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After winning the first match of the Keystone Derby Cup series, presented by K&L Gates and the Pennsylvania Lottery, the Riverhounds (2-3-2) have a short turnaround and will battle Toronto FC II (1-2-3) at 7 p.m. this Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. Pittsburgh held a 1-0-1 record against the Eastern Conference foe in 2016.

Cleaning up

Trey Mitchell and Pittsburgh defense recorded its first shutout of the season against Harrisburg on April 29. The goalkeeper made three saves during the match, helping the Hounds to a 1-0 victory. The Black and Gold will try to obtain its second straight clean sheet against Toronto FC II, a team that has scored no more than one goal in all six of its games this season.

No goals allowed

In its past three matches, Toronto FC II played its opponents to a 0-0 draw. The Hounds were only shut out once this year, losing 1-0 to FC Cincinnati on April 1. This Wednesday, Pittsburgh could be in a low-scoring game where the importance of each goal is magnified.

Cutting corners

In its win against Harrisburg on April 29, Pittsburgh recorded a season-low one corner kick. Despite this total, the Hounds still tallied 11 shots during the game. Having a total of 30 corner opportunities this season, the Black and Gold will to look to acquire more corner opportunities on Wednesday.

Team captain Kevin Kerr recorded a season-high three shots last time out against the City Islanders. He doubled his season total in the statistic and now sits at six shots for the 2017 campaign. Kerr, who has played mostly with Corey Hertzog on the frontline, will once again be in the center of scoring chances on Wednesday.

The Hounds tallied 27 shots on goal in seven matches this season, which is substantially more than the 12 shots on target Toronto FC II has recorded in its six games. Pittsburgh will need to continue to hold the shots on net advantage this Wednesday.

It’s a brief conversation, and it’s all in good fun.

Before Keasel Broome arrived in Pittsburgh this offseason, he protected the goal of the in-state rival Harrisburg City Islanders during the 2016 season. On July 17 at Highmark Stadium, the goalkeeper faced off against his would-be future team.

In that match, Riverhounds captain Kevin Kerr got the best of Broome, putting a shot past him in the 60th minute.

“I remind him every now and again,” Kerr said. “It’s a short [conversation].”

When Kerr scored on Broome, he gathered the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. The Hounds veteran took one touch before he ripped a left-footed shot at the target

“At that point, I tried to make myself big to get a block,” Broome said.

Broome came out a step past the six-yard box, but the ball sailed over his right shoulder into the back of the net.

“I remember just shutting my eyes and kicking it hard, hoping it went toward the goal,” Kerr said. “I caught it well and fortunately it went in.”

That was the only goal Broome let in that match, and Harrisburg ultimately won, 2-1. The goalkeeper also started in the head-to-head finale against Pittsburgh later that season at FNB Field, a 1-1 tie.

This year, Broome trades in the Blue and White for the Black and Gold. And as he did with the City Islanders in 2016, he will once again try to capture the Keystone Derby Cup, presented by K&L Gates and the Pennsylvania Lottery, but with the Hounds in 2017.

“He’s embraced Pittsburgh,” Kerr said. “He loves it here. I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but I think he’s very happy to be on this side of the rivalry.”

As Broome made a total of six saves combined in both of his starts against Pittsburgh last year, Hounds head coach Dave Brandt took notice to the goalkeeper’s athleticism.

“Keasel made some great saves against us,” Brandt said. “Especially the third game at their place last year, Keasel kept them in it a couple times.”

The Claymont, Delaware native had a successful training camp and preseason to begin his Hounds career, and started the season opener against New York Red Bulls II on March 25. Broome blocked away four shots in the match, helping Pittsburgh clinch one point in the standings with a 3-3 draw.

Now just a little more than a month later, Broome and the Hounds turn their focus to his old team – the rival City Islanders.

“With soccer, you try to take emotion out of it, but it is an emotional sport sometimes,” Broome said.

Before the game, the goalkeeper is looking forward to meeting and shaking hands with former friends, teammates and coaches from Harrisburg. Despite old friendships and memories, it will be a different story after the game starts.

“Once the whistle blows, they’re the enemy,” Broome said. “Even though I know them personally off the field, when it comes to on the field, you just want to beat them.”

He isn’t the only Hound who will be on both sides of the rivalry in back-to-back seasons. Like Broome, defender Shane Campbell came to Pittsburgh this offseason after spending the 2016 campaign with Harrisburg.

Last year, the University of Louisville product appeared in eight games with the City Islanders, including a cap in the second installment of the Keystone Cup on July 17. Contrary to Broome, Brandt knew of Campbell years before he started playing professional soccer.

When the York, Pennsylvania native was 10 years old, he played for the club team FC Orange – a squad that Brandt had coached.

“He taught me how to be a true team player, and just worry about the team first and not yourself,” Campbell said. “Team success builds individual success, and I’ve learned that from him and carried that with me my whole career.”

Campbell was introduced to the backline for the first time while playing under Brandt at FC Orange. Now 13 years later, he has made a career from the position change and is reunited with the coach who had shaped his future.

“I was always a forward,” Campbell said. “When I got there, he took me aside and was like ‘look, I think you’ll be a better defender as you get older and as you grow up.’“

Already being familiar with Brandt’s expectations has helped the defender in his first year with the Black and Gold. Also helping with this transition has been a bond that was formed back in Harrisburg with another teammate.

“It was good to know somebody coming in,” Broome said about his friendship with Campbell. “We’re also roommates so that made it even better. It’s good to have somebody to talk to, and I know that we’ll both be looking forward to getting out there for the match when Harrisburg comes here.”

The Hounds pulled off an unfathomable feat in the inaugural season of the Keystone Cup.

In the second game of the four-match 2015 series, Pittsburgh found itself trailing Harrisburg 5-3 with 60 seconds left in regulation, but the Highmark Stadium scoreboard told a different story just minutes later.

The Hounds scored three goals in the final minute and stoppage time to complete a miraculous comeback. The game-winning tally came off the foot of Kerr.

“Probably the most enjoyable goal of my career,” Kerr said. “A game like that, in the Derby, 6-5, it was a good turnout. It’s just a game no one will ever forget.”

Starting the play at the edge of the 18-yard box, Kerr passed the ball into the center of the penalty area to Lebo Moloto, who then sent it back to Kerr. The midfielder then placed a shot on the ground just by the opposing goalkeeper.

Nearly two years later, Kerr is still reminded of the game and thinks about the goal from time-to-time.

“It always pops up on social media,” Kerr said. “I can’t not watch it, even though I watched it a thousand times. Every week or two, someone will tweet something or it will pop up and I have to watch the highlights again. I can’t see that changing.”

Pittsburgh went on to take the Keystone Cup in 2015, winning three out of the four matches. The Hounds clinched the series, and a playoff spot, with a 2-1 victory in the final meeting that season.

In 2016, the Hounds fell just short of repeating, as they recorded a 0-1-2 record against the Eastern Conference foe. Each game was close until the final whistle, and a 2-1 loss to the City Islanders in the second match of the three-game series ultimately decided the outcome.

“I feel like it’s become a bigger deal as the years have gone on,” Kerr said. “I think the fans have really embraced the rivalry.”

After a close defeat on the road against the Richmond Kickers, Pittsburgh (1-3-2) returns to Highmark Stadium for the first match of the Keystone Derby Cup, presented by K&L Gates and the Pennsylvania Lottery, against the Harrisburg City Islanders (2-1-1) this Saturday.

Marshall Hollingsworth has five points this season, which is tied for second most on the team. The midfielder recorded two points his last time out against Richmond on April 22, scoring his second goal of the season.  

The City Islanders have five goals this season, and different players have accounted for all five tallies. The Hounds will need to account for a number of players on the Harrisburg attack this Saturday.

The Riverhounds (1-2-2) look to stay undefeated on the road this week, as they clash with the Richmond Kickers (1-3-0) at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Fresh off of a tie with the Charlotte Independence, this will be Pittsburgh’s second straight road test.

Kick-start

The Hounds struck first and early, just minutes after kickoff in their past couple games. Both goals came off the foot of Kay Banjo, who scored in the 5th minute against Saint Louis FC and in the 2nd minute against Charlotte. The UMBC product has provided Pittsburgh with another scoring threat to pair on the front line with Corey Hertzog, as his two goals have been the only tallies for the Black and Gold in the past two games. Look for Banjo to create more scoring chances against Richmond.

Scoring drought

Richmond has been shutout in its last three games, all by the score of 1-0. The team’s only goal this season occurred in its 1-0 season opener victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders. One cause for the Kickers’ scoring woes is a lack of shots on goal. In its four games this season, Richmond has recorded eight shots on target. In comparison, the Riverhounds have 19 shots on goal in five games this year.

Captaining the ship

Pittsburgh captain Kevin Kerr has displayed his versatility thus far this season, starting games at forward and midfield. Both of his shots have been on target, and he recorded three tackles and three clearances on the defensive side of the ball. Kerr is also one of two Hounds to play every minute this season (defender Jamal Jack being the second player). Once again, the captain should be all over the field this Saturday.

Center backs Joe Greenspan and Jack combined for 17 clearances against Charlotte last time out. As the Hounds defense has fought off a red card suspension and injuries during the early part of this season, the duo’s steady production has helped anchor the backline. Greenspan and Jack have started all seven of their combined appearances, and look for them to continue to hold down the center back positions against Richmond.

For the past three games, the Hounds’ possession percentage has decreased from 51 to 46, and then to 29 percent. Despite the lack of possession, the Black and Gold has outshot its opponents 32-31 during this stretch. There’s no telling how long Pittsburgh can keep outshooting its opponents with a dwindling possession time, so it may need to flip the script against Richmond this Saturday.