Conference Final rematch awaits as Albert Dikwa faces his former club

For the first time in what feels like a month, the pitch at FNB Stadium didn’t carry the chaos of a midweek flight, smoky air, or compressed CBS television schedules.

Coming off their historic 3-1 victory over Louisville City FC—highlighted by Trevor Amann’s USL record-shattering 3-minute and 27-second hat trick—the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC returned to training this week with a renewed bounce and a “normal” week of match preparation.

Now sitting at the official midseason mark, Head Coach Rob Vincent’s squad is gearing up for a high-stakes Eastern Conference clash this Saturday against Rhode Island FC.

It marks the first time the two sides meet since Pittsburgh eliminated RIFC 1-0 in last autumn’s Eastern Conference Final—and the very first time star striker Albert Dikwa will face his former teammates since his transfer back to the Black and Gold.

Pittsburgh Soccer Now’s Kevin Hutchinson was at AHN Montour Soccer Complex on Tuesday to capture exclusive reaction from Vincent, Dikwa, and goalkeeper Nico Campuzano.

In addition, I caught up with USL Championship’s lead broadcast analyst, Devon Kerr, in the aftermath of his covering the last two Hounds matches, including Saturday’s Nationally televised match on CBS, which was the second highest rated match in USL Championship history. Look for that Podcast interview to drop on Friday!

📹 Watch the Tuesday Training Reel Interviews:

• Albert Dikwa on facing Rhode Island & Hounds’ momentum: Watch Reel on PSN Instagram

• Nico Campuzano’s Interview (En Español!): Watch Reel on PSN Instagram

• Head Coach Rob Vincent on team shape & RIFC preparation: Watch Reel on PSN Instagram

Dikwa Locked In Against His Former Squad

For Albert “Chico” Dikwa, Saturday’s match carries plenty of emotional weight. After spending two seasons with Rhode Island FC following his 2023 Golden Boot campaign in Pittsburgh, the Cameroonian forward transferred back to his ‘home’ this past offseason.

“Even when I left, I felt like part of my soul stayed here,” Dikwa reflected earlier this year about his return to Pittsburgh.

But on Tuesday, his focus was strictly business as he prepares to line up against RIFC for the first time.

With Trevor Amann coming off a four-goal week that earned him USL Championship Player of the Week honors, Vincent’s dual-target-forward system (pairing Dikwa and Amann) is proving to be a nightmare for opposing backlines. Dikwa’s movement down the channels and willingness to drag defenders out of position laid the groundwork for Amann’s record blitz on Saturday.

“They play off each other quite well,” Vincent noted.

“Having both of them on the pitch gives us a completely different dynamic that teams have to prepare for.”

Vincent Relishes the ‘Normal’ routine

After navigating a brutal three-match road gauntlet in eight days, Head Coach Rob Vincent was pleased to have a full, uninterrupted week of tactical work.

“It’s really nice that we can now kind of have a little breather and a week between games,” Vincent said. “Use Saturday [against Louisville] as a pedestal to grow from now.”

The focus this week turns to Rhode Island, a team that has historically brought physical, direct battles to Highmark Stadium. With a healthy squad and intense competition for spots in the starting XI, Vincent’s group is looking to turn Saturday’s historic win into a sustained midseason run.

Scouting Report: Resilient Rhode Island lurks on the Playoff Line

As the Hounds reset after a chaotic gauntlet week, Saturday’s matchup brings a familiar, steel-jawed opponent to Highmark Stadium.

Despite having two vastly different campaigns during their first two years in the league—most notably with Albert Dikwa as part of leading their frontline before his offseason return to Pittsburgh—head coach Khano Smith has built a clear, uncompromising identity in Rhode Island. RIFC is direct, physical, defensively stingy late in the year, and perpetually built to be a brutal, grind-it-out postseason match.

Sure enough, Smith’s side is lurking right around the Eastern Conference playoff line, sitting in 8th place with a 5W-5L-4D record.

While the Riverhounds hold a dominant 4-1-1 all-time advantage in the series—posting five clean sheets along the way—matches between these two clubs are historically knife-fight tight. The Hounds have only scored six goals across those six previous meetings. Last November’s Eastern Conference Final was the ultimate testament: Pittsburgh needed an extraordinary second-half moment of magic from Robbie Mertz to squeeze out a 1-0 victory and advance to the USL Championship Final.

By the Numbers: RIFC’s Bite

Don’t let Rhode Island’s .500 record fool you—underneath the hood, their underlying metrics prove they pack a significant punch:

• Attacking Firepower: RIFC ranks 1st in the USL Championship in Shots on Target and 4th in scoring at 1.7 goals per match.

• Goal Differential: Their +6 goal differential is fifth-best in the entire league.

• Aggressive Defending: Rhode Island leads the league in tackles per match at 17.6 (with Louisville a distant second at 16.1).

That aggressive tackling rate will pose a massive litmus test for Rob Vincent’s defensive structure, which has occasionally shown vulnerability when caught in rapid transition moments.

Danger Men to Watch

The visitors feature a lethal attacking core led by veteran forward J.J. Williams, who leads the club with six goals on the campaign. Right on his heels is Jojea Kwizera (five goals), who holds the distinction of scoring the lone goal in Rhode Island’s solitary victory over Pittsburgh in series history.

Flanked by dynamic playmakers Noah Fuson and Clay Holstad, RIFC has the technical ability to punish small defensive lapses in an instant.

If the Hounds want to secure all three points and compound the momentum from Trevor Amann’s historic hat trick, they will have to win the physical battles in midfield, manage transition defense, and be patient enough to unlock one of the league’s most stubborn, battle-tested backlines.

Nico Campuzano Takes the Mic (En Español!)

Hounds goalkeeper Nico Campuzano took time after Tuesday’s session to speak with PSN in his native Spanish.

View this post on Instagram

Campuzano, who earned USL Team of the Week honors earlier this season, has been a bedrock in goal during the Hounds’ defensive turnaround.

Campuzano highlighted the team’s defensive communication and how the squad managed the high pressure of Saturday’s rain-soaked match against Louisville. He emphasized that holding down central organization against a physical Rhode Island attack will be paramount to keeping all three points at Highmark Stadium.

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).