Hounds loss to Rhode Island likely fatal blow in Jägermeister Cup

With a 1-0 defeat at home in their second group stage game, Pittsburgh are unlikely to advance through to the knockout rounds.

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If you had hopes that the Pittsburgh Riverhounds might win the Jägermeister Cup this season, we regret to inform you that this year, dear friend, is not going to be the year. In what was a close and at times chippy match, the Hounds went down 1-0 to visiting Rhode Island FC Saturday night. The loss was the Hounds second in the two matches they’ve played in the Jägermeister Cup.

The Hounds best chance of the night was probably their first. In the 17th minute, Perrin Barnes broke lose on a run down the right flank and bent in a perfect cross to the box. Robbie Mertz rose and headed it off the post and out, and the score stayed level at nil-nil.

Just two minutes later, Rhode Island would strike with what turned out to be the only goal of the match for either team. The Hounds backline, confronted with a loose ball in box, made a poor clearance that was blocked. Former Riverhounds striker Albert Dikwa controlled it and backheeled to an on-running Jojea Kwizera, who curled it to the right and under Hounds keep Jacob Randolph.

The half would proceed with a regular fouls interrupting the rhythm, attempts to delay by Rhode Island. Both teams battled fiercely for supremacy in the middle third of the field. The Hounds, playing from behind most of the match, were given the bulk of possession (61 to 39 percent) and the edge on Shots Taken, with 15 to Rhode Island’s 6. But PGH could only put 4 of those on frame, and that wasn’t good enough to beat RI netminder Jackson Lee on this night. Despite a shift in tone and intensity in the second half, Pittsburgh ultimately could not find a way back in the match.

The loss marked their second in the Jägermeister Cup; their first coming April 26 in a 1-0 loss to Detroit City in Hamtramck. The Hounds, drawn into Group 4, play a total of four matches in the Jägermeister. But in a group with six teams and only two teams going through to the knockout rounds, accumulating zero points halfway through the stage is more or less a death sentence. Hartford’s 3-2 win this evening, combined with their 2-0 in their first game over Portland Hearts of Pine, puts them alongside Rhode Island atop the group. The Hounds can technically still advance, but they’d need Hartford and Rhode Island to lose the rest of their games while they win all of theirs, which is an unlikely scenario.

“I would have liked to have won this one and gotten into the Jägermeister hunt,” said Riverhounds Head Coach Bob Lilley. “It’s disappointing. Dropping this game, we’re not going to finish first or second. (But) that gives us an opportunity to play some other guys. We can rest a Jackson Walti or an Augi Williams.”

Still the bottom line for Lilley is pretty simple. “I’m not happy losing a Jägermeister Cup game home.”

Still there were a lot of positives from the perspective of both Lilley and midfielder Robbie Mertz. Lilley said, “We’re starting to have an identity. Today, we didn’t get a result.” Mertz was happy with the offensive chances created, saying “I think we put a lot of balls in dangerous places.”

Robbie Mertz also took the game in the context of the scope of the entire season. “I knew May was going to be a really difficult run of fixtures.” Mertz was referring to a top of table clash against North Carolina FC, two Open Cup games against MLS teams, and three road games against Louisville City, Colorado Springs, and Rhode Island. In all those matches, the Hounds earned the respectable results of 2 wins and a draw.

“It was going to be a difficult test of character. We came out well.”

 

Live play-by-play

1′ Here we go!

15′ First fifteen minutes are physical and cagey. A few dribbles into the final third but no significant opportunities for either side.

17′ Mertz with a headed shot, off the post and out.

19′ GOAL, Rhode Island. Jojea Kwizera finishes a great pass inside the box and the Hounds are down early, 1-0.

44′ Lotta small fouls, and occasionally the referee blows his whistle.

45+1 CARD. Albert Dikwa, who is now with Rhode Island, picks up a Yellow.

HT

61′ A lot of this match has taken place in the middle third of the field. Hard for either team to make it through for an opportunity. This game is low on shots and chances for both teams, unfortuantely for the assembled throngs of fans.

64′ CARD. Yellow to Gillaume Vacter.

67′ SUBSTITUTIONS Jacquesson and Etou for Sample and Garcia.

69′ Hounds put in a goal, but Augi Williams was offside on the initial phase of the play.

71′ Foul and free kick on the edge of box. Zach Herivaux on Rhode Island is issued a yellow card.

72′ Jorge Garcia has the free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box and off to the left, but he puts it over the bar.

74′ Hounds have go from outside the box, and it’s saved.

77′ Rhode Island is now absorbing pressureand hoping to get out of the building with a W. Hounds earn a corner but come up snake-eyes on the ensuing kick.

81′ Attendance announced at 5,074.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds face off against Rhode Island FC in the second match of Group 4 for the USL’s Jägermeister Cup. They’ll play three more group stage matches in the tournament; their first game against Detroit City FC on April 26 was a 1-0 defeat.

Live updates will be posted here throughout the match.

Starting Lineups

Riverhounds SC

Jacob Randolph; Perrin Barnes, Sean Suber, Jackson Walti, Guillaume Vactor; Danny Griffin, Junior Eto; Bertine Jacquesson, Luke Biasi, Robbie Mertz;  Augustine Williams;

Rhode Island FC