Riverhounds Notebook: Pittsburgh set for chess match with Hartford Athletic

The first half of the Riverhounds’ 2020 season was tough with two matchups against Indy Eleven, Philadelphia Union and New York Red Bulls II and one against Louisville City FC.

The second half will be just as crucial with three matchups against Hartford Athletic and one apiece against Loudoun United FC, New York and Philadelphia.

The Riverhounds (5-3-1) have already defeated three of their four group opponents, but they have yet to play Hartford Athletic (5-1-1), and the two teams are tied for first in Group F.

The teams square off for the first time Friday at Dillon Stadium in Hartford for what will be the first crucial match in a three-game set over the next month. Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley met with the media via a Zoom call Tuesday to discuss the matchup Friday and a few other topics including the team’s efficient offense, its situation in net and the arrival of Albert Dikwa.

Chess match

All three matchups with Hartford in the next month are important for the Riverhounds. The games could determine who earns a home playoff game. Still, while playing the same opponent so often in a short period of time, how much of your game plan do you save with future matchups in mind?

Lilley recognized the chess match that could take place over the next month but also stressed the importance of the match that’s in front of them Friday.

“Will we show everything? No, we won’t,” Lilley said. “But this first game is a lot more important to us right now, based on where we are in the standings and where they are. We have to be aggressive, and we have to be assertive, and if we have to go to the well early to show certain cards, we will. But we’re not at a shortage for ideas as a staff either.”

Hartford Athletic and the Riverhounds are tied with 16 points at the top of Group F, but the black and gold have played two more games than Hartford.

As their matchups take place over the next few weeks, Lilley believes changes will be made on a game-by-game basis that could alter the atmosphere of the matchup.

“I think (for Friday), it’s find the best way to get through this game,” Lilley said. “But the next game there could be some changes in personnel, either for us or for them, that could change the dynamic a little bit. But sometimes you have money in the bank and you have to spend it. You can’t always save it for a rainy day.”

Scoring efficiently

Through nine games this season, the Riverhounds have the second-highest scoring offense in the USL Championship. They have the second-most goals (22) behind Phoenix Rising FC (28), and they have the highest conversion rate (31%) in the league, which is 7% better than Austin Bold FC and Birmingham Legion FC.

Pittsburgh has had 10 players score this season. Steevan Dos Santos leads the black and gold with five goals. After scoring against St. Louis on Saturday, Robbie Mertz is second on the team with four and both Anthony Velarde and Ropapa Mensah have three.

Lilley said the offensive success of the team this season has come from its ability to convert on close chances and never giving up on a ball in the box.

“The guys have done a great job of getting their shots on frame and following for rebounds,” Lilley said. “For the most part, we’ve been active in the box and I know the other day we showed that.”

Both of Pittsburgh’s goals Saturday came from a second effort in the box. On Mensah’s goal in the 16th minute, the forward crashed the net after St. Louis goalkeeper Kyle Morton made a stop on the line and tapped the ball into the back of the net.

Mertz also showed an extra effort on his goal in the 40th minute. After a ball was tapped away from Mensah at the top of the box, Mertz pounced on the loose ball and slipped it past Morton on the right side.

Despite the success the Riverhounds have had this season, Lilley believes his team could still improve with better passing and decisions in the attacking half.

“I would even like to create more chances,” Lilley said. “I still think if we make better passes and better choices in the right area, then we’re going to create even more chances. So, I actually think there is a lot of improvement that we can make in the attacking areas.”

On top of having the second-most goals in the USL Championship, the Hounds have also scored multiple goals in six of their games and have only been shut out twice this season, both in losses to Indy Eleven.

Between the posts

After this past week of three games in eight days, Lilley is starting to feel very comfortable with his situation between the posts.

Tomas Gomez has been receiving most of the starts this season and has conceded six goals, including three this week against St. Louis and Indy Eleven. But he’s also tallied 15 saves and has had recorded two clean sheets.

Danny Vitiello, who was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week this week, has also done well in net for the Riverhounds. He pitched his first clean sheet of the season this past week, recording three saves against Loudoun United including a key stop in a one-on-one situation against Alioune Ndour.

“I’ve been pretty happy with them both. For the most part, they’ve been solid,” Lilley said. “They are understanding what we want in terms of cutting out crosses and covering the back four. I think they are only going to get better with the group as we go forward.”

Dikwa arrives

The Riverhounds received some reinforcements this week when Garoua, Cameroon native Albert Dikwa finally arrived in Pittsburgh. The 22-year-old forward had been dealing with immigration issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

With forwards like Mensah and Dos Santos, who Lilley referred to as target players, the longtime coach believes Dikwa gives the Riverhounds a new element up front.

“Having another player that knows how to get in behind and unbalance defenses with their movement, it opens up spaces for others,” Lilley said. “I think he gives us flexibility in our attack, and I think even in terms of his ability to press defensively, he’s got a good engine and he’s active. He’s a busy player.”

Dikwa is now going through testing protocols and dependent on his results, he could see time next week off the bench. He comes to Pittsburgh from St. Louis FC, where he recorded 44 appearances and scored three goals and three assists in 2018.

He has a total of 66 games played, 40 starts, and has tallied seven goals and five assists in his USL Championship career.