Kizza’s brace lifts Hounds to critical 3-0 road win at Birmingham

Photo courtesy Birmingham Legion FC

FINAL: Pittsburgh 3, Birmingham 0

Match Stats 

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC picked up a massive three points on the road by defeating Birmingham Legion FC, 3-0 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, AL, on Saturday night.

Edward Kizza led the way with a first half brace and Emmanuel Johnson added a third goal late in the second half that sealed the deal, while goalkeeper Eric Dick made six saves for his 10th clean sheet of the season.

With the win, the Hounds (7w-9l-10d, 31 points) inched up in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings and Head Coach Bob Lilley also earned his 400th win in his illustrious career.  With 8th place Rhode Island and Loudoun United FC playing to a scoreless draw, Pittsburgh is now within three points of eighth place.

🏅 No one in the pro game in this country has won more.

Congrats to Coach Lilley for a milestone 400th win at the professional level!#HOUNDTAHN pic.twitter.com/mq0bKtcCDZ

— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) August 25, 2024

How It Happened

Making his first start since early in the season, Riverhounds F Babacar Diene is played a terrific ball from Danny Griffin, but cannot cash in — hits post in 2nd minute.

The Hounds added more pressure in the 15th minute after Junior Etou was fouled on the edge of the box, Robbie Mertz’s in-swinging free kick chance made its way to the back post, but Pittsburgh couldn’t find a foot on it despite the ball dancing around a dangerous area.

Again, with another free kick chance after Rida Zouhir was issued the first yellow card of the match for taking down Mertz to stop the Hounds’ counter chance, Etou took a run from 22 yards on a straightaway free kick that forced Birmingham’s Matt Van Oekel to dive to cover the open space

In the 32nd minute, Eric Dick denied longtime Hounds’ nemesis, Enzo Martinez who got into the box in transition, by extending his arm to stop the USL Championship veteran from putting the Legion FC in front.

The Hounds finally converted in the 34th minute as the match started to get stretched, as Diene chased down a ball on the right corner side, then delivered a low, lining ball that Kizza ran into and buried it in goal with a one-time redirect that beat Van Oekel.

Edward Kizza in Birmingham AGAIN 😏@edwardk_19 puts @RiverhoundsSC ahead in the first half! pic.twitter.com/KiTI3uEGY1

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) August 25, 2024

The Hounds didn’t let up with the 1-0 lead, as Griffin delivered a cross that found Kizza in the box in space.  The former Pitt Panther forward took a touch, then slotted the ball inside the left post to give the Hounds a commanding 2-0 lead in the 38th minute.

There's something in the Birmingham water that turns @edwardk_19 into a 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 😤

Make that a 2⃣-goal lead for @RiverhoundsSC! pic.twitter.com/JWDGbqgEC5

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) August 25, 2024

The wide open pace of the match continued in the 44th minute, as things opened up again for Birmingham, as Dick came off his line again to thwart another Martinez attempt to create a shot from a dangerous position.

Through the first 45 minutes, Hounds and Legion were level with five shots apiece, with each team getting three shots on frame.

In the second half, things slowed down a bit, as both teams only managed one shot on frame each, but the Hounds made theirs count late in the 79th minute on a designed set piece.

Johnson made a quick run behind a defender as Kenardo Forbes lined up for a free kick, but sent a short, low quick pass into the center of the box.  Johnson got to the ball first and flicked his chance past Van Oekel to give the Hounds a 3-0 lead which would stand.

This came straight off the training ground 📋@Ej_johnson22 with the insurance goal for @RiverhoundsSC 💰 pic.twitter.com/4dI976ZYuJ

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) August 25, 2024

LFG!!!!!!! Huge 3 points from the fellas. What an effort !!!!! We go again 👊 #GoHounds https://t.co/2ROhC9ZXgr

— Eric Dick (@DaBrickWall00) August 25, 2024

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)

Next Up

The Hounds will stay on the road, where they’ll take on fourth place Indy Eleven next Saturday in Indianapolis.

Look for a more detailed recap to follow.