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Pittsburgh Riverhounds

FINAL: Hounds 0, Penn FC 0

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 0, Penn FC 0

USL Match Center

John Krysinsky’s game notes

2nd half

Second half starts –and both teams with possessions deep into attacking third. Bakie Goodman plays a ball inside the goal box for Francois but it just misses. (47′)

Dan Metznar with an early second half yellow card. Hounds free kick from inside midfield is played too short. (48′)

Penn FC continue to be the much sharper of the two sides right now.

Last sequence Hounds keeper Lynd coming out to deny shot near 18 (again), but deflection bounced toward box, but defenders denied shot chance. (54′)

Penn FC with decent chance — long ball to Aaron Dennis in stride and onside, but Hounds defenders close him out and steal ball away. Hounds quickly counter. Kerr takes it in from left side. Kerr’s ball to Romeo Parkes inside the six can’t quite connect. (58′)

Hounds first sub. Kenardo Forbes in. Bakie Goodman out. (62′)

Ironically that is the same time that Gareth Bale came in today for Real Madrid.

Parkes again with chance at near post at end of chaotic sequence. Kerr’s ball in from the left first sees François’ shot blocked then Peiser makes a diving save on Parkes.

Parkes kicked Peiser. The Penn FC keeper was down for a minute, but got back up. (65′)

Neco Brett coming in — but for Ben Zemanski (72′)

Hounds opting to go with both Brett and Parkes at the top of the attack.

Penn FC sub — Jorge Rivera in for Miguel Jaime (77′)

Richard Menjivar shot to right side tipped by diving Dan Lynd – then bounces off post.
Close call for Hounds.

Joe Holland checks in as Hounds final sub for Connor Maloney. (86′)

Hounds attack lackluster and having issues with unlocking Penn FC in tight shape — knocked it a round a bit then sent long ball for Brett, but goes out. (86′)

Into stoppage time, the Hounds knock it around the box nicely — and suddenly Romeo Parkes has all kinds of time to shoot and completely misses his shot to the right of goal. (92′)

In dying moments, potential goal called off — wow!!

Another nice build up — this time Holland and Brett hook up — Brett puts it in — but flag is up. (93′)

Offside.

Brett took shirt off to celebrate and was issued yellow card.

1st half

Romeo Parkes gets behind his man, sends a shot at keeper Peiser, setting up corner (3′)

Connor Maloney with a shot from distance that forced Peiser to punch away. Sets up a corner. Kevin Kerr’s service connects with Hugh Roberts, but header misses to right of goal. (7′)

On contrary to what line-up card looked like Thomas Vancaeyezeele is playing in holding mid position along side Ben Zemanski. Hounds going with 4-man back line. Kerr sitting in center of the three attacking mids with Parkes up high. (8′)

Collision on right side of Penn FC attack — and Andy Lubahn called for foul. Free kick coming for Penn FC. Freddie Opoku’s ball in is cleared by Hounds. Corner kick comes in dangerously, but a couple of clearance attempts –and Penn FC is called for a foul. (14′)

Romeo Parkes is booked for yellow card after knocking down Marco Franco pretty hard (20′)

Parkes with a number of touches on fringe of attacking third — then giving away ball with some bad decisions. But then gets loose on right side — shot deflected — bounces in front of Kerr. But Hounds capt’s shot goes over bar. (24′)

Been pretty quiet past 10 minutes or so. Kerr is knocked down just past midfield. Sets up free kick from 40 yards out, but ball headed to far post area goes out. (34′)

Penn FC cut a nice ball through to Dennis, but Lynd comes way off his line to deny a chance near the 18. (36′)

Hounds get forward quickly with couple sharp, low passes, from Roberts to Parkes to Kerr alone on edge of box — but number 10 was off side.  (38′)

Franco with a hard challenge on Lubahn on a diagonal ball played in air to right side — and official with some words for Penn FC right back (43′)

Parkes serves up a ball to the middle of box, and two smallest Hounds, Goodman and Kerr can’t get to it, but it’s cleared over end line by Penn FC for corner. Hounds knock it around after corner. Maloney ball in to Vancaeyezeele connects. Header goes wide. (45+)

 

 

 

STARTING LINE-UPS

Riverhounds SC (4-4-1-1) 

GK – Dan Lynd

D – Todd Pratzner, Hugh Roberts, Connor Maloney, Andy Lubahn, Thomas Vancaeyezeele

MF – Ben Zemanski, Bakie Goodman (Kenardo Forbes 62′), Christiano François

F – Romeo Parkes, Kevin Kerr

Available subs:

Mike Kirk (G), Tobi Adewole, Jordan Dover, Ray Lee, Joe Holland, Neco Brett

 

Penn FC (4-2-3-1) 

GK – Romuald Peiser

D – Marco Franco, Tiago Calvano, Kyle Venter, Harri Hawkins

MF – Miguel Jamie, Dan Metzger, Richard Menjivar, Freddie Opolsu,

F – Dennis Aaron, Tommy Heinemann

Available subs: 

Sean Lewis (G), Hamna Shaibu, Prince Baffoe, Jerry Ortiz, Pedro Galvao, Soalih Muhammad, Jorge Rivera

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (4-0-5, 17 points) vs. Penn FC (2-3-4, 10 points)

Saturday, May 26 – 7 p.m.
Highmark Stadium

WATCH: ESPN+

Stats: USL Match Center

FOLLOW
Twitter: @pghsoccerscribe – #PGHvPEN | #UNLEASH

 

KEY STORYLINES 

• Even though they remain unbeaten in league play, Riverhounds SC will be a determined bunch on Saturday coming off its first loss of the season, a 3-1 defeat to FC Cincinnati on Wednesday in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Highmark Stadium.

In fact, the Hounds have not won a league match since a 1-0 decision over Atlanta United 2 on April 28.

• This will be the second of three meetings in the Keystone Derby Cup series between Pittsburgh and Penn FC this season. The teams battled to a nil-nil draw in late March. The early season tie ensured that for the fourth straight season, the Keystone Derby will be decided in the final match, coming on Sept. 26 in Harrisburg. In each of the past four seasons, the Cup deciding match has taken place in Harrisburg. The Hounds won the Cup in 2015 and again in 2017.

• For both sides, it all starts with defending the goal. The Hounds lead USL in shutouts (six) and goals allowed (five), while Penn FC is not far behind with four clean sheets and seven goals allowed. Pittsburgh currently has shut out Penn FC in four straight matches dating back to April 29, 2017.

• In the midst of a very challenging stretch, the Hounds have picked up Connor Maloney on loan from Columbus Crew to provide depth — particularly with the wing/flank positions that require a lot of running.

• The match is being promoted as a ‘Blackout’ — as all fans are encouraged to wear black, while the Hounds will wear its all black kits for the first time. With a win on Saturday, the club’s all-time record at Highmark Stadium will go over .500 (28-28-22).

Rob Vincent celebrates the equalizer in stoppage time in the “Miracle on the Mon” – May 2015

RELATED: MIRACLE ON THE MON – HOUNDS COMPLETE COMEBACK FOR THE AGES

It is almost three years to the day from the Hounds’ most legendary win in this series — a 6-5 come-from-behind  ‘Miracle on the Mon’ on May 30, 2015. After trailing by scores of 3-0, 4-2 and then 5-3 in the 88th minute, the Hounds pulled off a miracle win with three goals in the final five minutes of the match.

 

TEAM RECORDS / FORM 
Penn FC road record: 1-2-2
STREAK: W1 / lost in U.S. Open Cup 3rd Round

Pittsburgh home record: 3-0-2
STREAK: T2 / lost in U.S. Open Cup 3rd Round on Wednesday to FC Cincinnati

MORE ON PENN FC 

Riverhounds Rabbi delivered his second scouting report of the year on Penn FC, who are looking a bit improved then they were when the teams played in the second match of the season.

Fabio De Souza in midweek US Open Cup action for Penn FC. Credit: Penn FC via twitter

RIVERHOUNDS RABBI SCOUTING REPORT: Keystone Derby test of depth for both teams

Justin from MonGoals was joined by Chris Bratton, who covers Penn FC for the Brotherly Game, and together they break down what to expect from this derby match up between the two in-state rivals.

PREVIEW POD: Hounds vs Penn FC 

Penn FC’s two veteran go-to guys in the attack, Lucky Mkosana and Tommy Heinemann, have each notched three career tallies against Pittsburgh. It’s been quite some time since both have done so — as Mkosana’s last goal came in 2013 and Heinemann’s in 2010.

HOUNDS INJURY REPORT
Kay Banjo – Doubtful (Hamstring)
Mouhamed Dabo – Out (Lower-body)
Ben Fitzpatrick – Out (Lower-body)
Joe Greenspan – Out (Calf)
Kyle Morton – Out (Lower-body)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: PGHvPEN / KEYSTONE DERBY

“We don’t like the taste of losing, so we’re going to go and try to get three points on Saturday.” Hounds coach Bob Lilley, after the team’s 3-1 loss to FC Cincinnati on Wednesday.

“When these guys heads go down, you have to be a positive influence on the field and bring some energy,” Dennis Chin, former USL Golden Boot winner who saw his first action with the Hounds on Wednesday, said. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. We have to build on that going forward.”

KEYSTONE DERBY SERIES IN REVIEW (2015-present)

RECENT HEAD-TO-HEAD
March 31, 2018, at Highmark Stadium
Pittsburgh 0, Penn FC 0

PSN Coverage – Lilley disappointed with another scoreless draw in home opener 

Keystone Derby Cup Series (Game-by-game)

2015

March 28 – Hounds, 5-3, at Highmark Stadium (Kerr and Vincent score all five goals in season opener)

May 30 – Hounds 6-5, at Highmark Stadium  (Miracle on the Mon – Hounds score three goals in stoppage time)

July 26 – City Islanders 4-3, at Skyline Sports Complex, City Island (Harrisburg completes come-from-behind effort after playing down a man)

September 19 – Hounds 2-1, at Skyline Sports Complex, City Island (Hounds clinch first-ever Keystone Derby Cup, and USL playoff berth in season finale)

2016

July 4 – 0-0, at Highmark Stadium (No fireworks on this 4th of July)

July 17 – City Islanders, 2-1, at Highmark Stadium (Kerr with the only tally for the Hounds)

August 27 – 1-1, at FNB Field, Harrisburg (City Islanders capture Keystone Derby Cup)

2017 

April 29 – Hounds, 1-0, at Highmark Stadium (Kerr and Corey Hertzog connect on game’s lone goal in 76th minute)

May 24 – 0-0, at FNB Field, Harrisburg (scoreless draw sets up deciding match in August)

August 12 – Hounds, 3-0, at FNB Field (Pittsburgh cruises to victory in recapturing the Cup on City Island)

 

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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