The Howler

Opposition Report: Indy – 9/28

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (15-4-10) hosts Indy Eleven (17-7-5) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The two clubs first met in league play on June 1, in a match that resulted in a 2-1 Eleven victory.

The Season So Far

Indy Eleven has been one of the Eastern Conference’s best so far this season. The Eleven’s success has been propelled by an unblemished 11-0-4 record at home. With 56 points, the club is behind only New York Red Bulls II on the leaderboard. New York also has 56 points this season, but holds the tiebreaker over Indy.

Two late goals gave the Eleven the advantage over the Hounds in the team’s first matchup in June. Kenney Walker (71’) and Tyler Pasher (81’) supplied the tallies in the contest.

Players to Watch

Indy’s scoring efforts are led by defender Tyler Pasher and forward Dane Kelly. Both have made 27 appearances this season, and have netted 10 and seven goals, respectively.

Pasher has posted a 21.3 percent conversion rate on his 47 shots this year. Kelly, the 2017 USL Championship MVP, has scored all of his goals from inside the penalty area this season.

Strength: Defending

Indy has seen so much success this year because of the efforts in the backend of the field.

The Eleven have conceded only 23 goals, which is the lowest mark in the entire USL Championship. Their 12 clean sheets ranks as the third most in the Eastern Conference.

Weakness: Scoring Volume

Even with all of their success, the Eleven have not scored as many goals this year. Their 42 goals is the ninth fewest in the Eastern Conference.

How Hounds clinched playoff berth

They needed just three points.

But three points can seem distant at times. Times when you’re away from home. Times when you’re playing on short rest without your minutes leader. Times that felt more like déjà vu.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was there before. Literally. Ahead 1-0 on the road at Memphis 901 FC this past May, the team saw its lead and efforts washed away because of game abandonment due to a storm cell that opened up upon AutoZone Park.

Four months later, the match would be rescheduled three days after a showdown against MLS-bound Nashville SC. The Hounds fought tooth and nail against the foe, earning a point – but with a cost. Center back and minutes leader Tobi Adewole fell victim to a red card in the 40th minute, causing the squad to play a man down for the remaining 50 minutes.

Short rest is no easy task, especially on a road trip. Draining tired legs even more would be the tremendous effort set forth by the Black and Gold in its one-point showing at Nashville. With a 24 percent possession share in the second half at First Tennessee Park, Pittsburgh used every bit of energy clearing scoring opportunities, chasing passes and blocking shots to preserve the clean sheet.

After this resilient effort, Memphis presented a daunting task. Sitting just outside of a playoff spot, the USL Championship newcomer was desperate for points. This urgency was exemplified in its recent play, as the club had a conference-high four-game winning streak heading into Tuesday.

The Hounds’ answer to this? Using depth to their advantage with some added yoga. Yes, yoga.

When the club arrived in Memphis, it stumbled upon a Hollywood filmmaker’s set, figuratively. With the sun falling behind a grand, overarching tree providing ideal cinematography, the Hounds took to the mats. One stretch at a time, the team had an opportunity to release built up stress.

Two days later, Pittsburgh flipped its starting lineup. Seven of the squad’s starting 11 did not begin the Nashville game. But this group of Hounds, like the others, was more than ready to take a bite out of the opposition.

Perhaps the best thing for a team on short rest is to notch an early goal. Obtain the early goal, and then play the possession game. In the 15th minute against Memphis, the Hounds were gifted an opportunity.

Awarded a corner kick, Robbie Mertz walked to the end of the pitch to provide service. With the swing of his leg, the 5-foot-7-inch rookie sent a ball to 6-foot-6-inch Joe Greenspan, who soared up from the center of the penalty box. The center back placed touch on a header, directing it into the bottom right-hand corner of the net and freezing the Memphis goalkeeper in the process.

Up 1-0, the Hounds now had to play out the remaining 75 minutes. The team went into the half controlling the pace, logging a 55 percent possession share. Although, this would flip in the second set of 45 minutes.

As the Hounds aimed to preserve the clean sheet, Memphis posted a 71 percent possession share in the second half. However, the Black and Gold shut down passing lanes and chances. Memphis recorded just two shots on goal over the course of the match, and both tries came from outside of the 18-yard box.

But again, three points can be near at times. Times when the entire team puts forth great effort in tough road environments. Times when the entire team stays composed. Times that felt more like déjà vu.

For at the final whistle against Memphis, Pittsburgh clinched playoff berth for the second straight season.

Three things: Week 30

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (14-4-10) battles Memphis 901 FC (8-13-7) in an away game at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at AutoZone Park. As the team jockeys for a home playoff game, here are three things to know while the squad enters the final leg of the season.

Playoff Picture

The Riverhounds are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference. Although their magic number sits at two in terms of clinching a playoff spot, the team will be a part of the postseason for a second straight year due to a later matchup between Birmingham Legion FC and the Charleston Battery, as one of these clubs will drop points at a later time.

The Hounds hold 52 points, just four points behind first-place New York Red Bulls II. Pittsburgh has already battled New York twice this season and won both games, showing the squad belongs in the conversation among the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Key Performers

The Hounds have worked hard as a team to continue to get better over the season. Kenardo Forbes and Kyle Morton are two great contributors to the success of the Black and Gold this year.

Currently, Forbes is tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference with eight assists. In addition, he has created 63 chances, which ranks fifth most in the conference. Both of these totals lead the team.

On the other hand, Morton is currently second in the conference for clean sheets this season. He has 10 clean sheets, while the No. 1 goalkeeper has 11 clean sheets. In addition, he has 43 saves this season.

Morton has climbed his way up the all-time club leaderboards. He has 13 career clean sheets, which ranks third in club history. The Riverhounds player with the most clean sheets is Randy Dedini with 27 career clean sheets.

Grabbing Points

Pittsburgh has only lost four games this season. The last game Pittsburgh lost was against North Carolina FC on Aug. 17. The Hounds fell to North Carolina, 5-0, but redeemed that game by not giving up a goal in five matches since then.

Pittsburgh has lost the least amount of games in the Eastern Conference. Indy Eleven and the Tampa Bay Rowdies are next for the least amount of games, as they have both only lost six games.

With a home playoff game in sight, the Hounds will look to rack up points throughout the remainder of the schedule.

Hounds showing creativity in offensive third

This season, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has made the most of its shots.

Ranking 14th out of 18 teams in the USL Championship Eastern Conference, the lack of shots would hinder most teams in the Hounds’ position. Thus far, a nucleus of attacking midfielders and forwards have overcome this statistic and created a chemistry comparable with the best teams in the USL Championship.

The Riverhounds currently sit tied with Phoenix Rising FC for the best conversion rate in the USL Championship at 20 percent. Forward Neco Brett attributes the connection between Hounds attackers to a chemistry built up over the 2019 campaign.

“You have to understand your teammates because I think that’s very important,” Brett said. “The moment I turn I know exactly where to play the ball at.”

Head coach Bob Lilley has pressed the team to create movement in the attacking third by staying active inside or near the penalty box. Longtime Hounds’ midfielder Kevin Kerr witnessed the transformation of the offensive attack under Lilley, especially during the team’s early struggles.

Several close losses and winnable draws hindered the Hounds in the early part of the regular season. Once June arrived, the offensive juggernaut the club expected came to life.

“I think with Neco and Steeven up top, they are both red hot,” Kerr said. “They both do so much for the team, as well as score goals. But I think they’ve benefited from the movement and some of the chaos we cause up top, just for dragging players away, and just try and move the backline as much as we can and hope we can capitalize on something.”

Currently, Brett leads the Hounds with 10 goals this season. He is followed by Steeven Dos Santos, Robbie Mertz and Kerr, respectively. Those four men make up over half of the Riverhounds’ 49 total goals scored during 2019 with 30 respectively between the four players.

“You have to understand your teammates,” Brett said.

Brett and the Hounds will have a challenging matchup in the Music City against one of the USL Championship’s best teams, Nashville SC. The Hounds stole one point from Nashville SC earlier this season, scoring two goals, one in the 88th minute and one in second-half stoppage time. Nashville controlled possession in the first meeting of the season, something Pittsburgh is looking to adjust in its upcoming matchup.

“At the end of the day, we can go and play their game with a very good team,” Brett said. “But at the same time, we can’t be scared, we try to attack them.”

Saturday’s matchup with Nashville will have considerable ramifications in the USL Championship Eastern Conference. Currently, the Riverhounds sit in the fifth position with 51 points in 27 matches played. Nashville is in the third position with 54 points with 29 matches played this season. Conceivably, if the Hounds sneak out of Nashville with a victory, Pittsburgh could continue its rise with a chance of earning a home playoff game.

“Yeah, classic six-point swing,” Kerr said. “We all know the situation with the table with the way it looks in the East. I think it’s going to go right down to the wire as to which four teams get the home playoff game. After this weekend, we will know a little bit more.”

What2Watch4: Nashville – 9/21

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (14-4-9) takes on Nashville SC (16-7-6) in a matchup with major playoff implications at 8 p.m. on Saturday at First Tennessee Park. The two sides played to a 2-2 draw on April 27 at Highmark Stadium.

Dazzling Daniel

The Hounds will try to slow down one of the biggest scoring threats in the entire USL Championship on Saturday. 24-year-old Daniel Ríos has potted 17 goals this season, accounting for 34 percent of the club’s scoring this year. His 17 tallies ranks second-most in the league, and the most in the Eastern Conference.

Scoreless Streak

The Black and Gold have not allowed a goal since Aug. 17. In the last four games, the Hounds have posted a combined score of 6-0. Since the scoreless streak began, Kyle Morton has notched seven saves.

Count on Dos Santos

Steevan Dos Santos has been a major factor in the Hounds’ attack this season. The club is undefeated when he scores a goal (9-0-0). In addition, he has factored in to five of the last six goals scored by the team (three goals and two assists).

By the Numbers: 12

With 12 regular season clean sheets in the Black and Gold, Kyle Morton is now tied with Dan Lynd for the third-most shutouts in club history.

Playoff Picture

Riverhounds SC’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is down to six points. With 51 points, the Hounds currently hold the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and are right behind Nashville. A key match in terms of clinching playoff berth is when the Charleston Battery play Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday night. With a Battery loss, this magic number will be cut to three, meaning the Hounds could clinch playoff berth with a win against Nashville on Saturday.

Opposition Report: Nashville 9/21

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (14-4-9) travels to the Music City for a matchup with Nashville SC (15-7-6) at 8 p.m. this Saturday at First Tennessee Park. Currently, the Hounds are tied with Nashville with 51 total points and sit just behind them due to tiebreakers.

The Season So Far

Nashville SC currently sits in fourth position in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings. Nashville has been at the top of the table for a majority of the season, but the club has scuffled in recent weeks. In their last four matches, Nashville posted a record of 2-2.

Nashville will have to recover quickly for the upcoming matchup against the Riverhounds. Nashville SC has a mid-week showdown with Birmingham Legion FC prior to Saturday’s matchup with Pittsburgh.

The two clubs faced off earlier this season at Highmark Stadium, resulting in a 2-2 draw this past April.

Players to Watch

Star forward Daniel Ríos’ performance this year has been the catalyst for the Nashville offense, Ríos is second in the USL Championship with 17 goals. Ríos is also fourth in the entire league with 66 shots. Setting up Ríos goals this season, midfielder Lebo Moloto is tied for second in the USL Championship with nine assists in the 2019 campaign.

Goalkeeping will be an integral piece in the deciding factor for the Saturday’s matchup. Nashville’s keeper, Matt Pickens collected nine total clean sheets in 19 matches played this season. The tale of the match will be centered upon both teams’ goalkeepers.

Strength: Attacking the Net

This season Nashville is tied for fourth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference with 49 goals scored. The club is third in the Eastern Conference in shots with 380 total, as well.

Weakness: Tired Feet

Nashville rest will be key for the club coming into a pivotal matchup against the Hounds. The match against Pittsburgh will help determine the final seedings for the USL Championship Eastern Conference. If Nashville SC experiences fatigue Saturday night, the Riverhounds can swindle three points from the Music City and jump up in the standings.

Goal Breakdown: Charleston – 9/14

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (14-4-9) clinched the Old Guard Shield with a 1-0 defeat over the Charleston Battery (8-8-11) on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. This time, the Hounds received three points, and their 50th all-time win at Highmark Stadium, courtesy of Steevan Dos Santos’ right foot.

69’ Steevan Dos Santos assisted by Kenardo Forbes

Among those who can fit a soccer through tight spaces, Kenardo Forbes ranks at the top of the list.

Coming down the right flank, the midfielder (yellow arrow) sends a ball into a crowded penalty box. Standing in front of Dos Santos (green arrow), Jarard van Schaik (red arrow) cannot clear the incoming cross. With this faulty clearance attempt, the Cape Verde native quickly reacts and shoots home a goal that beat goalkeeper Phil Breno from close range.

Tale of the Tape

Although notching a second-half tally, the Hounds played their best ball in the first stanza. At the halftime whistle, Pittsburgh outshot Charleston 8-to-2 and owned 67 percent possession.

Despite Charleston earning more possession (53 percent) and more total shots (4-to-3) in the second half, the Battery could not come out with a point. The Achilles heel for the squad was its ability to land shots on target, only posting two on frame for the entirety of the match.

The lost ones: Forgotten moments

The recent heroics at Highmark Stadium are undeniable.

From Neco Brett’s hat trick against Toronto FC II last year to a Danny Earls brace in 2015 to fuel a miracle along the Monongahela River, these are the things that remain fresh, top of mind.

But before Highmark Stadium graced the banks of the South Shore, other star-studded performances crashed onto the Pittsburgh soccer scene. Take a trip back through time and uncover the lost ones.

May 20, 1999 – Blockbuster Video Half-Price Night scoring outburst
Returning to Bethel Park High School Stadium following a road loss to the Boston Bulldogs, which defeated the Hounds without their player-coach John Kerr Jr. (who was out because of the chicken pox), Pittsburgh put together an explosive, bounce-back performance on the pitch.

In the 12th minute, Justin Evans started the barrage. Later, Michael Apple and Michael Butler both added braces before Jaman Tripoli and Phil Karn capped off the seven-goal performance.

Just when the night couldn’t have been better, fans purchased tickets for half price thanks to a Blockbuster Video Night special.

“I don’t think this is going to be the norm,” head coach John Kowalski said after this match. “But when you have this kind of day, you have to enjoy it while you can.”

June 13, 1999 – Randy Dedini
A clean sheet is great to have on the stat sheet, but it becomes a gem when paired with a six-save performance. On the road against the Richmond Kickers at University of Richmond Stadium, the Hounds needed each and every save from goalkeeper Randy Dedini in a 1-0 win.

From a kick-save in the 13th minute to a diving, outstretched stop of a Richmond free kick in the second half, Dedini kept the Kickers off the board for the entirety of the match.

With this effort, Pittsburgh secured its first road win in club history.

August 1, 1999 – Phil Karn
Suiting up for their 19th all-time match, the Hounds still were in search of their first hat trick. So, cue in striker Phil Karn.

Going toe-to-toe with the Maryland Mania at Anne Arundel Community College, Pittsburgh was in a dog fight for much of the game. Karn made his presence felt early with a tally in the 3rd minute. He later struck in the 48th and 59th minutes to secure the first hat trick in team history.

The Hounds ultimately needed all three of these tallies, winning 5-4.

September 1, 2002 – Thiago Martins
In two seasons played for the Hounds, striker Thiago Martins made the most of his time in Pittsburgh and notched 30 career goals, which ranks second to only David Flavius in team history.

Perhaps his most impressive feat came in the season finale of the 2002 season. The Brazilian ravaged against the Cincinnati Riverhawks at Bethel Park High School Stadium in Pittsburgh’s 7-0 victory. Seemingly with ease, he scored in the 3rd minute… then the 7th minute… and turned the brace into a hat trick in the 14th minute.

As if scoring three goals in the match’s first 14 minutes wasn’t impressive enough, he added one more before the half in the 42nd minute. No one else in team history has scored at least four goals in a single match. And posting all four goals before the halftime whistle truly makes for a one-of-a-kind feat.

July 10, 2004 – Said Ali
No Hound had ever won the league’s Rookie of the Year Award before Said Ali earned the honor following the 2004 season. Helping pave the way to this achievement was a hat-trick performance against the Westchester Flames at City Park Stadium in New Rochelle, New York.

As the team worked on its seven-game winning streak at the time, it found itself in a hole when the halftime whistle approached. Being down 1-0, Ali posted a tally at the 42nd-minute mark to draw even at the break. The striker’s feet remained hot, as he recorded the next two goals in the 49th and 64th minutes to clinch the hat trick and fuel the squad to a 6-2 victory.

July 23, 2010 – Chad Severs
Since the team returned from the one-season hiatus it took in 2007, it remained in search of a playoff berth. In 2010, the Hounds fought their way back to the postseason.

Leading the team throughout much of the season, Chad Severs earned All-League Second Team honors while pacing the club with six goals. One of these provided the organization with a key win late in the season in the midst of the playoff hunt.

On the road against the Charlotte Eagles, the score was knotted at 1-1 as the match crept into its 90th minute. It was then Severs scored the game-winning goal to provide the squad with a much-needed victory. With this result, the Hounds put distance between them and the Eagles in the standings en route to earning postseason berth for the first time since 2006

Since the Hounds' last regular season home loss…

It’s been more than a year since Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC missed out on points at Highmark Stadium.

That night, a diving header from Ataulla Guerra gave the Charleston Battery a 1-0 lead in the 88th minute. Charleston held on to the lead for the remaining minutes of the match and stole a win on July 21, 2018 – the last time the Hounds took a loss in regular season action at the venue.

Flash forward to this weekend, the Battery return to the Steel City and look to put an end to the Black and Gold’s 22-game regular season home unbeaten streak.

Saturday will mark the 420th day since the defeat. And things have changed quite a bit in that time span.

New Look League

Seven new clubs joined the USL Championship. Birmingham Legion FC, Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC and Memphis 901 FC round out the list of expansion clubs added to the Eastern Conference.

Catching Ws

In league play, the Hounds have notched 19 total wins since their last regular season loss at home. The club has also played to 16 draws.

Explosion of Offense

A total of 74 goals have been scored by Riverhounds SC in that time span. Neco Brett has been responsible for 17 of the tallies, with 10 of those coming this season.

Tommy’s Never Tired

Thomas Vancaeyezeele has played a total of 3,340 minutes for the Black and Gold. The midfielder has logged just more than two full days worth of playing time since his club last lost a regular season match on home turf.

Kenny the Creator

A total of 11 assists have come from Kenardo Forbes since July 21, 2018. While the Jamaican has done plenty of work to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, he’s found success burying his own chances as well. Forbes has potted five goals since the Hounds’ regular season home unbeaten streak began.

Clean as a Whistle

Riverhounds goalkeepers have combined for 16 clean sheets and a total of 78 saves. Kyle Morton has provided the majority of the stops (37 saves).

And a Trip into the Music World…

Drake’s hit single, In My Feelings had just reached the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 charts on the day of the loss to Charleston. People across the country sang along to the song, as they posted videos of themselves dancing to its lyrics on the internet.

Opposition Report: Charleston – 9/14

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (13-4-9) welcomes longtime foe Charleston Battery (8-7-10) at 7 p.m. this Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The Battery and Hounds played to 2-2 draw earlier this season in Charleston.

The Season So Far

This season has seen the Battery struggle to find stable footing in the Eastern Conference table. Charleston currently sits outside the playoffs in 11th place. Game postponements forced the club to only play 25 matches so far this season, tied for the lowest in the USL Championship.

The Battery’s play on the field have kept them in a playoff position for most of the season, but recently Charleston’s performance has trended downward. Contributing to the team’s slide in the standings, the Battery collected one win in six total matches within the month of August.

The Battery might be traveling with tired legs when they visit Highmark Stadium. They will be playing their third match in a one-week timespan. The Battery defeated Indy Eleven at home this past Sunday evening, however Charleston travels to Swope Park this upcoming Wednesday for a midweek showdown with the Rangers before transitioning to Pittsburgh for Saturday’s matchup.

Players to Watch

Charleston midfielder Zeiko Lewis has been the biggest weapon for the Battery’s attack. Lewis leads the team with six goals, 36 shots and 27 chances created. Earlier this season, Lewis scored a goal against the Hounds on a penalty kick in the 76th minute.

Goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky has started in 24 of 25 matches this season for Charleston. The Riverhounds collected two early goals against Kuzminsky when the two teams faced off in May. Look for his performance in net as a key indicator of the outcome of Saturday’s game.

Strength: Ambidextrous Scorers

Charleston’s goals this season has been equally distributed between both of its players’ left and right feet. Of the 29 goals scored using a player’s foot, 15 have been scored using a left foot with 14 being used with a right foot.

Weakness: Passing Volume

The Charleston Battery currently rank in last place in the USL Championship with 8,938 total passes.

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