WHO: Pittsburgh Riverhounds
WHAT: A first-round USL Championship Playoffs match
WHEN: Saturday, October 10, 2020, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lynn Family Stadium
WATCH: WBKI, ESPN+, 790 WKRD
MARCH: COVID-19 is still very much a thing, so no
WHO, AGAIN? Bob Lilley’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds hold a sizable edge in the record books against Louisville City since the former Rhinos head man took over. Two wins (both in Louisville), two draws, and a loss in last year’s playoffs, to be specific. Gone from last year’s Hounds is former leading scorer Neco Brett, but they seem to have added enough over the course of 2020 to have once again become a really, really good team. Bob Lilley is a fabulous coach, and it truly is a shame he’s never been able to rise above the USL level in spite of his considerable bona fides.
If you haven’t listened to Lilley’s match preview with 3 Honest Lads earlier in the week, you should. He says all the right things, and frankly lays out his strategy to beat Louisville City: don’t give them the ball. You can’t play defense against Hackworth’s team the entire game, as the attack is just too good.
Pittsburgh is certainly capable of scoring goals themselves, finding the back of the net 39 times, good for second in the entire league and first in the East. They only gave up ten goals in sixteen games, the least in the league. And somehow still finished second in their group. I suppose that’s a partial explanation for their GF/GA numbers, beating up on hapless Union II, Loudoun, and the very poor 2020 Baby Bulls, but still. The Hounds lost four games all year, once to Hartford, once to the Baby Bulls, and twice to Indy XI.
The Hounds have eight guys that have scored multiple goals this season, led by Ropapa Mensah with six. Four other players have at least five goals, so it’s not like you can just focus the defense on one guy (cough, cough, Indy). Kenardo Forbes leads the team in chances created and assists.
In a normal year, this is a conference final matchup. This is a really good team, and they’re always a tough out for Louisville City. City, of course, enter the match unbeaten in their last eleven, winning nine of those. It’s hard to argue anyone else is on better form going into the post season. That said, this could be the hardest game Louisville City plays in these playoffs, assuming they make it out alive.
John Hackworth should have nearly his full complement of players available tomorrow night. Napo Matsoso has been nursing an ankle sprain but is reportedly fit enough for duty. I don’t expect him to start, necessarily, as Ownby has played well enough in recent weeks to keep his spot, but it’s nice to have a ready replacement just in case.
City will need all the support it can get tomorrow night. If you’re in the stadium, do your thing. If you’re at home, send positive vibes. If you’re elsewhere, still send positive vibes. Let’s do what we do and keep the tradition alive! VAMOS MORADOS!
