The Howler

In its first road playoff match since 2015, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC travels to Lynn Family Stadium to face Louisville City FC, the latest installment in an intense Eastern Conference rivalry.

Saturday’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised locally on 22 The Point.

Last year, the Hounds faced Louisville in the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Highmark Stadium. After a goal from Thomas Vancaeyezeele put the Hounds up in the 11th minute, Louisville would go on to score two unanswered goals, including the game-winner in the 118th minute of extra time.

“Last year, our pressure really caused them problems in the first half of that game,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “I think we were dangerous off of those moments when we recovered possession. In the second half, we grew tired a little bit, and they started to get more attacks. For us, picking our spots is going to be important for us. We’re going to have to stay aggressive. This isn’t a game where we can let Louisville play aggressive and dictate the pace.”

The Hounds also opened their season against Louisville back on July 12, the inaugural match at Lynn Family Stadium. Speedy Williams started the scoring in the 18th minute for Louisville, but Jordan Dover scored the equalizer right before the half. Two goals in a five-minute span to start the second half secured the win for the Hounds, their first season opener win under Lilley.

“We’ve grown a lot during the year,” Lilley said. “We know we’re a different team now than when we played them in our first game, and Louisville is as well. It’s just about us getting the tactics right and putting in a positive approach for our guys. It’ll be a good game. You’ll have two heavyweights slugging it out.”

The Hounds have shown their ability to consistently win on the road. They posted a 6-2-0 record away from Highmark Stadium this season, including their opening match win against Louisville. The Hounds have shut out their last four opponents on the road, and have allowed just four goals in eight road matches this season.

Pittsburgh hasn’t dropped a road match against Louisville since 2017, and boasts a 4-1-1 record all-time in away matches against the club.

Saturday’s matchup will undoubtedly feature great defense. The two clubs were among the league leaders in clean sheets and fewest goals conceded. Pittsburgh is the only team to score more than two goals against Louisville all season and will look for a similar offensive performance to defeat the 2019 USL Championship runner-up.

“I think we’re better equipped this year,” Lilley said. “With five subs, it’s even more critical to have flexibility in our options. I don’t want to short-change last year’s group, but we didn’t have as much versatility as a staff, and I think we’ve improved in that regard this year. As the game wears on, we’ll look to utilize some players that can make an impact off the bench.”

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC starts the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs on the road against Louisville City FC for an Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Lynn Family Stadium. Here are a few things to look for ahead of Saturday’s showdown, which will be locally televised on 22 The Point.

1.) Success on the Road

The Hounds opened their season against Louisville City with a 3-1 win in the inaugural match at Lynn Family Stadium back on July 12. After Louisville got on the board first, the Hounds rattled off three unanswered goals in a 10-minute span, earning their first opening match win under head coach Bob Lilley.

This season, the Hounds posted a 6-2 record away from Highmark Stadium. They have shut out their last four opponents on the road, and have only allowed four goals in their eight road matches this season. No matter the venue, the Hounds come to play.

2.) Revenge

Louisville got the better of the Hounds in last year’s playoffs, winning 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Highmark Stadium. A go-ahead goal from Louisville’s Paolo DelPiccolo in the 118th minute of extra time gave the opposition a 2-1 victory. 

The Hounds haven’t dropped a road match against Louisville since 2017, a 3-0 defeat at Louisville Slugger Stadium. Coming into this match, the Hounds have won four straight road games and haven’t lost a match on the road since Aug. 15. The Hounds look to best the 2019 USL Championship runner-up in their third straight playoff appearance under Lilley.

3.) Clash of Defensive Heavyweights

Saturday’s match will feature two of the league’s stoutest defensive clubs. The Hounds have only allowed three goals in their last eight matches, and had a five-game clean sheet streak from Aug. 28 to Sept. 19. They only conceded 10 goals on the season, the fewest in the USL Championship. Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello was awarded the Golden Glove award, which honors the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-against average (GAA). He posted a 0.50 GAA, a club record, and a .778 save percentage. As a club, the Hounds recorded a 0.63 GAA, their lowest ever. The Hounds recorded eight clean sheets this season, tied for the most in the USL Championship.

Pittsburgh was the only team to score more than two goals against Louisville this season, back on July 12. Louisville has allowed just three goals during their current six-game winning streak. The club allowed just 12 goals on the season, the third fewest in the USL Championship. Benjamin Lundt recorded seven clean sheets for Louisville, tied for the second most in the league. Saturday’s matchup may not feature many goals, but it could feature great team defense.

Going into its final regular season match against Philadelphia Union II on Saturday, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC looks to gain momentum as it heads into the USL Championship Playoffs.

A win would put the Hounds on top of Group F, pending Hartford’s result on Sunday. Hartford currently sits ahead of the Hounds by a point in the Group F standings. Pittsburgh will kick off against Philadelphia at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium.

“We have to try to get a full three points,” head coach Bob Lilley said this week as the team is coming off a 1-0 loss to Hartford. “We need to try to bounce back and get some momentum.”

This season, the Hounds are no strangers to overcoming adversity. They battled through a three-games-in-nine-days stretch early in the schedule, and lost matches to Indy Eleven and New York Red Bulls II to end the stint. After this, the Hounds went on to win eight of their next 10 matches. 

During their hot streak, the Hounds experienced another three-games-in-nine-days stretch in August. This time, the Hounds earned a point in all three matches, which included a 2-2 tie against Saint Louis FC back on Aug. 22. 

“The guys deserve a lot of credit for putting it together quickly,” Lilley said. “Without two wins against Hartford, we might not be in the position that we’re in now. We need to make sure we take care of what we can because that’s the only thing we can control.”

If the Hounds win on Saturday, they can clinch the Group F title with a Hartford win or draw on Sunday. However, Hartford ultimately controls the group picture, as it can clinch first place with a win against New York Red Bulls II on Sunday.

“I think it was good to review the game and I think we all knew that we gave something back that we desperately didn’t want to,” Lilley said. “But there was also a recognition that we’re in the playoffs, and we have an important game this week. I think they’ve come through this a little mad, if you will. They know we are a better team than we showed the other night. I’m happy to see that they’re putting it behind them, that they’re looking forward to our matches in the future.”

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (10-4-1) will face Philadelphia Union II (2-9-3) in its final match of the regular season. This game will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Highmark Stadium and will be televised on 22 The Point.

The Hounds are 2-0-0 against Union II this season with a +10 goal differential. Philadelphia has a short turnaround into the match this Saturday, as it will first host Hartford on Wednesday.

1.) Brick Wall

The Riverhounds SC defense has been just short of perfect this season. They are currently tied with Tampa Bay Rowdies for the least amount of goals conceded with nine. The Hounds also lead the league with eight clean sheets. Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello is tied for fourth in the USL Championship with five of those eight shutouts. If Vitiello plays one more full game, he will be eligible for the Golden Gloves award, which is given to the keeper with the best goals-against average in the league.

It’s not all goalkeeping for this Riverhounds squad, as they are led by a strong backline. Thomas Vancaeyezeele has played every single minute this season. With one game left, he could finish the regular season having played every minute in every game.

2.) At The Helm

Riverhounds SC head coach Bob Lilley has made the playoffs every year he’s coached in the USL Championship. This will be Lilley’s third straight playoff appearance in three seasons with the Hounds. In 20 seasons of head coaching, Lilley has recorded at least a .500 winning percentage in each regular season.

3.) Dominance

Statistically, the Riverhounds have been well ahead of other teams in the USL Championship. First, the Hounds have a +28 goal differential, and the next closest is Phoenix Rising FC with +23. This year, the Hounds are on pace for their best goals per game average (2.64) since 2004. They’re also on a record-setting path of goals allowed per game. The previous record was 0.76 in 2018. This year they’re down to 0.57 goals allowed per game.

Out of 35 teams in the USL Championship, the Hounds are two goals shy of tying Phoenix Rising FC and Reno 1868 FC for the league lead in total goals. Pittsburgh also leads the league with a 30 percent conversion rate.

With the arrival of the final week of the regular season, playoff seeding is up for grabs.

For Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, this could mean a first-place finish in Group F and a home playoff match to kick off the postseason. However, the team will need to bounce back from its loss against Hartford Athletic this past Saturday heading into its final match of the regular season this coming Saturday against Philadelphia Union II.

“I think we’re going to have to do some soul-searching this week to get back our hunger, to get back on top of things here,” head coach Bob Lilley said after Saturday’s loss. “We didn’t start that well against Loudoun and we didn’t start that well tonight. So I think we also have to make sure we start games better moving forward.”

As it stands, the Hounds sit atop Group F with 31 points with one match remaining. Second-place Hartford Athletic trail the Hounds by two points, but have two matches left. There are a few scenarios in which the Hounds could win the group, but many of them include winning its final match against Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Hounds have had their way against Philadelphia, outscoring the Group F foe, 10-0, in two matchups this season.

The Hounds would also need Hartford to lose or tie one of its last two matches. Hartford will first travel to Subaru Park to face Philadelphia on Wednesday, the third match between the two clubs in the last two weeks. Hartford defeated Philadelphia, 3-0, back on Sept. 20 at Subaru Park. In their most recent meeting, however, Hartford tied Philadelphia, 1-1, back on Sept. 23 at Dillon Stadium.

Hartford will then finish its season against New York Red Bulls II on Sunday, Oct. 4. The teams have met three times, and Hartford has won all three matches. However, every game was close; Hartford won the three games by a combined total of four goals.

No matter where the Hounds finish in the group, they will face a team from Group E in the conference quarterfinals. They would face Indy Eleven, currently second in Group E, if the current standings hold. Indy narrowly etched out two 1-0 victories against the Hounds this season.

The Hounds could also face Saint Louis FC, which trail Indy by one point. Pittsburgh tied Saint Louis, 2-2, back on Aug. 22 at Highmark Stadium. If the Hounds fell to second in Group F, they would play Louisville City FC, which has already clinched the group. Pittsburgh defeated Louisville City FC, 3-1, in the inaugural match at Lynn Family Stadium earlier this season.

“We can really only put this one behind us and get ready for Philadelphia,” Lilley said.

The Hounds will look to finish the regular season with a win against Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 3. The match is set to kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on 22 The Point.

After preseason this past winter and the announcement that a 16-game season would in fact be happening this summer, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was eager to begin.

But while travel restrictions tightened in the United States in the midst of the pandemic, Hounds newcomers Patrick Bunk-Andersen and Albert Dikwa were sequestered into a forced quarantine in their respective home countries. 

For three months, Bunk-Andersen was at home in Denmark after returning back after preseason. On the other hand, Dikwa would remain in his home country of Cameroon.

“It’s obviously super frustrating and tough mentally having to leave and not knowing when you get back,” Bunk-Andersen said. “But constantly having that chip on the shoulder knowing when I’ll be back I got to make sure that I’m there to make the team better, make my teammates better and of course just give everything I have. I enjoy doing that every single week.”

The Clemson University product trained on his own for a month before getting the opportunity to train on a full schedule with a second division team in Denmark, where a friend played. 

The defender said he knew he would have to play catchup upon returning to Pittsburgh. Just more than a month ago, he did just that.

Bunk-Andersen received his first minutes of play against Hartford Athletic, in the first game of three against the team back on Aug. 28 at Dillon Stadium.

“It’s amazing,” Bunk-Andersen said. “I’ve said to some of the guys on Saturday when I got my start, I’ve been waiting all 2020 to do this with them.”

The 6-foot-2-inch teammate has played five games this season with two starts and has added to the depth of the team’s defenders.

With the Hounds clinching playoff berth and remaining No. 1 in Group F, the team is hoping to get through the last three games of the season and continue a strong run into playoffs.

“This is a club with high expectations every year,” Bunk Andersen said. “Since day one, it got me feeling that Bob [Lilley] as a coach is aiming for one thing only and that is getting as far as possible in the season.”

Meanwhile, Dikwa remained in Cameroon for the duration of quarantine and into the 2020 season, as VISA restrictions delayed the forward from traveling to Pittsburgh to play.

“It was kind of difficult because I like to help the team,” Dikwa said. “Some stuff you can’t control it, so you have to deal with it.”

The previous Saint Louis FC striker used his time in the offseason to train, and while at home, continually doing workouts to make sure he was ready for his return.

Just around a month ago, Dikwa received VISA clearance to travel to the United States and resume activity with the team.

“My role with the team is mostly stretching the game, defending, scoring goals,” Dikwa said. “Goals are kind of easy. With one of the best teams in the league, we have a lot of pressure that we have to do great and make anything.”

Dikwa has played four games and scored two goals on 10 shots for the Hounds thus far.

The 5-foot-11-inch, 161-pound player has since spent his time in training following head coach Lilley’s instruction and getting to know his teammates.

“I was kind of nervous though because I just knew two guys, Tomas [Gomez] and Tony [Walls],” Dikwa said. “And then my first day, I feel like I was already connecting with some of the players. Nice guys, nice people always willing to help me. Like I said, I’m grateful for it.”

Lilley said he is impressed with how quickly both Bunk-Andersen and Dikwa were able to mesh into the group, as well as getting their fitness up to speed very quickly. 

Dikwa and Bunk-Andersen have also added to the team’s depth, Lilley said, allowing there to be healthy competition among teammates for starting spots and helping to push players forward.

“These are things you want to deal with as a coach to have more depth,” Lilley said. “They’ve done a good job for us.”