May 2, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds game preview (from riverhounds.com)
What2Watch4: Toronto - 5/5 By Anthony Picardi, 05/02/18, 12:15PM EDT Last time out, Riverhounds SC continued its undefeated run with a 1-0 victory against Atlanta United 2 at Highmark Stadium. Pittsburgh (3-0-3) now turns its attention to a road match against Toronto FC II (0-4-2) at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester, New York. The Hounds have never lost (6-0-2) to Toronto since the team north of the border joined the USL in 2015. The Rundown Encore In the Eastern Conference foes’ first meeting this season, Pittsburgh posted four second-half goals en route to a 4-0 victory. Forward Neco Brett scored three of these goals, notching the Hounds’ first hat trick since Rob Vincent scored a trio of tallies against Wilmington Hammerheads FC in 2015. Furthering the ties between the two players, both Brett and Vincent are tied for the most goals against Toronto FC II in club history at three apiece. Look for Brett to play a large role on the offensive end this weekend. Rochester Reunion As the game is scheduled to kick off in Rochester, New York, it will be a homecoming of sorts for quite a few professional team members. Head coach Bob Lilley and assistant coach Mark Pulisic, in addition to players Jordan Dover, Kenardo Forbes, Christiano François, Ray Lee, Dan Lynd, Kyle Morton and Todd Pratzner, all spent the 2017 USL campaign with the Rochester Rhinos. Even though it is technically a road game for the Hounds this week, it will be very much a home away from home. No Fly Zone Throughout the season, the Hounds’ defense has locked down opposing offenses so much that teams have struggled to launch shots on target, let alone goals. This past week against Atlanta United 2, the Pittsburgh backline held the USL newcomer to zero shots on goal en route to its fifth shutout this season. This success has led the team to post seven saves and five clean sheets over the course of the entire season. By the Numbers: 65 Midfielder Kevin Kerr currently sits at 65 points for his Riverhounds SC career. He is currently No. 3 all-time in the statistic and is two points away from tying former striker Thiago Martins for No. 2 all-time in club history. Key to Victory: Shots on Goal Thus far in 2018, the Hounds have placed 18 of their 70 shots on goal. This upcoming weekend against Toronto FC II, Pittsburgh will need to up this ratio to help provide the team with a more dangerous attack to pair with an already stellar defense.
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