It’s not quite the full 2017 schedule release, but we at least now know the Pittsburgh Riverhounds first opponent of the season will be defending USL Cup Champions NY Red Bulls II on the league’s kickoff weekend, on Saturday, March 25.
The Red Bulls have defeated the Hounds in four of the team’s five meetings the past two years, including 2015 playoff game at Red Bull Arena, and sweeping Pittsburgh in 2016.
The first meeting last year was marred by an incident when former Hounds forward Romeo Parkes and former Red Bulls II Karl Ouimette were sent off after a scuffle, then Parkes blatently kicked Ouimette in the back.
For the Hounds, it will be the third time in four years that they will be playing the defending USL league champs in the home opener (Orlando – 2014 and Rochester 2016).
The full 2017 USL regular season schedule will be announced in the coming days as the league begins the countdown to the seventh season in its history.
Home opener kickoff times also will be announced at a later date.
Saturday, March 25
Charleston Battery vs. FC Cincinnati
LA Galaxy II vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
Louisville City FC vs. Saint Louis FC
Phoenix Rising FC vs. Toronto FC II
Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. New York Red Bulls II
Portland Timbers 2 vs. Real Monarchs SLC
Reno 1868 FC vs. Orange County SC
Richmond Kickers vs. Harrisburg City Islanders
Swope Park Rangers vs. OKC Energy FC
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Orlando City B
Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Sunday, March 26
Rio Grande Valley FC vs. San Antonio FC
Seattle Sounders FC 2 vs. Sacramento Republic FC
Thursday, March 30
Orlando City B vs. Louisville City FC
Saturday, April 1
Bethlehem Steel FC vs. Rochester Rhinos
Charlotte Independence vs. Charleston Battery
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. OKC Energy FC
New York Red Bulls II vs. Richmond Kickers
Real Monarchs SLC vs. Phoenix Rising FC
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Orange County SC
Saint Louis FC vs. Ottawa Fury FC
San Antonio FC vs. LA Galaxy II
Friday, April 7
Toronto FC II vs. Rochester Rhinos
Saturday, April 8
OKC Energy FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
Saturday, April 15
FC Cincinnati vs. Saint Louis FC
Harrisburg City Islanders vs. Bethlehem Steel FC
Saturday, April 22
Ottawa Fury FC vs. Toronto FC II
Rochester Rhinos vs. New York Red Bulls II