Opponent: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Match Date: August 17
Location: Highmark Stadium
Kickoff: 5pm MT
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 4:30pm MT.
Chambo’s Comments: “It was just a really off night all around [in a 4-1 loss at North Carolina FC]. It wasn’t our best foot forward and [North Carolina] were pretty clinical with the chances they got. That being said, we could have easily got[ten] out of there with a draw. We chased the game – which is part of who we are and what we want to do, and [we] got hit the other way [and] that’s part of life. We know that we’re better than that, and we’ll definitely make sure we put our best foot forward this weekend. We’re not too demoralized with the result last weekend. We know that it wasn’t our best foot that we put forward, [and now we need to] make sure we erase that and focus on this weekend.
“[Pittsburgh Head Coach Bob Lilley is a] top, top coach! [I have] all the respect in the world for him [and] what he’s done with the organization. I think they’ve just kind of got back to who and what they are. [They had a slow start to the season which is] similar to ourselves. And obviously Bob is more experienced than all of us coaches in this league put together – he’s just stayed true to it, and [has] turned it into their favor now. They’ve been great over the last couple of weeks [and gotten] some good results at home, and we know what we’re getting into when we go to Highmark [Stadium]. It’s a really difficult place to go, but we’re excited to just get back to having another game and to put the last one behind us.”
On New Signing Justin Dhillon: “Well, he’s good at soccer, so that helps,” joked Head Coach Chambers when asked about the Switchbacks’ most recent addition. “He’s a terrific person and a really good professional [and an] excellent teammate. All the boxes from a recruitment standpoint were ticked, and he offers us a different dimension in the final third and helps us have different solutions. [He’s] still fitting in [to the group and] still getting adjusted to stuff, but [we’re] really excited to have him on board.”
Vargish’s View: The Switchbacks need a bounce back after last weekend, and the Riverhounds, in the Steel City, present a uniquely tricky challenge. Yes, Saturday’s hosts sit in 10th place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference at the time of writing; and that’s not great. But the Riverhounds have not lost since July 6th and are six games unbeaten – having outscored their opponents 10-2 during that stretch. Former George Mason University Patriot Bob Lilley is one of the most respected coaches in the league, and for good reason. The Riverhounds will be organized, tactically prepared, and as difficult to break down as any team the Switchbacks have faced this season. To get a result on Saturday evening, the Switchbacks are going to have to invent ways to get their speed players into one-on-one situations, while Pittsburgh will try to grind the match down and find three points through a clean-sheet and a timely lone goal.
