PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS 2, LOUISVILLE CITY FC 2

Who let the dogs out ??? (Lou, Lou..)

For the majority of the match it had seemed that Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ bite was not as fearsome as its bark, and that Louisville City FC had collared and tamed the nebulous Nessie-esque beast.

Once again it was going to be ”Road, sweet road” for the curiously home-weary Morados.

For 85 minutes they had found succor away from Slugger and made the most of the spartan opportunities afforded them, and would take with them 3 more hard and well earned away points … until, that is, the horrific late high jinks at Highmark!

As well as being much regarded around the USL, Hounds coach Bob Lilley is known for novel lineup switches as the occasion permits, however for this encounter he rewarded the 10 field players that vanquished Bethlehem Steel 4-1 a week earlier by sending out an unchanged team, but for regular starting goalkeeper Dan Lynd who was returning from a recent head injury.

John Hackworth of Louisville, in spite of coming off the two-legged loss to Cincinnati, did likewise.

3 months prior, Hounds had come to Slugger Field and won when Kenardo Forbes, aided by Romeo Parkes, deflected a shot in off a prone Paco with barely 10 minutes left on the clock after a raid up their left wing (Louisville’s right).

And they would resume from where they had left off, sending waves of attacks up the left wing. In fact, in the opening minute they nearly went ahead from that side when Jamaican star striker Neco Brett (14 goals) made space and fed partner and countryman Parkes but luckily Greg Ranjitsingh was alert and ready for action.

The attacks down Kyle’s side continued and City were scrambling to cover and figure out how to deal with the strategy.

Meanwhile, in the 18’ Alexis misplayed an unforced square ball across defense, straight into the path of playmaker Forbes who fed forward to Brett – the worst imaginable combination City could incur on themselves. On a diagonal run Brett eluded Paco and then rounded Greg who did well to pressure him wider but couldn’t prevent the shot at goal. In a play reminiscent of the incredible recovery he had made in Cincinnati earlier in the season Paco dashed back and amazingly managed to poke the ball off the goal line and around the post for a corner.

Desperate times call for heads up plays like this, and this was desperate and crucial cover work by the enthusiastic Englishman.

The danger wasn’t over as 6’4 defender and former Navy man Joe Greenspan met Ben Zemanski’s corner at the far post, nodding back to a reaching Thomas Vancaeyazeele (try saying or spelling that without any practice) but the Frenchman wasn’t able to keep his effort below the crossbar.

Riverhounds continued to have the better of the play, winning their share of contested balls without being able to assert themselves in terms of creating chances.

By the same token nothing of City’s had been threatening at Dan Lynd’s end but after 31 minutes Oscar won a free kick high in the Riverhounds’ half. Paco floated the ball in, dropping it right onto Cameron’s left, a hair inside the penalty area and with his back to the goal. It appeared defender Olu Adewole had him well wrapped up, yet in a single motion and without the ball touching the ground the instinctual sniper controlled, spun and volleyed past a surprised Lynd and just inside the right-hand goalpost.

It was just the latest class goal in what has turned into a classic season for the Tottenham Torpedo.

The Hounds responded by putting the foot back on the pedal and Parkes rounded Kyle and crossed to the head of Brett who rose and powered the ball toward goal from 6 yards. By all rights it should have been the equalizer but it was rebuffed by an incredible reflex save by Greg . The ball then fell back to Brett and with Greg down and out he would have expected to tap home, but this time he was denied by a backtracking Speedy who threw himself in front of the effort.

A grand irony here, as the two standouts spent 3 seasons playing together as Colonials at Robert Morris University, right nearby in Pittsburgh!

The concern heading toward the half was what change(s) Hack could make to stem the tide down the right side, as Parkes and Brett combined again on a give-and-go for the former to win a header but he guided it narrowly wide.

The midfield, notably Niall ,were now dropping deep in support of their flagging defenders and as the whistle went for the 45 minutes City had bent but not quite broken.

It seemed certain they would return to the field with formational corrections to address the developing crisis of the right side overmatch – perhaps inserting Sean Totsch (for an early birthday present: 9/16) and going to a 5-man reset in defense – but as the 2nd half began it was apparent that no major adjustments had been made.

Indeed midfielder Raymond Lee exploited that space to get over a dangerous cross but there were no takers and the ball beat everybody.

The issue was telling now as minutes later Cameron was drawn back to help out and his decision to haul down the overlapping Adewole from behind earned him the first yellow card of the game – Greenspan and Kyle would pick up later cautions for dissent.

City now began competing better for the ball but at the hour mark Lilley turned up the heat, bringing on former Haiti U/23 striker Christiano François for midfielder Zemanski.

With Kyle drawn forward, Parkes got in behind again but this time there was cover to prevent any damage.

At this point, Hack reacted and made a long awaited realignment, substituting Shawn Francis in at left-back and switching Oscar across to the right-back position.

However, with this move came an unexpected consequence as, strangely, Speedy was sacrificed in midfield and Kyle moved into his place.

Given a rest with Wednesday night’s Penn FC game in mind, maybe …?

Shawn’s introduction, at least, nearly paid quick dividends as City won a free kick just outside the Riverhounds’ penalty area, and to the right. From this position a left-footer was required and over came Shawn to curve in a terror of a ball that was dipping toward the underside of the bar as Lynd was forced to tip over, denying the likable Jamaican his 1st of the season.

It would all lead to a debut goal of the season, however, as Oscar’s corner was cleared out to the Louisville right wing. George lV who, along with Niall on the opposite side had been mostly anonymous on attack, savored his best opportunity, sending a glorious looping ball over and behind the Hounds’ defense and picking out Paco who had remained in an advanced position. The stealthy No.5 aimed a precision header back across the face of the goal, and to the delight of the noisy band of traveling Coopers there was his defense partner ASAY, rising to direct the ball home – it was the very the goal Brett should have picked up earlier – opening his personal account for 2018 and putting City into a seemingly commanding position.

With 20 minutes remaining this might have been the moment (of truth …) to adjust and consolidate but with no further change forthcoming the impressive Parkes went close again for Pittsburgh after both good setup play from Brett and Canadian Jordan Dover, and the sharp judgement of Greg in goal who was out quickly to pressure the Hounds’ attacker into the miss.

An air of frustration had arisen for the home team, as they were overplaying through-balls and either Greg or Alexis – immense at the back ever since his one error early on – tidying up anything getting near to their goal.

Now Lilley decided to hurl the kitchen sink at Louisville, with another striker, Kay Banjo, on for Lee and attacking mid Joe Holland replacing center-back Greenspan.

In response Ilija, also largely quiet on the evening, was withdrawn – however it was not No.4 to enter, but instead recent signing Jose Carranza – fresh legs perhaps, but not really a pragmatic formational change.

Parkes, Forbes and François all had attempts turned away and with less than 5 minutes left of the 90 it looked like the white and gold “Barrel Hoops” had done just about enough to prevail.

Cue the calamity that would lead Louisville to lay down it’s sword and shield down by the riverside …

That right side had been an ongoing nightmare for them, and now Holland turned George lV, got in behind and crossed the ball low. Alexis stretched to cut it out and It is unclear whether or not an instruction was given by Greg who was preparing to intercept, however the ball took an unreal double-ricochet, flying from ASAY’s foot, off Greg’s right glove and into the back of the net.

1-2, and still no sign of Mr Totsch, since to City the goal might have had the affect merely of a lucky consolation but the Riverhounds, suddenly sensing a way back from what had seemed like certain doom, poured on the pressure with Banjo from Parkes forcing a corner off Paco.

Still the Hounds’ guests held out and as the 90’ ticked around they had the finishing line in sight – but so too was that right side defensive seam for the Hounds and suddenly Neco Brett was behind Oscar, deep inside the City area. It took the slightest of touches from behind by the converted offensive left-back and as soon as he felt it Brett wasn’t going anywhere but directly to the turf. Referee Dadkho, in a handy position, thought for a short second before whistling and pointing to the penalty spot, ignoring heated protests from the distraught Louisvillians.

Brett and Banjo have each missed from the mark this season but the assured Kenardo Forbes wasn’t going to, as he stepped up and sent Greg the wrong away for the Riverhounds’ equalizing goal – and the sudden Lou City comedown.

From pinnacle to the pits then in Pittsburgh – and all inside of the final 5 minutes!

Luke came on for Cameron but by this time it was all too late.

The match ended with Riverhounds forcing one more corner, a season-high 15th for them, and François delivering for Brett who this time headed wide.

Even if it was a difficult match at the end of a challenging tranche of fixtures, this was a tough outcome mentally and the season for Lou City is now officially fraught.

Coach Hack will be tactically wracking his brains – perhaps along with senior members of the team – long and hard, to try to figure out everywhere things went wrong and how an (all but) inevitable victory was not safely and securely bagged … and the reasons for the trend, with the team continuing to bleed needed “home advantage” points.

Will they dip to the level of their opponents for the supposedly easier regular season run-in, or will they execute as they and we fully know they can and win the bulk of those??

It will all depend on just what comes to light from those upcoming brain wracking sessions and what can be passed on and absorbed by the players.

Not a ~ fun footnote ~ … Speedy Williams has been substituted on two occasions this season (TFC ll; 59’, PGH; 63’) … subsequently 5 goals have poured in to the Louisville goal net over the combined 58 minutes of play …..

~~~ Fun Footnotes ~~~

* Bob Lilley came in this season and has transformed the Riverhounds (13th place in the East in both 2016 and 2017) into a formidable unit. To aid in doing so he has brought with him no less than 7 players from his last stop at Rochester Rhinos.