8:30 PM – Toyota Park
Match Officials, as assigned by PRO:
REFEREE: Mr. Alex Chilowicz
AR1: Mr. Andrew Bigelow
AR2: Mr. Brandon Rinkenberger
4TH: Mr. Miguel Panduro Jr.
To say that the 2014 campaign of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds has, thus far, been a disappointment, would be an understatement. For a club that made the playoffs in 2013, held on to the league MVP, and acquired apparent upgrades with MLS and international experience, one league win is embarrassing, if not downright unacceptable. However, one thing that could, though not completely, change the tune of this season would be a road win against a first division side. That opportunity presents itself, tonight, in the form of the Chicago Fire, a team that is suffering their own league woes.
For Chicago, four time cup winners, head coach, Frank Yallop, has promised not to take the cup tie lightly and will not send out a weakened roster against the Hounds. If that enthusiasm will transfer to the players will have to be seen? Will having this game disrupting an otherwise lengthy World Cup break mean that the Fire lineup comes out disinterested and lazy, or will the team come out focused and prepared, having nothing else to work for over the past week, than to prepare for this match? That may, more than anything the Hounds do, be the intangible that decides how this match plays out.
For the Hounds, coming off a scoreless draw in Harrisburg, the big subplot will be the return of Collins John to Toyota Park, to face off his old team. John has been very active on social media in the past couple of days, with the excitement of being back in Chicago. However, it’s hard to tell if that enthusiasm has to do more with reuniting with old friends and places, or showing his former employer that he still has something to show out on the pitch. A focused and determined John, while wearing the armband, could bring the best out of the other 10 people playing with him. The first 15 minutes of the match, and Pittsburgh’s demeanor during that time, should be fascinating to watch.
There are a couple other subplots to tonight’s game. Niko Katic will return to where he was playing, as a PDL participant. If he needed any additional motivation (however doubtful) to do anything necessary to survive and advance to the sixth round, that should be it. Also, with the WC break, will we see an increase in the availability of Houston loanee players? Brian Ownby and Jason Johnson are now cup-tied to Houston, and are not an option. However, Michael Lisch and Anthony Arena are tied the Pittsburgh. Lisch is a strong probability to start in net. Will Arena find himself on the pitch for the Hounds, or at least as an option off the bench?
The Hounds find themselves with the opportunity, to a certain degree, turn this season around, extract revenge, now 13 years in the making, and claim their second ever victory oven an MLS side. Nothing too difficult, right?
#UNLEASH
