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Hounds, FCC Defenses Are Streaking, Are They Within Sight of History?

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 07/20/18, 2:58PM EDT

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Top two teams in Eastern Conference enter Saturday’s action with solid shutout streaks


Both Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and FC Cincinnati have build solid shutout streaks going into this weekend's action. | Photo courtesy Erik Schelkun / FC Cincinnati

While most teams that have found success in the USL have done so with a good balance between attack and defense, it certainly doesn’t hurt your chances of success if your backline is among the best in the league.

For the sides sitting in the top two positions in the USL’s Eastern Conference, that’s certainly proven the case in the past month. After Wednesday night’s victory against the Charlotte Independence, Eastern Conference-leader FC Cincinnati has recorded four consecutive shutouts, while the pursuing Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in second place are on a five-game streak of their own.

So how do those streaks compare to others in the league this season, and those that have occurred since the start of 2014? Pretty favorably, as it turns out. Both sit in the top six for this season in terms of shutout streak length, with Pittsburgh having the chance to move into the No. 2 spot for the season this Saturday.

Longest Shutout Streaks, 2018 USL Season

Club Dates Shutouts Minutes
Ottawa Fury FC April 28-June 2 6 636
Phoenix Rising FC May 30-July 14 5 491
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC June 2-present 5 487
Orange County SC March 24-April 25 4 420
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC March 24-April 21 4 419
FC Cincinnati June 27-present 4 375

 

As the league-leader in shutouts with only seven goals conceded this season it shouldn’t come as a surprised to see Pittsburgh on this season’s list twice. The Hounds’ current shutout streak of 487 minutes would have been the longest streak in the league in both 2014 and 2015, but they would still need to not only shut out the Charleston Battery this Saturday at Highmark Stadium and get to the 60th minute of July 28’s game against North Carolina FC to overtake this year’s leading mark, set by Ottawa Fury FC.

Even further away still for both the Hounds and Cincinnati are the two leading shutout streaks in the league’s modern era. While it’s hard to call any record untouchable after last year’s run of nine consecutive wins by Real Monarchs SLC, it’s difficult to fathom what Rio Grande Valley FC did in setting the record of 759 minutes in 2016, and San Antonio FC did last season in their pursuit of that mark to reach 672 minutes.

Longest Shutout Streaks, USL’s Modern Era (2011-Present)

Club Dates Shutouts Minutes
Rio Grande Valley FC June 26-August 27, 2016 8 759
San Antonio FC April 25-June 17, 2017 7 672
Ottawa Fury FC April 28-June 2, 2018 6 636
Rochester Rhinos April 14-May 18, 2012 6 569
Louisville City FC April 27-June 5, 2016 5 494

 

To put that into context, Pittsburgh would need to record shutouts in each of their next three contests, and then go three minutes into August 4’s game with Toronto FC II to surpass the Toros’ record, and Cincinnati would have to post four more shutouts before having a chance at the record on August 22 against ATL UTD 2, when they’d need to reach the 25th minute to make history.

With both the Hounds – against the Charleston Battery – and FCC – against the New York Red Bulls II – facing big home contests this Saturday night, it will be worth watching if either can add to their impressive recent defensive displays.

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