Orlando City B vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Preview and How to Watch

Orlando City B (3-4-3, 12 points) returns to action tonight as the young Lions face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (4-4-3, 15 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two sides in the 2017 United Soccer League season. The Riverhounds make the return trip to Orlando City Stadium on Saturday, July 8.

Last time out, OCB fell to the Charlotte Independence at home by a final score of 3-1. The Riverhounds earned a point against the Harrisburg City Islanders in a scoreless draw in their last outing.

Only three points separate the two clubs in the USL Eastern Conference standings. OCB is 10th entering this weekend — albeit with the same number of points as seventh-place Bethlehem Steel FC — and the Riverhounds are fifth.

Thus far, OCB is 2-2-1 on the road and the Riverhounds are 2-3-1 at home.

Both clubs will have key players unavailable for Saturday’s match as Richie Laryea will serve a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation. Laryea is the co-leading scorer for OCB. The Riverhounds will be without starting center back Joe Greenspan and midfielder Abuchi Obinwa.

One player OCB will have to watch for is former USL Lion Corey Hertzog. The Riverhounds striker has scored five goals this season and is a potent threat up top. The goalkeeping battle between Earl Edwards Jr. and Trey Mitchell will be an interesting one to watch as they both rank in the top 10 in saves in the USL. Mitchell once dressed for Orlando City as the backup in 2015 in the season finale at Philadelphia. Mitchell has four clean sheets this season.

In 2016, the two clubs split their season series as they exchanged victories on the road, with OCB defeating the Riverhounds, 2-1, in Pittsburgh in week four. Tyler Turner scored twice in that game to give OCB its first ever win back in April of last year. Romeo Parkes scored for the Riverhounds. If Parkes’ name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the guy who got banned worldwide for kicking Karl Ouimette in the back.

Pittsburgh won the return leg, 2-0. Chevaughn Walsh and Hertzog scored for the visitors in OCB’s 2016 home finale in September.

Most Recent Lineups

Orlando City B (May 27 vs. Charlotte Independence): Earl Edwards Jr; Rafael Ramos, Zach Carroll, Conor Donovan, Kevin Alston; Pierre Da Silva, Tony Rocha, Lewis Neal (C), Danny Deakin; Richie Laryea, Albert Dikwa.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (May 24 vs. Harrisburg City Islanders): Trey Mitchell; Ben Fitzpatrick, Joe Greenspan, Jamal Jack, Taylor Washington; Kevin Kerr (C), Jack Thompson, Stephen Okai, Marshall Hollingsworth; Corey Hertzog, Romeo Parkes.

The 7 p.m. kickoff can be streamed from the official USL Youtube page.