With another PK shootout win, Riverhounds advance to Eastern Conference Final for first time in club history

For the second consecutive week, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC survived and advanced, winning a penalty kick shootout, 4-3, to eliminate Detroit City FC, in a match that was scoreless after 120 minutes in the run of play at before a sellout, overflow crowd of 6,220 fans Highmark Stadium on Saturday night.

Pittsburgh outlasted Detroit City in a shootout even after trailing, 2-1, after two rounds of kicks.  Converting penalties for Pittsburgh included Bertin Jacquesson, Augi Williams, Sean Suber and Beto Ydrach, who hit the winner in the fifth round for the 4-3 advantage in the spot kick contest.

With the win, Pittsburgh advances to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in the modern USL Championship (USL Pro, USL) history (since 2010).

“I can think of three, four chances that could have easily scored on another day,” Rob Vincent, Riverhounds Acting Head Coach, on his team’s ability to control play for another match but not find a breakthrough against a stingy, Detroit side.

“But yeah, the intent is to take care of it in regulation. Credit to the guys, they kept going. ”

The Riverhounds controlled play throughout regulation and into the extra time periods, to the tune of a 19-5 shots edge and 58/42 possession advantage.  It was the third straight match Pittsburgh failed to score a goal (total of 345-plus minutes), but the Hounds have also not allowed a goal since late in a 2-1 victory vs Indy Eleven on October 11 (streak has extended to four matches and 420-plus minutes including two extra time periods).

Hounds goalkeeper Eric Dick, who wasn’t challenged much thanks to his team’s outstanding defensive shape and organization equaled his own team record with his 14th shutout in all competitions this season

The Hounds will now host Rhode Island FC, 2-0 winners in the other Eastern Conference Semifinal, next Saturday, November 15, at Highmark Stadium (Time TBD).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Bradley Sample nearly sent the crowd into an early frenzy after some build-up play on the right. He cut quickly across the top of the box and fired a low, left-footed shot through traffic that forced one of three saves on the night by Carlos Saldaña.

The only chances Detroit could summon in first half came from a few free kicks from attacking side of field but each time, Dick was able to come off his line to take command of high balls into the box.

The second half began with Hounds’ Charles Ahl creating a chance after another Detroit turnover, but his hurried shot sailed high and wide of the goal.

The Hounds kept the pressure on, winning an early corner kick, and Robbie Mertz’s delivery found the head of Ydrach, whose headed effort also went high.

Danny Griffin had a golden chance in the 67th minute when Mertz’s free kick was sent back across goal by Ydrach, but the captain’s header sailed wide of the left post.

Williams thought he had put the home team ahead in the 71st minute, heading home a long diagonal ball served into the box by Luke Biasi, but referee Natalie Simon disallowed the goal for a push by Augi Williams against former Hounds defender Shane Wiedt.

Sample had one final look at goal in stoppage time, but his well-struck effort off a second ball kept rising over the bar from the top of the box.

Dick made his biggest play of the night — one of only two saves — in the 96th minute when he charged off his line, using his head and shoulder as he slid to block away the chance on a quick break by Detroit’s Jordan Adebayo-Smith.

In the second half of stoppage time, the Hounds had two near-winners. Jacquesson beat his man on a near-post run to meet a Junior Etou cross from the left, only for his header to smack off the left post. Then, with three minutes to play, Saldaña robbed Mertz with a full-extension dive to his right to deny the Hounds once more.

Saldaña had Mertz’s number on the night, getting him again in the shootout. Mertz was denied by another diving save to the goalkeeper’s right, giving Detroit a 2-1 advantage after two kicks each. But Amoo-Mensah hit the left post, and Ryan Williams struck the crossbar to allow the Hounds to take a 3-2 edge to the final kick.

Michael Bryant converted first for Detroit, but Ydrach put the match away with a shot high and to the right side of goal, striking it well enough to go in off the fingertips of Saldaña.

Post Match Reaction (Interviews with Rob Vincent, Beto Ydrach & Bradley Sample)

Acting HC Rob Vincent: “It’s not the way we want to do it by any means”

But we’re not conceding goals, which is good and we’re not giving up a ton of chances either.”

 

https://youtu.be/oTpiU5_nonM?si=0NYQKPugzQPdjTkF

Ed Thompson Photo Gallery

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Look for a more detailed recap to follow.

Match Day Updates / Live Thread

Check here as we’ll include Starting Lineups and any updates leading up to the match, plus in-match highlights and commentary and more…

PENALTY KICK SHOOTOUT — PITTSBURGH WINS 4-3

 

END OF 2nd ET — PITTSBURGH 0, DCFC 0

116′ — SAVE!!! Robbie Mertz is ROBBED by DCFC’s Carlos Saldaña redirected header to the left side of goal is denied by a diving save.

114′ — one note — with Walti subbing on for Barnes at start of ET — Danny Griffin has shifted down to the back line with Walti/Sample pairing CMF

111′ — Etou is bulldozed over — and earns Free kick.  Mertz ball in to back post but it’s cleared away.

108′ — Chance for Hounds!! Jacquesson hits header off left post — pass in from Junior Etou from left corner. Soooo close!

END OF 1ST PERIOD OF ET — PITTSBURGH 0, DETROIT CITY FC 0

1st Period of ET

98′ — Madness in box — on another Hounds corner but again Detroit clears it away

96′ — Eric Dick comes off his line — takes ball in face at 18 — denying Jordan Adebayo-Smith

94′ — Danny Griffin from outside the box — hard but way too high

92′ — Nice effort by Sample win win ball on press — Jacquesson gets quick pass — but quick shot from behind box dribbles to goal for an easy save.

END OF REGULATION — PITTSBURGH 0, DETROIT CITY FC 0

Hounds with 11-3 edge in shots (2-1 on target)

2nd half

90′ +2 — Bradley Sample with a near chance from top of box — goes over bar!! And that’s it — this one is going to EXTRA TIME!!!

87′ —  SUB — HOUNDS

• IN — Bertin Jacquesson
• OUT — Charles Ahl

82′ — Augi Williams and former Hound Shane Wiedt having some words after Willams chest bumped the former Pitt man

80′ — Hounds swing it around perimeter of box — ends with Beto Ydrach chance from behind box that’s easily handled by DCFC keeper

76′ — YELLOW CARD — Hounds Perrin Barnes — going for a ball om box clips DFCF defender

70′ — Augi Williams goal waved off!!!  Officials call a push off in the box.

64′ — Fantastic chance — missed!!! Mertz free kick — to left side — ball comes to Beto Ydrach who sends ball to Danny Griffin right in the middle of box — but the Hounds captain header misses high and wide left.

53′ — corner chance — ball to far post — Beto Ydrach is there but just misses on his chance.

52′ — Mertz draws foul on edge!  Free kick from the edge — terrific ball in by Mertz skims off DCFC defender head and out for corner

46′ — no changes for either side

HALFTIME — PITTSBURGH 0, DETROIT CITY FC 0

It’s now been 270 minutes since the Riverhounds have scored a goal in the run of play.  The Hounds tilted the match in its favor but that’s not saying much. Detroit City has defended well in the box but has not sniffed anything in the attacking third (0 shots).

First Half

45’+3 — Half ends with Detroit City FC free kick which Eric Dick comes off his line — about the third time this match.  That’s been about all Detroit has been able to do to get the ball into the box.

45′ — Mertz plays a nice ball forward inside left side of box as Sample gets behind defender — but keeper Saldana’s there to grab it.

42′ — Detroit City registers a shot! But it wasn’t threatening.   Devon Amoo-Mensah header from DCFC’s only corner of the half goes wide.

42′ — action picks up — Charles Ahl gets loose after tough battle on right side — cuts it back — left footed shot is blocked, then another cross in is cleared away by DCFC defender over bar (near own goal!) for a corner.  Corner is a mad scramble in the box but cleared away.

21′ — Through 20 minutes — Detroit with a little more possession — but the visitors haven’t sniffed the attacking third at all. Hounds with both shots in match

19′ — Williams gets some room — takes a run at one from 22 yards that skies over the bar.

14′ — Williams forces corner.  Mertz in-swinging ball is cleared away.

9′ — Player down for Detroit — taking about three minutes but he’ll get back up and stay in game

8′ — Detroit controlling more of the ball in the early going

2′ — Bradley Sample with a chance from the edge and !! wow !!! great save by Saldana to dive to his right.

1′ — We’ve kicked off!!

6:45 p.m. — Starting Lineups are posted

Guillaume Vactor who was listed as questionable — is out and not in the 18.  The Hounds will be starting Perrin Barnes instead.  This likely moves the versatile Luke Biasi into the center back trio.