USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

3 Things: #PITvCHS

Published on September 23, 2021 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


It's been a long, long time since the Charleston Battery came to Pittsburgh.

Okay, that might be an exaggeration, even if the pandemic has made the last two years seem like an eternity. But the Battery, the Hounds' last first-time visitor to Highmark Stadium this season, will be playing along the Mon for the first time in 734 days when the teams meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in a match to be shown on 22 The Point and ESPN+.

The last time the Battery came to Pittsburgh, Sept. 14, 2019, Steevan Dos Santos scored the only goal for a 1-0 Hounds win. After not playing each other in 2020, this year's two meetings in South Carolina also have been close encounters, but the Hounds were able to come away with a 1-1 draw and a 3-2 victory.

Now that the venue has shifted back to Highmark, here are this week's 3 Things to watch for as the Hounds try to avoid dropping consecutive games for the second time this season.

1.) Set piece focus

The Hounds have been reasonably good when it comes to defending set pieces this season, though the game-tying goal at Hartford on May 15 and the own goal in an eventual 2-1 win June 25 against New York prove it hasn't been flawless.

Charleston also hurt the Hounds from a dead-ball situation in the teams' last meeting Aug. 6, when Logan Gdula headed in a free kick for the opening goal after running through the goal box unmarked. That formula has worked for the Battery, who got both of their goals Wednesday in a 3-2 loss to New York by way of free kicks headed over the line.

No doubt the Hounds have been shows film of that game, and staying tight to their marks will be a point of emphasis after being burned last time by a free Battery runner. Shane Wiedt, Mekeil Williams, Preston Kilwien and Jelani Peters - all of whom have have been the responsible party for some lost marks this season - will need to control the Hounds' box to cut off one of Charleston's big threats.

2.) Home sweet home

With three losses at Highmark this season as part of a 7-3-2 home record, the Hounds already have more losses at home than in any of the three previous seasons under Bob Lilley.

That number can be deceiving, however, as the lack of draws this year means the team is still accumulating points at home at a good rate - 23 of 36, or 63.9 percent, which is only a tad below the 37 of 51 (72.5 percent) taken by the 2019 team that went undefeated at home.

Even more important is the team's recent home form, which, since the scoreless draw with Tampa Bay last month, has seen the Hounds win three straight while outscoring opponents 10-1.

Getting the win and the goal-scoring momentum at home would be huge, as the team plays four of its final six in the friendly confines of Station Square before, hopefully, opening the postseason with a home match.

3.) Where Kenny be?

If the question is about Kenardo Forbes, then the answer to "Where can he be?" could be anywhere in Lilley's formation. (Well, probably never goalkeeper.)

This season, the Hounds' attack seems to be more potent when Forbes occupies a higher role on the field, often as one of the forward group in a 3-4-3 or as part of the "three" in either a 5-2-3 or 5-1-3-1. But last time out, in the 1-0 loss to Charlotte, game flow often pulled Forbes into a more receded role despite the fact that, on paper, he was to be centering the midfield quartet in a 4-1-4-1 shape.

To that end, look for Forbes again to try and get higher up the field for the Hounds. But to allow him to do so successfully, it falls on the back line and the holding midfield player(s) to be able to maintain possession without the Jamaican veteran needing to track back and help hold onto the ball.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 23, 2021


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