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What2Watch4: Charleston - 7/26

By Anthony Picardi, 07/25/17, 2:00PM EDT

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The Riverhounds (5-7-7) return home for a 7 p.m. match on Wednesday against the Charleston Battery (10-4-5) after going undefeated on a three-game road swing. Pittsburgh defeated the Battery on the road earlier this season, 2-1.

The Rundown

Building chemistry

Center backs Jamal Jack and Tobi Adewole started their fourth straight game together on the backline against Rochester this past weekend. This was perhaps the their best match together, recording a combined total of 14 clearances in Pittsburgh’s shutout effort. In this four-game stretch, the Hounds have allowed just one goal per game. Look for this duo to continue to clear away scoring opportunities as the season progresses.

Super Romario

The Battery will be without their top scoring threat on Wednesday. Romario Williams, who leads the USL with 14 goals, will be with the Jamaican National Team as it readies for the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final match against the United States. Charleston will turn to other scoring options, such as Maikel Chang and Justin Portillo (eight goals combined), come Wednesday.

No harm, no foul

This season, the Hounds have the least fouls (199) of all Eastern Conference teams. The fewest fouls Pittsburgh has committed in a single game is seven three different times – two of which coming in the team’s past two games. The Hounds will need to remain disciplined against Charleston.

By the numbers: 7

Last time out against Rochester, the Hounds recorded their seventh shutout of the season, which is their highest total since 2013. Goalkeeper Trey Mitchell posted his fifth clean sheet this year in the aforementioned contest in his return from a shoulder injury. Keeper Keasel Broome posted the Hounds’ other two clean sheets thus far in 2017.

Key to victory: Accurate passing

In their previous match against Charleston, the Hounds recorded a 79.9 passing accuracy percentage – the club’s third best mark this season. Keeping a high accuracy rate will help generate more scoring opportunities on the counterattack come Wednesday.