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USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Game Day: Hounds vs. New York Red Bulls II

August 19, 2022 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


PITTSBURGH - The last time the Hounds were coming off a loss - June 25 against Tampa Bay - it was a match against the New York Red Bulls II that got the team back on track.

That 3-0 win in the first meeting against the Baby Bulls kicked off a seven-match unbeaten streak for the Hounds that ended with last Saturday's defeat against visiting Memphis. Now, once again, the Hounds are coming off a loss, and Red Bulls II is the bounce-back opponent as they hit the final 10 games of the regular season.

Every point is crucial at this point of the season as the Hounds try to secure a home playoff game. And with the next four matches against teams currently on the wrong side of the Eastern Conference playoff line, it should be a prime opportunity to stack wins ahead of a huge Sept. 10 home game against Louisville.

The top concern entering the match is trying to be more efficient in front of goal after a Memphis loss in which the Hounds shot 15 times but only put two on goal. But against a New York team that allows more than two goals per game, there should be prime opportunities for Russell Cicerone (11 goals), Dane Kelly and Albert Dikwa (both with seven goals) to put shots on target.

The Hounds have no players ruled out for the game, but defender Nate Dossantos and forward William Eyang both are listed as questionable after being limited in training. New York, meanwhile, is without some key parts, as defender Juan Castillo and playmaker Jeremy Rafanello both are out with injuries, while 19-year-old Caden Clark - back with the team on loan from Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga - was sent off last week and will miss out through suspension.

Charleston is the only team on the 2022 schedule the Hounds have faced more often, but because of New York's impending move to third-division MLS Next Pro, the 20th meeting will likely be the final one for the Hounds and Red Bulls II.

New York was a thorn in the Hounds' side early in the series, as Red Bulls II knocked the Hounds out of the 2015 playoffs in an extra-time quarterfinal at Red Bull Arena. Recent years have tilted the other way; the Hounds have won seven straight in the series to take an 11-7-1 lead.

Tickets for the game are still available through Ticketmaster and at the Highmark Stadium Box Office, and another big crowd is expected with the second annual Riverhounds Classic youth tournament being played this weekend. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the Tailgate Zone starts at 5 p.m. with music by DJ TJ Harris, food from the trucks of BRGR and Benvenuti's Pizza, and drinks including the Riverhounds Lager by Straub.

Other match day highlights include the University of Pittsburgh men's soccer team in attendance, as the two-time defending ACC Coastal Division champs are set to begin their season coming off an NCAA quarterfinal appearance.

There will also be performances by musicians representing the August Wilson Center, which once again will bring the Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival to Highmark Stadium next month. Live music will be performed by the East Gate prior to the match, and right before kickoff, the musicians will move onto the field to perform the national anthem.

The game will be shown live locally on 22 The Point - WPNT-22 - and streamed via ESPN+.

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