Riverhounds roll to 3-0 win at Monterey Bay to jump into coveted 4th place spot

When the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC took the pitch to take on Monterey Bay FC on Saturday night at Seaside Stadium, they had an opportunity to climb past a few clubs in front of them in the standings and jump into coveted fourth place position in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings.

The Hounds seized the opportunity.

Pittsburgh rolled to a 3-0 win that catapulted them up in the standings to fourth place, thanks to a first half goal from defender Sean Suber, then a late second half goals from Augustine Williams and Jackson Walti.  Goalkeeper Eric Dick earned the clean sheet with two saves.

“I’m really happy, really proud of the guys,” Rob Vincent, Acting Head Coach, said after the match.

“We maybe weathered a storm early in each of the halves, and we knew they’d probably try to put on a performance at home. But we felt they didn’t have as much to play for, so if we take the initiative and get control of the game, they’d back off a little. Overall, we’re real happy with the win. It was a convincing result.”

With one match left in the season, Pittsburgh (12W-10L-7D, 43 points) secured a winning regular season for the eighth straight season and now control its destiny as they can clinch a home playoff match and a fourth (or third place) finish in the standings with a win in the season finale vs Phoenix next Saturday.

Also, this win secures an 8th straight winning season for the Hounds (12W-10L-7D).

Vincent now 2-0 as Acting Head Coach.

How It Happened 

Pittsburgh controlled proceedings in the first half, eventually capitalizing on the best chance for either side in the first 45 minutes.

The Hounds took the lead in the 27th minute as they quickly gained possession at midfield when Robbie Mertz played a ball forward to Augi Williams, who took a touch on right edge of the box, then laid it off for Danny Griffin breaking down on the right side.

Griffin sent a low cross that dummied through Guillaume Vacter at the near post, sailing past MBFC keeper and former Pitt standout, Nico Campuzano, then ended up at the foot of an unmarked Sean Suber on the back post.

Suber easily passed the ball into an open goal second goal of the season.

With Monterey Bay pushing for the equalizer, the Hounds keeper Eric Dick made a pair of saves to preserve the lead, including a stop of Xavi Gnaulati’s well-hit ball from 15 yards through traffic in the 72nd minute.

The Hounds quickly countered after that, leaving substitute Jackson Walti with an opportunity to play a ball through for forward Augustine Williams, who had his mark beat by a step.  The Hounds number nine — found room to slide his ninth goal of the season for the all-important two-goal lead.

Walti followed up his assist with some clever work in the box, freeing himself up to unleash a shot that beat his college teammate, Campuzano, in the 86th minute.

 

Things went favorably for Pittsburgh on Saturday in the race to finish in fourth place.

With a win and three points, the Hounds jumped ahead of North Carolina, and Loudoun United FC and into fourth place.

• • North Carolina FC (now at 42 points) split the points in its match vs Rhode Island
  • Indy Eleven defeated Loudoun United FC (42 points)
  • Hartford Athletic (44 points) were defeated by Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-2.

It now comes down to next Saturday, as Pittsburgh controls its own destiny.

With a win vs Phoenix, they’ll secure at least fourth place, and with some help (Hartford would have to lose or draw at Louisville) they could finish as high as third place.  (Also, North Carolina FC and Loudoun United FC will face each other)

“I think it removes some of the narrative and some of those auxiliary thoughts you can have in the final week,” Vincent said.

“It’s a clear goal: Win and we get the home playoff game. It’s always messy on the last day when you’re looking at other results. But even without the other results going our way tonight, we knew we had to maximize our points by getting wins in these last two matches.”

 

Look for more analysis and reaction from this match to follow on Pittsburgh Soccer Now