Game Day: Hounds vs. Louisville City FC
September 9, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH – One of the Eastern Conference’s marquee matchups of the past five seasons hits the Highmark Stadium turf tonight, when the Hounds host East-leading Louisville City FC at 7 p.m.
Calling the game a potential playoff preview is no exaggeration. The teams enter the match with their postseason spots clinched, and they currently would be on a collision course for a 1 vs. 4 matchup in the second round. That is the farthest thing from the teams’ minds entering this matchup, as with six games to play, Louisville is trying to track down West-leading San Antonio for the best record in the regular season, while the Hounds need to keep piling on points if they are to secure a home playoff match.
Though dropped points in recent draws have set the Hounds back a little, the team is coming off a 2-1 win Sunday at Loudoun and has only lost once in its past 12 matches dating back to the start of July. Louisville, meanwhile, is navigating its most physically demanding schedule stretch of the season with five games in 15 days – the last of which is tonight’s matchup – and five out of their last six on the road. The guests are coming off a 2-2 draw Wednesday night at FC Tulsa.
The Hounds, meanwhile, face a Wednesday road match next week, but with 10 days off after their trip to Birmingham, coach Bob Lilley does not need to rotate his squad as much as he would for a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday turnaround. Defender Nate Dossantos remains the only Hounds player ruled out after undergoing a procedure on his knee, and among the midfield and forward regulars, only Kenardo Forbes and Danny Griffin played the full 90 at Loudoun.
Russell Cicerone’s 12th goal of the season opened the scoring at Loudoun for the Hounds, but Louisville has plenty of firepower of its own with four players who have scored at least eight goals this season: Wilson Harris (11), Enoch Mushagalusa (9), Sean Totsch (8) and former Hound Brian Ownby (8).
But the strength of Louisville this season has been its defending, starting at the back with another former Hounds player, goalkeeper Kyle Morton. Louisville leads the league with only 22 goals allowed in 28 games, and Morton boasts a league-best 0.68 goals-against average.
The match will be Throwback Night at Highmark Stadium, and more than 20 former Hounds players – including Nathan Salsi, Rob Vincent, Kevin Kerr and David Flavius – are scheduled to be in attendance and signing autographs near the East Gate and Supporters’ Section.
In addition to the 90s-themed giveaways and contests, halftime will include a special ceremony to honor former Hounds coach, general manager and TV broadcaster Gene Klein, who will be the sixth inductee to the Riverhounds Hall of Fame. Among those scheduled to honor Klein are fellow Hounds Hall of Famers John Kowalski and Justin Evans, and his longtime friend and colleague in both coaching and broadcasting, Paul Child. Also in attendance will be many former Riverhounds and Quaker Valley High School alumni who played under Klein during a four-decade-long coaching career.
The Tailgate Zone will open at 5 p.m. with drinks, food from Haskel’s Deli and Uncle Rick’s Smokehouse and music from DJ TJ Harris. Gates will open at 6 p.m. for the match, which will be seen on 22 The Point and streamed via ESPN+.
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