August 3, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Toronto FC II game preview (from riverhounds.com)
What2Watch4: Toronto - 8/4 By Anthony Picardi, 08/03/18, 4:30PM EDT After defeating the Richmond Kickers this past Wednesday, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (10-3-7) looks to win its second home game of the week, as Toronto FC II (1-15-3) comes to the Steel City for a showdown at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. Winning their first two meetings, the Hounds can sweep the season series with a victory this weekend. The Rundown The Magician Last time out, Kenardo Forbes racked up his team-leading fifth and sixth assists of the season. Making this feat even more impressive was that the midfielder did it in only 25 minutes of play, as he entered the game as a second-half substitute. With a career-high six assists in a single season, Forbes will look to add to his total as the campaign progresses. New Blood For the second straight game, an athlete posted his first points in 2018. Following forward Kay Banjo’s assist-recording performance, midfielder Ben Fitzpatrick joined him on the yearly score sheet with a goal. With 14 games remaining, the Hounds now have 14 different players with a point this season. Defending the Castle Having a 4-0-0 all-time home record against Toronto FC II, the Hounds shut out the opposition in their past two meetings at Highmark Stadium. The last time Toronto scored in Pittsburgh occurred on May 21, 2016, when Malik Johnson potted a goal in the 83rd minute. For the Hounds to clinch their third straight home clean sheet against the team north of the border, they will once again need to lock down Johnson, who leads Toronto with 17 shots this season. By the Numbers: 40 With his two assists last time out, Forbes has reached 40 points in his professional career at the USL level. He is currently in the midst of his fourth straight season in the league. Key to Victory: Hot Bench Last time out against the Richmond Kickers, the Hounds’ bench was responsible for four of their eight points during the match. Gearing up for its third game in eight days, Pittsburgh will once again need its depth to shine through against Toronto FC II this Saturday.
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