USL Championship Playoff Race Update: Riverhounds sit in 8th place and above playoff line after weekend results

Editor’s Note — This post has been updated to reflect the latest results / standings in USL Championship’s Eastern Conference as the Riverhounds are now one of four teams in a tie in the standings with 42 points.  

On Saturday night, the Riverhounds SC came out flying, scoring two early goals en route to 2-0 win against second-place Charleston Battery, putting them back over the playoff line — for the moment.

PSN’s Griffin Floyd was a Highmark Stadium and provided the match report and also caught reaction from Riverhounds SC Head Coach Bob Lilley, midfielder Robbie Mertz and defender Luke Biasi.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds ambush Charleston, ride big first half to 2-0 win

The Hounds also were boosted by the results of matches played over the past weekend by teams they’re battling including:

• Hartford Athletic’s wild 4-3 win at home against North Carolina FC.
• Loudouu United FC’s 1-1 draw at Rhode Island
• Birmingham’s 3-0 loss to Las Vegas

Next up for Pittsburgh will be what may amount to an elimination match on Saturday, October 19, at Loudoun United FC, at 6 p.m.

Following the weekend’s results, here’s where things stand in the USL Championship standings.

With three weeks to go, it has come down to a five-team race for the last two playoff spots (7th and 8th place) in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, with the Hounds (10W-10L-12D, 42 points) now jumping forward into a tie with North Carolina. Loudoun and Birmingham (all on 42 points) plus Hartford (40 points plus a game at hand on the others) remain very much in the mix.

Here are the latest USL Championship Eastern Conference standings and below that, the remaining schedule for Playoff Line Contending Eastern Conference teams:

Tiebreakers will be achieved by the following criteria, in order of importance:

1. Head-to-Head Points Earned in Regular Season League Games*
2. Goal Differential in Head-to-Head matches.
3. PPG vs. in-Conference Opponents in Regular Season League Games**
4. Total Wins in Regular Season League Games
5. Goal Differential in Regular Season League Games
6. Goals Scored in Regular Season League Games
7. Points earned against top four Conference finishers (except that if the number of such Games is unequal, then points will be divided by the number Games played against the top four Conference finishers to arrive at a common basis for comparison)
8. Number of disciplinary points (i.e., fewest disciplinary points).
9. Lottery conducted by the League.

For what it’s worth, if it comes down to tiebreakers, here’s how the Hounds have fared this season in Head-to-Head results / Goal Differential against teams they’re battling:

• North Carolina: – 0 (2 matches – 1-1 aggregate)
• Birmingham Legion FC:  +3 (2 matches – 4-1 aggregate)
• Loudoun United FC:  0 (1 match – 1-1)
• Hartford Athletic:  0 (2 matches – 3-3 aggregate)

* If Head-to-Head is Not Applicable, Skip Directly to Tiebreaker No. 4 as Goal Differential and PPG in-Conference would not be applicable either if the teams did not compete head-to-head.

** For the USL Championship Final, Tiebreaker No. 3 is Not Applicable.  If the teams are level on head-to-head and GD, skip directly to No. 4.

REMAINING SCHEDULE FOR PLAYOFF LINE CONTENDING EASTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS

Also includes best possible result(s) for Hounds next to each match. 

Saturday, October 19, 2024 

6 p.m. — FC Tulsa at Hartford Athletic (FC Tulsa win) 

6 p.m. — Riverhounds at Loudoun United FC (Pittsburgh win — with very high stakes in this one — not hard to figure that it could be the biggest match in history of the series between the two clubs) 

7 p.m. — Birmingham Legion FC at Indy Eleven (draw or Indy Eleven win) 

7:30 p.m. — North Carolina FC at Tampa Bay Rowdies (Rowdies win) 

To Be Announced (was postponed — likely to be played during the week between Oct 21-22-23) 

Hartford Athletic at Tampa Bay Rowdies  –  Hartford loss — this will likely be a mid-week match somewhere between the 19th and 26th. With extra travel, it will be challenging for Hartford)

Saturday, October 26, 2024 

7 p.m. — Loudoun United FC at Charleston Battery (Battery win) 

7 p.m. — Riverhounds SC vs El Paso Locomotive FC (Pittsburgh win) 

7 p.m. — Las Vegas Lights at North Carolina FC (Las Vegas win) 

10 p.m.  — Hartford Athletic at Orange County SC (Orange County win) 

10 p.m. — Birmingham Legion FC at Oakland Roots SC (Oakland win) 

John Krysinsky

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).