Edward Kizza announces he will not return to Riverhounds

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC announced earlier this week that they’ll be picking up option year contract options on eight players, in addition to already having two others signed to deals for 2025 season.

Now comes the part where some players who have expired contracts begin to bid farewell to the club.

Edward Kizza, who was the club’s leading goal scorer during the 2024 season, announced on social media he wasn’t returning.

Kizza, who also starred at Pitt for three seasons from 2017-19 and told Pittsburgh Soccer Now in October he’s always considered Pittsburgh home, reiterated his reverence for the Steel City on Friday night.

Thank you, Pittsburgh, for the unforgettable memories and unwavering support. This city has been more than just a place to compete—it's been home. To the Steel Army, thank you for the love and support since the beginning. pic.twitter.com/hWU02dmCUs

— Edward Kizza (@edwardk_19) November 30, 2024

“Thank you, Pittsburgh, for the unforgettable memories and unwavering support. This city has been more than just a place to compete—it’s been home. To the Steel Army, thank you for the love and support since the beginning,” Kizza said in his statement.

The departure of Kizza, who scored a team high 12 goals in his final season with the Riverhounds, leaves Head Coach Bob Lilley and his coaching staff with the task of starting over completely at the forward position, with the Hounds not opting to pick up 2025 contract options for other forwards Kazaiah Sterling and Babacar Diene.

Kizza came to the Riverhounds organization in 2022 at midseason, on loan from New England Revolution.   While he didn’t have an immediate impact in that regular season, Kizza came off the bench to score one of the most dramatic goals in Hounds’ postseason history — getting the equalizer at Birmingham in the 2022 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.  Kizza would also score in Extra Time, then hit the clincher in the penalty kick shootout to help the Hounds advance.

The Hounds would sign Kizza ahead of the 2023 season, where he settled into a role on the attacking line, playing mostly underneath Albert Dikwa (starting 19 of 29 matches, scoring four goals). In his second full season, while the Hounds struggled in the attack, Kizza was the most durable and consistent forward through the entire campaign, earning 31 starts in 33 matches.

Kizza finished the regular season on a tear, scoring a goal the last four of the Hounds’ matches — victories over Miami, Charleston, Loudoun and El Paso. The scoring outburst brought Kizza’s season total to a career-best 12 goals, and it helped propel the Hounds from 10th in the Eastern Conference to a seventh consecutive USL Championship Playoffs berth as the No. 7 seed.

Of course, Kizza’s journey to Pittsburgh came long before his recent tenure with the Riverhounds.

The Kampala, Uganda, native moved to the United States when he was 14. He spent his final three years of high school at Montverde Academy in Orlando, Fla. He was the 41st-ranked player nationally by TopDrawerSoccer coming out of his senior season.

Kizza drew the attention of Pitt men’s soccer coach Jay Vidovich, and Kizza committed to the Panthers in March 2017. He passed up offers from Clemson and Wake Forest but thought he could make a substantial impact with Pitt.

Sure enough, Kizza proved to be a key player in Pitt’s rise into becoming a National Contending program.

Kizza had four goals in 15 matches in his first season at Pitt in 2017, earning an ACC All-Freshman team selection. During his sophomore season, Kizza started in all 18 matches for the Panthers, scoring 15 goals.

He then scored 12 goals during his junior and final season with the Panthers, appearing in all 20 matches that season.  This was also Pitt’s first time advancing in both ACC tournament — as Kizza scored the golden goal to beat NC State in the first round — and in the NCAA tournament — where Kizza also scored to lead Pitt to its first NCAA tournament win in nearly 50 years.

Pitt advances to ACC semifinals on Kizza’s golden goal to beat NC State, 2-1

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).