Match Recaps

PITTSBURGH (March 29, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds made it two wins in two home matches with a goal on each side of halftime, defeating the Birmingham Legion, 2-0, tonight at Highmark Stadium.

Robbie Mertz and Danny Griffin scored for the Hounds (2-1-1), goalkeeper Eric Dick made a pair of saves for his second straight shutout, and the Hounds remained unbeaten in six matches at home against the Legion (0-2-2).

The win was the 100th Hounds win at Highmark Stadium, which opened in 2013. The team holds a 100-49-55 record at their South Shore home.

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First half

As with the team’s previous three matches, the Hounds came out controlling the ball, holding 60.6 percent of possession in the first 45.

From the first corner of the match, defender Luke Biasi nearly got his first goal with a flicked header that missed just wide across the face of goal. Mertz created a chance with his work rate shortly afterward, winning the ball along the goal line and creating a shooting angle that forced a save by Birmingham’s Matt Van Oekel.

In the 25th minute, Mertz set up Jackson Walti with a delicate pass to a wide area of the box, and Walti struck a shot that cracked the underside of the crossbar but stayed out of the goal.

Mertz got the Hounds on the board by following the play after Bradley Sample’s shot from 18 yards was blocked. The rebound came to Mertz on the left side, and he hit a composed shot into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Second half

The Hounds continued to look for a second goal, but sat in a more defensive posture, allowing the Legion to have a nearly identical possession edge with 60.8 percent of the ball.

Augi Williams had the ball in the net in the 67th minute after being played through between defenders, but the offside flag was raised to negate the goal.

The flag stayed down three minutes later, however, as Beto Ydrach slipped a rolling pass between the Legion center backs. Griffin ran on to the ball and slid to put it into the net past an onrushing Van Oekel, giving the Hounds’ captain his second goal in as many games.

Dick made his only two saves of the match in the final 15 minutes, and Hounds Academy player Pablo Linzoain, a Fox Chapel High School student, entered the match as a late substitute for the 18-year-old’s third career match as an amateur player at the pro level.

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Modelo Man of the Match

Robbie Mertz netted the game’s opening goal by pouncing on a rebound, the most notable of many times he was in the right place. He had a team highs of eight total crosses, five touches in the Legion box and two chances created, and he rounded out the performance by winning the ball seven times, two off the team lead.

What’s next?

The Hounds have a week off before heading to the Lowcountry to face the Charleston Battery on Saturday, April 12. The team will also find out its opponent in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup next week after Second Round games conclude Wednesday.

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Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou (Max Broughton 74’), Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach, Luke Biasi; Jackson Walti, Bradley Sample (Illal Osumanu 64’); Robbie Mertz (Pablo Linzoain 89’), Danny Griffin, Aidan O’Toole (Jason Bouregy 64’); Augi Williams (Brigham Larsen 89’)

Birmingham Legion FC lineup (4-1-4-1) — Matt Van Oekel; Moses Mensah (Tyler Pasher 82’), Ethan Kos (Ramiz Hamouda 46’), Jake Rufe, Santiago Suarez; Enzo Martinez; Tabort Etaka Preston (Danny Trejo 74’), Roman Torres, Kobe Hernandez-Foster, Dawson McCartney; Ronaldo Damus

Scoring summary

PIT — Robbie Mertz 36’
PIT — Danny Griffin 70’ (Beto Ydrach)

Discipline summary

PIT — Aidan O’Toole 15’ (caution – reckless foul)
BHM — Ronaldo Damus 72’ (caution – reckless foul)

PITTSBURGH (March 22, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds captain Danny Griffin made it a memorable home opener for the team when his late, headed goal gave the Hounds a 1-0 win over Hartford Athletic tonight at Highmark Stadium.

The goal came on a special night for the Hounds organization, as Kenardo Forbes, the club’s all-time leader in appearances and assists and a holder of multiple USL Championship records, was honored before the match after retiring as a player earlier this month.

The win is the third time the Hounds have won their home opener in the past seven seasons, with all three of those wins coming against Hartford.

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First half

Hartford had one of their best chances of the match in the opening minute, as Mamadou Dieng pounced on a turnover and drove toward goal, but his shot from the top of the box sailed high.

The Hounds had a good early chance, as well, and it was a signal of things to come. Junior Etou broke down the left flank to cross to the penalty spot, where Griffin rose to head the ball cleanly but wide.

Late in the half, the Hounds nearly broke through on the counter after Eric Dick blocked away a low cross by Michee Ngalina. The Hounds went quickly the other direction, and Beto Ydrach rose for a headed shot that forced a leaping save by Hartford goalie Antony Siaha.

Second half

The Hounds continued to have more of the ball after the break, rolling up 62 percent of the ball for the match. Etou continued to test down the left side, working to the goal line for much of the match but cutting inside in the 67th minute to fire a right-footed shot saved by Siaha.

The goal finally came in the 75th minute after the Hounds worked the ball from the right side back across to the left and Etou. He curled a cross toward the goal, and Griffin got free on a central run and headed the ball into the left side of the net for his first of the season.

Danny's got hops! ⬆️ Your @PALottery Play of the Game from last night goes to Danny's game-winning goal! 💥
#PITvHFD #Grittsburgh pic.twitter.com/BEsmIj6GSR

— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) March 23, 2025

As the game rolled into stoppage time, the Hounds had to defend well in their box, including a late free kick where Hartford even threw Siaha forward. But the Hounds finished the job, limiting Hartford to one shot on goal for goalkeeper Dick’s first clean sheet of the season.

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Modelo Man of the Match

Danny Griffin’s game winner made him the obvious choice, but the captain was involved in other ways, connecting on 21 of 26 passes, contesting a team-high 15 duels for the ball — winning six — and finishing second on the team by recovering possession four times. 

What’s next?

The Hounds will try to keep the mojo going at home when they host Birmingham Legion FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at Highmark Stadium. Birmingham (0-1-2) was on the road this week, as well, battling out a 2-2 draw at Detroit City FC.

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Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou (Max Broughton 85’), Sean Suber, Illal Osumanu, Luke Biasi; Jackson Walti, Beto Ydrach; Robbie Mertz (Bradley Sample 85’), Danny Griffin, Aidan O’Toole (Jason Bouregy 62’); Augi Williams (Brigham Larsen 89’)

Hartford Athletic (4-2-3-1) — Antony Siaha; Thomas Presthus, Jordan Scarlett, Joe Farrell, Sebastian Anderson; Marlon Hairston, Beverly Makangila; Michee Ngalina, Jonathan Jiménez (Junior Moreira 78’), Deshane Beckford (Adewale Obalola 78’); Mamadou Dieng

Scoring summary

PIT — Danny Griffin 75’ (Junior Etou)

Discipline summary

PIT — Illal Osumanu 31’ (caution – tactical foul)

(March 15, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds were dealt their first setback of the young season after a pair of second-half goals sent San Antonio FC to a 2-0 win tonight at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas.

Jorge Hernandez and Luke Haakenson found the net for San Antonio on a night where a steady breeze impacted play for both sides.

The Hounds picked up an edge in possession with 52 percent after having to chase for a tying goal, but the team mustered only six total shots and just one of those was on target.

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First half

Neither team created much in the first half hour, with the Hounds’ best chance coming on a free kick. The team tried a training ground move to tee up a shot for Sean Suber, but the mechanics were a little too slow, allowing the San Antonio defense to block the attempt.

San Antonio then nearly got the opening goal in the 27th minute when a cross held up in the air to find Juan Agudelo at the back post. He settled the ball and fired from 9 yards out, but Eric Dick had the angle properly covered and parried the ball wide for a corner kick.

Agudelo’s shot was the only one on target for either team in the first half, as physical play ruled the day in a match with 37 total fouls called.

Second half

The Hounds came out on the front foot after the break. Beto Ydrach got a look at goal from the top of the box that took a deflection straight to the feet of Augi Williams, but the offside flag negated a second-chance opportunity.

Somewhat against the run of play, San Antonio took the lead in the 54th minute when Jimmy Medranda clipped a long ball behind the Hounds defense for a perfectly timed run by Hernandez. Dick came off his line but was second to the ball, allowing Hernadez to touch around him and finish into the open net.

The Hounds pressed for a tying goal, and Jason Bouregy forced San Antonio goalkeeper Richard Sanchez to make a diving save to deny his dipping shot from the right side of the penalty area.

The chances dried up as the half rolled on, and in the 88th minute, San Antonio added an insurance goal when Alex Greive found room to dribble between Hounds into the box, setting up Haakenson for the close-range finish.

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Modelo Man of the Match

Beto Ydrach was a strong two-way performer on the night, connecting on 44 of 55 passes (80 percent), including 16 of 20 in the attacking third. He also won all six of his aerial duels, 9 of 12 duels overall and had a team-leading seven clearances.

What’s next?

The Hounds get to kick off their home schedule next week when they host Hartford Athletic (0-1-0) at 7 p.m. next Saturday, March 22 at Highmark Stadium. Hartford did not play today but has a U.S. Open Cup First Round match before then, hosting the amateur New York Shockers on Tuesday night.

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Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi, Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach, Illal Osumanu; Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Junior Etou, Robbie Mertz, Jason Bouregy; Augi Williams

San Antonio FC lineup (4-3-3) — Richard Sánchez; Jimmy Medranda, Mitchell Taintor, Alex Crognale, Rece Buckmaster; Almir Soto, Jorge Hernandez, Nicky Hernandez; Jake LaCava, Juan Agudelo, Diogo Pacheco

Scoring summary

SA — Jorge Hernandez 54’ (Jimmy Medranda)
SA — Luke Haakenson 88’ (Alex Greive)

Discipline summary

SA — Almir Soto 34’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Augi Williams 42’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Beto Ydrach 72’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Jorge Garcia 87’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Danny Griffin 90+7’ (caution – tactical foul)

(March 8, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC kicked off its 2025 season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw tonight against North Carolina FC at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

Evan Conway opened the scoring for North Carolina (0-0-1) in the first half, but offseason signing Augi Williams pulled the Hounds (0-0-1) back to level terms in the second half, as both players capitalized on defensive errors to find the net.

Hounds goalkeeper Eric Dick needed to make only one save, as the Hounds held a significant edge in possession, 63.6 percent, and total shots, 10-5.

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First half

The Hounds came out looking to get forward early, winning a pair of early corner kicks that resulted in Sean Suber headers. The first was off target, and the second resulted in the first of four saves by North Carolina goalkeeper Jake McGuire.

Play continued to lead the visitors’ way until defender Beto Ydrach lost his footing playing the ball, allowing former Hounds midfielder Louis Pérez to pounce for North Carolina. Pérez fed Conway in front of goal, and the striker tapped in for a 22nd-minute goal, his second in his last three matches against the Hounds.

The goal put momentum win the home side, and in the 41st minute, Dick had to intervene to prevent Conway from making it 2-0.

A shot attempt by Pérez was blocked by the Hounds’ defense, but the ball ricocheted to the feet of Conway, who was able to turn and shoot near the penalty spot. Dick dove to his right to push the ball around the post, making his lone save of the night one for the highlight reel.

Second half

The Hounds locked things down even further after the break, holding North Carolina without a single shot in the second half.

Needing to get a goal back, Luke Biasi lifted an apparently harmless ball forward toward Williams. The ball skimmed backward off the head of North Carolina’s Aedon Sundstrom, and McGuire, well off his goal line, couldn’t cleanly play the redirected ball.

Williams beat the goalkeeper to the loose ball and carried it into the box to finish with his left foot between McGuire and retreating defenders in the 57th minute. For Williams, the No. 5 all-time scorer in USL Championship history, it was his 77th regular season goal but his first as a member of the Hounds.

Things kept moving the Hounds’ direction, and captain Danny Griffin nearly put his team in front when he struck a volley in the box on a ball looped over the defense. Griffin struck it well but too close to McGuire, who stood his ground and kept the ball out of the net in the 76th minute.

Despite the territorial edge, the Hounds were unable to find a second goal on a day when many of the team’s young players contributed. Earning starts in their professional debut were Ydrach, Jason Bouregy and Jorge Garcia, while Charles Ahl, Max Broughton and Brigham Larsen all made pro debuts off the bench in the second half.

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Modelo Man of the Match

Augi Williams takes top honors for his opportunistic strike that earned the Hounds a point. He also successfully took 6 of 10 duels on the ground and won three free kicks in the match, while becoming only the third player to score on his Hounds debut under Bob Lilley, joining Dane Kelly (2022) and Bertin Jacquesson (2024).

What’s next?

The Hounds make it two straight on the road to kick off 2025, as they head west to visit San Antonio FC at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15. San Antonio was hosting Monterey Bay FC in their season opener later tonight.

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Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou, Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach (Illal Osumanu 69’), Luke Biasi (Aidan O’Toole 87′); Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Brigham Larsen 87’), Jorge Garcia (Charles Ahl 54’), Jason Bouregy (Max Broughton 69’); Augi Williams

North Carolina FC lineup (3-5-2) — Jake McGuire; Collin Martin (Raheem Somersall 77’), Conor Donovan, Bryce Washington; Jaden Servania, Louis Pérez (Ahmad Al-Qaq 77’), Mikey Maldonado, Rafa Mentingen, Finn Sundstrom; Oalex Anderson (Adam Luckhurst 77’), Evan Conway (Rodrigo da Costa 89’)

Scoring summary

NC — Evan Conway 22’ (Louis Pérez)
PIT — Augi Williams 57’  

Discipline summary

NC — Louis Pérez 38’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 71’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Luke Biasi 86’ (caution – reckless foul)

(Feb. 28, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds wrapped up their preseason schedule with a battle that had a regular-season feel, playing to a 0-0 draw at USL Championship newcomers Lexington SC at the team’s new Lexington SC Stadium in Lexington, Ky.

The game had its share of ebbs and flows throughout, and scoring chances were scarce for both teams. The hosts seemed to have fresher legs and more of the ball through the opening stages, but the Hounds (4-1-1) responded to the challenge.

“I thought we grew into the game,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said. “They had a lot of possession, and we found it difficult to get on the ball the first 20 minutes. We worked hard to get ourselves on more even terms, and we finished the half pretty well. There were not a lot of big chances for either team in the first half, or in the game, for that matter, but both teams had some good spells.”

As the final tune-up for the regular season, a number of the Hounds regulars recorded 90-minute shifts, including captain Danny Griffin, Jackson Walti, Sean Suber and Eric Dick, while many of the other regulars took on a 60- to 75-minute workload.

It was the team’s fourth clean sheet of the exhibition schedule, and the first time Dick logged the full 90 for the shutout. The zero on the board was matched by Lexington goalie Logan Ketterer, who Lilley would have liked to see his team test more.

“The second half, we put a lot of pressure on them. We had some chances blocked in the box and didn’t get a lot of clean looks on their keeper, but we pressed well and got on the ball in their half,” Lilley said.

Lexington did have one excellent chance late, as longtime Louisville City striker — and often Hounds nemesis — Cameron Lancaster got on the end of a cross with 10 minutes remaining, only to head the ball off the bar.

Despite that, Lilley came away from the match pleased to get a result on the road. With the Hounds opening the 2025 season with two straight road matches — the first at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8 at North Carolina FC — the preseason finale served as a fitting dress rehearsal for the Hounds.

“We left early (Thursday) and trained in Lexington, and our plan is to train at North Carolina next week. We had the Indy trip and Columbus earlier, but now we have our group together, and this is a similar distance (to North Carolina),” Lilley said. 

“It was a positive result at this point, but we have a lot to work on. I think we could’ve taken more advantage of opportunities in the final third, but the guys worked hard and, for the most part, defended well.”

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 25, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds suffered their first setback of the preseason schedule after a late Loudoun United FC goal sent the Hounds to a 2-1 loss this afternoon at Highmark Stadium.

The Hounds (4-1-0) led on an early Augi Williams penalty kick, but goals by Abdellatif Aboukoura and Zach Ryan gave the visitors the result in the penultimate exhibition match for both teams.

The scoring started quickly after Loudoun was whistled for a handling call in the opening five minutes of the match. Williams converted the fifth-minute penalty kick with a low shot to the left side of the goal, giving the Hounds’ offseason signing his second goal of preseason.

Aboukoura tied the match in the 15th minute for Loudon from a dead ball situation of his own after the Hounds conceded a foul 25 yards from goal. His low free kick through traffic found the right side of the net, ending the Hounds stretch of 342 preseason minutes without conceding a goal.

Both teams seemed to settle in after the early goals, and chances were scarce for the rest of the half; Sean Suber’s header of a Robbie Mertz cross that went over the bar was the team’s best opportunity right before halftime.

Both teams again went deep into their benches during the second half, as they combined for 17 substitutions in a span from the 57th to 72nd minute. But it was one of Loudoun’s regulars, Ryan, who applied the decisive touch late.

A Hounds throw-in in their defensive half led to a turnover, sending Loudoun on a break toward goal with numbers. A good pass across the goal hit Ryan in stride with plenty of room to shoot, Loudoun’s top scorer over the past two years put away the winning goal. It was the first goal conceded by the Hounds in the run of play since their closed-door scrimmage with the Columbus Crew to begin the preseason.

The Hounds will wrap up the preseason this Friday, Feb. 28, when they travel to Kentucky to meet USL Championship newcomers Lexington SC at 6 p.m.

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 21, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds continued their strong run of preseason results this morning by traveling across town to pick up a 3-0 win over the University of Pittsburgh at the Pitt Sports Dome on the school’s Oakland campus.

Goals by Kenardo Forbes, Max Broughton and one of the team’s trialists accounted for the scoring for the Hounds, who won their fourth straight preseason match and third by way of shutout. The match was originally scheduled to be played Friday evening at Pitt’s Ambrose Urbanic Field, but the time and venue were moved because of the cold temperatures and potential for precipitation in the forecast.

The Hounds created problems for the Panthers early by pressing the Pitt defenders, and turnovers in their own half led to each of the first two goals.

In the 13th minute, Jackson Walti got on the ball and drove into the box after the Hounds picked up possession barely 30 yards from goal. The initial shot by Walti was saved, but one of the Hounds’ preseason trialists crashed in to bury the rebound.

The lead became 2-0 only four minutes later, when the Hounds countered down the right flank. Luke Biasi got behind the defense in a wide position, and his low, hard cross was turned into the goal by Forbes for the veteran’s first goal this preseason.

Both teams utilized their bench heavily, as the Hounds played 22 players in total. One of the players who logged the most minutes was midfielder Charles Ahl, who set up the team’s third goal in the 83rd minute.

On a play that began with a corner kick, the Hounds recovered the clearance and moved the ball around the box to Ahl on the right side. His cross toward the near post found Broughton — who minutes earlier had a header denied by a good save — and this time Broughton turned the ball into the net as the two first-year pros connected.

It was the eighth time in the past nine seasons the Hounds have faced Pitt in the preseason, and there were plenty of ties between the teams on the field. Both Walti and Bertin Jacquesson played for the Panthers and coach Jay Vidovich, while Pitt has two Riverhounds Academy alums in Alex Hauskrecht and Anders Bordoy, the latter of whom debuted for the Hounds’ First Team in 2023 as an amateur player on a USL Academy contract.

The Hounds are entering their final week of preseason next week with a pair of matches against USL opponents, the first coming Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. when the team hosts Loudoun United FC at Highmark Stadium.

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Scoring summary

PIT — Trialist 13′
PIT — Kenardo Forbes 17′ (Luke Biasi)
PIT — Max Broughton 83′ (Charles Ahl)

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 16, 2025) — A late-match goal gave the Pittsburgh Riverhounds their third consecutive preseason win, 1-0, over Columbus Crew 2 of MLS Next Pro this afternoon on the snow-covered Highmark Stadium turf.

The Hounds (3-0-0) got the game’s only goal in the 78th minute with a solid strike from 20 yards out by one of the team’s non-roster trialists. Bertin Jacquesson won a high, looping ball and nudged it back diagonally with his body, setting up the right-footed finish from distance.

It was the first time the Hounds had played a team from MLS Next Pro in preseason; their previous matchup with an MLS reserve grade side was back in 2021 — the year before the formation of Next Pro — when they defeated Philadelphia Union II at Highmark Stadium.

The game was also the second shutout in the past three preseason matches for the Hounds, with the only goal conceded in that stretch coming on a penalty kick. Eric Dick played the first 60 minutes of the match and needed to make just one save, before Jacob Randolph came on in relief for the final half hour.

The Hounds were strong in possession out of the gates, despite the snow cover and blustery conditions, but their best early chance came by way of set piece. Robbie Mertz took a quick corner kick, and the ball was curled into the box where Bradley Sample was unmarked. Sample rose to put a firm header on goal, but the attempt flew into the goalkeeper’s hands.

Junior Etou picked up where he left off a season ago, getting behind the defense on the left side multiple times. In the 52nd minute, his low cross from along the goal line was parried away by the goalkeeper, but no Hounds teammate was in position to turn the rebound home in the box.

As the Hounds went deeper into their bench — 21 players saw minutes in total — a scoreless match seemed like it might be in the cards until Jacquesson and the trialist linked up for the go-ahead goal with 12 minutes to play.

Crew 2 still nearly came away with a late goal and a draw after the Hounds defense initially blocked a shot in the 89th minute. The ball bounced free in the box to a Columbus player, who lifted an attempt toward goal, but another of the Hounds’ non-rostered players was on the goal line to head the ball to safety.

The Hounds continue their preseason next week when they go across town to face the University of Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 at Ambrose Urbanic Field in the city’s Oakland neighborhood.

(Feb. 12, 2025) — Two goals in the final 12 minutes completed a preseason comeback for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, who came away with a 2-1 win over fellow USL Championship team Indy Eleven in an exhibition match at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.

First-year pro Brigham Larsen came off the bench to score both goals for the Hounds (2-0-0), the first two this preseason for the Norwegian striker. Those goals overcame a first-half penalty kick by Indy’s Elvis Amoh that opened the scoring.

The teams also met in last year’s preseason — a 0-0 draw in Pittsburgh — but Hounds coach Bob Lilley drew a contrast from then to now.

“It was much different than what you saw last year, when we were defending and countering more,” Lilley said. “We had more of the ball and we were doing more to try and play through their lines on the ground.”

Despite that, the Hounds found themselves trailing when their former striker, Edward Kizza, was tripped at the edge of the penalty area. That set up Amoh at the spot, and he converted the penalty kick in the 32nd minute.

Needing to generate more offense, the Hounds made quality adjustments at the break.

“First half, we got a lot of service in the box, but we didn’t get to the end line as much as I’d like,” Lilley said. “We talked about it, and in the second half, we got behind them more and created more shots. It was a little more back-and-forth in the second half, a little more stretched with both teams bringing on subs, but we created some dangerous moments.”

Larsen tied the match in the 78th minute by using his 6-foot-4 stature to head in a free kick from fellow first-year pro Charles Ahl. Six minutes later, Larsen found the back of the net again, this time on the receiving end of a long, diagonal pass from one of the Hounds’ non-roster trialists.

“It was good to see those guys contribute. I thought there were a lot of good performances, and we took a good step forward today,” Lilley said.

The Hounds return home to continue their preseason this Sunday, Feb. 16 at 3:30 p.m., when they host Columbus Crew 2 out of MLS Next Pro at Highmark Stadium.

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 8, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds started the home portion of their 2025 preseason schedule with a 3-0 victory over Duquesne University this afternoon at Highmark Stadium.

Hounds offseason signing Augi Williams scored the opening goal just before halftime, and the Hounds added two more goals courtesy of non-roster trialists to make up the final margin. This was the team’s first match open to the public after facing the Columbus Crew of MLS in a closed-door setting last Saturday.

The Hounds (1-0-0) held an edge in possession throughout the match, and their pressure created problems for the Dukes as early as the fifth minute. Williams got on the ball after a turnover barely 20 yards from the Dukes’ goal, and he lifted a shot that was goal-bound until Duquesne defender Blaize Hardy intervened with a saving header at the goal line.

Aidan O’Toole also came close to opening the scoring, playing through a hold that might have yielded a penalty kick, but instead the second-year Hounds player got a shot away from 12 yards and forced a save by Dukes goalie Sam Coss.

The breakthrough came in the 45th minute, when one of the Hounds’ first-year pros, Charles Ahl, fired a low shot from inside the box that was saved by Coss. The rebound fell to the feet of Williams, whose first attempt was blocked away, but he was able direct the ball into the net on his second effort.

The Hounds came out with 10 new field players for the second half — a total of 24 players total saw minutes, including a trialist timeshare in goal — and the new crew needed less than two minutes to double the lead.

Robbie Mertz, the Pittsburgh native now in his sixth year with the team, sent a cross into the box from the left wing. The veteran midfielder’s pass found its target in one of the non-roster players, who turned the ball home to double the lead.

The afternoon ended with an 87th-minute strike from distance, as a second of the team’s trialists was able to pick out the left side of the net with a shot taken 25 yards from goal. 

The Hounds continue their preseason with a pair of matches in the next eight days. The team travels to face fellow USL Championship team Indy Eleven on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m., before returning to host Columbus Crew 2 — the Crew’s MLS Next Pro team — at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16.

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Scoring summary

PIT — Augustine Williams 45′
PIT — Trialist 47′
PIT — Trialist 87′