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Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (13-4-10) had an offensive explosion. In their 4-1 victory against Bethlehem Steel FC (12-12-6) on Friday at Highmark Stadium, the Hounds received goals from four different players for the first time since the 2016 campaign. Here’s how the Black and Gold touched the twine against Steel FC.

17’ Joe Greenspan assisted by Ben Zemanski

The Hounds were the first to make it on the scoresheet, and it came from a foot-to-head connection.

Taking a free kick from about 35 yards out, midfielder Ben Zemanski (yellow arrow) launches a ball into the center of the penalty area. As the ball descends, defender Joe Greenspan (green arrow) maneuvers around a Steel FC athlete and directs it into the net to provide the Hounds with an early 1-0 advantage.

45’ Kenardo Forbes assisted by Neco Brett

Throughout the season, Kenardo Forbes has racked up assists and Neco Brett has collected goals, each leading the team in these respective statistics. This time, the two switched roles as the Hounds entered the attacking third.

Forbes (blue arrow) initially finds a passing lane into Brett (orange arrow), who stands inside the 18-yard box. Even though he has space to work with originally, Bethlehem will soon close on the Pittsburgh striker.

Seen above, Steel FC has blocked Brett’s path to the goal, including erasing a chance at having a clean look at the net. With his options to go forward limited, Brett elects to pass it back to Forbes, who remains just outside of the penalty area. Despite being forced out of the 18-yard box, the Hounds still cash in before the end of the half, as Forbes subsequently blasts a shot into the upper-90 of the far post.

76’ Neco Brett

After assisting the Hounds’ second goal of the match, Brett scored in the second half.

Following a run into the attacking third, Brett (orange arrow) attempts to control a bouncing ball as he nears the 18-yard box. With the ball up for grabs, the striker seems to be outnumbered with two Steel FC athletes closing on the sphere.

Despite having to battle two opponents for possession, Brett again regains control of the ball and turns to the center of the field. With a shooting lane directly in front of him, the forward tallies the squad’s third goal of the match.

79’ Jordan Dover

From defense to offense, two wingbacks were responsible for the team’s final goal of the match.

Sprinting into the attacking third and all the way into the penalty area along the end line, Ray Lee (yellow arrow) elected to send a cross over a tough-angle shot. His cross will ultimately land at the feet of a fellow teammate, shown by the area highlighted by a red circle.

As the ball falls back to the turf, Jordan Dover (green arrow) sprints into the six-yard box before placing a hard shot into the net, marking his second goal of the season.

The Other Side

Throughout the match, Bethlehem struggled to find consistent pressure on the offensive end and its only tally came means of a penalty kick opportunity in the first half.

Following a foul in the penalty area, Steel FC captain James Chambers converted from the penalty spot, beating Hounds goalkeeper Mike Kirk to the bottom left-hand corner in the 35th minute. This was Bethlehem’s only shot of the half.

Steel FC finished the match with six total shots.

Tale of the Tape

The Hounds dominated the shots battle, 24-6, en route to their 4-1 victory. Furthermore, the squad also held the advantage in shots on goal, 9-2.

Despite the wide margin in shots between the sides, possession was even throughout the game, as Pittsburgh held a slight advantage with 50.5 percent possession. Although looking more closely, possession also ultimately swung in the Hounds’ favor. The Black and Gold played 30 percent of the game from its attacking third compared to just 17 percent in its defensive third.

Posting four times as many shots and holding the ball in its attacking third almost double the amount of time as its opponent, Pittsburgh sprinted toward the 4-1 victory.

Flexibility to play both sides of the field is something that a coaching staff cherishes, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s wingbacks have demonstrated this ability since early in the season.

During the squad’s April 7 match against Toronto FC II at Highmark Stadium, its wingbacks helped preserve the shutout on the defensive end while they also created the opportunity for Neco Brett’s hat trick, as outside defender Andrew Lubahn broke open down the field and blasted a shot off the goalpost before the striker potted his third tally.

This season, Pittsburgh holds a 2-0-1 record when its wingbacks post a point on the scoresheet. As the Hounds (12-4-10) battle Bethlehem Steel FC (12-11-6) at 7 p.m. on Friday at Highmark Stadium, the outside defenders will once again be responsible for flipping the field on breaks in addition to collapsing on opposing scoring threats.

“A lot of it is dictated on how the game is going – up a goal, down a goal, how defensive we are,” Lubahn said. “We’re pretty fortunate. We have some really good defensive players. Our backs especially are very strong, but the team as a whole defends well, which gives the wingbacks the ability to get into the attack.”

Along with Lubahn, Ray Lee and Jordan Dover have largely helped play this role on the pitch. Even though all are listed as defenders, they all have had past success shooting as well as blocking shots.

Early in Lee’s career, he was named Missouri Class 3 Offensive Player of the Year in high school before going on to score 14 goals in 78 career games as a midfielder at Saint Louis University. Dover also played midfield collegiately, starring at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he totaled five goals in 63 contests.

Meanwhile, Lubahn has the most experience playing up at the professional level. Since competing as a forward at Wake Forest University from 2009-13, he has often joined the attack in the USL, most recently scoring three goals with Louisville City FC in 2016.

“When you get forward is dictated a lot on where the ball is, what minute of the game it is, the score and things like that,” Lubahn said. “It’s important when the wingbacks go that the center backs come over and hold. They’re supposed to think basically, ‘what if he loses the ball.’ That’s their job. ‘If he loses it, are we in a good spot to take out the counter.’”

When the Hounds last played and defeated Steel FC on Aug. 12, their wingbacks combined for two shots (both on goal), as well as three tackles and three interceptions on the defensive end. They will need to do more of the same for the Black and Gold to be victorious in their upcoming meeting.

Recently, Bethlehem has heated up and charged into playoff contention. The sixth-place team in the Eastern Conference has won six of its last eight games.

“This is crunch time for them,” Lubahn said. “They’re playing for a spot in the playoffs. I don’t think we should expect easy games. The important thing is to control what we can control going into the game.”

Following a two-game road trip, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-4-10) will return home to battle in-state rival Bethlehem Steel FC (12-11-6) at 7 p.m. on Friday at Highmark Stadium. This will be their second meeting this season, both of which will occur within one month. The Hounds won their first match, 2-1, on Aug. 12 at Goodman Stadium.

HOMEWARD BOUND

When the Hounds clash with Steel FC, it will commence a three-game home stand for Pittsburgh. This will be the second stretch that the Black and Gold will have three straight home matches this season. The last time Pittsburgh had three straight matches at Highmark Stadium occurred this past March/April, when the squad went 2-0-1.

HELPING HAND

Kenardo Forbes posted an assist last time out, increasing his team-leading total to eight helpers. The midfielder is on pace for 10 assists this season, which would make him just the fourth player in club history to reach this milestone. The last time a Hound registered at least 10 assists occurred in 2013, when Matthew Dallman racked up 12 helpers.

ENCORE

The last time Pittsburgh played Bethlehem it led the total shots battle, 19-4, and held 53 percent possession – and that happened to be away from Highmark Stadium. Now as the Hounds return home to battle their in-state rival on their own pitch, they will aim to have another well-oiled performance. However, Bethlehem has been hot on the road as of late, winning its past four away games.

With his tally at FC Cincinnati last time out, Romeo Parkes now has eight career road goals for the Hounds, marking the seventh most in club history.

Santi Moar heads the Bethlehem attack, as the striker leads the club in goals (six) and assists (eight). When the two sides clashed earlier this season, Moar picked up an assist on Steel FC’s only tally in the match. The Pittsburgh backline will need to lock down Moar on Friday.

After losing its first head-to-head match this season to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-4-10), Bethlehem Steel FC (12-11-6) will hit the road for the final meeting between the two sides, kicking off at 7 p.m. on Friday at Highmark Stadium.

Since its 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 12 at Goodman Stadium, Steel FC has bounced back, winning three of its past four games. This stretch includes two clean sheets and two road victories (at Toronto FC II and at Nashville SC).

Over the course of the season, Bethlehem has been competitive away from Goodman Stadium, totaling a 6-7-1 record in rival venues. Digging deeper, the club has won its past four road matches, outscoring its foes, 10-1, and posting three clean sheets.

Steel FC currently ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference and has a seven-point cushion in terms of holding a playoff spot.

On the defensive side of the ball, Matthew Mahoney has stabilized the backline for Steel FC this season. Currently, he leads the squad in clearances (112) and interceptions (66). Mahoney also paces the club with 26 starts and 2,389 minutes, so he has demonstrated durability along with effectiveness.

Strengths

Shot volume: Steel FC is third in the Eastern Conference with 396 total shots.

Efficiency: The club has backed up its plentiful shot numbers with a 15.8 percent conversion rate, which places fifth in the conference.

Weaknesses

Discipline: Bethlehem leads the Eastern Conference with 391 fouls committed.

Consistent Threat: Despite the high shot volume, Bethlehem’s leading goalscorer Santi Moar ranks tied for 17th in the Eastern Conference in goals scored (six total tallies).

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-4-10) took a one-goal lead before FC Cincinnati (18-3-6) came storming back for the 2-1 victory on Saturday at Nippert Stadium. The Hounds’ tally came from the foot of Romeo Parkes, who posted his fourth goal of the season. Here’s how Pittsburgh found its way on the board this weekend.

57’ Romeo Parkes assisted by Kenardo Forbes

Starting with a give and go, the Hounds began to break down the FC Cincinnati defense.

After playing the ball to Thomas Vancaeyezeele (orange arrow), Kenardo Forbes (yellow arrow) sprints to an open area vacated by the FC Cincinnati defense. As Forbes reaches this space, Vancaeyezeele anticipates his run, immediately sending the ball back in his direction.

Seen above, three Cincinnati athletes have their eyes on Forbes and their backs on Parkes (green arrow), allowing for the Pittsburgh striker to settle in near the center of the 18-yard box. Forbes sees Parkes and hits him with a pass, which the forward will one-time into the back of the net to put the Hounds up 1-0.

The Other Side

Once Pittsburgh found its way onto the scoresheet, FC Cincinnati fired up its offense.

The Queen City squad’s first goal of the match stemmed from a free kick opportunity at the border of its attacking third. Taking the set piece, Emmanuel Ledesma booted a ball into the penalty box and found the head of defender Dekel Keinan, who despite being well marked placed it by Pittsburgh goalkeeper Mike Kirk to tie the score at 1-1 in the 80th minute.

FC Cincinnati took the lead eight minutes later, as second-half substitute Fanendo Adi alluded Pittsburgh defenders near the top of the 18-yard box before sending a powerful shot into the net, ultimately giving his club the 2-1 victory.

Tale of the Tape

FC Cincinnati may have fallen behind momentarily in the second half, but the squad did end up outshooting Pittsburgh, 6-5, over the final-45 minutes. It also recorded one more shot on target during this period.

Pittsburgh’s best chance to jump out on its opposition may have been during the first half, as it led the total shots battle, 7-3, and shots on goal battle, 3-1, during this time. Add in a missed second-half penalty kick opportunity to this scoreless half and the Hounds could not muster enough to defeat FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium.

With two head-to-head meetings remaining and a game in hand against the top team in the league, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC still finds itself in the hunt for the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference.

But to catch FC Cincinnati (17-3-6), it will be no easy task. The Queen City squad has an 11-point advantage over the Black and Gold in the standings and reeled off 15 straight games without suffering a loss.

Pittsburgh (12-3-10) will try to change that this weekend, as it completes its two-game road trip at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Nippert Stadium.

“Our goal is to finish in the top two, so we have a lot of work to do, a lot of points to get in these last 10 games,” assistant coach Mark Pulisic said before the road trip. “The guys know we’ve set our own goals. Making the playoffs obviously was a goal when we started the season, but now we feel like we have a quality team that can compete for a championship.”

Expected value, a predicted value determined by the sum of all possible values multiplied by the probability of occurrence, shows the Hounds are indeed on pace for a top-two finish in the Eastern Conference despite their current third-place ranking.

The expected value of a single USL match is 1.33 points, which would put Pittsburgh on pace for nearly 58 points to finish the season. With this analysis, it is also projected that the cutoff for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference would be 46 points, as of the start of September. Currently, the Hounds sit at 46 points in the standings, hinting they already have a playoff position in their hands, although nothing is officially or mathematically clinched as of yet.

“I think we’re starting to gel and mesh together into the team we want to be,” midfielder Ben Zemanski said. “You can see it in our performances and you can see that process in our work. I think it’s continuing that and finding a way to ultimately get results.”

Including Zemanski, Pittsburgh received at least two chances created from three different players last time out at Indy Eleven – a showdown that did not make for an easy result. Holding a man advantage for the last four minutes of play plus an additional six minutes of stoppage time, the Eleven ramped up their offensive pressure and placed three shots on target, including a goal, in second-half stoppage time.

Now after a draw at Indy on Wednesday, the Hounds yearn for at least one more point – if not three – to complete a grueling road trip against two projected playoff teams.

“We put pressure on ourselves to go out, not sit back and try to bring a point or two points home,” Pulisic said. “We want to go out and win. It’s going to be difficult, but that’s what you play for. You play for these types of challenges.”

Opening with a draw against Indy Eleven to begin its two-game road trip, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (12-3-10) now will travel to FC Cincinnati (17-3-6) for a showdown at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Nippert Stadium. The Hounds will be looking for their first-ever win at the venue (0-1-2).

Turn the Table

The clash between FC Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will mark a battle between the first and third place teams in the Eastern Conference, respectively. Currently, Cincinnati holds an 11-point lead over the Hounds. Despite the large lead, Pittsburgh can still reel in the Queen City team. Including Saturday, the Hounds still play FC Cincinnati twice this season and have one game in hand.

One for Me, One for You

Christiano François has been all over the pitch this season for the Hounds. Last time out against Indy, the attacking midfielder posted a goal and an assist, becoming just the second Hound to notch at least one of each in a single game this season (Neco Brett recorded a goal and an assist in a match thrice this year). In the midst of a career year, François remains one of the most dangerous players on the Black and Gold attack.

Dog House

After serving a one-game suspension due to yellow card accumulation, Thomas Vancaeyezeele will return to the Pittsburgh lineup. However, as the team gets its 2018 minutes leader back another Hound will be out while serving a one-game suspension. Picking up a red card last time out against the Eleven, defender Ray Lee will be forced to sit out the upcoming FC Cincinnati tilt.

With goalkeeper Mike Kirk starting last time out against Indy, the Hounds now have three different goalkeepers (Dan Lynd and Kyle Morton) who have started at least three games and have a goals-against average less than 1.00.

For just the third time this season, the Hounds have allowed goals in back-to-back matches. The team has yet to allow a goal in three straight games this campaign. Against a high-powered Cincinnati offense, which averages 2.04 goals per game, Pittsburgh will need to heighten its defensive pressure on Saturday.