PITTSBURGH (June 10, 2023) — Junior Etou scored just 21 seconds into the match — the fastest goal in Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC history — and the Hounds took over first place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference with a 2-0 win over the Charleston Battery tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Tola Showunmi added a late goal to put the match away for the Hounds (7-2-5), who have won five straight league matches and have three straight league shutouts behind goalkeeper Jahmali Waite.
It was the 40th all-time meeting between the Hounds and Battery (7-4-4), who first met in the Hounds’ inaugural 1999 season.
First half
The Battery trailed before the ever touched the ball, as the Hounds took the opening kickoff and moved forward through Kenardo Forbes on the right wing. The team’s all-time assists leader watched as traffic filled the penalty area, and he slotted a pass across to an open Etou, whose one-touch finish just inside the box gave him his first goal of the season.
The 21-second goal eclipsed the previous fastest for the Hounds, scored by Jeffrey Hughes on Aug. 8, 2009 against the Charlotte Eagles. It was also the fastest goal at Highmark Stadium, clocking in 1 second faster than Jochen Graf’s goal on Oct. 7, 2017 for the Bob Lilley-coached Rochester Rhinos. On top of that, the setup pass was Forbes’ 60th assist in USL Championship play.
Despite the early lead, the Hounds had to do their share of chasing against the Battery, who finished with 64.3 percent of possession in the match. But the Hounds defended well, and Waite made the one save asked of him in the first half, parrying away a free kick by the Battery’s Arturo Rodriguez.
Second half
The Hounds made some midfield adjustments to slow the Battery’s passing, but the visitors still had more of the ball. But while Charleston finished with a 13-4 edge in shots, the Hounds led in shots on goal, 4-2.
Waite made an early stop on Battery leading scorer Augustine Williams, and the Hounds again were stout on set pieces, turning away a handful of free kicks and eight Charleston corners.
The game finally got its second goal in the 83rd minute, when Luke Biasi played a ball through to Showunmi, who timed his run impeccably.
The English first-year pro showed patience to circle charging goalkeeper Trey Muse and finally pass the ball into the open net, scoring his second goal in as many games after notching his first Tuesday in the Open Cup loss to MLS team FC Cincinnati.
Heineken Man of the Match
Junior Etou etched his name in Hounds history by scoring the fastest of the 992 goals scored by the team across 24 seasons. But the holding midfielder did much more, winning 8 of a team-high 14 duels and gaining possession four times.
What’s next?
The Hounds head back across the country to California for their second all-time meeting with the Oakland Roots (6-4-2). That match will be a 10 p.m. Eastern Time start and the second of three away games in the Golden State this season.
Riverhounds SC lineup (5-4-1) — Jahmali Waite; Langston Blackstock (Dani Rovira 46’), Nate Dossantos, Arturo Ordóñez, Pat Hogan, Luke Biasi; Junior Etou, Trevor Zwetsloot (Marc Ybarra 46’), Danny Griffin, Kenardo Forbes (Robbie Mertz 74’, Joe Farrell 85’); Edward Kizza (Tola Showunmi 74’)
Charleston Battery lineup (4-2-3-1) — Trey Muse; Deklan Wynne, AJ Paterson (AJ Cochran 85’), Leland Archer, Derek Dodson; Chris Allan (Dante Polvara 64’), Robbie Crawford; Roberto Avila (Andrew Booth 76’), Arturo Rodriguez, Nick Markanich (Fidel Barajas 64’); Augustine Williams
Scoring summary
PIT — Junior Etou 1’ (Kenardo Forbes)
PIT — Tola Showunmi 83’ (Luke Biasi)
Discipline summary
PIT — Langston Blackstock 22’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Pat Hogan 56’ (caution – tactical foul)
CHS — Arturo Rodriguez 89’ (caution – tactical foul)
