Heading into the postseason unbeaten in its past four matches, Bethlehem Steel FC (14-8-12) gears up for a first-round showdown against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (15-5-14) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. Bethlehem will be the first playoff opponent that Riverhounds SC has ever hosted at the venue.
Positioned in a playoff seed for much of the regular season, Steel FC will head into the USL playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. In its past four matches, Bethlehem has a 2-0-2 record with victories against Toronto FC II and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
In two previous games against Pittsburgh, Bethlehem holds a 0-2-0 record with a -4 goal differential. As it prepares to travel to Highmark Stadium for the second time this season, the squad has a 6-8-3 road record in 2018.
Steel FC veteran James Chambers put together yet another well-played season. Starting all 27 of his appearances, the midfielder ranked second on the club with 2,365 minutes at the end of the regular season. He will carry four goals and an assist with him into the playoffs.
Strengths
Conversion rate: With a 16 percent conversion rate, the club ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Balanced attack: This season, 21 different players have notched a goal for Bethlehem.
Weaknesses
Fouls conceded: Steel FC has the second-most fouls (459) in the Eastern Conference.
Duels: The squad has lost more than half of its duels (48.6 percent success rate).
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