Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Preview: Riverhounds SC vs San Antonio FC, 8:30 p.m.

by
Pittsburgh Soccer Now
September 4, 2021

USL Championship

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (13-6-4, 43 points)

vs

San Antonio (8-5-6, 29 points)

Saturday, Sept. 4 | 8:30 p.m. | Toyota Field, San Antonio, Texas

Streaming: ESPN+ | Live Statistics: USL Championship Match Center

Live Updates:

**We will have a special PSN Twitter account takeover with our own Matt Popchock to provide his commentary and updates**

Also follow along with #SAvPIT

PREVIEW

The Hounds are coming off a hard-fought, 1-0 win at home over New York on Wednesday, while San Antonio (8-5-6) also played at home the same night, hanging on despite a late own goal for a 3-2 win over Real Monarchs SLC.

It is the first trip to Texas for the Hounds in 20 years, and the team’s only previous trips to the Lone Star State came a week apart in 2001.

The Hounds lost 2-0 to the El Paso Patriots on July 4 in an A-League match, but they made the same trip July 11 and scored a 2-1 win in El Paso to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The Hounds’ only other games against Texan opposition were at Highmark Stadium — a 2014 win over the FC Dallas Reserves and this year’s loss to the Austin Bold.

An additional aside… pro sporting contests between Pittsburgh and San Antonio are rare too.

Thinking ahead to Saturday's @SanAntonioFC v @RiverhoundsSC match in the Alamo City, has there ever been a pro sporting contest in any sport between Pittsburgh and San Antonio?
ABA?
USFL?
Arena sports? #SAvPIT

— John Krysinsky (@JohnKrysinsky) September 2, 2021

The Hounds continue to get healthier with the return of Jordan Dover as a substitute on Wednesday, and with no more two-match weeks after Saturday’s game, the Hounds should get more rest on the run-in toward the playoffs.

Two Hounds players — striker Russell Cicerone and midfielder Alex Dixon — were named among the five finalists for USL Championship Player of the Month for August. Fan voting for that award runs through the weekend and can be found at USLChampionship.com.

San Antonio, meanwhile, has trended upward since mid-July, going 6-2-0 over their past eight matches. That upturn in form coincides with some excellent play by Brazilian striker Nathan, who leads the team with seven goals and has been selected for the USL Championship Team of the Week three times in the past seven weeks.