Depleted Hounds Receive Crew Top SuperDraft Pick Abubakar on Loan

Only two weeks into the season the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have made a move to strengthen its depleted defensive corps.
 
 
The Hounds have received the fifth overall pick in this Winter’s MLS SuperDraft — defender Lalas Abubakar on loan from Columbus Crew SC.
 
Abubakar will be with the club on a match-by-match basis.
The latest roster transaction for the Hounds comes on the heels of losing defender Gale Agbossoumonde for this Saturday’s match at the Charleston Battery due to two cautions and a subsequent red card against FC Cincinnati.
 
Ryan Adeleye also continues to struggle with a lower-body injury and will be out of the line-up on Saturday as well.
 
Abubakar provides depth to central defense that is still a work in progress, giving Hounds Head Coach Dave Brandt another option.
 
At this point, the only other players on the team’s depth chart at center back include Jamal Jack, who has started and played every minute of both games, and Tobi Adewole and Nick Thompson.
 
Prior to being drafted by Crew SC, Abubakar, 22, played at the University of Dayton from 2014-16.
 
During his time with the Flyers, Abubakar excelled, making 61 appearances, earning Atlantic 10 Conference Defender of the Year honors during his senior year and twice making First Team A-10 All-Conference.
He also played in the USL’s Premier Development League (PDL) with the Michigan Bucks, most notably helping the club to the PDL League Championship, as well as earning USL PDL Defender of the Year honors in 2016.
A native of Kumasi, Ghana, Abubakar has international experience playing for the Ghana Under-20 National Team.
 
 
Pittsburgh Soccer Report will look ahead at Saturday’s first road match of the year with a new edition of BREAKING DOWN THE HOUNDS on Friday evening.