A train passes while the Riverhounds and Western Illinois scrimmage at Highmark Stadium. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: After two months of training indoors and two weather-canceled scrimmages, the Riverhounds finally plowed through the snow and ice covering Highmark Stadium to get in a 2-0 victory vs. Western Illinois University today, the goals coming from Lebo Moloto and Rob Vincent.
Views: That was fun. Watching Moloto, I mean.
Signed in the past week, this South African midfielder is listed as being 24 years old, but he looks more like 12 and he performs with the maturity of someone a decade his elder. Time and again, the ball would find his foot in traffic, and each time he’d make the smartest possible play. The highlight was a ridiculous goal, the first of the match, when he danced around two defenders, then brought the keeper to his knees before softly tucking a left-footer into the vacated net.
I asked Mark Steffens, the new coach, about Moloto, about his team’s aggressive approach through the midfield in general and, of course, about having gone stir-crazy inside:
Danny Earls showed as well as the above two, dangerous on several left-footed crosses and roaming aggressively to both sides.
Above all, it was fun seeing the Riverhounds begin to implement Steffens’ ambitious, Dutch-based system. It won’t be easy — the opener vs. Harrisburg is exactly three weeks away — but if it works, it will be be hard to stop and, maybe just as important for a franchise looking to establish a foothold in the region, highly entertaining. It’s all attack, attack, attack.
The Riverhounds scrimmage again Sunday at 2 p.m. against Army. It’s open and free to the public.
Dutch have long been famous for their offense since the "Total Football" of the 1970s. Of course having a playmaker like Johan Cruyff helps. Hope Riverhounds succeed.
Greatly appreciate this coverage DK! Means a lot that you are truly inclusive of the city teams! Getting excited for the season and certainly hope to hear more about Moloto
Appreciate your reporting on the Riverhounds, which is light years better than anything else in the area.
Since the departure of Flavius in 2006 the Hounds have struggled to score goals. Angulo had started to reverse that until his injury last season. I'm really liking what I'm hearing about the system the new coach is putting in place.
Still a bit worried about this team financially in the long term. It's a shame that this wonderful new stadium put the team into bankruptcy.
Looking forward to supporting the hounds and making many drives from the Penn State area. Have been looking for a domestic team to get behind. Big Aston Villa fan in the EPL and not thrilled with the quality of MLS. So supporting a team in the Burgh is about as natural as it gets. Cant wait to get down there.
Can't wait to get down to the burgh to support the hounds. I have long been looking for a team to support stateside and the 2 hour drives from central Pa. won't be too bad. Hope the best for the team and hope they show some class.
March 7, 2015
News/views: Hounds finally take it outside
by Dejan Kovacevic • News/views • Riverhounds
A train passes while the Riverhounds and Western Illinois scrimmage at Highmark Stadium. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: After two months of training indoors and two weather-canceled scrimmages, the Riverhounds finally plowed through the snow and ice covering Highmark Stadium to get in a 2-0 victory vs. Western Illinois University today, the goals coming from Lebo Moloto and Rob Vincent.
Views: That was fun. Watching Moloto, I mean.
Signed in the past week, this South African midfielder is listed as being 24 years old, but he looks more like 12 and he performs with the maturity of someone a decade his elder. Time and again, the ball would find his foot in traffic, and each time he’d make the smartest possible play. The highlight was a ridiculous goal, the first of the match, when he danced around two defenders, then brought the keeper to his knees before softly tucking a left-footer into the vacated net.
I asked Mark Steffens, the new coach, about Moloto, about his team’s aggressive approach through the midfield in general and, of course, about having gone stir-crazy inside:
Danny Earls showed as well as the above two, dangerous on several left-footed crosses and roaming aggressively to both sides.
Above all, it was fun seeing the Riverhounds begin to implement Steffens’ ambitious, Dutch-based system. It won’t be easy — the opener vs. Harrisburg is exactly three weeks away — but if it works, it will be be hard to stop and, maybe just as important for a franchise looking to establish a foothold in the region, highly entertaining. It’s all attack, attack, attack.
The Riverhounds scrimmage again Sunday at 2 p.m. against Army. It’s open and free to the public.