Pittsburgh Riverhounds MatchDay: Ready To Renew Keystone Derby With Harrisburg

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds look to build upon their 3-2 victory over RWB Adria in the third-round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as they host the Harrisburg City Islanders on Sunday night at Highmark Stadium.

It will be the first of three matches between the Pennsylvania clubs within the first 15 days of June, and it’s set to kick off at 6 p.m. For those of the Steel Army who can not make it to the South Side, it will be streamed live on the USL Pro’s YouTube channel.

Between the two rivals, this series is known as the Keystone Derby, and after tonight’s contest, the Hounds (0-6-3, 3 points) will host the Islanders (2-5-1, 7 points) again along the banks of the Monongahela River on June 11 before heading over to the Skyline Sports Complex for a match in the state capital on June 14.

Last season, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg played a home-and-home series, with the Islanders taking the contest at Highmark Stadium 2-1 in April while the Hounds took the rematch 4-3 on the road in June.

Harrisburg is coming off a 3-2 loss on Saturday night at home against the second-place Richmond Kickers. The City Islanders have scored 10 goals in eight games while giving up 17 this season. They are in 13th place in the standings with just four points separating them and the last place Hounds.

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Interim head coach Niko Katic’s squad will need to contain Islanders forward Morgan Langley, who has four goals and two assists in eight games while forward Clesio Bauque has contributed two goals this season. Another player to possibly keep an eye on is defender Richie Marquez, who is on loan to Harrisburg from MLS affiliate, the Philadelphia Union.

Could this be the moment that Harrisburg head coach Bill Becher gives goalkeeper Nicholas Noble, who has 29 saves in eight games, a break on Sunday and grant Brian Sylvestre his first USL Pro start of the season against Pittsburgh? The 21-year old has backstopped both of the Islanders’ U.S. Open Cup victories.

The Riverhounds have generated eight goals in nine games this season. Five of those goals have come from forwards Collins John with three in five games, and Jose Angulo with two in seven games. Angulo also leads the team in shots with 15.

Pittsburgh continues to be without forward Jason Johnson and defender Anthony Arena as both were recalled to the Houston Dynamo. The MLS squad is dealing with injuries and players departing with World Cup commitments.

Johnson came off the bench for Houston in last week’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes. Midfielder Brian Ownby remains with the Riverhounds as he is still suspended after his red card in the Dynamo’s match against D.C. United back on May 21.

The Hounds will head out next Saturday for a 7 p.m. rematch at Sahlen’s Stadium with the Rochester Rhinos (3-2-5, 14 points). The two squads met at Highmark Stadium on May 17, with the Rhinos claiming a 1-0 victory.