Game Day: Hounds at FC Tulsa
March 27, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
The Hounds head back on the road Tuesday and will try to remain unbeaten the first midweek game of the 2023 season when they will face FC Tulsa in an 8 p.m. ET kickoff (7 p.m. local time) at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Okla.
The two teams met for the first time a season ago, and the Hounds scored two very different one-goal wins - a 4-3 triumph on their first trip to Tulsa and a 1-0 win in the return match back in Pittsburgh. The common thread to those two matches was Albert Dikwa, as the Hounds' leading scorer through three games in 2023 bagged three goals against the Oklahoma side a year ago. He netted his first career multi-goal game in Tulsa and added a second-half game winner in the Highmark Stadium match.
It looked as though none of the Hounds would find the net in their last outing, but Burke Fahling came off the bench to deliver a rocket strike to secure a 1-1 draw with Miami FC in this year's home opener. The left-footed blast was picked as one of four finalists for USL Championship Goal of the Week, and fans can vote for Fahling at USLChampionship.com through Thursday.
Fahling, a participant in all three matches thus far off the bench, could be one of the candidates to grab a first start of the season - along with Joe Farrell, Tola Showunmi and others - as the Hounds play on just four days' rest with a travel day mixed in. Jahmali Waite, who missed the game against Miami and started in goal for Jamaica in their 2-2 draw Sunday night at Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League, is expected to rejoin the Hounds in Tulsa; his participation will be a game-day decision.
The Hounds aren't the only team playing on short rest, as Tulsa is playing the middle match of a tough Saturday-Tuesday-Friday turnaround. But even with a day less to recover, the home team didn't have to travel, and they also come in with momentum after a 3-0 win over Loudoun United FC got them into the win column. Marcus Epps and Milo Yosef have two goals each to lead Tulsa, which enters the match with the most goals in the USL Championship at six through three games - one ahead of the Hounds.
Rodrigo da Costa, who scored in last year's match in Tulsa and has a goal and an assist this year, is one of the few familiar threats, but Tulsa went through its share of roster overhaul in the offseason. In three matches against Tulsa, the Hounds will have faced three different head coaches: Michael Nsien, Donovan Ricketts (who served in an interim role and has since reverted to his post as goalkeepers coach) and new head coach Blair Gavin.
Tuesday's match will not be shown live over the local airwaves, but it - and every Hounds match in the USL Championship - can be streamed via ESPN+.
Match Info
Riverhounds (1-0-2) vs. FC Tulsa (1-1-1)
Date: Tuesday, March 28
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: ONEOK Field, Tulsa, Okla.
Odds: Hounds +140 / Draw +230 / Tulsa +170 (FanDuel)
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on Twitter
Match hashtags: #TULvPIT and #HOUNDTAHN
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 27, 2023
- Game Day: Hounds at FC Tulsa - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- A Closer Look at #SACvSD: "It Was a Great Fight from the Boys" - Sacramento Republic FC
- Knee Injury Sidelines Nava for 2023 - New Mexico United
- Preview: FC Tulsa vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC - Tuesday, March 28 - ONEOK Field, 7 p.m. CT - FC Tulsa
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