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From the holding midfield, Mouhamed Dabo sprinted toward the opposing penalty area.

As a pass from Neco Brett rolled his way, Dabo blasted a shot from just outside of the 18-yard box. Weaving through traffic, the ball would reach its destination – the back of the net.

The goal, which gave Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC a 1-0 lead before it ultimately tied the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-1, was a special one for Dabo. It marked his first career professional goal and points. Following this draw, he and the Hounds (12-3-9) will now prepare for a clash with Indy Eleven (11-7-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“I’m very happy for scoring for my team,” Dabo said after the match against the Rowdies. “[Mark] Pulisic and Bob [Lilley], they did a lot for me. I can tell this year I’m improving a lot with them. They talk to me. They try to always help me improve my game.”

After celebrating his goal on the field with his teammates, Dabo exemplified the affection he has for his coaches while running toward the team bench and embracing Pulisic.

“We’re all happy for Dabo,” Pulisic said. “He’s worked extremely hard. He’s such a blue collar, hardworking kid. It’s neat as a coach, I think he came over and shared it with us. It really does mean something for us because he feels we’re helping him.”

Pulisic said one of the biggest improvements Dabo has made in his game this season has been with his ability to connect passes and make better decisions with the ball.

Dabo, who played with the Harrisburg City Islanders (now branded as Penn FC) from 2016-17, had been known for his defensive prowess in the midfield. Last year, he led the club with 78 interceptions.

Pulisic said the coaching staff was familiar with the Senegal native’s play from his time in Harrisburg and agreed to bring him to Pittsburgh on trial during preseason camp. Once arriving in the Steel City, he displayed many of these same attractive qualities that he had exhibited during his first two professional seasons.

Since joining the Hounds at the start of the 2018 campaign, Dabo has been a tackling force in the midfield. He leads the club with 44 tackles won and has been victorious on a whopping 79 percent of his tackles this season.

“I think he knows that’s the type of player he is,” midfielder Ben Zemanski said. “That’s the role he has on the team. He’s just doing his job out there. He gets on the field, anticipates a lot of balls and he looks to win a lot of balls.”

Winning loose balls and duels will be key this Wednesday, as the Hounds battle Indy Eleven for the second time this season. In their first match, the two teams were mired in a defensive struggle en route to a 0-0 result.

Following this May 11 showdown, Indy has shown better offensive play and has only been shut out in two of its last 17 games – both occasions coming against Ottawa Fury FC. The USL newcomer also holds a six-game unbeaten streak heading into its matchup with the Black and Gold.

“We’re going on the road and playing in a different environment, so it’s always a challenge,” Pulisic said. “Indy for sure has some quality players, especially in the attack. We’re going to have to play how we want to play.”

Following a two-game homestand, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-9) will hit the road for a two-match road swing in Week 25, as the squad will first clash with Indy Eleven (11-7-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The sides tied their previous meeting this season, 0-0, at Highmark Stadium.

Unfriendly Confines

The Hounds will put their stellar 5-1-4 road record to the test this week, as they prepare for road matches against two projected playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. The squad will first head to Indy Eleven, which sits in sixth place in the East, before heading to FC Cincinnati, which leads the conference. In 2018 league play, the Hounds have a 0-0-2 record against these two foes.

Clearing the Way

Last time out against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, defender Joe Greenspan led the club with five clearances. He has helped protect the Hounds’ goal often this year, leading the team with 82 clearances this season despite playing in just 14 of its 24 games (missed time due to a lower-body injury). Greenspan and the Pittsburgh backline figure to clear more opposing scoring opportunities against Indy.

Pinpoint Accuracy

Even though he did not record an assist last time out against Tampa Bay, Christiano François played the role of a distributer. The attacking midfielder paced all Hounds with a 92 percent passing accuracy in the opponent’s half, in addition to tying for the team lead with two good crosses. François will continue to serve as a catalyst for the team’s offense moving forward.

With his assist last time out against the Rowdies, Neco Brett has reached the 30-point mark this season. He becomes the seventh different player in club history to post at least 30 points in a single season.

In their first meeting this year, Pittsburgh and Indy battled to a 0-0 result. During the match, the Hounds could muster just one shot on target, which ties a season low. The Black and Gold will need to find ways to bombard the opposing goal with additional shots on the road this Wednesday.

On a six-game unbeaten streak, Indy Eleven (11-7-7) will put this feat on the line, as Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-9) will meet them at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. This will be their second-ever meeting and first at this venue.

Coming over from the North American Soccer League, Indy Eleven has fared well during their first season in the USL. Heading into Week 25 action, the squad sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a five-point cushion in terms of holding a playoff spot.

It has been more than a month since the Eleven lost a match, as their last defeat came at the Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 21 (3-1 result). Since this game, the USL newcomer has posted a 3-0-3 record.

Showing success on the road and at home this season, Indy has a winning record at and away from Lucas Oil Stadium. The squad has a 6-4-2 home record heading into its matchup with the Hounds.

Jack McInerney has been a force on the offensive side of the ball this season for Indy. The striker leads the club with seven goals – four of which he scored in the team’s past six games. He also places second on the team in shots (32) and shots on goal (17), in addition to having an efficient conversion rate of 22 percent considering his higher shot totals.

Strengths

Discipline: Indy has recorded the least fouls in the Eastern Conference (263).

Lockdown Performances: The squad has shown an ability to smother opposing attacks, ranking sixth in the East with nine clean sheets.

Weaknesses

Passing Accuracy: The club is 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 74 percent passing accuracy in 2018.

Possession: On average, Indy concedes the possession battle this season, as it holds an average of 47 percent possession each game.

In the second match of a two-game homestand, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-9) jumped out to an early lead on the Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-10-7) only to see its adversaries ultimately bounce back to force a 1-1 result on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. Etching his name on the score sheet for the Hounds, Mouhamed Dabo posted the first points of his professional career. Here is how the holding midfielder scored his first professional goal.

45’+2 Mouhamed Dabo assisted by Neco Brett

The Hounds worked their way into the 18-yard box, and then things became crowded.

Pressured by three Tampa Bay defenders, Neco Brett (orange arrow) turns away from the goal to shield the ball. Although open at the top of the arc, Jordan Dover (blue arrow) ultimately does not receive a pass due to Brett’s sightline being disrupted by one of the aforementioned members of the opposition. As a result, the striker sends a pass into the area highlighted above with a yellow circle, which will be filled by a charging Dabo.

Seen above, Dabo (green arrow) aggressively attacks the ball that Brett plays backward in his direction. As eight Rowdies are packed in or near the penalty area, Dabo elects to blast a shot that finds its way through the congestion and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to provide the Hounds with a 1-0 lead at the half.

The Other Side

Only posting one shot in the first-45 minutes, the Rowdies upped their offensive pressure in the second stanza, posting four shots. One of these takes, from the right foot of striker Junior Flemmings, found its way into the Hounds’ goal for an equalizer in the 72nd minute.

Following a long ball played over Pittsburgh’s backline by midfielder Martin Vingaard, Flemmings collected the sphere in close to the net near the end line, as the Black and Gold could not clear the scoring opportunity. His subsequent shot beat Hounds goalkeeper Mike Kirk to the bottom left-hand corner to knot the score at 1-1.

Tale of the Tape

For much of the game, the Hounds dominated the ball (74 percent possession). In addition, 30 percent of the match was played in Pittsburgh’s attacking third, which also factored into its scoring opportunity that placed the club ahead 1-0 to end the first half.

On the other hand, Tampa Bay did not control much of the ball, but it cashed in on an opportunity when it was presented with one. The Rowdies only touched the ball seven times inside the Hounds’ penalty area, one of these occasions leading to their equalizer in the 72nd minute.

The first shot faced of his professional career came off the left foot of Caleb Calvert from the center of the penalty box, and goalkeeper Mike Kirk handled it with ease.

With the exception of this test in the 25th minute, Kirk’s mitts were clean en route to his first USL shutout in Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 0-0 result against the Charlotte Independence on Aug. 18. It was a full-team effort on the defensive end, as the Hounds held the opposition to just five total shots and one on target.

On a quick turnaround, Pittsburgh (12-3-8) will now try to replicate its success at preventing shots, as it will clash with the Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-10-6) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium.

“We’re making sure we’re keeping our bodies right and having the same mentality we’ve had the whole season,” defender Tobi Adewole said, “which is no goals in the back of our net. We try to do that as well as possible.”

In four August games, the Hounds have allowed just five shots on target. This includes a match against the Richmond Kickers on Aug. 1 that the club prevented a shot on its frame for the entire match.

“We make sure we stop them early,” defender Hugh Roberts said. “As soon as they cross half field, we know to stay tight, make sure our lines are tight, make sure they can’t turn and they’re passing the ball backward every single time.”

In addition to Adewole and Roberts, defenders Joe Greenspan and Todd Pratzner have helped anchor the center of the backline over this stretch. Greenspan has appeared in every one of the squad’s four August matches, including three shutout performances, whereas Pratzner played a full-90 minutes in the team’s clean sheet against Richmond.

Greenspan also leads the team with 77 clearances and nine blocks this season despite missing all of April and May due to a lower-body injury. Since the United States Naval Academy product returned to the pitch against New York Red Bulls II on June 16, he has appeared in every game, starting nine of the team’s last 11 matches. The Hounds have eight shutouts and have allowed just four goals during this period.

All together, these four center backs have helped the Black and Gold allow just 2.22 shots on goal per game this season. The Hounds have allowed at least five takes on target just three times in 2018 – one instance occurring during their first meeting with the Rowdies on May 19.

Tampa Bay will need to once again find a way to slip behind the Hounds’ backline this Wednesday like it had done in their earlier 2-2 result at Al Lang Stadium, especially considering it sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference – four slots out of a playoff spot and 10 back from the second-place Black and Gold.

“They’re desperate right now,” Roberts said. “They’re desperate to make the playoffs and they’ve been flying the last couple games. We know we have to stay organized defensively and we know they’re coming from grass and this is turf, so we need to use that to our advantage.”

With an unbeaten record of 3-0-1 this August, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-8) will put this mark on the line when it battles the Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-10-6) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. The two sides tied their first meeting this season – a 2-2 result on May 19 at Al Lang Stadium.

Between the Posts

As the third different goalkeeper to receive a starting nod this season, Mike Kirk notched a shutout in his first professional start at the USL level last time out against the Charlotte Independence. He appears to be in line for additional starts moving forward, as fellow keeper Dan Lynd is expected to be out for this Wednesday’s match.

Feeling 22

The Hounds have recorded a clean sheet in 15 of their 23 games this season – a whopping 65 percent of their matches. At this pace, the club will boast 22 shutouts by season’s end. Pittsburgh will look to add to this league-leading total against a Tampa Bay team that has been shut out in its past three matches.

Control Center

Playing alongside Mouhamed Dabo in the holding midfield, Ben Zemanski has been a leader for the Hounds on the field since returning from a lower-body injury nearly one month ago. Frequently at the center of commands on the field, the veteran led the squad with three interceptions to go along with one shot last time out against Charlotte. Whether he dons the captain’s armband or not, Zemanski will continue to be a key piece in the Hounds’ midfield.

Midfielder Kenardo Forbes led the club with four chances created last time out against the Independence. These instincts have led to his team-leading total of seven assists.

Since acquiring Stefano Bonomo this July, the striker has held the reigns of the Tampa Bay attack. He leads the club with 15 points this season, in addition to having past success against the Hounds. While playing for New York Red Bulls II, he scored the game-winning goal during its May 7, 2016, meeting with the Hounds. The Black and Gold will need to lock down Bonomo this Wednesday.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-10-6) are next up on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-8) schedule, as the sides will battle for the second time this season at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. They tied, 2-2, in their first meeting on May 19 at Al Lang Stadium.

With a coaching change in the midst of the season, Tampa Bay has fallen behind in the race for a playoff spot. Ranking 12th and sitting eight points behind the final postseason position in the Eastern Conference, the Rowdies’ season has been torn between home and road splits. At home, Tampa Bay has a 5-3-5 mark as compared to the 2-7-1 road record it will carry to Pittsburgh. The last time the club won a road match came against Toronto FC II on May 26 (4-2 final).

Over their past five matches, the Rowdies have went 1-2-2, including winless in the past four contests. The team’s last victory came on July 21 – a home match against Indy Eleven (3-1 final). The side also has been shut out in its past three matches.

Since joining the club midseason, Stefano Bonomo has taken lead in the Tampa Bay attack. The striker is tied for the team lead with six goals and also paces the squad with 15 points. Bonomo has scored three of the club’s last five goals.

Strengths

Shots: Tampa Bay is one of five Eastern Conference teams to reach the 300-shot mark this season, sitting fifth place with 301 total shots.

Tackles: The Rowdies have won well more than half of their tackles this season with a 71 percent success rate. In comparison, the stoutly defensive Hounds have posted a 68 percent success rate on tackles.

Weaknesses

Conversion rate: Despite the high shot totals, the club has logged a 13.3 percent conversion rate this season, which ranks third-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

Road woes: Currently holding a 2-7-1 road record, Tampa Bay has never won at Highmark Stadium and has been shut out in its past two road games (at Ottawa Fury FC and at FC Cincinnati).