May 23, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
Back-to-back draws have the Hounds searching for three points to keep pace in the Eastern Conference, but they will have to do it on the road as they wrap up May with a visit to Memphis 901 FC at AutoZone Park on Saturday night.
The Hounds have history on their side with a 3-0-0 record in Memphis, including a goal difference of 7-1 in Pittsburgh’s favor, but they are also coming up against a Memphis team that has found its form. The home team has taken 10 points of a possible 12 from their last four matches, a stark turnaround from the five-match losing streak that preceded it.
Marlon has been at the center of the Memphis turnaround. The Brazilian forward – formerly of Tulsa and Birmingham – leads their attack with four goals and five assists, including a goal and an assist in their last win at El Paso, 2-1. Memphis is also a team that likes to pepper the opposing goal, as their 144 shot attempts (including blocked shots) is fifth in the Championship, and they have averaged 19 shots attempted over their last three matches.
Hounds fans will fondly remember the teams’ last meeting, in which they rallied from an early two-goal hole to win 4-2 in Pittsburgh on July 29, 2023. That match had the highlight of Joe Farrell scoring the club’s 1,000th goal, but of the four Hounds goal scorers in that match, only Dani Rovira will be a part of Saturday’s contest.
A goal from an uncommon source like Rovira would be a welcome sight to the Hounds. The team has 10 goals from its first 10 Championship matches, but six have been supplied by co-leaders Kazaiah Sterling and Edward Kizza, while another two have been from the right boot of Danny Griffin at the penalty spot. Chances have not been lacking for the side – the Hounds’ expected goals (xG) number ranks squarely at the league median of 1.40 per game – but their 12 percent conversion rate on shots ranks them in the bottom five of the league thus far.
This is the only meeting of 2024 between the teams, who currently rank seventh in their respective conferences. Memphis was one of the teams moved to the Western Conference this season, a result of the league adding North Carolina and Rhode Island while losing San Diego and Rio Grande Valley.
Saturday’s match will be an 8:30 start in Pittsburgh – 7:30 local time in Memphis – and it will be shown live on SportsNet Pittsburgh after their coverage of the Pittsburgh Pirates vs….