In second year with Riverhounds, Charles Ahl aims to take next step as playmaker

The Riverhounds have a host of second year players who will look to take on even bigger roles after being part of a championship club a year ago.

One of those players is Charles Ahl.

In his rookie campaign, Ahl suffered an early setback, when he came off the bench in season opener.

Ahl was sidelined with an injury that kept him out of the lineup for nearly two months.

Ahl eventually worked his way into becoming a steady presence in the starting lineup, positioned on the attacking midfield line on the opposite side of veteran Robbie Mertz, starting in 17 of 27 matches he appeared, scoring four goals, in 1,512 minutes played.

“The second half of the season, he established himself as a starter, and rightly so,” Rob Vincent, Riverhounds’ Head Coach said.

“This year, we’ve asked more of him in terms of production. We want to see more goals. We want to see more assists. We want to see more shots.  We want to see him in the box more often, because he has the quality to do that.  If you look at him, when he has the ball in the attacking third dangerous things happen.”

Ahl, a Central Florida (Winter Park) native, who played with Orlando City SC as a youth player, then was a standout player at Stetson University (also in FL), winning 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, is now looking to seize the opportunity as a returning player with championship experience.

Ahl is eager to show what he can do over the course of a full season as he sees a more clearer vision of what’s expected.

“Even though we won last year, there’s a lot of things we can do to improve upon. scoring goals. defending harder, understanding the League,” Ahl said.

A decade before, Vincent transformed himself as a player with the Riverhounds, becoming a standout goal scoring presence during the 2015 season which he was given more freedom in the attacking third to use his talents.

With Ahl and the other attacking players, Vincent has plenty of wisdom to offer.

“He’s trying to offer to add things to our game that he had back in his game.  Going over film. Adding the importance of productivity. Whether it’s goals or assists leading to goal,” Ahl.

While Vincent noted Ahl’s strengths on the ball, the young player also pointed out that his new, permanent Head Coach is also preaching the importance of where he is at all times on the field.

“He’s helping me a lot with stuff off the ball. Sometimes I can get a little lazy, but not just me, the other guys on the team too, he’s trying to help us add to our game.”

In this first full season as a professional, Ahl played to his strengths — as Vincent pointed out — when he was aggressive in the attacking third good things happened. 

This was especially true when inserted into the starting lineup. Ahl started to pick up steam when he started to pick out scoring chances early in matches, including first half goals at Tampa Bay, at Hartford and at Miami.

However, prior to that, while still battling to work his way into the lineup in July, Ahl’s first pro goal came as a second half sub, in dramatic fashion, against Miami.

The goal amounted to a buzzer beating, perfectly timed run to the near post area that helped the Hounds salvage a draw in a nationally televised match.

Down the stretch of the regular season, Ahl evolved into a solid presence, not as much in scoring goals, but in moments on the ball in and around the box, drawing defenders and fouls. 

How much of a nuisance was Ahl late last season to opponents? 

He drew a team-high five fouls in the opening round playoff match vs Hartford, then was taken down four times in each of the next three postseason matches including the League Final at Tulsa.

While there are parts of his game he still has to conquer as a professional at the USL Championship level, Ahl’s overall performance was solid for a first-year player in 2025.

In the team’s third preseason match, a 2-1 win vs Loudoun United FC at AHN Montour Soccer Complex on Friday, Ahl was in the same place he was during the Hounds’ title winning run in the final 10 matches last season, starting on the left side of the attacking midfield line.

Vincent and the Hounds coaches are asking Ahl to be even more involved even as competition for spots in the starting lineup is pretty fierce thus far in the preseason.

In addition, Ahl will be wearing the number 10 this season (he wore 12 last season).

The soft-spoken Floridian shrugged it off when talking about wearing the number often identified with a soccer team’s most creative player.

“It’s cool. I don’t want to read into it too much. It’s just a number,” Ahl said.

“They trust me with it. I’ll work to live up to those expectations.”

The club has brought in a number of players more than capable of adding much needed production from the attacking group.

“I think we have a strong roster this year,” Vincent added.

“We’re really happy with the depth at every position.  Everyone has to be training well and playing well.

On Friday, another second year returnee, Jorge Garcia played opposite Ahl on the right side, with both players underneath another new signee, Trevor Amann, in the front line, which generated a goal thanks in large part to its persistance in executing a high press.

While the Hounds didn’t give up a goal in the final three matches of the regular season and through its title run, scoring goals in the run of play was a challenge.  Vincent said they wanted to address the need to become more consistent, versatile and dangerous team up top in 2026.

In addition to Garcia and Ahl, Brigham Larsen is another second year player who was not used as much in his first season, while Pittsburgh has added proven target men in Amann and Albert Dikwa.

“We’ve added people who we believe can score goals,” Vincent said.

“You have to find the right balance. You don’t want to throw four or five attacking guys so you don’t want to lose what you have going the other way. Ideally, we’d like to be a bit more attacking, progressive team this year.  I think we’ve taken some good steps. What, seven goals in three preseason matches. We’re getting in good areas. We’re creating chances.  A lot of good problems for me to have heading into the season.”

Charles Ahl has all the tools and is pushing to be a key figure in this mix, but right now remains focused on what’s in front of him.

“I’m just trying to build chemistry with the guys each day and we’re getting better and better,” Ahl said.

“We’re just looking forward to week one at Charleston.”