Match Recaps

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Nov. 2, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds had their season come to an end in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, as an early goal was enough to give the Charleston Battery a 1-0 win tonight at Patriots Point Soccer Complex.

Nick Markanich, the USL Championship’s leading scorer, found the net in the eighth minute for the second-seeded Battery, who are the reigning Eastern Conference champions.

Eric Dick made four saves in goal for the Hounds, who qualified for the USL Championship Playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. The No. 7-seed Hounds were shut out for the first time in 10 matches, and they were unable to find the net despite a 12-10 edge in shots.

---

First half

After holding first-half leads in seven consecutive matches, the Hounds found themselves in the unfamiliar position of playing from behind in the eighth minute.

The Battery worked the ball down the left side before dropping a pass back to Arturo Rodriguez, who lifted a cross toward the back post. Markanich made a late cut in front of his defender and dove to head the ball past Dick for a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal allowed by the Hounds in 379 minutes of play, and it was the first first-half goal given up by the team since Aug. 17 against Colorado Springs, a run of nine matches.

The Hounds pressed to get the goal back quickly, and Bertin Jacquesson showed great skill in the box to control the ball and lay a pass back to Danny Griffin, whose shot was deflected wide for a corner by the Battery defense. That remained a theme of the night, as the Battery blocked six shots on the night.

Dick kept the margin close in the 42nd minute with his biggest save of the night, diving to his left to deny a curling shot by Rodriguez from 13 yards away.

Second half

The Hounds went straight on the attack to begin the second half, and Edward Kizza won the ball to set up Jacquesson, but again, the Battery tracked back to block the effort.

In the 70th minute, Bradley Sample won a contested ball in the attacking third to set up Robbie Mertz, who wisely drew the defense before passing to Griffin. The Hounds’ captain beat the goalkeeper with his shot, but the defense again tracked back to keep the ball from getting to the goal line.

The Battery had shouts for a penalty kick in the 75th minute when Griffin collided with Emilio Ycaza in the box, but play continued and the Hounds got a chance on the counter that ended with Langston Blackstock shooting wide of the goal.

In the end, the Hounds were not able to put a shot on target in the second half, with their final chance coming on a cross from Luke Biasi that found Kizza for an off-balance attempt in traffic that sailed high at the near post.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Pat Hogan was a stalwart on the back line against his former club, helping to slow down the league’s second-highest scoring team. The center back won 9 of 12 duels (7 of 9 in the air) and had a match-best five interceptions while connecting on 64 of 73 passes (87.7 percent).

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-5-2) — Eric Dick; Sean Suber, Pat Hogan, Illal Osumanu (Bradley Sample 63’); Junior Etou (Langston Blackstock 63’), Jackson Walti, Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 79’), Danny Griffin, Luke Biasi; Bertin Jacquesson (Babacar Diene 79’), Edward Kizza

Charleston Battery lineup (4-2-3-1) — Adam Grinwis; Chris Allan, Nate Dossantos, Graham Smith, Mark Segbers; Jay Chapman, Aaron Molloy; Juan Torres (Samuel Biek 85’), Arturo Rodriguez (Robbie Crawford 90+3’), Nick Markanich (Emilio Ycaza 72’); Jackson Conway (MD Myers 72’)

Scoring summary

CHS — Nick Markanich 8’ (Arturo Rodriguez)

Discipline summary

CHS — Aaron Molloy 33’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Pat Hogan 53’ (caution – reckless foul)

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)

LEESBURG, Va. (Oct. 19, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds put themselves on the doorstep of the USL Championship Playoffs after goals by Edward Kizza and Bertin Jacquesson sent the team to a 2-0 win over Loudoun United FC tonight at Segra Field.

Kizza scored in his fourth straight match for the Hounds (11-10-12), and Jacquesson netted for the fifth time in six matches in front of the 13th clean sheet by goalkeeper Eric Dick, who made four saves to blank Loudoun (11-13-9).

The Hounds will end the day seventh in the Eastern Conference and go into their final match against El Paso, at home next Saturday, knowing a win secures a seventh consecutive playoff berth.

---

First half

Loudoun, one of the league’s top possession teams, came out true to form, holding more of the ball early and forcing the Hounds to chase. 

Even as the game became more even, Loudoun would go on to hold 67 percent of the ball and have a 13-5 edge in shots, but the Hounds limited the clear-cut chances for Loudoun and allowed only one shot on goal in the first half.

The Hounds also had only one shot on goal in the opening 45, but they made it count in the 33rd minute.

Jacquesson was taken down on the right flank, setting up Robbie Mertz to serve a free kick roughly 15 yards from the end line. Mertz curled a ball to the front of goal, and Kizza rose between defenders to head in his career-best 11th goal.

In stoppage time, the Hounds’ defense laid their bodies on the line to keep the shutout intact. Loudoun’s Zach Ryan drew Dick toward him and laid a pass back to Tommy McCabe, but multiple Hounds dove to block away the shot toward an open net, with Pat Hogan getting the biggest piece of it.

Second half

Dick made a pair of saves early in the half, cleanly taking a short-hopper by Yanis Leerman and also catching a Kwame Awuah attempt.

But the Hounds doubled the lead in the 58th minute, somewhat against the run of play. Langston Blackstock got down the left wing with a give-and-go move, and he smartly cut a pass back toward the penalty spot, where Jacquesson arrived for a one-touch finish. It was the seventh goal contribution in six matches (five goals, two assists) for Jacquesson since arriving on loan from Real Salt Lake.

The Hounds put the ball in the net a third time off the foot of Luke Biasi, but Kizza was correctly flagged offside in the build-up. 

From that point, defense and clock management were the priority, but Loudoun managed to create a 90th-minute chance in traffic. Riley Bidois fired a shot through bodies that was headed for the right side of the net, but Dick made his best stop of the night to palm the ball wide for a corner.

Junior Etou had a late breakaway with Loudoun throwing numbers forward, but he was denied by goalkeeper Hugo Faroux. The miss wouldn’t matter, as the Hounds warded off two late corner kicks to complete the shutout.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Eric Dick all-but locked up the USL Championship Golden Glove with another shutout performance. While his four saves lead the stat sheet, he also commanded his penalty area with a number of contested catches, including a 77th-minute grab that he held while being upended and landing painfully on the ball.

What’s next?

The Hounds host El Paso Locomotive (7-17-8) in their final regular-season match, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Highmark Stadium. El Paso is already eliminated from contention and plays later tonight against Sacramento.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi (Pierre Cayet 83’), Illal Osumanu, Pat Hogan, Sean Suber, Langston Blackstock; Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz (Dani Rovira 65’); Edward Kizza (Junior Etou 65’), Bertin Jacquesson (Kenardo Forbes 83’)

Loudoun United FC lineup (3-4-3) — Hugo Fauroux; Jacob Erlandson, Yanis Leerman, Keegan Hughes (Wesley Leggett 57’); Kwame Awuah (Robby Dambrot 70’), Tommy McCabe, Drew Skundrich (Riley Bidois 70’), Keegan Tingey; Florian Valot (Tommy Williamson 80’), Zach Ryan, Abdellatif Aboukoura (Alex Nagy 80’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Edward Kizza 33’ (Robbie Mertz)
PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 58’ (Langston Blackstock)

Discipline summary

PIT — Sean Suber 23’ (caution – reckless foul)
LDN — Kwame Awuah 23’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
LDN — Tommy McCabe 44’ (caution – tactical foul)
LDN — Keegan Tingey 86’ (caution – tactical foul)
LDN — Head coach Ryan Martin 89’ (caution – dissent)
PIT — Kenardo Forbes 90+1’ (caution – delaying restart)
PIT — Dani Rovira 90+3’ (caution – tactical foul)

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)

(Oct. 5, 2024) — Bertin Jacquesson fired home the first hat trick of the 2024 season for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, who gave their playoff aspirations a boost with a 4-0 victory over Miami FC tonight at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.

Jacquesson, playing in his fourth match since arriving on loan from Real Salt Lake, scored his three goals in a 33-minute stretch spanning halftime. Edward Kizza added his team-leading ninth goal of the year for the Hounds (9-10-12), while goalkeeper Gabriel Perrotta posted his first professional shutout by making four saves to blank Miami (3-27-2).

The hat trick by Jacquesson, the former Pitt standout, is the 13th in Hounds history and the first since Albert Dikwa scored three in a 3-1 win at Memphis 901 FC on March 18, 2023. The win propels the Hounds to ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind eighth-place Loudoun United FC with three matches remaining, including a head-to-head meeting with Loudoun.

First half

Neither team created much offense in the first half hour, though Jacquesson signaled his intent in the 17th minute by forcing Miami goalie Daniel Gagliardi to make a diving save on a powerful shot from 30 yards away.

In fact, the Hounds held Miami without a shot in the first half, but it appeared the game would remain scoreless until late in the half.

Junior Etou, who was dangerous on the attack down the left side all night, received a cross-field pass and attacked the goal line. Etou played a low ball across the six-yard box that Jacquesson met at the back post, softy turning the ball over the goal line with his body in the 42nd minute.

Second half

Jacquesson doubled the lead in the 51st minute after carrying the ball down the right flank to a position to send in a cross. The Frenchman saw the goalkeeper cheating off his line, however, and he drove a hard ball that had just enough angle to get across the near post and settle into the opposite side of the net.

Kizza got into the act next after Jacquesson sent in a pass that the Miami defense was first to claim. Indecision on the back line allowed Kizza to pounce on the loose ball, and he quickly fired a shot off the base of the left post and into the net for a 3-0 lead in the 58th minute.

Jacquesson completed the hat trick after receiving a long, diagonal pass from Bradley Sample. Gagliardi charged off his line, but Jacquesson calmly poked the ball around the goalkeeper for his fourth goal in four matches with the Hounds. It was also Sample’s team-leading fourth assist of the year.

Perrotta was called upon late, making a pair of strong stops to deny headers by Daltyn Knutson. He also had a small bit of good fortune in the 63rd minute, when Mujeeb Murana got behind the Hounds defense but hit the post with his shot when the match was 3-0. But with nothing over the line, it was the Hounds’ 13th clean sheet of the season, second-most in the USL Championship behind Sacramento’s 15.

Modelo Man of the Match

Bertin Jacquesson has provided a spark for the Hounds attack, and his hat trick gives him five goal contributions (four goals and an assist) in four matches. He put six total shots on goal — the most by a Hounds player in 2024 — and his 12 touches in the opposing box was the same number posted by Miami’s entire team.

What’s next?

The Hounds return home for what — on paper — is their toughest remaining match with a visit from the Charleston Battery at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at Highmark Stadium. The Battery (17-5-9) have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 2-2 draw with Detroit earlier today.

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Gabriel Perrotta; Junior Etou (Illal Osumanu 71’), Luke Biasi (Pierre Cayet 79’), Pat Hogan, Sean Suber, Langston Blackstock; Bradley Sample (Nate Dragisich 79’), Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz (Jackson Walti 71’); Bertin Jacquesson, Edward Kizza (Dani Rovira 88’)

Miami FC lineup (3-5-2) — Daniel Gagliardi; Daniel Barbir (Luisinho 71’), Daltyn Knutson, Nicolas Cardona; Alejandro Mitrano, Rocco Genzano (Jordan Ayimbila 71’), Junior Palacios, Joey DeZart, Marco Santana (Mujeeb Murano 46’); Allen Gavilanes (Frank Lopez 75’), Roberto Molina (Sebastien Joseph 46’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 42’ (Junior Etou)
PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 51’ (Robbie Mertz)
PIT — Edward Kizza 58’
PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 75’ (Bradley Sample)

Discipline summary

MIA — Marco Santana 19’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Luke Biasi 32’ (caution – reckless foul)
MIA — Alejandro Mitrano 44’ (caution – dissent)
MIA — Junior Palacios 64’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 76’ (caution – dissent)
MIA — Junior Palacios 89’ (caution – reckless foul)
MIA — Junior Palacios 89’ (sent off – second caution)

PITTSBURGH (Sept. 28, 2024) — An early lead slipped away for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, as Birmingham Legion FC was able to rally to take a 1-1 draw tonight in front of a sellout crowd at Highmark Stadium.

Edward Kizza put the Hounds (8-10-12) ahead in the first half with his team-leading eighth goal of the year, his third of the year against the Legion (12-12-6). Stefano Pinho, the Legion’s top scorer, came off the bench to score the tying goal in the second half.

The draw leaves the Hounds in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, two points back of Loudoun for the eighth and final playoff spot in the with four games remaining in the season.

---

First half

Both teams looked to create early chances, but the defenses were able to block the early shots and crosses until Bertin Jacquesson forced Legion goalie Matt Van Oekel to parry a shot behind for a corner in the 19th minute.

The Hounds kept the pressure on and won a free kick near the left sideline, which Robbie Mertz served into the box. Kizza rose to win the header and redirected it past Van Oekel to put the Hounds ahead in the 22nd minute. 

The Legion nearly got a goal back with their own header 10 minutes later, but Derek Dodson’s attempt from a similar distance to Kizza’s hit the crossbar. Birmingham had chances at the rebound, but the threat ended when Luke Biasi was fouled being struck by a high boot.

Second half

The Legion brought Pinho off the bench at the halftime break, and he would make the difference for the visitors. But it was the Hounds who started quickly, as a blocked shot of Jacquesson’s fell to Kizza for a second effort that went wide just seconds into the half.

The Hounds almost benefitted from an own goal in the 63rd minute after Langston Blackstock hit a low pass across the face of the goal. Defender Jake Rufe nearly turned the ball into his own net, but Van Oekel stretched to get a touch and push the ball off the post.

Hounds goalkeeper Eric Dick made three saves on the night, none bigger than in the 73rd minute when he robbed Enzo Martinez by tipping over his point-blank header in front of goal. But the relief of that moment would be short lived, as Pinho got himself into a 1-on-1 situation down the right side. The striker pulled the ball back to create space and curled a shot from the top of the box into the far side of the net.

The Hounds had a few half-chances late, and the best came in the final minute, when Sean Suber won Junior Etou’s cross from the left wing, but the header flashed wide of the goal.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Robbie Mertz had the assist on Kizza’s opening goal, but his two-way effort was much more than that. He led the Hounds with 10 crosses, and his activity level was high with 60 touches on the ball — most among midfielders and forwards — 8 of 15 duels won and winning possession seven times, second on the team.

What’s next?

The Hounds go back on the road to start October with a match against last-place Miami FC (3-25-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Miami lost on the road tonight at Indy Eleven, 4-0.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi (Pierre Cayet 87’), Sean Suber, Illal Osumanu, Pat Hogan, Langston Blackstock; Robbie Mertz (Bradley Sample 76’), Jackson Walti (Junior Etou 87’), Danny Griffin; Bertin Jacquesson (Kenardo Forbes 76’), Edward Kizza (Emmanuel Johnson 76’)

Birmingham Legion FC lineup (4-3-3) — Matt Van Oekel; Moses Mensah (Stefano Pinho 46’), Jake Rufe, Alex Crognale, Derek Dodson; Dawson McCartney (Ramiz Hamouda 89’), Kobe Hernandez-Foster (Miguel Perez 83’), Rida Zouhir; Enzo Martinez, Tyler Pasher, Diba Nwegbo (Darwin Matheus 67’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Edward Kizza 22’ (Robbie Mertz)
BHM — Stefano Pinho 79’ (Darwin Matheus)

Discipline summary

BHM — Dawson McCartney 25’ (caution – reckless foul)
BHM — Diba Nwegbo 33’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Pat Hogan 72’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Emmanuel Johnson 90+4’ (caution – reckless foul)

(Sept. 14, 2024) — A late Leo Fernandes goal snapped the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ 10-match unbeaten streak, as they fell 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Jackson Walti gave the Hounds (8-10-11) the lead shortly before halftime, but Manuel Arteaga tied the game for the Rowdies (13-8-7) before Fernandes pounced for the winner in the first minute of stoppage time.

The defeat drops the Hounds outside of the top eight in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the final two playoff positions behind Loudoun United FC and Rhode Island FC, which plays later tonight.

---

First half

The Hounds nearly pulled ahead just six minutes into the match when Junior Etou got around the corner and drew goalkeeper Jordan Farr off the line before slipping a pass in front to Robbie Mertz, but Mertz couldn’t get clean contact on the ball to put a shot on net.

Thought he Rowdies had a little more possession, the Hounds were able to keep them from threatening much in the first half, and a curling shot midway through the half by Eddie Munjoma forced the only first-half save by Hounds goalie Eric Dick.

The Hounds’ pressure created the goal in the 43rd minute, starting with Langston Blackstock winning a Rowdies clearance on the attacking side of midfield. Transition moved quickly through Bertin Jacquesson on the right side, and he played a square pass across the top of the arc to Walti, whose first-touch shot found the bottom left corner of the net.

It was Walti’s second goal of the season, while Jacquesson now has a goal and an assist in his first two matches on loan in Pittsburgh.

Second half

Tampa Bay made one halftime substitution, brining Fernandes into the contest, and he would be a difference maker.

The Rowdies attack looked more dangerous working through Fernandes, and he helped create an early chance for Arteaga that was blocked away by Luke Biasi at the final moment. The Hounds, meanwhile, continued to find chances on the counter, but did not put a shot on target after the interval.

In the 71st minute, the Rowdies finally pulled level after Cal Jennings got down the right side of the defense and slipped a low pass toward Arteaga. Arteaga got a leg out to redirect the ball with a back heel and slipped it past Dick for the tying goal.

Both teams were able to get the ball into the box late, but it was the Rowdies who found a winner in the first of eight minutes of stoppage time.

Fernandes shot from the top of the box, and it was blocked by Illal Osumanu, but the ball trickled right back into Fernandes’ path. Dick charged off his line, but Fernandes’ shot toward the right corner got past the goalkeeper and took a deflection off retreating Dani Rovira before finding the net.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Jackson Walti got the Hounds goal, and he was also a workhorse in the middle of a heavy grass pitch. The midfielder connected on 82.4 percent of his passes (28 of 34), won 6 of 8 duels and won possession of the ball five times, one off the team high.

What’s next?

The Hounds get some time to rest with their final weekend off upcoming. They return to action with another matchup against Birmingham Legion FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at Highmark Stadium. Birmingham (11-12-5) sits three points ahead of the Hounds after losing 4-2 tonight at Loudoun.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-2-3) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou (Bradley Sample 72’), Luke Biasi, Illal Osumanu, Sean Suber, Langston Blackstock (Dani Rovira 90’); Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Babacar Diene 90’), Edward Kizza (Kenardo Forbes 84’), Bertin Jacquesson (Emmanuel Johnson 72’)

Tampa Bay Rowdies lineup (3-5-2) — Jordan Farr; Jordan Doherty, Freddy Kleemann, Zane Bubb (Nathan Worth 62’); Blake Bodily, Lewis Hilton, Ben Bender (Leo Fernandes 46’), Eddie Munjoma, Joshua Pérez (Damian Rivera 62’); Manuel Arteaga (Endri Mustali 84’), Cal Jennings (Cristian Ortiz 90+6’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Jackson Walti 43’ (Bertin Jacquesson)
TBR — Manuel Arteaga 71’ (Cal Jennings)
TBR — Leo Fernandes 90+1’

Discipline summary

TBR — Eddie Munjoma 45+2’ (caution – tactical foul)
TBR — Blake Bodily 53’ (caution – tactical foul)
TBR — Zane Bubb 56’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Edward Kizza 67’ (caution – reckless foul)
TBR — Leo Fernandes 76’ (caution – dissent)

PITTSBURGH (Sept. 7, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds continued their push for a postseason berth with a huge home win, defeating Rhode Island FC, 2-0, tonight at Highmark Stadium in front of a sellout crowd of 5,619.

Newly acquired Bertin Jacquesson scored on his debut for the Hounds (8-9-11), and first-year pro Bradley Sample added his first professional goal after halftime. Goalkeeper Eric Dick did not need to make a save for his 11th shutout of the season, as the Hounds limited Rhode Island (8-6-13) to only two total shots.

The win extends the Hounds unbeaten run to 10 games — 5-0-5 — and propels the team to seventh place in the Eastern Conference, though chasing Birmingham and Loudoun each have games in hand.

---

First half

The match was billed as the return of 2023 Golden Boot winner Albert Dikwa to Pittsburgh, and he gave the home crowd a scare when he got behind the defense and struck the post, though the offside flag ended up negating the 14th-minute chance.

Neither team created much in the way of chances, and the visitors went without a shot in the first half, but late in first-half stoppage time, the newest Hound made the breakthrough.

Danny Griffin fired a low, diagonal pass across the field that split the defense to find Jacquesson, the former Pitt star acquired this week on loan from Real Salt Lake. Jacquesson made no mistake with his first touch, firing a right-footed shot just under the crossbar to put the Hounds ahead.

Second half

It took only five minutes for Sample to double the lead on a play that began again with Jacquesson, who carried the ball into the left corner.

As the defense closed, Jacquesson dropped a pass back to Dani Rovira, who struck a line-drive cross toward the penalty spot. Sample rose and got enough on his header to redirect the ball toward the back post, and it looped high over the head of goalkeeper Koke Vegas before dropping in for the rookie’s first pro tally.

Things got chippy as the game progressed, and tempers flared late in a clash between Robbie Mertz and Rhode Island’s Karifa Yao that brought both teams together. Mertz and Yao were both carded as things settled in the final few minutes. 

The Hounds continued to keep the clamps on defensively, though Rhode Island began to create chances late. The visitors nearly got a goal back in the 90th minute when Noah Fuson got behind the defense into the right side of the box, but his pass across goal went behind his two teammates running toward goal and rolled to safety for the Hounds. 

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Bradley Sample bagged his first career goal with the deftest of headers to loop the ball into the net. In addition, the midfielder was strong with a team-best 80 percent passing percentage (24 of 30), four total crosses and winning possession a team-leading eight times.

What’s next?

The Hounds go back on the road to St. Petersburg, Fla., for an always-challenging contest against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The teams drew 0-0 in April in Pittsburgh, but the Rowdies (12-7-7) suffered a setback tonight at Colorado Springs.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-2-3) — Eric Dick; Dani Rovira (Langston Blackstock 61’), Luke Biasi, Sean Suber, Illal Osumanu, Jackson Walti; Bradley Sample (Pierre Cayet 76’), Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz, Edward Kizza (Kenardo Forbes 76’), Bertin Jacquesson (Emmanuel Johnson 61’)

Rhode Island FC lineup (3-5-2) — Koke Vegas; Morris Duggan, Karifa Yao, Grant Stoneman (Frank Nodarse 75’); Noah Fuson, Marc Ybarra (Zack Herivaux 58’), Jack Panayotou, Clay Holstad, Stephen Turnbull (Mark Doyle 75’); JJ Williams (Gabriel Alves 69’), Albert Dikwa

Scoring summary

PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 45+5’ (Danny Griffin)
PIT — Bradley Sample 50’ (Dani Rovira)

Discipline summary

RI — Stephen Turnbull 35’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Illal Osumanu 42’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Luke Biasi 55’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Danny Griffin 74’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 80’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
RI — Karifa Yao 80’ (caution – unsporting behavior)

(Aug. 31, 2024) — Controversy marred a gritty effort by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, who battled for more than 90 minutes down a man and took a lead before finishing with a 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven on Saturday night at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis.

Pat Hogan was sent off for a foul in the fourth minute after initially being shown a yellow card, reducing the Hounds (7-9-11) to 10 men. Danny Griffin’s superb volley put the Hounds ahead in the second half, but a stoppage-time free kick by Romario Williams allowed Indy (10-9-6) to steal a point.

The result means the Hounds will remain no more than three points back of the playoff positions in the Eastern Conference after today’s play with seven matches remaining.

---

First half

The match was altered minutes after the opening whistle after Hogan was first to the ball in a clash with Sebastián Guenzatti with both players’ boots high in the air. Guenzatti went to the ground, and Hogan was immediately shown a yellow card by referee Elijio Arreguin for the challenge.

More than a minute passed before play restarted, and Arreguin — who was only 10 yards from the foul and unobstructed in his view — inexplicably decided to reverse his initial call, going back to Hogan and changing the decision to a red card.

That left the Hounds shorthanded for the remainder of the match, but the team kept its defense compact with changes on the fly, limiting Indy to just four first-half shots, and only one on goal, despite conceding 72 percent of possession.

Second half

The Hounds left their lineup unchanged out of the break, and they created some moments of danger early in the half. Robbie Mertz received a diagonal ball deep in the corner of the box and was knocked over, drawing light shouts for a penalty only four minutes in.

Jackson Walti struck the post in the 55th minute with a lofted, curling effort from outside of the box, but the ball rebounded back into play and the Hounds were unable to pounce on the rebound.

Indy began creating some chances of their own, as just a minute later, Eric Dick was forced to make one of his three saves to stop Williams from close range at a sharp angle on the right.

The Hounds got on the board in the 73rd minute from a play that began with a set piece from 40 yards away. The initial ball into the box was headed clear by Indy, but the Hounds quickly moved it wide to the left and the feet of Mertz, who served the ball back into the box.

Illal Osumanu elevated at the back post to win the header, and he wisely put the ball back toward the front of net. Griffin was waiting 8 yards from goal and had no hesitation, smashing the ball on the volley into the top right corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

With the lead the Hounds looked to get to the finish line, blocking all three Indy shot attempts before the officials posted four minutes of stoppage time.

An additional minute was added for a late substitution, and Indy’s Maalique Foster won a free kick 25 yards from goal with the match now in the sixth added minute. That set up Williams, whose well-placed shot curled over the wall and into the net in the seventh minute of stoppage time, ending the match in a draw.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Danny Griffin served up an outstanding finish that was the highlight of a night when the central midfielder had extra ground to cover with the Hounds reduced to 10 men. Griffin had a team-leading nine clearances, along with three interceptions and going 4 for 4 winning aerial duels.

What’s next?

The Hounds return home for another critical match in the playoff chase when Rhode Island FC comes to Highmark Stadium for the first time at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Rhode Island (8-5-13) leaped their way to fifth in the East tonight with a 2-0 win over Birmingham, coupled with Indy’s draw.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi (Babacar Diene 90+3’), Illal Osumanu, Pat Hogan (sent off 4’), Sean Suber, Dani Rovira (Pierre Cayet 67’); Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 82’); Edward Kizza (Bradley Sample 67’), Emmanuel Johnson (Jake Lent-Koop 82’)

Indy Eleven lineup (4-2-3-1) — Hunter Sulte; Aedan Stanley, James Musa (Logan Neidlinger 74’), Ben Ofeimu, Hayden White (Josh O’Brien 62’); Aodhan Quinn, Laurence Wootton (Cam Lindley 62’); Douglas Martinez (Elliot Collier 82’), Sebastián Guenzatti (Augustine Williams 62’), Maalique Foster; Romario Williams

Scoring summary

PIT — Danny Griffin 73’ (Illal Osumanu)
IND — Romario Williams 90+7’

Discipline summary

PIT — Pat Hogan 4’ (sent off – serious foul play)
IND — Douglas Martinez 32’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 66’ (caution – dissent)
IND — Cam Lindley 71’ (caution – tactical foul)
IND — Romario Williams (caution – reckless foul)

(Aug. 24, 2024) — Edward Kizza reprised his role as Birmingham’s nemesis, as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds striker scored twice to power the team to a 3-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC tonight at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.

Emmanuel Johnson added the third goal for the Hounds (7-9-10), who closed the gap to three points behind the playoff positions in the Eastern Conference. Eric Dick made six saves to record his 10th shutout of the year in the Hounds goal, twice stopping Birmingham (10-10-5) veteran Enzo Martinez at close range.

The win was the 400th professional win for Hounds head coach Bob Lilley, who has more wins at the pro level than any active coach in U.S. soccer in a career that spans 24 seasons with six teams.

---

First half

The Hounds signaled their attacking intent early, when Danny Griffin got into the Birmingham box and fed Babacar Diene less than three minutes into the match, only to see Diene’s angled shot strike the right post.

Kizza put the ball in the back of the net in the 22nd minute, but the offside flag negated what would have been the opening goal.

Dick was called into action for his toughest save of the night in the 32nd minute, when a Legion pass from the left skipped through players to Martinez in front of goal. Dick charged off his line and got a foot to Martinez’s shot, keeping the match scoreless.

In the 34th minute, Kizza put the Hounds in front after Diene worked his way down the left flank. A low pass allowed Kizza to cut in front of his defender, and he redirected the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Five minutes was all it took for Kizza to get his second, as Griffin chipped a pass to the striker inside the box. Kizza had time to control the ball, and he poked it into the far corner of the net with his second touch for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. 

It is the second time Kizza has had a two-goal game in his last three trips Birmingham, having also done so when the Hounds advanced in the 2022 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Second half

The Legion pushed forward chasing a goal, but Dick was on his game with three saves in each half. He added another stop of Martinez at close range in the 76th minute, though the offside flag meant the play did not count for the Hounds’ keeper.

Two Hounds substitutes combined for the final goal, as Johnson and Kenardo Forbes worked a give-and-go that led to Johnson being fouled at the edge of the penalty area.

Forbes, showing the vision that made him the Hounds’ and USL Championship’s all-time assists leader, played a firm, low pass on the free kick, catching the Legion off guard and allowing Johnson to fire home his second goal of the season in the 84th minute.

---

Modelo Man of the Match

Edward Kizza rediscovered his scoring magic at the site of his most famous goals, bagging his second two-goal game since his 2022 playoff brace in Birmingham. The striker ended up with four total shots — three on goal — and he won 6 of 9 duels and drew three free kicks with his work up front.

What’s next?

The Hounds go on the road again to face another team in the Eastern Conference playoff positions, Indy Eleven, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Indy (10-8-5) plays twice before then — later tonight at Las Vegas Lights FC in a league match and then Tuesday night at Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.

---

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-2-3) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou (Dani Rovira 87’), Luke Biasi, Sean Suber, Pat Hogan, Langston Blackstock (Illal Osumanu 69’); Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 80’), Edward Kizza (Bradley Sample 80’), Babacar Diene (Emmanuel Johnson 69’)

Birmingham Legion FC lineup (4-1-4-1) — Matt Van Oekel; AJ Paterson (Moses Mensah 67’), Alex Crognale, Phanuel Kavita, Jake Rufe (Tabort Etaka Preston 46’); Kobe Hernández-Foster; Dawson McCartney, Enzo Martínez, Rida Zouhir (Matthew Corcoran 76’), Derek Dodson; Stéfano Pinho (Prosper Kasim 62’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Edward Kizza 34’ (Babacar Diene)
PIT — Edward Kizza 39’ (Danny Griffin)
PIT — Emmanuel Johnson 84’ (Kenardo Forbes)

Discipline summary

BHM — Rida Zouhir 27’ (caution – tactical foul)
BHM — Dawson McCartney 43’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Luke Biasi 79’ (caution – reckless foul)
BHM — Derek Dodson 83’ (caution – tactical foul)
BHM — Kobe Hernández-Foster 90+4’ (caution – reckless foul)