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Pittsburgh Derby Reboot: Steel City FC prepared to strike while the iron is cold

While the calendar says March, the atmosphere around the upcoming Pittsburgh Derby feels like a mid-summer heatwave. But for Steel City FC Head Coach Dan Brower, the extra week of preparation has been a double-edged sword: a chance to sharpen the tactical blade, but also a test of the amateur club’s next man up resolve.

As the rescheduled First Round Open Cup match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC finally arrives this Wednesday at Highmark Stadium, some might say that the narrative has shifted and the roles have been curiously reversed.

The past six days couldn’t have looked more different for the two clubs.

While Steel City spent the week rebooting from an emotional letdown of dealing with a match postponement due to wintry weather last Tuesday, the Riverhounds were in the trenches of a difficult road trip that ended in a bruising 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday.

Following that defeat—the third straight match in which the Hounds conceded multiple goals—Head Coach Rob Vincent didn’t mince words.

While acknowledging the excitement of the upcoming Derby, his focus was squarely on his team’s struggling defensive identity.

“The fans have been waiting for this Derby against Steel City FC, and we owe them a much sharper performance at Highmark,” Vincent stated after the loss in Tampa.

“There is no time to dwell on the Florida heat. We fly home, we look at the tape, and we fix the rotations in the back.”

Unlike their professional counterparts, amateur clubs don’t just juggle tactics—they juggle lives.

Brower revealed that the postponement cost his side one player who had to depart for a critical professional job interview.

“This is what happens when you have an amateur side,” Brower said.

“Guys are in and out… but this is why we’ve built a deep roster. We’re working with a ton of players who sacrifice time away from their families for the love of the game. It’s next man up.”

With another week until the match, Brower was very specific about how his club didn’t just rest, they strategically re-engineered their intensity to peak for Wednesday.

“We had to rev the guys back up… we went after it with a Thursday session, gave them off Friday, and then the boys came back in on Saturday and Sunday… the training was sharp,” Brower said.

“It also gives us a little bit more time to prepare and look at the little things with a little bit more detail.”

Steel City also had one more opportunity to get a look at the Riverhounds.

“The postponement has certainly giving us some time to think about a few things, look at a few more clips and, um, watch another game and be a little bit more prepared for the match,” Brower added.

The move to Highmark brings tactical challenges that Brower is already calculating. With the pitch dimensions running tighter than a standard field and the ball “bouncing around” on the artificial turf, the game is set to be a physical, high-intensity encounter—especially with the Hounds looking to rotate players ahead of their league home opener against Sporting Club Jacksonville this Saturday.

“The high-pressing game makes sense on that type of surface,” Brower explained. “It’s going to come down to executing during various phases. It’ll be a knock-down, drag-out affair.”

In a subtle but significant twist of tournament law, though the match is being played at Highmark Stadium, Steel City FC is technically the home team. Having been awarded the home draw by U.S. Soccer in January, the amateur side worked with their opponents to move the game from the smaller confines of Duquesne’s Rooney Field to Station Square to accommodate the historic demand.

For 90 minutes, the reigning USL Champions will be the visitors in their own house.

“It felt right that the game is played at Highmark,” Brower previously told Pittsburgh Soccer Now.

“It’s a massive credit to the soccer community that we needed this stage.”

Despite the tactical chess match, the heart of the Derby remains the history. After waiting nearly seven decades for an all-Pittsburgh Open Cup clash, the city’s soccer community is reaching a fever pitch.

“Talk is cheap,” Brower said.

“We’ve waited 69 years… Let’s do this. Let’s put on a show for all the kids growing up in this city who want to see something exciting.”

Match Facts

  • Match: Steel City FC (Home) vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (Away)

  • Competition: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (First Round)

  • Date/Time: Wednesday, March 25 | 7:00 PM

  • Venue: Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

  • The Stakes: Winner hosts Virginia Dream FC (NPSL) on Tuesday, March 31.

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John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

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