(This is the first of five entries in our annual listing of the biggest Riverhounds moments of the year. Check back tomorrow for No. 4 before a short holiday break ahead of Nos. 3-1 appearing to close out 2024.)
There was a strong sense of tension heading into the Riverhounds’ home match against Detroit City FC on April 27.
The start of the season had been bumpy, to say the least. The team went winless in its first five matches, and while a 3-1 win at Phoenix provided some relief the weekend prior, the Hounds still had not won either of their home matches to that point.
Add in the opponent — the same Detroit side who upset the Hounds in the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs and was undefeated to start 2024 — and there was reason for both players and fans to be a little keyed up heading into the match.
As it turned out, fans and players alike were more than ready.
Bolstered by a raucous crowd of 6,099 fans that set a new regular-season record for Highmark Stadium, the Hounds came out of the gates flying with a pair of first-half goals to send Detroit to their first defeat of the season, 2-0.
The first half was chock full of moments that kept the vibes riding high, starting with a crafty dribble and shot from Junior Etou that forced a strong diving stop by Detroit goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher. But there was nothing the goalie could do to intervene when the Hounds got a corner kick in the 20th minute.
Kenardo Forbes sent the ball to the back post, where Robbie Mertz popped it back across the face of goal. No Hounds player could turn it toward goal, but the ball made its way back to Mertz on the right side. The midfielder’s second ball to the front was inch-perfect, and Pat Hogan — who had been knocked to the ground on the initial corner kick — was in the right place to head home his first goal as a Hounds player for a 1-0 lead.
The excitement continued in the 33rd minute when Etou weaved his way into the box once again. This time, Detroit’s Devon Amoo-Mensah lunged in to prevent Etou from firing another shot, but his challenge also took Etou to the ground, causing referee Kyle Johnston to point to the penalty spot.
Hounds captain Danny Griffin stepped up to take the penalty kick, and though Steinwascher got his hand to the ball, the shot to the bottom left corner had too much power and continued into the side of the net for a 2-0 lead.
While the second half was goalless, there was still plenty for the home crowd to cheer. Pittsburgh native and Hounds Academy alum Nate Dragisich made his second career appearance as a substitute, and fans got one last chance to heckle venerable Detroit captain Stephen Carroll after the defender was sent off for a challenge on Dani Rovira.
At the end of the match, the bottom line was the Hounds coming away with three critical points. But adding in the small measure of payback against Detroit and how it reignited the magic at Highmark Stadium made the match one of the nights to remember in 2024.
Riverhounds’ Best of 2024
#5: Down Goes Detroit
#4: Coming Monday, Dec. 23
#3: TBA
#2: TBA
#1: TBA
