By @SAdyson
Phoenix FC Wolves (2-3-2) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-4-3)
7:00 PM – Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Steel Army pre-game festivities at Buckhead Saloon in Station Square – $2 Miller Lite Drafts
Watch on-line LIVE on @UNATION
The Hounds survived a westward trip to snatch two points away from Phoenix FC and LA Blues. In both games, the Hounds made several adjustments to their line-ups and tactics to clamp down on defense.
This is only the second home game at the Highmark this season. The bad taste is still in all of our mouths, seeing Lucky Mkosana rain on our parade and do that stupid microphone thing with the corner flag.
This is a chance for the Hounds to redeem themselves in front of the fans that, although excited for the new stadium, left on April 13th disappointed to not see a win at home.
Phoenix FC will come hungry for a win, having outplayed the Hounds for almost the entire game in Phoenix only to come up short of three points. The Hounds offense is beginning to click, and it is only a matter of time before the talent assembled by Kutney and Evans begins to fire on all cylinders.
LAST MEETING: May 3, 2013 – Sun Devil Soccer Stadium – 1-1 Draw
WHAT WE SAID IN OUR RECAP:
This team wants to win. There is no doubt about that.
Someone needed to step up. Someone needed to take 0-1 deficit by the balls and right the ship.
That “someone” was Andrew Marshall, who, although part of a defense that has been more of a sieve than anything, took it upon himself to join the attack and equalize the score late in the match to steal three points from Phoenix.
We need more moments like this, where individuals on the team are hungry for a win, night in and night out.
HOUNDS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rob Vincent, M – Born in Liverpool England, Rob comes to the Riverhounds by way of the University of Charleston (West Virginia). He has been getting spot starts, but in the last game versus LA Blues, he played a very solid game. Not only did he come back to help the defense on some key stops, but he also added a calming presence to the otherwise frantic play of the midfield. It will be interesting to see if Vincent gets his number called again by Evans.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: AZ Central Sports FC Soccer Blog
Quote from Phoenix FC coach David Robertson regarding the 1-1 draw against the Hounds:
The problem is, obviously, we’re struggling to score goals. We put Donny as a forward there because Travis was out injured. Aaron King has been struggling with injuries as well. So in the forward area, we’re struggling a little bit. We need a Darren Mackie, who probably would have scored three or four tonight. But we don’t have it. We just need to plug in and plug on and just keep it going. Three games we haven’t lost so that’s a pleasing thing. We’re becoming a tough team to play. We created chances in the first half, we just didn’t take them. We need to be more aggressive in the forward areas and be more physical. We needed in the second half to create that. We put Tommy in there at the end to try and get balls in the box. He sparked a little bit of life but when you lose a goal so late one, it’s disappointing.
PROBABLE RIVERHOUNDS STARTING XI: Gilstrap, Marshall, Flunder, Seamon, Costanzo, Vincent, Kerr, Motagalvan, Dallman, Arteaga, Angulo
#UNLEASH
