The first 500 fans will receive bam-bams, courtesy of UR Medicine Sports Medicine.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Rhinos and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds face each other in a USL Eastern Conference battle that could see the Rhinos shoot up as high as 4th in the standings with a victory. Kickoff is set for 6:05 pm Saturday at Capelli Sport Stadium.
If you cannot make it to the stadium, you can catch the Rhinos live on ROC Sports Network, WBGT Channel 18, and digital 46.1. You can also watch the match live on the USL’s YouTube Channel.
Rochester is exactly halfway through the season with a 6-3-7 record. The Rhinos have taken 5 points from the last three matches (1-0-2) and are currently in 7th place in the Eastern Conference with 25 points.
The Riverhounds are currently out of the playoffs in 12th place (5-7-6) but can get back into the top 8 with a victory. When the match kicks off Saturday, it will be exactly a month since Pittsburgh won a match; a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. This is their only victory since May 13.
This is also an Old Guard Shield match, an inaugural supporter-run tournament consisting of the five teams in the USL that are over 10 years old. Rochester currently is in fifth in a very tight tournament, and can take sole possession of first with a win.
This is the first of three matchups this season between the two sides, with this being the only match in Rochester. The Rhinos defeated the Riverhounds, 5-1, in a 110-minute preseason match in March, with five different Rhinos on the scoresheet that day.
Rochester swept the Riverhounds last season, winning all three contests in 2016. The Rhinos opened that season with a 1-0 win in Pittsburgh, before coming back to Rochester to win 2-1 in June and 3-0 in August.
2013 Rochester Rhinos’ MVP Danny Earls plays for Pittsburgh. He has four starts for the Riverhounds this season.
Rhinos goalkeeper and 2016 USL Golden Glove winner Tomas Gomez co-leads the USL with 7 shutouts in just 14 appearances. He has an impressive 0.64 GAA this season and is one of the best performers in the league.
Jochen Graf and Wal Fall are tied for the team-lead with 4 goals.
The Riverhounds main goalkeeper, Trey Mitchell, has started 12 of Pittsburgh’s 18 matches, picking up 4 shutouts and posting a 1.00 GAA. Corey Hertzog has been a presence this year with 6 goals for the ‘Hounds.
Rhinos defender Sergio Campbell will miss Saturday’s match, as he is currently with the Jamaican National Team participating in the Gold Cup. They face Canada in the Quarterfinals Friday night at 7:30 pm on Fox Sports 1.
The first 500 fans will receive bam-bams courtesy of UR Medicine Sports Medicine.
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