Orlando City B (5-6-5, 20 points) will play the second match of its three-game homestand on Saturday, July 8, when it hosts the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5-7-4, 19 points). Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium.
The match will be streamed at www.OrlandoCitySC.com/LIVE.
“Pittsburgh are a very hard-working team, very blue collar, organized and structured,” OCB head coach Anthony Pulis said. “They’ve got threats up front in [Corey] Hertzog, [Chevaugh] Walsh and [Romeo] Parkes so we know they’re going to be well organized defensively and they’ll be dangerous on counter attacks. It’s something we’ve been looking at this week and hopefully we can put in a good performance at the weekend.”
OCB is coming off a 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati last Saturday. Jordan Schweitzer scored his first goal as a Lion in the second minute as Austin Martz picked up his second assist of the season. Cincinnati equalized in the 16th minute.
Earl Edwards, Jr., who wore the captain’s armband for OCB’s last two games, is third in the United Soccer League (USL) with 48 saves and has four clean sheets this season. 2016 MLS SuperDraft first-round picks Richie Laryea and Hadji Barry are tied with rookie Albert Dikwa for the team lead with three goals. Pierre Da Silva is tied for second in the league with six assists but will be unavailable for selection as he serves the first of a three-game suspension earned following his red card in the 87th minute against Cincinnati.
Pittsburgh dropped its last match, 3-1, to the Charlotte Independence on Independence Day. Walsh scored the consolation goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to stave off the clean sheet. Hertzog picked up the assist.
Hertzog, who played for Orlando City in the USL Pro in 2014, leads Pittsburgh with six goals and Walsh’s two goals are tied with three others for second on the team.
This is the second meeting of the season between these two clubs. On June 3, OCB picked up a 2-1 win in Highmark Stadium. Hertzog earned Pittsburgh an early lead but Hadji Barry leveled the score before assisting on Zach Ellis-Hayden’s first professional goal for the game-winner. Edwards Jr. made eight saves, then a season-high, as OCB won its third consecutive road match.
OCB closes the homestand on Thursday, July 13, when it hosts I-4 Derby rival Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets to all OCB home matches can be purchased at OrlandoCitySC.com/OCB/tickets or by calling 855-ORL-CITY.
