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Gameday Report: July 8, Week 17

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 07/08/18, 3:00PM EDT

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Pittsburgh run continues with win against Ottawa; Ten-man Reno downs Seattle; Fresno too good for T2


Photo courtesy Steve Kingsman / Ottawa Fury FC

THREE THINGS THAT MATTERED

1. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has been the strongest defense all season and that continued today with a fifth straight clean sheet, bringing the league-leading total for the season to 12. With half the season remaining, the Hounds are just five clean sheets away from the Rochester Rhinos record of 17 from 2015.

2. Despite being reduced to ten men Reno 1868 FC extended its club-record undefeated streak to 15 matches. That run has lifted Reno up to third in the USL Western Conference and a win today over Portland Timbers 2 closed the gap to the second place Phoenix Rising FC to a solitary point.

3. When Fresno FC scores first it never looks back and that continued to be the case today when the Foxes opened the scoring against Portland Timbers 2. It was the 10th time the Foxes scored the opener, which has been a good omen for the side, now 6-0-4 when scoring first

GAME REPORTS

PORTLAND TIMBERS 2 (2) VS. FRESNO FC (4)

A brace to Juan Pablo Caffa pushed Fresno FC to a 4-2 win against Portland Timbers 2 at Merlo Field.

Fresno FC opened the scoring in the 22nd minute as a perfect first touch from Christian Chaney to gather Caffa’s pinpoint cross, the touch allowed him to gain the space and then pick his spot, placing it perfectly out of the reach of Kendall McIntosh. Just two minutes later the Foxes doubled their lead when Caffa was able to score from the spot.

Portland pulled back into the match when a handball from Zach Ellis-Hayden allowed Foster Langsdorf to step up and score a penalty of his own. Fresno started the second half well and six minutes in Rony Argueta made it three when he was left open in the middle of the box, allowing him to put away Danny Barrera’s cut back.

Fresno all but sealed the match in the 66th minute when Caffa hit a perfect free kick chipping it over the wall and dipping it under the bar to wrap up his brace. T2 made it interesting with 11 minutes remaining in the match when Marvin Loria’s free kick took a deflection which left CJ Cochran stranded, cutting the deficit to two, but that would be as close as Portland could get.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:
Juan Pablo Caffa, Fresno FC –
The captain led by example, scoring two goals while providing an assist on the opener, Caffa also managed a passing accuracy of 92.5 percent on his 53 passes in the game.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 2 (1) VS. RENO 1868 FC (2)

A ten-man Reno 1868 FC managed to come from behind to overcome Seattle Sounders FC 2 getting a 2-1 win at Cheney Stadium to continue its undefeated streak.

Seattle’s David Estrada closed in on the USL Golden Boot race when he scored his eighth goal of the season to open the scoring with a perfectly placed strike in the 18th minute. Reno’s chances of getting back into the match took a hit in the 43rd minute when Lindo Mfeka was shown his second yellow card, putting the team’s undefeated streak in jeopardy.

But the visitors managed to respond in the 59th minute with Seth Casiple putting his side back on level terms thanks to a penalty kick. The comeback was complete in the 70th minute when Brian Brown was given too much space, allowing to run on to Duke Lacroix’s cross and easily send it past Calle Brown.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:
Seth Casiple, Reno 1868 FC –
Scoring the penalty to get his side back into the match was just part of a strong performance from Casiple who also contributed defensively securing four interceptions.

OTTAWA FURY FC (0) VS. PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC (1)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC continued its perfect record in Canada this season with a 1-0 win over Ottawa Fury FC at TD Place. The goal came in the 22nd minute after Ottawa failed to clear a corner. That allowed Todd Pratzner to get on the rebound first, heading the ball back to Hugh Roberts who made no mistake with the shot.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:
Hugh Roberts, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC - 
Scorer of the only goal of the match Roberts was active at both ends of the pitch, winning six of his seven aerial duels, making two interceptions and four clearances at the back.

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