PITTSBURGH (April 27, 2024) — On the day it was announced Pittsburgh would be getting a women’s team in the USL W League, the Riverhounds added an emphatic second W by taking a 2-0 victory over Detroit City FC tonight at Highmark Stadium in front of a regular-season record crowd of 6,099.
Pat Hogan and Danny Griffin from the penalty spot accounted for the goals by the Hounds (2-3-2), and goalkeeper Eric Dick made the only save asked of him for a third clean sheet in four matches.
The Hounds’ win snaps a six-game winning streak to start the season for Detroit (5-1-0), which had won its first five league games and a U.S. Open Cup match.
First half
From the beginning, the Hounds were on the front foot, as Opta stats said 48 percent of the first 15 minutes was played in the Hounds’ attacking third of the field. Bradley Sample had a good early look at the goal that deflected off a Detroit defender, but the ball skipped wide with the goalkeeper moving the wrong direction.
From a corner kick minutes later, Hogan headed the home team in front with his first goal as a member of the Hounds. The ball cycled around before cross from the right and was headed back to the same side where Robbie Mertz controlled it. His second ball in found Hogan unmarked, and he powered the header into the net in the 20th minute.
Junior Etou created the Hounds’ second goal when he received a short pass 40 yards from goal and turned on the jets. He darted past a trio of Detroit defenders to get into the box, and the referee pointed to the spot after he went down from a sliding challenge by Darren Amoo-Mensah.
Griffin stepped up to take the 35th-minute penalty, and though Detroit goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher guessed correctly, Griffin hit the low shot with enough power to put it in off Steinwascher’s hand for his first goal of the season.
Second half
The Hounds came out looking for a third goal, and a great chance presented itself when Kenardo Forbes — who became the USL Championship’s all-time minutes leader during the match with 21,265 — set up Langston Blackstock hit a powerful shot from 18 yards that barely rose over the bar.
Dick was called into action in the 56th minute to stop Detroit’s only shot on target, a header by Maxi Rodriguez that forced the Hounds goalie to leave his feet and catch for the save going to his right.
The Hounds continued to stay locked in defensively, limiting Detroit to only six total shots (one on target) and just eight touches inside the Hounds’ box. The visitors’ woes were compounded in stoppage time, when captain Stephen Carroll was sent off for a dangerously high tackle on Dani Rovira.
Modelo Man of the Match
Pat Hogan checked all the boxes, as the newly mustachioed center back did much more than score his first Hounds goal. Hogan also won 8 of 9 aerial duels for the ball and led the Hounds’ clean sheet effort with a match-high six clearances.
What’s next?
The Hounds’ first true homestand of the season rolls on when they host Miami FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at Highmark Stadium. Miami (2-5-1) is coming off their best result of the season, as they knocked off San Antonio FC tonight, 2-1.
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi, Pat Hogan, Illal Osumanu, Langston Blackstock (Sean Suber 66’); Danny Griffin, Bradley Sample; Junior Etou (Dani Rovira 66’), Robbie Mertz (Nate Dragisich 90’), Kenardo Forbes (Mike DeShields 82’); Kazaiah Sterling (Babacar Diene 82’)
Detroit City FC lineup (4-3-3) — Nathan Steinwascher; Alex Villanueva, Devon Amoo-Mensah, Stephen Carroll (sent off 90+6’), Michael Bryant (Matt Sheldon 61’); James Murphy, Maxi Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Diop (Ryan Williams 80’); Ali Coote (Daniel Espeleta 70’), Victor Bezerra (Yazeed Matthews 61’), Ben Morris (Connor Rutz 70’)
Scoring summary
PIT — Pat Hogan 20’ (Robbie Mertz)
PIT — Danny Griffin 35’ (penalty)
Discipline summary
DET — Darren Amoo-Mensah 33’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Danny Griffin 40’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Langston Blackstock 45+1’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Junior Etou 49’ (caution – simulation)
DET — Abdoulaye Diop 75’ (caution – reckless foul)
DET — Yazeed Matthews 86’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Sean Suber 90’ (caution – tactical foul)
DET — Matt Sheldon 90+4’ (caution – dissent)
DET — Stephen Carroll 90+6’ (sent off – serious foul play)
