PITTSBURGH (Oct. 26, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds completed their turnaround in the second half of the season, clinching a spot in the USL Championship Playoffs with a 2-0 win over El Paso Locomotive FC tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Edward Kizza scored in his fifth consecutive match, equaling a team record held by three other players, and the Hounds (12-10-12) also benefitted from an own goal to take a two-goal lead after 19 minutes. Goalkeeper Eric Dick made six saves and also set a team record with his 14th shutout of the season.
The Hounds closed the season going 9-1-6 over their final 16 matches, climbing from 11th in the East to the No. 7 seed.
With a spot in the playoffs confirmed, the Hounds have now reached the postseason in seven consecutive seasons. That is the second-longest active streak in the USL Championship (Louisville, 10 years), and the longest active streak among Pittsburgh’s four professional sports teams.
First half
The Hounds jumped out to a lead in only nine minutes after Junior Etou won a free kick by getting behind the defense on the left side.
Robbie Mertz teed up the free kick from near the top corner of the box and curled a ball to the front of goal, where Kizza headed the ball home for his team-leading 12th goal of the season. It was the fifth assist of the year for Mertz, also tops on the team.
A set piece again set up the second goal, this time coming from a foul near the goal line on the left. Mertz whipped another ball toward goal, and the ball found the back of the net off the head of El Paso defender Ricky Ruiz.
Second half
The Hounds needed to defend more in the second half, as El Paso held 73.7 percent of possession after the break.
Still, the defense kept the dangerous chances to a minimum, and Dick was sure-handed to put himself in position to win the USL Championship Golden Glove with a league-low 0.69 goals-against average.
The Hounds nearly got a third goal early from another free kick, as Mertz’s cross was nodded back to the feet of Bertin Jacquesson, whose turning shot just missed wide of the net.
El Paso’s best chance came moments later, when a cross found the head of Eric Calvillo running free in the box, but his header was too close to Dick, who slid to his left to make the catch.
Kizza had a 60th-minute chance for a second goal after Mertz again played him in toward goal, but the shot trickled just wide of the right post.
In total, despite El Paso’s edge in possession while chasing the match, the Hounds limited the Locomotive to only 14 touches inside their penalty area.
Modelo Man of the Match
Robbie Mertz created both Hounds goals from free kicks, finding Kizza’s head for the second match in a row and forcing El Paso into an own goal. He was active in the attack all night, creating a match-high six chances, connecting on 23 of 25 passes (92 percent), including 13 of 15 in the final third of the field.
What’s next?
The Hounds will be the No. 7 seed and face No. 2 Charleston next weekend in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The date and time of that match will be announced by the USL Championship on Sunday morning.
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-3) — Eric Dick; Sean Suber, Pat Hogan, Illal Osumanu; Junior Etou (Luke Biasi 69’), Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin, Langston Blackstock (Bradley Sample 69’); Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 69’), Edward Kizza (Pierre Cayet 89’), Bertin Jacquesson (Dani Rovira 83’)
El Paso Locomotive FC lineup (3-4-3) — Jahmali Waite; Noah Dollenmayer, Tony Alfaro, Arturo Ortiz; Ricky Ruiz, Eric Calvillo, Bolu Akinyode (Robert Coronado 54’), Lucas Stauffer; Amaury Escoto (Joaquin Rivas 80’), Malik McLemore (Amando Moreno 46’), Tumi Moshobane
Scoring summary
PIT — Edward Kizza 9’ (Robbie Mertz)
PIT — Ricky Ruiz 19’ (own goal)
Discipline summary
ELP — Eric Calvillo 7’ (caution – reckless foul)
ELP — Tony Alfaro 18’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Danny Griffin 44’ (caution – reckless foul)
ELP — Arturo Ortiz 62’ (caution – reckless foul)
ELP — Amando Moreno 70’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Eric Dick 83’ (caution – delaying restart)
