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Championship Playoffs Preview: Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 10/06/20, 5:30PM EDT

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Postseason rematch brings together two season-long contenders in opening weekend

Louisville City FC
Louisville City FC
E1
10/10 | 7:30 PM
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
F2
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will meet for the second consecutive USL Championship Playoffs on Saturday night as LouCity hosts the Hounds at Lynn Family Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

The three-time defending Eastern Conference title-holder, @LouCityFC had to rally for victory last postseason at Highmark Stadium in the Eastern Conference Semifinals as a goal by Paolo DelPiccolo in the 118th minute gave the visitors a 2-1 win. This season, LouCity resumed the season slowly in July but found top gear in the month of September to end the regular season with six consecutive victories. That matches the club’s pre-postseason form in 2018 when it claimed its second USL Championship Final victory.

@RiverhoundsSC, though, was one of the sides that caused LouCity’s stumble back out of the blocks three months ago as it took a 3-1 victory as the first visiting side to Lynn Family Stadium on July 12. The Hounds have to travel to Louisville to open their third consecutive postseason trip, however, after a defeat in the penultimate weekend of the regular season opened the door for Hartford Athletic to finish on top of Group F and leave Pittsburgh in second place. With a solid defense and balanced attack, Pittsburgh will be hoping to emulate its performance earlier this season in what stands as maybe the marquee game of the opening weekend this postseason.

Watch the action this Saturday on ESPN+!
Visit Playoffs Central for all things USL Championship Playoffs!

Opta Says

421 – Louisville City FC registered 421 touches in the opposition penalty area during the regular season, the most of any team in the Eastern Conference.

10 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC conceded only 10 goals in the regular season, the fewest in the Championship, as goalkeepers Tomas Gomez and Danny Vitiello combined for eight shutouts.

FiveThirtyEight.com Match Predictor: Louisville City FC 57%, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 43%

Projected Lineups

Louisville City FC – GK: Ben Lundt; D: Pat McMahon, Sean Totsch, Alexis Souahy, Oscar Jimenez; DM: Speedy Williams; M: Antoine Hoppenot, Paolo DelPiccolo, Corben Bone, Brian Ownby; F: Cameron Lancaster

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – GK: Danny Vitiello; D: Skylar Thomas, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Patrick Bunk-Andersen; M; Ryan James, Robbie Mertz, Kenardo Forbes, Daniel Griffin, Jordan Dover; F: Steevan Dos Santos, Ropapa Mensah

Discipline

Louisville City FC – None

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – None

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