PITTSBURGH (Oct. 12, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds kept their playoff chances alive and well, scoring two early goals and shutting out the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference, the Charleston Battery, 2-0 tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Edward Kizza scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season just 69 seconds into the match, and Robbie Mertz added the second for the Hounds (10-10-12) in the 20th minute. Goalkeeper Eric Dick made four saves for his 12th shutout of the season, as the Hounds blanked Charleston (17-6-9) for the second time.
The win moves the Hounds into seventh place in the East on tiebreakers over North Carolina and Birmingham, though both Birmingham and 10th-place Loudoun can pass the Hounds in their games tomorrow.
First half
For the second season in a row, the Hounds scored almost immediately in their home match against the Battery.
Bertin Jacquesson worked his way along the right sideline with a trio of defenders closing on him, and he played a long diagonal pass forward with perfect weight to put Kizza behind the defense. Kizza chipped the ball over onrushing goalkeeper Adam Grinwis from 25 yards out, and the ball sailed into the net for the striker’s first double-digit goals season as a pro.
Jacquesson was also involved in the build-up to the second goal, as Kizza tried lobbing a pass to his strike partner. The Battery defense closed in the box, but the ball popped loose, where Mertz was able to step up and strike a shot from the top of the penalty area that struck a defender, leaving Grinwis diving the wrong direction as Mertz netted his third of the season.
Late in the half, center back Illal Osumanu was booked for a tactical foul. The yellow card was his 11th of the season, tying the record for most by a Hounds player in one year.
Second half
Charleston, which finished the match with 69 percent of possession, had more of the ball after the break, but the Hounds’ defending was stout. Chances were scarce for both teams, but Dick made his two biggest stops of the night in the final 10 minutes.
In the 85th minute, a ball crossed into the box fell for Battery 17-year-old Zeke Soto, who drove a powerful shot right at Dick, but the Hounds’ goalkeeper made the close-range save and didn’t allow a rebound, ending the chance.
On the game’s final chance in stoppage time, Dick went post-to-post tracking a cross and was well-positioned to make his last save, denying a header by former Hounds left back Nate Dossantos.
Modelo Man of the Match
Edward Kizza started off the action with his chip of the goalkeeper for the opening goal, but the forward was hard working throughout, winning 10 of a team-high 19 duels, a match-high five free kicks, and connecting on 75 percent of his passes.
What’s next?
The Hounds head back on the road for a pivotal match against Loudoun United FC on Saturday, Oct. 19 in Leesburg, Va. Loudoun (11-12-8) trails the Hounds by a point in the standings but has a game in hand tomorrow at Rhode Island FC.
Riverhounds SC lineup (5-2-3) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi, Illal Osumanu (Pierre Cayet 76’), Pat Hogan, Sean Suber, Langston Blackstock; Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Dani Rovira 88’), Edward Kizza (Kenardo Forbes 88’), Bertin Jacquesson (Bradley Sample 76’)
Charleston Battery lineup (4-2-3-1) — Adam Grinwis; Robbie Crawford, Graham Smith (Samuel Biek 46’), Leland Archer, Mark Segbers (Nate Dossantos 46’); Aaron Molloy, Jay Chapman; Arturo Rodriguez, Emilio Ycaza (Jackson Conway 46’), Prince Haydee; MD Myers (Zeke Soto 68’)
Scoring summary
PIT — Edward Kizza 2’ (Bertin Jacquesson)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 20’
Discipline summary
CHS — Mark Segbers 40’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Illal Osumanu 41’ (caution – tactical foul)
CHS — Prince Saydee 72’ (caution – reckless foul)
CHS — Arturo Rodriguez 79’ (caution – dissent)
PIT — Langston Blackstock 79’ (caution – reckless foul)
