The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are in quite a transition period.
The team just lost forward Romeo Parkes, after the team decided to release him after his kicking incident during last Saturday’s match against the New York Red Bulls II. Now the team has to shift around players.
While the team is shifting around players on the attacking side, another position that needs addressed is the goalkeeper position.
Hunter Gilstrap is the team’s starting goalkeeper. Gilstrap has played the full 90 minutes in all of the Riverhounds six matches. Gilstrap has made 22 saves, but his save percentage is only at 66.7 percent.
That begs the question: should the Riverhounds sit down Gilstrap and put second-string goalkeeper Mauricio Vargas in?
Vargas, the 23-year-old goalkeeper from Costa Rica, got a bit of match time during the team’s preseason, but hasn’t played in a regular-season contest. The Costa Rican injured his finger by dislocating it last week, but has been participating in practices this week.
Head coach Mark Steffens said the switch of goalkeepers really depends on goalkeepers coach Jeroen Walstra.
“It’s a totally different part of the game,” Steffens said, after the team’s 3-1 loss against the Red Bulls II. “We’ll look closely on it. Mauricio didn’t dress tonight [against the Red Bulls II] with his dislocated finger, but he should be good to practice. As for Brenden, he’s young so I don’t know if he’s quite ready yet. We’ll assess that position.”
For Vargas himself, he said he’s learned plenty from Gilstrap, as he as more experience, but that he is working hard to be in goal this season.
“Hunter has made me grow as a goalkeeper,” Vargas said. “I think we’re all working hard, though. There’s only one goalkeeper, and we’re all working hard to be that one goalkeeper in the game. I’m ready for whatever the head coach wants me to do. My confidence is pretty high, and I’m ready all the time for what decision the coach takes and for what’s best for the team. I work hard every single day. Whatever decision the coach thinks is best for team, we have to respect that decision.”
However, even with the constant competition, Vargas said he has a good relationship with his fellow goalkeepers.
“We’re all really different, but we all work really hard on the pitch,” Vargas said. “Hunter has his experience, Brenden is really quick, and I try more to be in the right position. I think from a team aspect, we all learn different things from each other.”
Vargas could possibly get his chance in goal, as the Riverhounds take on FC Cincinnati this Saturday, May 14. The match is slated to begin at 4 p.m. and will be held in Cincinnati. The Riverhounds will return to Highmark Stadium on Saturday, May 21 to face T,oronto FC II, whom they drew 2-2 with on April 17.
