Riverhounds vs Tulsa USL Championship Final lines up to be an absolute soccer slugfest

Just like any big, heavyweight bout, it’s always good to see how the two teams measure up in a Championship Match, pound-for-pound, against each other when looking at the statistics and analytics.

After a closer look — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and FC Tulsa who face off on Saturday in the USL Championship Final (Noon ET on CBS) are in many ways — mirror images of each other and in some ways completely different.

One thing from looking at the numbers over the course of the 30 regular season and three postseason matches these teams have played during the 2025 USL Championship campaign, this match has all the makings of an absolute slugfest, with neither team willing to give an inch.

Both teams prefer to have the field tilted in its favor and will bring heavy bouts of pressure into the final third.

For a team that’s last in total passes and passing accuracy, FC Tulsa has become the top team in the Western Conference living off of its high pressing style and punishing opponents in the final third at the steadiest and most productive rate in the 24-team league (1st in USL Championship in Shots, Big Chances, Touches in Opposition’s Box, Balls Won in Final Third)

However, they are also not afraid to mix it up physically and impose its will when they get into the final third, as FC Tulsa is first in the league in both fouls and yellow cards.

Basically, this team likes to unleash hell in the box.

FC Tulsa’s overwhelming strengths will be tested against Pittsburgh, a team that has been impenetrable and highly disciplined (as they’ve been in recent years under Bob Lilley and now Rob Vincent) boasting second lowest yellow card total and in the middle of the pack in fouls.

Of the two sides, the Hounds have been more patient on the ball and be more methodical for some stretches and have out possessed every team in the playoffs.  That will be tested against FC Tulsa who, unlike Hartford, Detroit and Rhode Island, feed off of mistakes and bad passes.  FC Tulsa punished a very, very good possession team last week (taking New Mexico out of its game in a 3-0 victory).

Both teams are very low in passing and passing accuracy numbers (Hounds 20th out of 24 teams, and FCT are dead last) — which is a clear indicator that this won’t be the prettiest of matches.

Defensively, both teams are well-organized and are astute at fortifying numbers behind the ball both in denying strong possession teams from breaking them down through the middle and channels and yet take a no-frills approach in turning away pressure from the width (both are top five in clearances).

The Riverhounds Eastern Conference Final opponent, Rhode Island FC, were not as prolific as FC Tulsa in executing and punishing teams in the final third but they are a team that played similarly when trying to get forward and were also very physical — and the Hounds who have been strong in duels and aerial battles this season — have proven then can hold their own against.

Often times, matches between teams like this come down to one play or moment that will be the difference.

That’s when sometimes you look at those players who can separate themselves and do something special.

Last week, Robbie Mertz, was that guy for the Riverhounds.

And it wasn’t a coincidence.  Mertz has been the club’s best chance creator this season (second in the league with 62), so the Pittsburgh-area native put himself into position to make a play in the box, ending the team’s goal-scoring drought.

For FC Tulsa, the difference-maker has been Taylor Calheira, who has scored 17 goals across the regular season and playoffs after his brace against New Mexico United in the Western Conference Final at a strike rate of 154.2 minutes per goal.

Calheira’s underlying numbers are equally strong, with his Goals Added mark of +12.23 almost 20 percent higher than his closest competition.

A few final numbers that may be wild card when factoring how this match may be decided.

FC Tulsa’s midfielder Stefan Lukić has been an impact player off the bench.  Six times this season, he’s scored coming into the match in the second half.  In the postseason, he scored the game-winner twice in the first two rounds.  Lukić’s decisive goal in the Quarterfinal Round vs Colorado Springs came two minutes into the first period of extra time on a headed goal in the center of the box, with midfielder Jamie Webber earning the assist from the free kick.  The former Oklahoma Wesleyan standout added his latest dramatic goal came in the Conference Semifinal in the dying moments of stoppage against Phoenix.

The other x-factor is that in a match between two teams that won’t give an inch but are shaped differently when it comes to discipline — is that it may come down a penalty kick — or a penalty kick shootout.

On the defensive side, FC Tulsa have conceded a penalty in the box three times in the run of play this season, while the Hounds were guilty just one time in 33 matches.

The Riverhounds have generated three penalties, while Tulsa has really put opponents on the ropes, drawing a league leading seven penalties. On the flip side, as previously mentioned, the Sissortails lead the league being called for fouls, so the Hounds will have to look to take the match to them as much as they possibly do so, as Junior Etou, Robbie Mertz, Augi Williams and Charles Ahl will each need to continue to play aggressively and into the opposition’s box, which could lead to a moment that could make a huge difference in the match.

Add to all of those facts that Pittsburgh has come through not once, but twice in heart-pounding shootouts, the Hounds have as much confidence as the Doolin-Dalton gang taking on the U.S. Marshals (**) in an old-fashioned shootout in Oklahoma.

TEAM STATS

GOALS

• TUL — 55 (3rd in USLC)
• PIT – 33 (19th in USLC)

SHOTS

• TUL — 461 (1st in USLC)
• PIT — 368 (11th in USLC)

BIG CHANCES

• TUL — 91 (1st in USLC)
• PIT — 51 (19th in USLC)

BIG CHANCES MISSED

• TUL — 52 (2nd in USLC)
• PIT — 33 (16th in USLC)

ACCURATE CROSSES PER MATCH

• TUL — 5.5 (2nd in USLC)
• PIT — 4.9 (4th in USLC)

CLEARANCES PER MATCH

• TUL — 29.9 (2nd in USLC)
• PIT — 27.0 (5th in USLC)

CORNERS

• PIT — 171 (3rd in USLC)
• TUL — 170 (4th in USLC)

PENALTIES AWARDED

• TUL — 7 (2nd in USLC) — conceded 3
• PIT — 3 (4th in USLC) — conceded 1

TOUCHES IN OPPOSITION BOX

• PIT — 690 (5th in USLC)
• TUL — 779 (1st in USLC)

BALLS WON IN THE FINAL THIRD

• PIT — 4.0 (3rd in USLC)
• TUL — 4.3 (1st in USLC)

GOAL CONCEDED

• TUL — 30 (fifth least in USLC) – (0.9 goals per match)
• PIT — 28 (third least in USLC) – (0.8 goals per match)

CLEAN SHEETS

• PIT — 15 (1st in USLC)
• TUL — 13 (3rd in USLC)

PASSING ACCURACY

• TUL – 69% (24th and Last in USLC) — last in completed passes 9,464
• PIT — 76% (20th in USLC)

FOULS

• TUL — 571 (1st in USLC)
• PIT – 430 (12th in USLC)

YELLOW CARDS

• TUL — 101 (1st in USLC)
• PIT — 56 (23rd in USLC)

CONVERSION RATE

• TUL — 17% (7th in USLC)
• PIT — 13% (T-18th in USLC)

 

TEAM LEADERS

GOALS

• PIT –Augi Williams, 9
• TUL — Taylor Calheira, 17

ASSISTS

• Danny Griffin, 4
• Jamie Webber, 5

GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS (G+A)

• Augi Williams, 10
•  Taylor Calheira, 19

SHOTS

• Augi Williams, 55
• Taylor Calheira, 62

CHANCES CREATED

• Robbie Mertz, 63 (2nd in USLC)
• Taylor Calheira 37 (T-22nd in USLC)

MINUTES

• Sean Suber, 3,030
• Taylor Calheira, 2,622

TACKLES

• Luke Biasi, 61
• Owen Damm, 43

CLEARANCES

• Sean Suber, 232
• Lamar Batista, 191

YELLOW CARDS

• Luke Biasi, 10
• Abdoulaye Cissoko, 11

RED CARDS

• Luke Biasi, 1
• Owen Damm, 1

GOAL AGAINST AVERAGE

• Eric Dick, 0.79
• Johan Penaranda, 1.00

SAVE PERCENTAGE

• Eric Dick, .747
• Johan Penaranda, .675

** The Battle of Ingalls is a prime example of an old-fashioned, shootout in Oklahoma. It took place on September 1, 1893, and involved a posse of U.S. Marshals and the Doolin-Dalton  Gang. The battle began when the Marshals entered the town of Ingalls, Oklahoma, and engaged the gang in a gunfight. The shootout lasted through saloon doors and rooftops, resulting in three lawmen being killed or mortally wounded, and at least three gang affiliates dying. The battle is remembered as one of the deadliest gunfights of its time, showcasing the intense and chaotic nature of the Old West.