8PM – Ontario Soccer Centre
Match Officials have not been announced by the Canadian Soccer Association
Riverhounds Yellow Card Watch (5 cautions to a match ban)
Danny Earls – 5 (Suspension Served 7/4)
Anthony Arena – 4
Kevin Kerr – 4
Stephen Okai – 3
Matt Dallman – 1
Willie Hunt – 1
Lebo Moloto – 1
Amara Soumah – 1
Russell Drew – 1
Robbie Vincent – 1
Morning Line Odd via Bet365
TOR +120
Draw +250
PIT +180
For as much of a garage league the USL can be, they got one thing right over last season: the multi-game weekends. Gone are the days of the Friday/Sunday road trips. We point this out now because we’ve come to the first of only two midweek fixtures, and on a completely respectable Wednesday, to boot. I know we started to get accustomed to Wednesday matches, with three home Cup games falling on Hump Day, but the league has done a fantastic job of avoiding condensing the schedule. (Note: This is probably the most praise we’ve heaped on the league. We promise this won’t become habit.
Mark Steffens takes his men, fresh off an impressive Independence Day performance, up across the boarder for a pair of games in The Great White North, where an American team hasn’t performed well in about 72 hours. The Hounds will look to keep the good times rolling after what is probably their best overall performance is dismissing the Sugar Free Red Bulls over the weekend. The backline closed down on ball carriers who had space, and the midfield dictated tempo and rarely made incorrect decisions either with or without the ball. Keeping that level of smart play will be important as the Riverhounds must look at all six points over the next couple of days as being very attainable.
The Hounds get back their captain, Danny Earls, fresh off of his second match ban of the season, and defender Willie Hunt who also was forced to sit a game after the joke in Rochester. Combine that what may be the healthiest time the team has had all season, and the gaffer will have plenty of options spread out over this two game road. trip. The only absence is Ryan Thompson who is back away on international duty with the Jamaican National Team, who start their Gold Cup tonight, also at 8pm.
The big question may be what to do with Matt Dallman. Now healthy enough to play, he came off the bench over the weekend and was an immediate impact on the contest. His cross to Tyler Pasher, who also came off the bench, was a beautiful touch that led to the second goal of the game and gave the Hounds the proper breathing room to see out the victory. Is Dallman ready to start, or even play more minutes as a substitute. How Dallman is able to be used might be a huge piece of the puzzle in Canada, if not for the entire second half of the season.
TFCII has also lost a goalkeeper to Gold Cup action. Quillan Roberts is with the Canadian National Team, leaving Alex Bono (2-4 2.17 GAA .606 SV%) to man the sticks. He will have to be the backstop for a team that is averaging less than two goal allowed per game, but is scoring less than a goal a game. The team’s leading scorer, Mo Babouli, has found the back of the net twice, though one of those was at Highmark Stadium.
Watch Party
None. It’s a weekday. Grab a six pack of Cherokee Red and watch the action with your cat. She never sees you anymore and is concerned.
#UNLEASH
