Preview: Hounds at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on August 28, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
The Hounds make their annual voyage to the Gulf Coast with plenty on the line, as they look to get back into the win column Saturday night against a Tampa Bay Rowdies side fighting to get back into the playoff picture.
Triple 7s is a winner at the casino, but for the Hounds, a .500 record at 7-7-7 isn't where the team wants to be. With nine matches left, the team is still only three points adrift of Loudoun United FC for a top four spot, but the team's recent league form - 1-1-4 in the past six Championship matches - has seen too many dropped points for their liking.
Augi Williams flashed his goal-scoring touch for the second time in four August matches last week in Birmingham, and his form has shown an uptick in the summer months. The newest Hound, Chase Boone, picked up the assist with his first-time ball to set up Williams, and he has provided a little spark to the attack with five chances created in only 67 minutes played.
But hunting for a clean sheet is also a priority for the Hounds, who have just two shutouts in their past eight matches. The defense hasn't been bad - outside of MLS' Philadelphia Union, no opponent has scored three in a match against the Hounds since March 2024 - but a few key lapses have kept the team from hitting its shutdown form from the second half of last season.
The Rowdies will provide challenges with a mix of young and old in attack. Woobens Pacius, the 24-year-old Canadian on loan from Nashville SC, leads Tampa Bay with seven goals, while Manuel Arteaga, the 31-year-old Venezuelan veteran has four goals of his own, including one in the Hounds' 2-1 victory over the Rowdies back on June 21 at Highmark Stadium.
The Hounds have a slight edge in the all-time series between the two teams, but results over 18 prior battles have leaned heavily toward the home team. The Hounds are just 2-4-1 all-time at Al Lang Stadium (compared to 5-1-4 at Highmark Stadium), but their most recent win in St. Petersburg was a big one, the 2-0 win on Oct. 7, 2023 that clinched the Players' Shield.
Fans catching the match live should note that coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh will join the action in progress after Pittsburgh Pirates baseball coverage, but the 7:30 p.m. kickoff will be live in its entirety on their alternate channel, SportsNet Pittsburgh Plus. The match will also be streamed on ESPN+, and both SNP and SNP+ will air multiple replays on Sunday.
Match info
Riverhounds (7-7-7) vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (5-12-3)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Odds: Hounds +195/ Draw +210 / Tampa Bay +130
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtags: #TBRvPIT and #Grittsburgh
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