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Of course, the other thing Saturday’s preseason match exposed the Hounds to was playing in front of a hostile crowd. The game at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville was the team’s first with fans in attendance, and of course, the team will begin the regular season with two consecutive road matches before finally playing a home date against Charlotte Independence on May 22.

Asked if he enjoyed playing in front of a crowd, Griffin said: “For sure. It was great seeing fans. I definitely miss that Steel Army and look forward to having them back at Highmark Stadium.”

Miss anything from last week’s preseason entries? Click your way back a week with the Week 3 Preseason Blog to get caught up.

The RDA’s ECNL Boys teams got a weekend at home, and no one took more advantage than the 2006 Boys squad.

The 06s completed a six-point weekend sweep, defeating Ohio Elite, 5-0, and Louisville City FC, 1-0, in matches played at Highmark Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.

The Louisville City victory was an extremely tight affair between two very even teams, but Johnny Krug made the difference for the Hounds. Krug was fouled in the box to win a penalty kick, and then he converted it himself for the lone goal.

Saturday’s win came a bit easier, as Jackson Suski and Krug each put a pair in the net, while JJ Vozar also scored for the Hounds. Pablo Linzoain assisted on three of the goals, and Peter Notaro was stout anchoring the back in the clean sheets.

Across the board, Saturday was a good one for the ECNL sides, who swept Ohio Elite in the six matches from 02/03 to 08 age groups. Among the highlights was a last-minute win for the 04 Boys, who blew a three-goal lead but escaped with a 4-3 win on Caden Carpenter’s second goals of the match.

Also of note was Roman Agonstoni’s hat trick for the 07 Boys in a 6-2 win, Owen Shearer scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win for the 08s, and Alex Hauskrecht scoring in his 10th consecutive game in a 5-2 win by the 05s, though the remarkable streak came to an end in a 2-0 loss to Louisville on Sunday.

Regional League sides also logged some good results, led by the 07 RL Girls, who were double winners. The team topped league newcomers Kings Hammer (Ky.) and Ohio Elite by matching 2-0 scores at Montour Junction, while the 06 East Girls and 04 RL Girls also picked up wins on the weekend.

In total, more than 30 matches were played on the weekend, and the Live Results page is still up and running as the place to check in on how both City and East sides fared.

There wasn’t much time spent on the field on another chilly day, as the Hounds beat the rain in the morning and loaded up the bus for the drive to visit Louisville City FC for a 3 p.m. preseason kickoff tomorrow.

The brief training session was mostly a walkthrough, with some crossing and finishing in an environment that was decidedly low-intensity relative to a usual training session.

By noon, the players had loaded up the bus — some with pillows and blankets in hand — and they pulled away for the trip down Interstates 70 and 71 across Ohio and into Kentucky’s largest city, where the Hounds have had some success with four regular-season wins since Louisville joined the league in 2015.

That history should have little bearing on tomorrow’s match, as both teams are still ironing out their 2021 plans. The match is Louisville’s last of the preseason, as they open at home on April 24 against Atlanta United 2, while the Hounds still have three weeks to the highly anticipated trip to face Tampa Bay.

Whether it was the weather turning breezy and brisk or a desire to be on and off the field quickly, the Hounds didn’t take their full two hours on the field, as was scheduled.

Once they were out there, the workouts were mostly contained to tighter quarters, with players moving the ball around quickly in short-sided and small-spaced drills emphasizing precision in the narrow confines.

The team did spread out for a short full-field run at the end of practice, one that saw some different pairings in certain positions, such as Todd Wharton partnering Danny Griffin and Anthony Velarde in the center of midfield, and Jelani Peters and Rennico Clarke getting a chance to work together as a central defense pair.

Those newer pairings aren’t an indication of any long-term plans, necessarily. The need to get players work in different positions, rest others who might have tired legs, and pair them in assorted combinations all are things the coaches consider when setting up practice. That was just one of the things assistant coach Dan Visser spoke about after training.

The players went through a brisk training session with some game-specific preparation for Saturday’s trip to Louisville, but the day’s main event was Photo Day.

For some, it was the first time trying on a full Riverhounds uniform, as the players have been wearing practice kits during preseason matches. Players each had headshots and action shots taken, and they got to have fun with some light sit-down video interviews. (It won’t be long before the results get seen, but sorry, no spoilers today!)

We got a quick peek at how the action was going in the photo room, with players showing off a bit of their skills for the camera. 

Kenardo Forbes has a proven track record in USL, from his time in Rochester straight through to last season’s All-USL team selection, and he again figures to be the pivotal figure in the midfield for the Hounds.

“Demand the ball,” head coach Bob Lilley instructed his Jamaican veteran during training, as the team drilled on goal-front situations on both sides of the ball.

Lilley’s direction came after trialist center back Jelani Peters dribbled his way away from pressure during the close-quarters exercise, as the coach wants his defenders looking for the feet of Forbes and the other midfield players to transition quickly to attack.

Defense being a hallmark of Lilley’s teams, he also wants them to be fast moving to attack and just as clinical in front of the opponents goal as their own. That accounted for field setup forcing all the action into the a 30-yard window in front of goal, with a free “neutral zone” for the sides to transition through once the ball had been turned over.

The result of the field setup was some bang-bang plays in front of the net and a good workout for the goalkeepers, as well, as the Hounds look to improve situational play — alleviating pressure on their own back line being an area of focus after withstanding plenty of attacking by FC Cincinnati last Saturday.

Training will continue to roll on into the 10th practice of the season tomorrow, while the team is also scheduled for its photo day after Wednesday’s session, another sign the season is drawing closer.

Practice resumed like normal for the third week of preseason, and the pace of Saturday’s preseason match against FC Cincinnati seemed to have some carryover.

Striker Albert Dikwa, who scored his second goal in three preseason matches, elaborated on the increased pace of play and how the Hounds want to escalate the speed at which they perform.

“I think that was a very good test. At the beginning, that was a very tough game because the speed of play, the quality that the MLS players have. … I want to say I enjoy it, and I do enjoy it, playing against good players, but it’s a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice, having to be there for your teammates,” Dikwa said.

While the Hounds came out victorious in Cincinnati, the players aren’t letting the final score cloud the fact that the hosts created more chances and easily could have turned the scoreline the other way.

The team, as a whole, is trying to keep the speed up while eliminating mistakes on the ball, which are still more common than the coaching staff would like. While that is to be expected just two weeks into training, that doesn’t diminish the urgency of being less than four weeks away from the season opener.

Meanwhile, Dikwa personally is trying to become a more efficient finisher entering his second year with the Hounds. As the only true forward returning from a year ago, the striker from Cameroon has an opportunity to solidify himself as a fixture atop the Hounds attack.

“I’ve been working hard during the offseason. I’m hungry this season. With the expectations that the coach has given us, which are very, very high, I feel like I should be doing better than two goals,” Dikwa said. “My role changed a lot, and the coach expects more from me than last year. It’s my second year, and I don’t want to be cocky, but the expectation is on me to be a leader in front, and I will try my best to help the team and make him proud.”

This week will be the first resembling a regular match week for the Hounds, as the team will train through the week until a short session Friday, after which they will board the bus for Saturday’s 3 p.m. kickoff at Louisville City FC.

Want to catch up on some of the posts, photos, videos and updates from last week? Travel back in time and check out the Week 2 Preseason Blog.

The Hounds improved to 2-0-1 in the preseason by knocking off their lone MLS opponent of the exhibition schedule, FC Cincinnati.

For more on the 2-1 win, check out the Match Recap.

The team (as well as the preseason blog!) will take a day off Sunday before training resumes to start Preseason Week 3 on Monday.

Departure time was noon sharp for the Hounds, who left Highmark Stadium and will be spending the night in Cincinnati ahead of tomorrow’s preseason matchup with MLS club FC Cincinnati at 1:30 p.m.

Before hitting the road, the Hounds got in an abridged, 90-minute session on the field that looked more like a regular pre-match walkthrough. The team wrapped with a short-field, 11-on-11 game, but keeping everyone healthy and fresh for Cincinnati was the clear priority.

One new trialist, center back Christian Dean, joined practice. Dean previously played for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire of MLS, as well as in USL with the Vancouver Whitecaps 2. He was among the players traveling to Cincinnati, having cleared league-mandated quarantine protocol before participating in training.

The Hounds made it back onto the training field for the hottest day of preseason yet, with temperatures rising into the 80s (and possibly hotter on the Highmark turf).

Perhaps that factored into the decision that there would be no full-field work, but more likely it was preordained as part of the coaching staff’s focus for the day on maintaining possession and making smart decisions.

The team spent a large part of the session working in a half-field setting on just those things, with the team building from the back and keeping control of the ball in anticipation of being challenged with pressure Saturday in Cincinnati. Training did conclude with some 4-on-3 moves on goal, again with an emphasis on decision making in where to move the ball in attack.

The team will log a final, morning session tomorrow to get in their last workout before boarding the bus to cross Ohio for the first road preseason match of 2021.

After training, new Hounds center back Mekeil Williams stuck around for a quick chat about the team, adjusting to Pittsburgh, and a few non-soccer topics, as well:

As usual, the team had a recovery day off from training after playing yesterday afternoon. Even so, a number of players made their way out to the field for some light jogging and to kick the ball around on their own after team meetings concluded.

Next up is the team’s only scheduled meeting with an MLS opponent when they travel to FC Cincinnati for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday. It will be a role reversal for the Hounds, who on Tuesday were the “big club” against NISA opposition from Detroit City FC. This time, they will be the team trying to punch up a weight class facing a top-division team, and head coach Bob Lilley acknowledged as much.

“I don’t think we underestimated (Detroit City). They’ve won in their league, and they’ve been going at it a little longer than we have; we were a little bit late starting (preseason). For sure, you get a really good effort because they’re stepping up,” Lilley said.

The coach continued: “I know our guys may bring a little more intensity to Cincinnati, just to be able to compete. Hopefully, our quality of play goes up, as well. … Our job is to go to Cincinnati and get ourselves into the game the way Detroit City did here. Work hard, be competitive, fight to get into the game, and then anything could happen, even though we’re early in our preseason and Cincinnati, it will be their final prep game.”

Lilley was generally pleased after the Detroit City match, though his biggest disappointment was the team’s inability to “step on the throat” of the opposition when they had clear control of the match in the first half.

Still, that didn’t cloud the coach’s big-picture view of preparing for the May 8 season opener. Recognizing that his team is just two matches into a six-game preseason slate, he made clear the expectation isn’t for the team to be firing on all cylinders now, but to continue making progress over the next 30 days.

The Hounds’ second preseason match ended in a 0-0 draw against NISA Fall Champion Detroit City FC this afternoon at Highmark Stadium. 

For more from the game, visit the Match Recap.

A new week — and the only two-game week — of the preseason saw the Hounds hit the field for a session slightly less than the scheduled two hours with Detroit City FC of the NISA arriving tomorrow for a match at Highmark Stadium.

Intensity picked up to begin the second week, and that came as no surprise to the players who are familiar with playing for Bob Lilley. Many of those are returners to the Hounds. But Alex Dixon, a newcomer to Pittsburgh, played for Lilley in Rochester and has the perspective to compare playing for the coach then and now.

“He’s evolved quite a bit, but the principles are still the same,” Dixon said. “Everybody attacks. Everybody defends. We’re all expected to work from the first guy on the team sheet to the last guy. It doesn’t matter who it is. That stays the same, and that’s what I expected coming here.”

Dixon drew Lilley’s ire at one point for taking a bad approach to the ball during an attacking drill, showing that neither veteran nor newcomer is immune to criticism. But Dixon’s next ball served across drew praise, as the experienced attacker made the fine-tuning necessary to make the next play.

That sort of attention to detail is standard for Lilley’s teams, and tomorrow’s preseason match will show how quickly the players can put their instructions into practice.

“I think the team’s coming along pretty quickly. The guys are still getting to know each other and learn our different styles of play and different personalities. It’s going to take some time, but I think we’re off to a good start,” Dixon said.

Also of note was the introduction of recently signed forward Russell Cicerone, who was lively on the field after missing the first few days of preseason. He is expected to play against Detroit City. Defender Rennico Clarke, formerly of the Charleston Battery, also has joined the Hounds on trial, bringing the totals on the field to 18 players under contract and seven working to earn a roster spot.

Miss any of the posts from the first week of preseason? Check out the Week 1 Preseason Blog here.

Easter weekend turned into a rivalry weekend for the Riverhounds Development Academy, as the club’s ECNL sides took on the Western New York Flash in a home-and-home series over consecutive days Friday and Saturday.

The 2005 Girls demonstrated their intent for a strong finish to the season, as they picked up a 3-1 road win and a 1-1 home draw against a previously unbeaten Flash side.

Friday’s big win began with a headed goal by Bella Vozar before the hosts tied it before halftime. Ava Boyd and Lucia Wells scored after the break to pick up a big three points in Buffalo, N.Y. Saturday’s draw required a comeback, and Fiona Mahan got the tying goal from the penalty spot to help the 05s take four of six points.

The 06 Girls, meanwhile, were matched as evenly as could be with their Flash counterparts, and both matches ended in 1-1 draws. The Hounds took the lead in each match via a Flash own goal and a Jadyn Coy strike, respectively, but the New Yorkers came out strong in the second half of each game and were able to pull level.

The 04 Girls and the 02/03 Girls each took a point from their two matches, and the Regional League teams were also busy facing Flash sides.

The 06 East Girls were rolling, as they won their two games by scores of 4-1 and 4-0. Ava Kovscek, Lauren Bell, Kierstyn Maxey and Robin Reilly scored in the road match, while goalkeeper Danielle Dominick came up with a big save when the game was in the balance at 2-1. Kovscek, Maxey and Reilly again scored on Saturday with Emma Stovar joining the scoresheet.

The 07 RL Girls were also very good in their lone match of the weekend, winning 4-2 with good play by center backs Maddie Williams and Alesia Padalino and two goals from CeCe Wessel, while the 02/03 Composite Girls had a complete turnaround, going from a 1-0 loss on Friday to a 7-1 romp Saturday behind two goals each from Casey Breier and Honora Armfield. The 04 RL girls also turned in on in the second day, going from a 3-3 draw to a 2-1 win, as Jocelyn Gratchic scored three times in the two games, and Jillian Blake preserved the win with a critical late save.

This week, as every week, a full recap of scores and updates from the RDA are always available on the Live Results page at www.riverhounds.com.