The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have officially been knocked out of contention for the 2016 USL playoffs after their 0-0 draw with FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
The Riverhounds, who needed a win to keep their slim playoff chances alive, weren’t able to get any points on the board against FC Cincinnati. The team had plenty of opportunities, with shots from Michael Green, Kevin Kerr, Corey Hertzog, Lebo Moloto and Nick Thompson.
Cristian Martinez was the only player to have shots on goal, tallying two on two shot attempts. After the match, head coach Dave Brandt relayed that Martinez had a stellar game but that it hasn’t always been easy communicating with him.
“Cristian’s English is sparse, so I’ve taken to typing notes with Spanish translation,” Brandt said. “I give it to him before the game, and we sit down together. He is a talented young player. We are happy to have him on the squad right now, for sure. He’s got a lot of ability, and it is exciting to watch. He is fun to watch. He is young, and he has things to learn.”
As for not being able to tally a goal, Brandt seemed worried about his team not being able to “open up and press and go forward as quickly as I would like to.” However, Brandt noted that his defense did an even better job in keeping FC Cincinnati’s attacking players — Sean Okoli and Jimmy McLaughlin — from pressuring Pittsburgh’s goalkeeper Zack Steffen too much. In total, FC Cincinnati had 10 shots, with three being on goal.
“For sure, they are a quality opponent all the way around,” Brandt said. “One full of attackers without a doubt. It was not like the pressure was off in any respect. I thought our back four played very well. But, in the end, it was a back five, Ryan Adeleye had a bit of a tweak, and (Andrew) Marshall came in. Those five guys did a fantastic job.”
One matchup that was captivating all night was the pairing of Cincinnati’s Okoli and the Riverhounds’ Sergio Campbell. Campbell even rolled his ankle on a play against Okoli, however, he kept going, not fazed by the ankle or Okoli. However, Campbell didn’t think he performed well enough.
“It wasn’t my best game against them,” Campbell said post-game. “I was pretty sure we were going to be able to score. The guys around me were doing pretty well. I wasn’t worried about it that much. We are just focused on our team. We didn’t let it be a big factor for us.”
However, Brandt thought it was Campbell’s best match of the season.
“I think Sergio has steadily improved,” Brandt said. “For me, this was his best 90-minute performance. No lapses in concentration. No mistakes, and (he) absolutely made things happen.”
Now that the Riverhounds’ playoff hopes are dashed, the team is looking forward to end the season on a high note. The Riverhounds have two more matches — one at home, one away — before their season wraps up. Campbell and Brandt both noted that the team might try new things, but the goal is still to win the next two matches.
“I think the mindset has been the same,” Campbell said. “Coach always drills into us, during practice, that we need to go out there and show up everyday. Playoffs or not, there is something special there around us and in the future.”
Brandt said that the team has been “operating with the same mindset the whole time” and that being out of playoff contention won’t change the way the team plays the next two game.
“We are going to move ahead, the way we’ve moved ahead,” Brandt said. “Finish the season with integrity and in the best way possible. I’m a big picture guy, and we need to keep putting quality out on the field. Getting results in any way we possibly can.”
The Riverhounds will travel to face the Bethlehem Steel FC on Sunday, September 18 at 3 p.m. The last match of the season will be held at Highmark Stadium against FC Cincinnati. That match will begin at 7 p.m.
Image credit: Phil Didion/WCPO
