Riverhounds’ streak snapped and chaos unleashed in slop-fest 4th of July loss to Brooklyn FC

USL Championship

FINAL: Brooklyn FC 2, Riverhounds SC 0

Match Stats

A night that began as a celebration of holiday soccer tradition dissolved into an absolute disciplinary and tactical nightmare for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

The Hounds saw their elite 426-minute defensive shutout streak ruthlessly shattered early in the second half, ultimately falling 2-0 to expansion side Brooklyn FC in front of a capacity crowd at F.N.B. Stadium. However, the final scoreline will heavily share headlines with a chaotic, embarrassing 77th-minute melee that saw both teams reduced to ten men following double straight red cards for violent conduct, before a late stoppage-time breakdown sealed Pittsburgh’s fate.

FIRST HALF: Early Pressure, Slipped Opportunities

The Hounds opened the match hunting for blood. For the first 15 minutes, Rob Vincent’s signature high press was humming, routinely choking out Brooklyn’s attempts to build out from the back and allowing Pittsburgh to win the vast majority of early 50/50 balls.

The chances followed, but the clinical edge was entirely missing:

• 14′ & 16′: Robbie Mertz and Charles Ahl both found dangerous space from distance but completely sliced their respective right-footed efforts wide right of the frame.

• 17′: Max Viera picked out Eliot Goldthorp in the center of the box, but Goldthorp’s down-volley from the top of the area bounced too casually into the waiting arms of Brooklyn keeper Lukas Burns.

As the half ground on, the game grew increasingly disjointed and sloppy. Brooklyn finally woke up in the 30th minute, carving out their best chance of the half when John Klein met a CJ Olney Jr. corner at the near post. His redirect header floated dangerously across the goalmouth, nearly sneaking past a scrambling Nico Campuzano on the far post before sailing high and wide.

The teams went into the locker rooms deadlocked at 0-0, with a tense, physical undercurrent brewing.

🌋 SECOND HALF: The Streak Ends, All Hell Breaks Loose

If the first half was defined by unexecuted game plans, the second half was defined by pure chaos.

It took just five minutes after the restart for Brooklyn to strike a dagger into the heart of the Hounds’ defense.

In the 50th minute, former Hound Thomas Vancaeyezeele found CJ Olney Jr. outside the penalty area. Olney unleashed a brilliant, curling right-footed strike into the top-left corner, ending Nico Campuzano’s personal shutout bid and snapping Pittsburgh’s team streak at 431 active league minutes.

Driven by desperation, Rob Vincent swapped Max Viera for Trevor Amann in the 58th minute to inject life into the frontline. Goldthorp nearly found the equalizer in the 65th minute off a pin-point cross from Perrin Barnes, but his close-range effort was brilliantly parried away in the bottom right corner by Burns.

Then, the match completely unraveled in the 75th minute.

Following a routine high ball challenged in the air, Lasse Kelp and Brooklyn’s Stefan Stojanovic brutally butted heads. As both players went down, tempers completely boiled over, triggering a massive, ugly scrum on the pitch. After a prolonged delay to restore order and treat a bloodied Kelp, the head referee handed down matching sentences: straight red cards for violent conduct to Pittsburgh striker Albert Dikwa and Brooklyn’s Stojanovic.

⏱️ LATE CLOSURE: Stoppage Time Salt in the Wound

Down 1-0 and reduced to ten men, the Hounds scrambled tactically in the final ten minutes. Vincent threw on attacker Jorge Garcia for Perrin Barnes in the 83rd minute, followed by midfielder Jackson Wälti replacing a spent Danny Griffin in the 88th.

The fourth official announced six grueling minutes of added time, and the Hounds immediately pushed numbers forward. In the 92nd minute, Wälti managed to feed Garcia just outside the penalty box, but the substitute’s left-footed equalizer attempt sailed too high over the crossbar.

Just a minute later, the risk of chasing the game bit the Hounds cleanly on the counter. In a cruel twist of irony, former Riverhounds forward Juan “J.C.” Obregón—who came on as a late 87th-minute substitute for Brooklyn—drove into the vacated space and picked out Abdoulaye Kanté in the center of the penalty area. Kanté easily slotted a right-footed shot down the center of the goal past Campuzano in the 93rd minute, officially icing the game at 2-0.

Look for post match reaction to follow from FNB Stadium as we’ll be connecting with Riverhounds HC Rob Vincent after the fireworks display.

Lineups

Riverhounds

Brooklyn — we see one former Riverhounds All-USL player here — Thomas Vancaeyezeele.

John K’s Match Notes

• First 15 minutes — Hounds press has been effective.  Getting opportunities.  Charles Ahl and Robbie Mertz with good looks from outside the box — but each sliced their shots from distance to right of goal.  Eliott Goldthorpe attempted to down volley a chance from top of box, but it bounced too casually to Brooklyn keeper Lukas Burns.
• Best chance in first half for Brooklyn comes in the 30th minute when Klein’s corner redirect from near post side nearly sneaks past Nico Campuzano on the far post side.
• Hounds have been first to most 50/50 balls in the first 25 minutes3.
• This match marked the ninth July 4th home fixture for the Hounds since Highmark/F.N.B. Stadium opened, entering the night with a formidable 5-2-1 historical holiday record on home soil. The match also pitted the Hounds against a familiar face in Brooklyn forward J.C. Obregón, who spent the 2023 season in the Steel City.

• Active Clean Sheet Streak entering the match: 426 consecutive minutes across all competitions.

• Goalkeeper Personal Streak: Nico Campuzano entered tonight chasing a fifth consecutive USL Championship shutout.

• Tactical Shell: Head Coach Rob Vincent maintained the newly cemented four-man defensive alignment featuring Lasse Kelp, Owen Mikoy, Victor Souza, and Perrin Barnes.

John Krysinsky

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).