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Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Hounds settle for draw against Loudoun, make it three unbeaten

FINAL: Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-1 Loudoun United

Mertz penalty helps guide Hounds to three-match unbeaten run

A sellout crowd of 5,613 enjoyed a beautiful Saturday night at Highmark Stadium, as they witnessed their streaking Hounds battle to a draw against the visiting Loudoun United in a match of missed chances and controversial decisions.

The Hounds, as they have in recent matches during their recent run of good form, got out to a quick start – applying tons of pressure to the Loudoun defensive line and flying forward aggressively in attack. That would pay off in the 10th minute, as a ball into the box from Robbie Mertz to Emmanuel Johnson drew a foul from Loudoun defender Yannis Leerman and earned a penalty. Mertz would step up and slot it bottom-left, beyond the correctly guessing Loudoun keeper, and give the Hounds a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.

The Hounds pressure would lighten up following the goal, and Loudoun would increasingly hold possession and increasingly foray into the Hounds defensive third. The visitor’s efforts came to a head in the 25th minute as forward Wesley Leggett was able to rip a shot from within the 18-yard-box that got past Eric Dick in net and, fortunately for the Hounds, rang the crossbar and well clear of goal.

The pressure from Loudoun would continue, and they’d generate their best chance of the half in the 34th minute. A clever series of passes along the left wing led to a well-centered square ball from Leggett into the path of an unmarked Florian Valot. With the net in front of him and nobody around, only an onrushing Eric Dick, Valot put his shot wide of net as he attempted to curl it around the Hounds netminder.

The Hounds would solidify defensively for the last 15 minutes of the half, limiting Loudoun to a single corner without much threat and a close offsides call on another Leggett shot that went wide anyway. The Hounds would also re-assert themselves offensively somewhat, drawing a few dangerous free kicks around the Loudoun box, which were taken by Robbie Mertz and led to little threat on goal.

The Hounds final chance of the half would come from a defensive lapse by Loudoun. A turnover around their own box left the ball with Edward Kizza, who was able to rip a shot on-target towards the Loudoun net, but the keeper was up to the task and parried it well wide for a throw-in and eventual clearance. The two sides entered the halftime break with the score remaining at the early 1-0 difference.

The Hounds would start the second half quickly, generating a great chance within five minutes. A Langston Blackstock cut-back cross would lead to an excellent shot from Jackson Walti on-target, but a phenomenal leaping header from Loudoun defender Jacob Erlandson rescued their caught-out keeper and deflected the effort just over the crossbar.

The Hounds would rue their missed chances, as Loudoun would capitalize just beyond the hour mark. A good run forward would eventually find the feet of Leggett once again, and this time he dodged the woodwork and was able to find the back of the net to equalize for the visitors. The Hounds would respond with a triple substitution as they sought a winner in the last thirty.

They’d get two great chances to earn it, one immediately following Loudoun’s equalizer. Pressure in the box down the left-wing would ultimately find Junior Etou in a bit of space, albeit at a sharp angle, and his effort would beat everyone, but unfortunately also beat the far post.

The second chance came in the 90th minute following a few more subs from each side. This time it was Babacar Diene in space on the right wing, who was able to whip in an excellent, inch-perfect cross. The run of fellow sub Kazaiah Sterling was there at the penalty spot, but his outstretched foot somehow barely deflected the ball and it impossibly trickled wide of the net.

Things would effectively be put to bed in stoppage time, as a collision down the far sideline between Bradley Sample and a Loudoun midfielder would see the referee pull a straight red card on the Hounds midfielder, to the shock of those in attendance. Ultimately, the decision would stand and the Hounds would be reduced to ten men for the final few moments.

Without much left in the tank, the final whistle would go minutes later with the score still level at 1-1 and the Hounds securing a lone point at home. The Hounds now enter a three-match week starting next Saturday away at Sacramento, followed by Wednesday at Detroit, and then home again against San Antonio FC.

Match Events

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Lineup:

Loudoun United Lineup: 

Key moments: 

1′ – The players take to the field here at Highmark Stadium, Hounds in their third kit whites, Loudoun in their black and reds, and we are off on a lovely Saturday evening in Pittsburgh!

5′ – Early free kick in the attacking half here for the Hounds, left side of goal, 20 yards out. Etou remains down for a moment. Mertz takes towards the back post and it’s pushed aside by the Loudoun keeper.

10′ – It’s a penalty! Mertz plays the ball into Emmanuel Johnson and he’s taken down by Yannis Leerman! A yellow for Leeman and Mertz steps up to the spot…

12′ – GOAL, RIVERHOUNDS! Mertz slots the penalty into the bottom-right. Keeper guesses correctly, but can’t reach the well-placed effort. The Hounds goal-scoring form continues early tonight. 1-0.

20′ – Another dangerous chance as Johnson brings down the long ball, gets it to Kizza, who flicks it forward to an onrushing Mertz. The Loudoun defense recovers, but the flag goes up on Mertz anyway.

25′ – Wow! Off the crossbar from Loudoun’s Wesley Leggett – quite an effort but just a bit off-target.

31′ – Dangerous chance for Loudoun! A square ball from Leggett right to the penalty spot finds Florian Valot (ex-RBNY), but his effort goes wide in the face of a charging Eric Dick.

32′ – Another foul and yellow for Loudoun, issued to Isaiah Johnston. And another dangerous free kick from Mertz here. Taken in-swinging towards goal, where Danny Griffin gets his head to it, but over the crossbar.

35′ – Corner for Loudoun now, taken from the near-side. Taken in-swinging beyond the far post, where it’s headed miles wide for a goal-kick.

42′ – A turnover in the defensive half leads to a shot from Edward Kizza. It’s parried away by the Loudoun keeper and all the way out for a throw-in.

45′ – A clever series of passes around the Hounds box leads to a shot for Leggett on the right-side of the box – taken wide, and the flag comes up late anyway.

Halftime – Hounds 1-0 Loudoun A great start for the Hounds early in this one, drawing and converting the PK (first time they’ve scored a PK in three games) but lots of possession and danger conceded to Loudoun since. Gotta step it up to win.

46′ – Second half underway. A sub for Loudoun during the break:  Yannis Leerman off, Kalil ElMedkhar on.

49′ – A cross from Langston Blackstock leads to a great shot from Jackson Walti, and an even better header to send it above the crossbar by a Loudoun’s Jacob Erlandson in the box.

49′ – Additionally, a delayed yellow card for Loudoun’s Tommy McCabe for an earlier foul.

52′ – And now a yellow to Illal Osumanu for the Hounds after a foul in his own defensive third. Free kick for Loudoun here.

55′ – Another Loudoun turnover and Mertz feeds Kizza at the top of the box. He turns effectively and uncorks a left-footed shot just high.

63′ – Goal, Loudoun! Legget finds the back of the net and we are level at 1-1.

64′ – Triple sub for the Hounds following the Loudoun goal: Sterling, Sample, and Forbes are all on, Kizza, Johnson, and Mertz come off.

65′ – And immediately a near goal for the Hounds, as Etou gets a sharp-angled shot off that beats the keeper, but also the far post.

68′ – A good run forward from the Hounds, and Forbes’ feed onto the end of a long run from Griffin is just beyond his reach in front of goal.

71′ – A cross in from the left wing for the Hounds is headed, but not quite clear, by a Loudoun defender. Forbes gets on the end of the lingering ball and fires a shot, but it hits the side-netting.

73′ – A substitution for Loudoun after an injury: Erlandson off, Hughes on.

84′ – A pair of Hounds subs now: Diene and Rovira on, Osumanu and Blackstock off.

90′ – A nearly impossible miss for Kazaiah Sterling. Diene’s cross is inch-perfect, six yards out, even the barest re-direct would’ve scored, and he just can’t get enough on it. We remain level at 1-1.

90′ – Woah, a straight red card for Bradley Sample after lunging tackle. Tough call, and difficult to see initially whether it was worthy of that.

 

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