Preview: Hounds at Miami FC
October 3, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
The final month of the regular season gets under way with the Hounds facing an uphill climb to the postseason, but the team will get a nice boost to its chances by taking care of business Saturday night at Miami FC.
The Hounds are coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Birmingham last weekend, the second straight game in which the team led but didn't claim all three points. As a result, the team is two points back of Loudoun (38 points) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with Hartford (37) and North Carolina (36) also in the mix in a tight race.
On paper, the Hounds are heavily favored against a Miami side that was long ago eliminated from contention and has just one win in its last 23 matches. But coach Bob Lilley has warned his side about the danger Miami presents, specifically citing their impressive performance that came up just short in a recent 1-0 loss at West-leading New Mexico.
Miami also hasn't been an easy place for the Hounds to visit. Though they do have a 2-1-1 record at Miami, the two wins required a 90th-minute Robbie Mertz goal a year ago and, in 2021, a second trip to Florida to complete a league-ordered replay of the match.
One of the bright spots this season for Miami has been the play of Frank Lopez, who leads the team with seven goals and three assists, making him a factor in exactly 40 percent of the team's 25 goals this year. The Hounds have had a little more attacking balance on their 31 goals this season, though Edward Kizza continued to build on his career-best year by bagging his eighth goal last weekend against Birmingham.
Fans tuning into the match will be able to catch it live at 7 p.m. on SportsNet Pittsburgh or stream the match on ESPN+. Multiple re-airings of the match will be shown on Sunday, Oct. 6 - SportsNet Pittsburgh will re-air it at 1 a.m. and noon, and their alternate channel, SportsNet Pittsburgh+, has replays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Match Info
Riverhounds (8-10-12) vs. Miami FC (3-26-2)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Pitbull Stadium, Miami, Fla.
Odds: Hounds -280 / Draw +390 / Miami +550 (FanDuel)
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtags: #MIAvPIT and #HOUNDTAHN
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