Takeaways and Player Grades: Makeshift lineup, without a natural target forward, Hounds falter late in USL Cup opener

Despite using a makeshift lineup, the Riverhounds nearly walked away from its first-ever USL Cup match with a result.

Instead, Bob Lilley’s club departed Keyworth Stadium and took the five-plus hour bus ride back to Pittsburgh having to ponder some what-if’s as they start off the new competition sitting at the bottom of the table.

Detroit’s Darren Smith header in stoppage time lifted Detroit — even as the Hounds made a late push in what amounted to a wild flurry at the end of what was otherwise a stalemate match between two pretty solid defensive sides.

FINAL: Detroit City FC 1, Riverhounds SC 0 (USL Jägermeister Cup Group Stage)

Hounds’ Personnel / Formation / Tactics

Through the first seven matches (six league and one US Open Cup) of the 2025 campaign the Riverhounds have run veteran forward Augustine Williams at the top of the attack.  With the start of new competition, with the Hounds having very little depth at the target forward position, Head Coach Bob Lilley opted to leave Williams out of the lineup card entirely.  With rookie Brigham Larsen also ruled out of the match due to knee injury, Lilley decided to go with a front line of attackers that included midfielders Aiden O’Toole, Danny Griffin and Robbie Mertz.

Jackson Walti and Bradley Sample patrolled the central, deeper midfield, while both Luke Biasi and Perrin Barnes were utilized as wingers, while Illal Osumanu, Sean Suber and Beto Ydrach made up the three center back combo out of the back in front of Jacob Randolph, who made his second start of the campaign in goal.  Both of Randolph’s starts have come in non-league competition.

Looking for a spark off the bench, the Hounds utilized Bertin Jacquesson for the first time this season off the bench — along with Max Broughton, Jorge Garcia and Guillaume Vacter.

Match Takeaways

Hounds can’t do enough despite some positives in first half

The Hounds started off the match with an aggressive mindset having Danny Griffin and Aiden O’Toole, supported by Robbie Mertz — buzzing around the top of the formation.  They were bringing an effective high press and while they didn’t generate a big scoring chance — they came close a few times.

Luke Biasi was effective in generating a few dangerous balls into the box from the left side.   One of those forced the only shot on frame for the Hounds’ in the first half — ending with a Griffin header that was saved.

While Detroit owned the possession battle with Pittsburgh opting to play a 3-4-1-2 that seemed intent on quick countering chances off the hosts mistakes and simply denying the hosts to get into any kind of rhythm in getting forward.

The Hounds held the shots advantage 4-1 (1-0 on target) in the first half.

But it wasn’t enough.

Head Coach Bob Lilley was pleased with his team’s intent, but the execution was another story.

Maybe it’s still to early to sound an alarm, but the Hounds have dropped to last in the league in Expected Goals at 3.82xG over six games.  Even last year, for all the club’s struggles at the start of the season, the Hounds were never last in the league in this category.

Big chances have been hard to come by for this team which has had a renewed approach to being a possession side with mixed results (6th in average possession — 53.5%, 11th in USLC in passes and 15th in passing accuracy).

They finally did create a big chance — one that came in the dying moments of the match when in desperation mode.

When it comes to execution in the final third, that’s where the problems lie.   The Hounds are 23rd in the 24 team league in creating big chances (4), only ahead of Hartford — and last in missed big chances with just one (out of a paltry four).

Detroit turns tables of match in 2nd half, then things got crazy in Stoppage Time

However, despite having more possession and really limiting Detroit’s chances for the first 60 minutes, the match turned after the hour mark.

In the 61st minute, Alex Villanueva forced Hounds goalkeeper Jacob Randolph into a diving save that felt essentially like the turning point of the match.

As the Hounds’ grew tired — all that early aggression went by the wayside — as they sat way too deep for large portions of the final 30 minutes of the match.

Jacob Randolph with a 𝐁𝐈𝐆-𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 stop to keep @RiverhoundsSC level! ⚡️#USLJägermeisterCup pic.twitter.com/XvN6sfcIxg

— USL Jägermeister Cup (@USL_Cup) April 26, 2025

Just as the match entered stoppage time — and those of us watching the match started to refresh ourselves on USL Cup penalty kick shootout rules — Detroit’s sparkplug off the bench — Morris — delivered a gem of a ball into the box for Le Rouge’s leading scorer — Darren Smith.

Smith redirected his header into the left side of goal — as it appeared that Randolph was left frozen for a split second — which was enough for the ball to sail into goal uncontested.

Two minutes later in the dying minutes of the match, the Hounds had a great chance to find the equalizer when Illal Osumanu redirected a Sean Suber cross toward goal from close range but DCFC defender Devin Amoo Mensah — from a sitting position cleared ball off the line for a spectacular save that denied Riverhounds’ Illal Osumanu from equalizing.

Detroit subs make an impact.  Hounds’ not so much.

Both sides and managers knew that quality play off the bench might be the difference.

In this match, the home side got a bigger boost from players off the bench, particularly Englishman Ben Morris, who was creating plenty of dangerous chances on the width.

Hounds fans had to be excited to see Jacquesson — who scored five goals and had two assists in a short stint at the end of last season on loan — on the field for the first time since the preseason.

However, the former Pitt standout may need some more time to get into that top form.  He wasn’t bad — had some quality time on the ball (two successful dribbles), made three passes into the final third but was also dispossessed a few times and ultimately didn’t have a huge impact in 19 minutes of action.

Getting Jacquesson back and fully healthy — where he can play more minutes will be an important boost for the Hounds.

Hounds now sit at the bottom of the USL Cup Group table

Pittsburgh’s next match in the USL Cup competition at the end of May, when they’ll be hosting Rhode Island.

It’s a marathon and not a sprint — but dropping points in dramatic fashion in a new competition on the road provided a bit of a kick in the shins for this Hounds’ squad.

Through his post match comments from this loss, Lilley remains optimistic — and will be hoping that his club can corral some of the same magic they found early in May as they did at the same time in 2023.  That year, they build a ton of confidence when going on the road and winning an Open Cup match vs a MLS opponent.

This recent stretch of play has come entirely on the road.

The Hounds will be poised to regroup with more home matches in May following this all-April road stretch.

With opportunities to pick themselves up in league play on Saturday when they host North Carolina and then a few days later when they also host MLS’ New York City FC — they’re going to be eager to turn the page.

Now the question will be — can they start scoring goals.

Player Grades

Riverhounds Starting XI

Jacob Randolph GK – 5.5 — two saves were solid but may have been caught a bit too off guard on the goal

Danny Griffin (Captain) MF — 6.5 —  Where hasn’t Griffin played as a field player?   Outside back?   Playing higher on pitch still had 52 touches (10 inside the box).   Had the only shot on target in first half for Hounds.

Robbie Mertz MF – 6 – thought it was solid performance on the day — as Mertz provided some quality service and solid work on the ball getting into final third.

Perrin Barnes D – 5 – got forward pretty deep a few times — but overall it was pretty quiet over there on the right side

Jackson Walti  MF – 6.5 — thought it was quiet, workmanlike day for Walti who had seven passes that made their way into final third but on the other end, solid — with 12 defensive actions

Luke Biasi MF / D – 7 — he was a menace on the left side especially in the first half — created a chance, had five passes into opposition box, won 10/15 duels and had 11 defensive actions.

Sean Suber D – 6 – a sign that despite efforts to possess early in season — they’re playing it a little longer as Suber connected on 17 passes into the final third including 4/8 on long passes.

Illal Osumanu D – 4.5 — almost was the hero as his chance was denied on the line.   Defensively — committed three fouls and won 1/5 duels.

Bradley Sample MF – 5.5 — not as many touches as Walti but serving as solid partner in central, holding midfield spot — with 91 passing accuracy but only three went into the opposition box.

Aiden O’Toole – 4.5 – couple times he just missed creating some chances, won 1/5 duels and committed two fouls.

Beto Ydrach — 6 — Roamed the middle of the center back line and for most of the match handled with plenty of poise and growing in confidence with each match playing alongside Suber and Osumanu.

Reserves Used

Jorge Garcia MF (83′) – N/R

Max Broughton D (71′) – 5

Bertin Jacquesson F (71′) – 5 

Guillaume Vactor (83′) – N/R

Did Not Play

Ben Martino GK

Eric Dick GK

Junior Etou (Injury)

Charles Ahl MF (Injury)

Augustine ‘Augi’ Williams F

Jason Bourgey MF