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FINAL: Riverhounds SC 4, Union II 0

Photo courtesy Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

FINAL: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 4, Philadelphia Union II 0

 USL Championship Match Center | Box Score

Match Summary 

The Riverhounds SC cruised to another lopsided victory, 4-0, against in-state foes,Philadephia Union II, on a night when its captain, veteran midfielder Kenardo Forbes became the USL Championship’s all-time assist leader. 

Forbes contributed a pair of assists, setting up headers by Steevan Dos Santos and Thomas Vancaeyezeele, while Dos Santos added another tally before the end of the first half. 

The Riverhounds SC (now 3-2-0, 9 points) move back into a tie at the top of the Group F standings with Hartford Athletic. 

“I’m happy to have the win, but we need to be better,” Hounds Head Coach Bob Lilley said afterwards. “We have enough experience and enough quality that we scored four goals, but we didn’t create as many good chances in the second half. For me, we haven’t performed as well as I would’ve liked in our last two wins.”

Forbes found Dos Santos in the 22nd minute after making a run behind the last man on the right of Union II’s back line. Danny Griffin sent a ball through for Forbes, who took one touch, the sent a spinning ball to the middle of the box for Dos Santos, who easily redirected the ball into the goal to give the Hounds the lead.

As the Hounds continued to bring more pressure, they set up another corner kick in the 36th minute. After Robbie Mertz took a number of the earlier corner attempts, this time Forbes stepped up to take it. 

Forbes delivered a perfectly placed ball to the back post area where Vancaeyezeele rose up to head it into the right side of the goal to give Pittsburgh a commanding 2-0 lead. 

With his seventh assist of the season in just the fifth match of the 2020 season, the Jamaican midfielder now goes into the record books at the league’s all-time leader in assists, with 37 total, surpassing Maikel Chang.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know about this record until about a week-and-a-half ago,” Forbes admitted. “I got an email about the record a week or two ago. I didn’t come into the season trying to break the record necessarily.”

Long-time teammate of Forbes, Steevan Dos Santos raved about his captain reaching an impressive milestone.

“It’s great for him. He’s been working very hard, and it shows,” Dos Santos said. “He reads the game very well, he knows where to be, where to pass the ball. Like he said, we have a connection. He knows where we are going to be and to set us up.”

Dos Santos picked up another goal when he took advantage of a poorly played ball out of the Philadelphia back line. About 35 yards from goal, Dos Santos quickly put his foot on the ball coming his way to catch the keeper, Mitch Budler off his line, as the ball sailed past the goal line. 

The Hounds added another goal in the second half, in the 54th minute, when Ryan James volleyed a shot past Budler from the middle of the box after recieving a a one-time, volley pass from Anthony Velarde on the left side.  

Inclement weather halted the match for 30 minutes in the 78th minute, but this didn’t stop Pittsburgh’s stellar defense. The Hounds held on for the remaining time to earn their third win on the season. They held 62 percent of possession and put five shots on target.

In two matches this season against the Union II, Pittsburgh has outscored the MLS 2 squad, 10-0.

I’m happy we won,” Lilley reiterated. “But this is not the night that defines us. We’re thinking what we have to do and what we have to work on to get to the next level.”

The Hounds return to action next Saturday, when they face another Group F opponent and MLS 2 squad, NY Red Bulls II. 

The Red Bulls II defeated Pittsburgh 2-1 last Sunday in New Jersey.

Postgame interviews

Lineups

Riverhounds SC

Tomas Gomez; Dani Rovira, Ryan James, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Skylar Thomas, Jordan Dover; Kenardo Forbes (Dakota Barnathan 69′), Robbie Mertz (Lukas Fernandes 78′), Danny Griffin; Steevan Dos Santos (Mark Forrest 69′), Ropapa Mensah (Anthony Velarde 54′)

Subs not used: Anthony Mwembia, Danny Vitiello, Hunter Ashworth

Philadelphia Union II

Mitch Bundler; Dante Huckaby, Jamoi Topey (Anthony Sorenson 45′), Benjamin Ofeimu, Brandan Craig (Jack Jasinski 45′); Jack McGlynn, Luis Flores, Axel Picazo (Anges Kader Bohui 67′), David Rabadán (Steve Kingue 67′), Quinn Sullivan (Paxten Aaronson 45′); Selmir Miscic

Subs not used: Ben Martino

Gameday Updates 

9:29 – 88′ – YELLOW CARD – comes out for Union II’s Danny Flores for taking down Danny Griffin.

9:20 – Play has resumed.

One correction: That’s Dakota Barnathan in, not Ashworth.

Also, Lukas Fernandes is now IN and Robbie Mertz is OUT That substitution happened when play resumed.

9:01 – We are getting word that the match is scheduled to resume at 9:20 p.m.

8:44 — 78′  So much for that previous comment — we’re under Weather Delay now!

Played under dark clouds, but no rain or thunderstorms in our vicinity, this match is also official now, as we’ve passed the 69th minute.

8:34 – SUBS for RIVERHOUNDS

Mark Forrest and Hunter Ashworth IN

Steevan Dos Santos and Kenny Forbes OUT

here’s a look at the Ryan James goal…

8:31 – 65′ – GOAL – RIVERHOUNDS – RYAN JAMES

Ryan James with a left-footed volley in the middle of the box, from a volleyed cross from Anthony Velarde!
4-0 lead now for Hounds

8:20 –54′ – Hounds first sub:

Anthony Velarde IN
Ropapa Mensah OUT
8:10 — second half starts
Union II make two subs at the start of the 2nd half:
 
Jack Jasinski & Anton Sorenson IN
Jamoi Topey & Brandon Craig OUT
HALFTIME:
Complete domination by the black and gold.
Kenny Forbes with two assists to go into the record books.
Goals from Dos Santos (22′, 42′) and Vancaeyeele (36′)
In 135 minute of action Hounds have outscored Union II, 9-0.

7:47 – WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!???  GOAL – RIVERHOUNDS 3-0. DOS SANTOS AGAIN!

Dos Santos from wayyyyy out — about 35 yards with outside of his right foot after a ball was deflected his way.

7:42 – GOAL! RIVERHOUNDS, 2-0. Thomas Vancaeyezeele

Header near the back post.

From — guess who????  Kenardo Forbes on the corner kick to back post.

HISTORY MADE here at @highmarkstadium as Forbes now becomes the USL Championship‘s all-time assist leader with 37 total!! 

7:29 – GOAL! RIVERHOUNDS, 1-0. Steevan Dos Santos

It’s a header — from a Kenardo Forbes cross — set up by a nice through ball from Danny Griffin.

HISTORY MADE: Forbes ties Mikael Chang for all-time USL Championship assists mark.

7:26 – 20′ – Dos Santos tripped up again at midfield. Never a dull moment when ball’s played his way.

7:24 – 18′ – Oh man, Danny Griffin just ran into a wall!

Free kick coming for Hounds from dangerous spot outside box on left side…
Forbes plays it far right side of box for Dos Santos for redirect, but it’s well defended.

7:16 – 10′ – Dos Santos gets first shot on frame — save by Budler. Corner coming for Hounds.  Mertz plays it too high.

7:12 – 6′ – Both sides with corner kicks early.

Hounds back line with a lot of touches, showing plenty of patience. Kind of like the 1st time these two played.

7:06 – we’ve kicked off

Riverhounds SC starting XI:

GK: Tomas Gomez

Def: Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Skylar Thomas, Jordan Dover, Ryan James

MF:  Robbie Mertz, Kenardo Forbes (c), Dani Rovira, Danny Griffin

F: Steevan Dos Santos, Ropapa Mensah

Available subs: Danny Vitiello, Anthony Mwembia, Hunter Ashworth, Dakota Barnathan, Anthony Velarde, Lukas Feranandes, Mark Forrest

 

Union II’s starting XI:

GK: Mitch Budler

Def: Brandon Craig, Ben Ofeimu, Jamoi Topey (c), Dante Huckaby

MF: Jack McGlynn, Danny Flores, David Rabadan, Axel Picazo

F: Quinn Sullivan, Selmir Miscic

Available subs:  Steve Kingue, Patrick Bohni, Ben Martino (GK), Jack Jasinski, Anton Sorenson, Paxten Aaronson

 

 

Look for lineups to be posted here at approximately 6:15 p.m.

‘Miracle on the Mon’ is available now!

Match Notes

Saturday, August 1   |    7 p.m.   |   Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA

Television: 22 The Points | Streaming: ESPN+

 

Once again, fans will not be in attendance for Wednesday’s match.

Mark Lindstrom has returned to the Players Unavailable to Play list this week. Neither team has any players on the USL Discipline Report.

Last time these teams met, Pittsburgh steamrolled Union II with a 6-0 victory at Subaru Park. 

Takeaways/Player Grades: Upper-echelon Hounds take Union II to school

Last time out, Pittsburgh fell, 2-1, to New York Red Bulls II. For most of the second half, it appeared the match would end in a draw. However, with a last-second penalty kick, New York secured the victory in the 90+5 minute.

During this match, Kenardo Forbes assisted Skylar Thomas in the 9th minute to give him 36 career assists in the USL Championship. That number places him one assist away from tying Maikel Chang for the league’s all-time record.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia suffered a loss in its previous game on Saturday against Hartford Athletic, 3-2. The game was tied at halftime before Hartford ultimately went ahead in the second half.

Hartford currently sits atop the Group F standings with the Hounds three points behind in second place. After last week’s games, Union II find themselves at the bottom of Group F with the worst goal differential (-11) in the USL Championship.

During the match this Saturday, fans can use the hashtag #HoundsAtHome and submit photos of themselves watching the Hounds taking on Philadelphia. 

PSN Coverage 

Preview: Hounds will expect victory against Philly

Riverhounds SC Notebook: Forbes approaching all-time USL assist mark

Video: 1-v-1 With Riverhounds SC Defender Skylar Thomas

Bob Lilley Press Conference Transcript: Week 4 vs. Philadelphia

Takeaways/Player Grades: Hounds are in for a fight

More on PITvPHI 

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John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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