The Howler

After being unbeaten at home since July 21, 2018, the Hounds’ 25-game regular season win streak at Highmark Stadium came to an end unexpectedly and suddenly, as Indy Eleven’s Tyler Pasher put the ball into the net in the final minutes of extra play. 

Pasher’s shot was launched toward the top-left corner of the goal and ultimately gave Indy the 1-0 win on July 22 at Highmark Stadium.

“I think that Indy game was important for us to have to dig in,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “That Indy game was the first game where we were tested throughout the 90.”

The game was aggressive, filled with energy and prowess.

Now going into the team’s seventh game of the condensed season, the Hounds are at the top of their group, looking to impose revenge on Indy, as they face off once again at 7 p.m. this Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The match will be televised on 22 The Point.

Lilley said he has learned a lot about his team since the first three games of the season, as well as seeing great improvement in different departments. 

“I think we’re starting to clean up some of our decision making,” Lilley said. “We’re showing a lot of signs in practice that we are holding onto the ball better.”

The Hounds have been focusing on possession of the ball the last few practices, as well as working on tightening the defensive line up. 

“It’s important for us to continue to get better and even for some of the other guys to continue to grow,” Lilley said. “At some point you’re going to have rotation and you’re going to have injuries. We’re just trying to add on the depth.”

While the game will be physical once again, Lilley said, the Eleven will likely play differently on their home turf. 

“We don’t expect to necessarily win the possession when we go to Indy, but we don’t want a situation where they have 65 percent of the ball and we have 35,” Lilley said. “Us being able to keep our lines together and keep the game compact whenever possible will be important, or we’ll do a lot of chasing.” 

The field at Lucas Oil Stadium is stretched and whichever team gets the most possession may have the ability to get in behind the defensive line and create goalscoring opportunities. 

Last year, when the Hounds faced Indy away, the team fell 2-1 after the Eleven held possession for more than 60 percent of the match. 

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Lilley said. “We have to be prepared to do the things that we can to be successful on the ball.”

The game this weekend will be the first of three in an eight-day stretch that will signify the halfway point for the team, as well as provide them a chance to create their first three-game win streak of the season. 

“Moments are critical,” Lilley said. “The opportunities are not as frequent.”

In Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 4-1 win against New York Red Bulls II on Saturday, midfielder Robbie Mertz’s pace was too much for New York to handle.

He recorded two goals and helped generate several other opportunities.

“He did a great job,” head coach Bob Lilley said after the game. “We knew that if we could release [the midfielders], that they could have an impact on the game. I thought Robbie was spot on tonight.”

Mertz didn’t just score Pittsburgh’s first goal–he also helped set it up. After taking a long pass from Jordan Dover in the 2nd minute, he sent the ball into Ropapa Mensah, who had space in the center of the penalty box. Mensah then drew a foul in the penalty area, setting Mertz up to take the penalty kick. The Pittsburgh native converted the penalty, sending a right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner to give the Hounds their first goal on the night.

He then narrowly missed on an opportunity in the 37th minute. Danny Griffin set him up in the center of the penalty area, and a powerful shot from Mertz missed high and wide to the left. 

Mertz’s persistence would pay off in the 61st minute. Mensah started the attack on the left side and hit Ryan James in stride toward the center of the 18-yard box. James then tried a shot, which was blocked, but acted as a pass as it bounced its way to Mertz. Mertz then sent a shot into the bottom-left corner, giving the Hounds a two-goal lead.

“I think we did a better job getting the ball forward in the second half,” Mertz said after the game. “We talk about the game being a 90 minute performance, and even though coach Lilley would tell you we didn’t play great in the first half, it was important for us moving forward.”

Mertz’s performance against New York proved how versatile he has been this season. He has three goals and six key passes thus far, tied for second on the team in both categories.

Mertz and the Hounds will look to wreak more havoc on opposing defenses when they return to play this Saturday to face Indy Eleven at Lucas Oil Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m., and will be broadcasted locally on 22 The Point (WPNT).

It’s no secret Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has excelled at putting the ball in the back of the net this season. The club is tied with Phoenix Rising FC for the most goals scored with 14. What may be more unknown is how balanced their attack is.

Five different players have assisted on goals this season, and 10 different players have scored goals this season. Steevan Dos Santos leads the club in goals with four, and Kenardo Forbes leads the team in assists with seven.

The Hounds have assisted on 13 of their 14 goals this season, only breaking the streak in their last matchup against Philadelphia Union II.

“I think it’s a good sign that guys are identifying guys in danger spots,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “I think guys are freeing themselves in the box. It’s always nice to give credit, and I’m happy to see it, even though I’d like to see some more unassisted goals. Some goals are good goals even if nobody is credited with an assist.”

For Lilley, this offensive success comes from patience and good decision making.

“Sometimes we lose balls trying to force things,” Lilley said. “We have to be able to hang on to the ball and make prudent choices. If you think back to the first Philly game, we were able to create very good chances when they were scrambling back into position. They know when they’re at their best, and as coaches we know what the expectation and the game plan is.”

The Hounds will face a familiar foe this Saturday, when they host New York Red Bulls II at 7 p.m. They lost a close match to New York earlier this season and are looking to maintain their offensive attack to notch their second straight win.

“We need to score more goals to win the game,” defender Ryan James said. “Going into the game, there are some small details that we need to correct from last time. If we fix some of those small details and come together as a group, we can win on Saturday.”

In Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 4-0 win against Philadelphia Union II this past Saturday at Highmark Stadium, midfielder Kenardo Forbes cemented his name into the record books. With two first-half assists, Forbes broke the USL Championship all-time assist mark with 38 career helpers.

His first assist came in the 22nd minute, and it all started with a beautiful pass from Danny Griffin that hit Forbes in stride on the right side of the penalty box. Forbes then sent a cross into the center of the penalty area just before his momentum carried him out of bounds. Steevan Dos Santos headed the cross into the top-left corner, giving the Hounds a one-goal lead at the time. This assist would tie Forbes with Maikel Chang for the all-time record.

“He’s been working very hard, and it shows,” Dos Santos said postgame. “He reads the game very well, he knows where to be, where to pass the ball. Like [Kenardo] said, we have a connection. He knows where we are going to be and to set us up.”

Forbes would get his second assist off of a corner kick in the 36th minute. He launched the ball into a sea of Philadelphia defenders, through which Thomas Vancaeyezeele was able to rise up and head the ball into the bottom-right corner. This would give Forbes his 38th career helper, making him the USL Championship’s all-time leader in assists.

Maybe the craziest part about the record is that Forbes didn’t know about it until recently.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know about this record until about a week-and-a-half ago,” Forbes said. “I got an email about the record a week or two ago. I didn’t come into the season trying to break the record necessarily.” 

Forbes, whose seven assists leads the USL Championship this season, clearly has a knack for pressuring defenses and creating quality chances for his teammates. He will look to add to his record when the club will return to play this Saturday, to face New York Red Bulls II at Highmark Stadium. The match, set to kick off at 7 p.m., will be Pittsburgh’s second straight match at home and will be locally televised on 22 The Point (WPNT).

With Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s second home game this Saturday, the team stands second in Group F. 

The Hounds (2-2-0) will aim to leave the .500 club this weekend, as they face Philadelphia Union II (0-3-1), which they previously dominated for a 6-0 victory. 

“It’s obviously important to defend our home turf and now we have a chance this weekend to get a result against Philly and put ourselves one up on the win column and move on to the next game,” head coach Bob Lilley said. 

After a couple losses the past two games against New York Red Bulls II and Indy Eleven, the team is recovering from a three-game stretch over nine days. 

Lilley said he would like to see the team get more fit physically for the entirety of playing time and hold on to the ball better. 

As the team continues to mix players in the lineup, the first part of the season will serve as an opportunity to strengthen on-field chemistry.

“We’re really big on making sure we’re taking steps forward as a group as quickly as we can,” Lilley said. “I think every team is trying to ramp up. Before we turn around we’re going to be at the midpoint.”

With a quick 16 game season to produce positive results, the Hounds are working tirelessly to maintain physical fitness and skill. 

Defender Thomas Vancaeyezeele said he uses the fan support to stay positive during these uncertain times, saying that the fan-made signs hung in the stadium for the first home game made him smile. 

“This season is really short, so we have to stay motivated to win games and earn points,” Vancaeyezeele said. “So, with or without fans, we have to be our best on the field. It’s not as easy without fans, because with the Steel Army behind us we play more aggressive.”

The France native said he believes the beginning of the game this weekend will be most important to help the team come off of previous losses. 

Both Vancaeyezeele and Lilley feel that the team has not reached its peak defensively yet, the three-year Hounds teammate saying the team has been watching film to get better.

“We have experienced players, and a lot of them have played for coach Lilley before, so we know what the coach wants,” Vancaeyezeele said. “We just need to apply it on Saturday.”

Through the first three games, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has been using depth to its advantage.

The Hounds have used at least four substitutes in their two road victories, and even used the maximum of five against Philadelphia Union II. 

“Player development is going well,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “We’re certainly trying to win games, and some guys will log more minutes than others. But I think there’s some good young players that can bring a lot of good things to the table.”

This depth could benefit the Hounds (2-1-0) in their match against New York Red Bulls II (1-2-0) at 5 p.m. on Sunday at Red Bull Arena, which will be televised on 22 The Point. After all, this is their third match in nine days, and several young players have already gotten opportunities to shine.

For instance, Hunter Ashworth made his first professional start against Louisville City FC earlier this season and played a part in keeping Louisville to only one goal. 

Danny Griffin made his professional debut against Louisville and made his first professional start against Philadelphia. The midfielder scored a goal and dished out two assists in a 6-0 rout of Philadelphia back on July 18. Lukas Fernandes also netted his first career goal against Philadelphia after making his USL Championship debut against Louisville.

“I think Bob’s done a great job at making all of us flexible,” defender Jordan Dover said. “I think we’re all comfortable with making in-game adjustments. It took a couple of days of training to work out the kinks, like where Dani [Rovira] would be and how that would affect me. I think Dani did a great job and we did a decent job of following the game plan against Indy.”

This season, players like Rovira and Ryan James have shown versatility. James, perhaps showing the most versatility, has started each match thus far in a different position – holding midfield, left back and center back.

“I think the backline has done a good job so far,” Dover said. “I think everyone has caught on to the principles of the team. Hunter has picked up some things, Ryan and Dani have picked up things quickly. But New York is very dynamic and dangerous. I think the main thing for us is making sure we’re organized, and that we don’t turn the ball over in bad areas. They’re always scoring a lot of goals and putting a lot of shots on net.”

In its 1-0 loss to Indy Eleven on Wednesday, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC could not find the back of the net for the first time this season.

The club created several good opportunities in the first half, but could not get on the board. One sequence in particular featured two close calls in one minute–Robbie Mertz had a shot deflected out of play in the 27th minute, and Thomas Vancaeyezeele had a shot bounce off the frame.

Kenardo Forbes set up Vancaeyezeele’s shot and was instrumental in setting up several opportunities throughout the game. However, he wasn’t satisfied with the pace that the Hounds played at.

“It isn’t so much about them, it’s more on us,” Forbes said. “I need to be better, and we are focused on ourselves. No team should come in here and dictate the pace. We should set the tone from the beginning, each and every game.”

It is evident the Hounds will look to use this game as a learning experience. It is only their third game in what has been a strange season, and they lost on a last-second goal. They were also able to get off nine shots against an Indy team that has only allowed three goals in four games. 

“I think both teams gave a lot of effort; to Indy’s credit, they had a chance in the final moments and they capitalized on it,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “I think we left some goals on the board.”

Pittsburgh will see Indy later this season (on Aug. 15), but for the time being it has to zero in on its upcoming matchup against New York Red Bulls II, which is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. on Sunday at Red Bull Arena.

“It was a tough game to lose because it feels like we let one get away,” Lilley said. “I’m not sure we played well enough in the second half to cement the three points. We will learn from it and get ready for the New York game. All the games are important, but the division games are maybe even more important.”

When Kenardo Forbes joined Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in December 2017, he had already solidified his role as a key player in team success.

And since joining the Hounds, the Kingston, Jamaica native has been named All-League Second Team in 2018 and All-League First Team in 2019. With 35 assists in the entirety of his USL Championship career, he is tied for second in league history with Jorge Herrera. 

Now, in the 2020 season, the 2019 MVP finalist is just two assists away from Maikel Chang’s all-time league record and one assist away from tying Justin Evans and Gary DePalma for fourth all-time in club history. 

Forbes currently has 21 assists with the Hounds, making him a player at the center of the team’s successes. 

“He is just a special player,” head coach Bob Lilley said. “He feels the game. His awareness of what’s going on is very good. He has definitely become more of a factor from a playmaking standpoint, but I think he’s always had that adaptability for the game.”

The 32-year-old was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 4, following a 6-0 blowout win against Philadelphia Union II this past weekend. 

Forbes comes into this Wednesday’s home opener against Indy Eleven, which will kick off at 6 p.m. and be nationally televised on ESPN2, leading the USL Championship in assists this season with four, three coming from the last match against Philadelphia.

“I think we took care of two road games, and this is a big game,” Lilley said. “It’ll be disappointing without fans, but we know if we keep winning we will create a buzz. This group is getting closer and closer every day to where they want to be successful and they want to win.”

In the Hounds’ September 2019 matchup against Indy, the 5-foot-10-inch midfielder scored two goals, helping lead the team to a 3-0 win. 

Lilley said he is proud of the leader Forbes has become, stating players on the team follow him by example and he has begun to be held in high regard in the league. 

With 90 minutes of playing time each game so far this season, it can be expected we will continue to see the former Rochester Rhinos player excel on the pitch.

“He’s able to make those players around him better,” Lilley said, “because he’s constantly playing well and giving others the information.”

Coming off a 6-0 road victory against Philadelphia Union II, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (2-0-0) will host its home opener at Highmark Stadium against Indy Eleven (3-0-0) on Wednesday, July 22. Kickoff will be 6 p.m., and the match can be watched nationally on ESPN2.

Here are some things to look for ahead of the matchup.

1.) Everyone getting in on the scoring
Through two games this season, the Hounds have scored nine goals from seven different players. In the aforementioned 6-0 victory, two Hounds players scored their first professional goals as well. Danny Griffin found the back of the net in the 37th minute and Lukas Fernandes later finished a pass from seven yards out to etch their names in Riverhounds history books. In that game, goals were also scored by Ropapa Mensah, Anthony Velarde, and a pair from Steevan Dos Santos. 

Nine goals through two games sets Pittsburgh second in the USL Championship for total goals – two goals behind Phoenix Rising FC that has already played three games.

2.) Dominance at Highmark Stadium
The Hounds are unbeaten (14-0-11) in their last 25 regular season matches at home. 

To find Pittsburgh’s last home loss, one would have to go back to July 21, 2018. The Hounds were defeated 1-0 by Charleston Battery with a devastating goal in the 88th minute. During the 2019 season, the Hounds outscored opponents 38-12 in matches at Highmark Stadium, including postseason play.

Pittsburgh comes into its next game with a 3-1-2 all-time record against Indy Eleven, with a 3-0-1 record against them at Highmark Stadium. 

3.) Adjustments
In their first game against Louisville City FC, the Hounds quickly found themselves down 1-0 but made adjustments to net three unanswered goals.

Against Philadelphia, head coach Bob Lilley postgame said, “We were fortunate we didn’t concede a goal. The first few good chances fell to Philadelphia.”

Halftime served better for the Hounds, as they came out on fire and scored four goals in the next 45 minutes. Lilley liked his team’s offensive play in the second half and said, “We were able to settle down as the half wore on and rotate the ball while finding space in the wide areas.”

The Hounds, through two games, have dominated both second halves. Combined, they’ve outscored Louisville City FC and Philadelphia Union II 6-0 in the second half of their games.

In Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 6-0 win against Philadelphia Union II on Saturday, a couple rookies had a day to remember.

En route to the victory at Subaru Park, both Danny Griffin and Lukas Fernandes scored their first career professional goals.

For Griffin’s goal in the 37th minute, it all started with a Jordan Dover interception deep in Philadelphia territory. Then came a beautiful passing display from the Hounds, as five players touched the ball before it went into the back of the net.

Dover hit Ropapa Mensah at the top of the box, who sent a quick pass to Griffin in the center of the penalty box. Griffin then hit Ryan James on the left side, who then passed it out to Robbie Mertz, getting two Philadelphia defenders to overcommit. The Pittsburgh native then passed it back to Griffin, who avoided a Philadelphia defender and launched a shot into the bottom-left corner.

Lukas Fernandes also scored his first career goal off a turnover – this time coming in the 67th minute. Dover started the play once again, and got it over to Mark Forrest on the right side of the pitch. Forrest hit Kenardo Forbes, who then hit Griffin in the center of the penalty box. From here, the Philadelphia defense collapsed on Griffin, leaving Fernandes open in front of the net. The midfielder took it in stride and snuck a shot past Philadelphia goalkeeper Ben Martino.

Both Griffin and Fernandes will be back in action with the rest of the Hounds this Wednesday, as the club will face Indy Eleven at Highmark Stadium to mark its home opener. The match is set to kick off at 6 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN2.