Vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds at FIU Stadium
Saturday, May 28
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Click Here
Miami, Fla. (Friday, May 27) – The Miami Football Club host Eastern Conference foe Pittsburgh Riverhounds at FIU Stadium on Saturday. Miami FC looks to continue a good run of form after securing four points from two fixtures against Detroit City FC and Charleston Battery.
Forward Adonijah Reid salvaged a point for Miami against Detroit City FC on Wednesday, May 18. The Canadian international entered the contest as a substitute and scored an equalizer with the last kick of the game, bringing home fans to their feet.
The Orange and Blue crushed Charleston Battery 4-0 at Patriots Point over the weekend. Left-back Othello Bah claimed a brace and attacking midfielder Florian Valot recorded his first goal of the year in the first half. Reid dished out a couple of assists, and Valot helped Bah score his second goal. Reggae Boyz Romeo Parkes and Larmar Walker combined for the fourth goal in the second half.
Bah, Reid and Valot earned Team of the Week Week 11 honors after displaying strong performances across the two matches.
Defensive Powerhouse
Pulis’ Miami FC has declared itself a defensive powerhouse in the USL Championship, ranking second overall in shutouts with six. Moreover, the team ranks fourth in goals-against with ten in 12 matches.
Goalkeeper Connor Sparrow has played a key role in Miami’s defensive success. The 28-year-old collected all six clean sheets and made 26 saves across nine league games.
“It’s obviously a stat to have, but more importantly, it shows that defensively as a team we’re kind of locking things down,” said Sparrow. “The goal is always to win three points. We step out there to win every game.”
MFC’s backline has seen lots of rotation early in the season due to injuries. Center-back Callum Chapman-Page has been out all season. Other defenders in captain Paco Craig, Italy’s Luca Antonelli, and left-backs Aedan Stanley and Othello Bah have been sidelined for more than two games this season. However, Center-backs Benjamin Ofeimu and Junior Palacios, and right-back Mark Segbers have stepped up and performed up to par.
Parkes Faces Former Club
Parkes will play against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds for the first time since departing the club in 2018. The Jamaican arrives at the fixture in fine form, involving himself in a couple of goal contributions in his last two appearances.
The 31-year-old and fellow Reggae Boy Lamar Walker have linked up well on the pitch this season. The two have combined for three goals in all competitions, with Walker providing the assists and Parkes producing the goals.
About Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds arrive at Miami, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Hounds enjoyed a lively start to their season, winning four and drawing one of their first five fixtures. The team has shown total domination at home, leaving victorious in its five games played at Highmark Stadium.
Despite Pittsburgh’s dominance at home, it has suffered on the road as of late. The Hounds dropped its last three away games against Las Vegas Lights, Lousiville City and Tampa Bay Rowdies, making it over a month since the side won an away game. Miami FC looks to use its current momentum against Pittsburgh on Saturday.
“It’s really important that we build from the positive momentum,” said Pulis. “We saw a lot of positive things against Charleston and the games leading into that.”
Nonetheless, Pulis knows the challenge that lays ahead. The Hounds have heavy-hitters in their roster, including the likes of forwards Dane Kelly, Albert Dikwa and Hugh Alexander Dixon, and midfielder Kenardo Forbes. Kelly leads the Eastern Conference in goals – six – and Forbes and Dixon rank second in assists – four.
Up Next for Miami FC
Miami FC will travel to Oklahoma to go toe-to-toe with FC Tulsa. The game will take place at ONEOK Field, and kickoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET.
