PITTSBURGH (July 20, 2024) — An early bombardment from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds gave the team consecutive wins for the first time since May, as three goals in the first 21 minutes sent the Hounds on their way to a 3-1 victory over Hartford Athletic tonight at Highmark Stadium.
The Hounds (5-9-6) gave a sellout crowd of 5,620 and the national TV audience on ESPN2 early action with goals by Edward Kizza, Langston Blackstock and Emmanuel Johnson.
Mamadou Dieng scored late in the first half for Hartford (5-11-2) before the teams played out a scoreless second 45 minutes.
First half
Anyone arriving late missed the match’s first big moment, as a sharp pass into the box by Bradley Sample played Junior Etou into the box. Etou had a step on Deshane Beckford defending, and the Hartford player clipped Etou, taking him to the ground.
Kizza stepped up for the penalty and scored with a shot low and to the left in the fifth minute, the fastest the Hounds have scored in a match this season.
In the 20th minute, Blackstock received a pass wide on the left in the second phase after a corner kick, and he wiggled his way into space near the goal line. The second-year wing back struck the ball with power, and with little angle to speak up, lifted it high and inside the near post for his first professional goal.
The celebrations had barely stopped in the 21st minute when Johnson was rewarded for his individual effort. Hartford played the ball back to goalkeeper Greg Monroe, who was slow to react to Johnson closing him down. As the goalie cleared the ball, Johnson leaped into his path, blocking the clearance back into the net for his first goal as a member of the Hounds.
Hartford pulled its goal back in the 34th minute, when Emmanuel Samadia curled a ball into the box from the left side, and tall striker Dieng was first to get on the end of the pass, heading it past goalkeeper Eric Dick.
Dick’s biggest save came just before halftime, as he stopped Dieng from close range after a Hounds turnover. The ball bounced to Hartford’s Michee Ngalina, who put the rebound in the net but was ruled offside on Dieng’s initial shot.
Second half
Scoring dried up after the break, but Hartford had a big early chance with a free kick inside the penalty arc. The Hounds’ wall did its job, blocking away the shot from Ngalina.
Kenardo Forbes had a chance saved by Monroe in the 71st minute, shortly after entering the match. That would be the Hounds’ final shot on goal, but the team held Hartford without a shot from the 57th minute until stoppage time, when Dick stopped Kyle Edwards for his only save of the second half.
Modelo Man of the Match
Emmanuel Johnson got the Hounds’ third goal with a piece of outstanding individual hustle, and the effort was there all night. He only won 5 of 16 duels, but that total of 16 contested was five more than any other player and came in 63 minutes. He also led the team with six touches in the Hartford box and won three free kicks, tied for the team high.
What’s next?
The Hounds go for a third straight win when they wrap up their July homestead by hosting Loudoun United FC (7-6-5) at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20. Loudoun was off this weekend but hosts Charleston in a match Wednesday.
Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou, Luke Biasi, Sean Suber, Illal Osumanu, Langston Blackstock (Pierre Cayet 63’); Jackson Walti, Bradley Sample (Danny Griffin 78’), Robbie Mertz (Dani Rovira 90’); Edward Kizza (Babacar Diene 78’), Emmanuel Johnson (Kenardo Forbes 63’)
Hartford Athletic lineup (4-2-3-1) — Greg Monroe; Emmanuel Samadia, Jordan Scarlett, Joey Akpunonu, Younes Boudadi; Jay Chapman, Beverly Makangila (Kyle Edwards 78’); Michee Ngalina, Anderson Asiedu (Danny Barrera 71’), Deshane Beckford (Marcus Epps 46’); Mamadou Dieng
Scoring summary
PIT — Edward Kizza 5’ (penalty)
PIT — Langston Blackstock 20’ (Luke Biasi)
PIT — Emmanuel Johnson 21’
Discipline summary
HFD — Deshane Beckford 4’ (caution – reckless foul)
HFD — Joey Akpunonu 15’ (caution – tactical foul)
HFD — Younes Boudadi 44’ (caution – dissent)
PIT — Illal Osumanu 46’ (caution – reckless foul)
HFD — Marcus Epps 86’ (caution – tactical foul)
