Pre-match notes 12:35 p.m.: The Riverhounds conclude their two-match Canada trip with an afternoon date against expansion FC Montreal at Stade Saputo, also the home of Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact. The seven-year-old facility seats 20,000 spectators, making it the largest venue the Riverhounds will play in this season. … After Wednesday’s 2-0 blanking of Toronto FC II — their third shutout in four games — the Riverhounds guaranteed they would stay in playoff position for at least another week. Their 25 points put them fifth in the USL Eastern Conference standings, four behind Richmond and three ahead of New York Red Bulls II. The top six teams in each conference make the postseason. … Riverhounds coach Mark Steffens said the long diagonal ball was working especially well for his club against Toronto, with backs like Willie Hunt and Anthony Arena connecting to attacking players on the opposite side precisely. “We were zinging it around, changing the point of attack,” Steffens said after Wednesday’s match. “They were rockets at about head-height.” … This is the first season that MLS reserve teams are full-fledged members of the six-year-old USL. The Riverhounds have taken advantage of their matches against these prospect-laden clubs, going 4-1 while outscoring them 13-4. They downed last-place FC Montreal 1-0 on June 20 at Highmark Stadium, holding the visitors without a shot on target in rookie keeper Calle Brown‘s first USL clean sheet. … The Riverhounds have scored the second-most goals in the USL with 33; FC Montreal is tied with Toronto FC II for the fewest (nine). Despite that, Arena said the younger teams are “dangerous going forward,” so they require extra vigilance from defenders even if they aren’t creating a large volume of chances. … Riverhounds midfielders Rob Vincent and Kevin Kerr remain among the league’s most prolific scorers. Vincent ranks second in the USL in both goals (11) and total points (26), while Kerr is third in assists (six). While Kerr is more at home on the flanks in the attacking third, Vincent has a knack for roaming up and down the middle of the field, coming back deeper when needed. “Every time we get tired in the midfield, we shore it up with Robbie in the back,” Steffens said. “He’s definitely a grinder.”
3:45: No Kerr in the starting midfield, with Boris Zivanovic taking his place. This is the first match Kerr hasn’t started all season, but according to a team official, he should see action as a substitute. Lebo Moloto is back after sitting out Wednesday, as is Vini Dantas. Brown is the starting keeper for the sixth straight match.
Rob Vincent is second in the USL with 11 goals in 16 games. — RIVERHOUNDS
The hierarchy of European soccer is pretty clear - for example the Premier, First Division, Second, and so on.
I realize we don't to promotion and relegation here, and I've had a hard time pinning down the league heirarchy here in the U.S. MLS would be at the top, but where do leagues like USL and NASL fit in the overall scheme?
July 12, 2015
Final: FC Montreal 4, Riverhounds 2
4by Matt Gajtka • Game previews • Riverhounds
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (7-5-4) vs. FC Montreal (1-11-2), 4 p.m., Stade Saputo, Montreal
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats / Multimedia / Media notes
Pre-match notes 12:35 p.m.: The Riverhounds conclude their two-match Canada trip with an afternoon date against expansion FC Montreal at Stade Saputo, also the home of Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact. The seven-year-old facility seats 20,000 spectators, making it the largest venue the Riverhounds will play in this season. … After Wednesday’s 2-0 blanking of Toronto FC II — their third shutout in four games — the Riverhounds guaranteed they would stay in playoff position for at least another week. Their 25 points put them fifth in the USL Eastern Conference standings, four behind Richmond and three ahead of New York Red Bulls II. The top six teams in each conference make the postseason. … Riverhounds coach Mark Steffens said the long diagonal ball was working especially well for his club against Toronto, with backs like Willie Hunt and Anthony Arena connecting to attacking players on the opposite side precisely. “We were zinging it around, changing the point of attack,” Steffens said after Wednesday’s match. “They were rockets at about head-height.” … This is the first season that MLS reserve teams are full-fledged members of the six-year-old USL. The Riverhounds have taken advantage of their matches against these prospect-laden clubs, going 4-1 while outscoring them 13-4. They downed last-place FC Montreal 1-0 on June 20 at Highmark Stadium, holding the visitors without a shot on target in rookie keeper Calle Brown‘s first USL clean sheet. … The Riverhounds have scored the second-most goals in the USL with 33; FC Montreal is tied with Toronto FC II for the fewest (nine). Despite that, Arena said the younger teams are “dangerous going forward,” so they require extra vigilance from defenders even if they aren’t creating a large volume of chances. … Riverhounds midfielders Rob Vincent and Kevin Kerr remain among the league’s most prolific scorers. Vincent ranks second in the USL in both goals (11) and total points (26), while Kerr is third in assists (six). While Kerr is more at home on the flanks in the attacking third, Vincent has a knack for roaming up and down the middle of the field, coming back deeper when needed. “Every time we get tired in the midfield, we shore it up with Robbie in the back,” Steffens said. “He’s definitely a grinder.”
3:45: No Kerr in the starting midfield, with Boris Zivanovic taking his place. This is the first match Kerr hasn’t started all season, but according to a team official, he should see action as a substitute. Lebo Moloto is back after sitting out Wednesday, as is Vini Dantas. Brown is the starting keeper for the sixth straight match.
Rob Vincent is second in the USL with 11 goals in 16 games. — RIVERHOUNDS