Bassett Beauty Bests Brooklyn: Riverhounds conquer Coney Island with all three points

USL Championship — Week 25

FINAL: Riverhounds SC 1, Brooklyn FC 0

Match Stats

Instant Match Report

Riverhounds midfielder Sam Bassett found a moment of redemption with a brilliant free kick strike which proved to be the differencce in a 1-0 win against Brooklyn FC at Maimonides Park on Saturday evening.

Bassett’s goal came in the 81st minute in a match where the Hounds were kept in check for much of the match in their first-ever trip to Brooklyn.  The free kick was set up by a terrific ball from Jackson Walti, who found Junior Etou breaking toward the left side of the attacking third, and would be taken down 20 yards from goal.

Bassett took it from there.

“I think that’s the moment of quality we needed to see more of, really, whenever we’re on the ball,” Rob Vincent, Riverhounds’ Head Coach said.

“Any time that we showed a bit of composure in midfield and broke a line, we looked dangerous getting forward. Junior did what he does best, getting on the end of the ball in space, and we knew that he may win a free kick, may win a penalty, and fortunately he did when he cut inside. It was one of those composed moments from midfield going forward we want to see more of.”

In fact, Bassett wiffed on the team’s best chance shortly after the second half started.  After three goals earlier in the season, then dealt an injury at mid-season — some may have been beginning to wonder if Bassett would find any more wonder goals this year.

Pittsburgh’s keeper Nico Campuzano made five saves to earn his eight clean sheet of the season.

With the victory, the Hounds (10W-8L-3L) inch further up in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference table, drawing level with Charleston (33 points), as they now sit in third place.  The win also served as a bit of redemption in the home-and-home series against expansion Brooklyn, who knocked off Pittsburgh, 2-0, at FNB Stadium back on July 4.

“I think we’re getting consistency in terms of discipline and the levels required in this league, certainly defensively,” Vincent added.

“There’s still room for improvement when we’re on the ball, room to be better offensively. But the past four games have been really professional, really happy with the discipline we’ve shown.”

A more detailed recap will be updated here along with John Krysinsky’s Takeaways and Player Grades on Sunday

How It Happened

First Half

The Riverhounds came out with a few new wrinkles in its personnel and formation — with a 3-4-2-1 giving the front line attack a new combo that included Trevor Amann in the target spot, with Eliot Goldthorp and Yu Tsukanome flanking them underneath as attacking midfielders, while they also used Robbie Mertz and Jackson Walti in the central midfield, moved Danny Griffin out wide right and Sam Bassett was positioned wide left.

Key First Half Moments

• 14′ — Brooklyn Threatens First: CJ Olney Jr. — who scored in the match between the two teams on July 4 — whipped a dangerous cross into the box, connecting with Markus Anderson for a header on target, but Nico Campuzano comfortably caught it in the top center of the goal.

• 26′ — Goldthorp On Target: Jackson Wälti found Eliot Goldthorp on the right side of the box, but Goldthorp’s left-footed effort was saved in the bottom right corner by Jackson Lee.

• 29′ — Double Chance for the Hounds: Following a Sam Bassett corner, Victor Souza’s header flashed just wide left. Seconds later, off a secondary service, Souza set up Goldthorp inside the six-yard box, but Lee made a reaction save to deny the Hounds’ best opening of the half.

• 38′ — Back-to-Back Blocked Shots: Souza won a header in the box to setup Trevor Amann, but his left-footed strike was blocked. On the recycling phase, Danny Griffin’s central strike was also turned away by a crowded Brooklyn defense.

• 40′ — Tsukanome Header Glances Wide: Goldthorp picked out Yu Tsukanome in the center of the 18-yard box, but Tsukanome’s header drifted past the right post.

• 45+2′ — Stoppage Time Stalemate: After two choppy minutes of added time marked by late fouls in the midfield, both teams went to the locker rooms tied 0-0.

First Half Statistical Snapshot

• Shots on Target: Pittsburgh 2 | Brooklyn 1

• Corners: Pittsburgh 4 | Brooklyn 1

• Fouls Committed: Pittsburgh 8 | Brooklyn 6

Second Half

The second half began as a choppy, physical affair with the Hounds finding it difficult to crack Brooklyn’s low block.

After a quiet start to the half highlighted by Bassett’s whiff on a prime chance, the former Denver University standout provided the ultimate moment of redemption in the 81st minute, curling a world-class free kick into the top left corner to give Pittsburgh the 1-0 victory.

Key Second Half Moments

• 49′ — Early Caution for Mikoy: Owen Mikoy went into the referee’s book with a yellow card after a hard challenge on Markus Anderson in the attacking half.

• 63′ — Tactical Double Swap: Rob Vincent brought on fresh legs to reshape the attack, introducing Junior Etou and Charles Ahl for Yu Tsukanome and Eliot Goldthorp.

• 65′ — Campuzano Denies Anderson: Markus Anderson broke free on the right side of the box and ripped a low left-footed shot, but Nico Campuzano stood tall to make a crucial save in the center of the goal.

• 76′ — Amann Tests Lee: Trevor Amann unleashed a left-footed strike from outside the box, but Jackson Lee handled it cleanly.

• 79′ — Campuzano Parries Danger: Brooklyn’s Callum Frogson rose high in the center of the box to connect with a Pierre da Silva cross, forcing Campuzano into a clutch save to concede a corner.

• 81′ — GOAL! Pittsburgh 1, Brooklyn 0 (Sam Bassett): After Junior Etou drew a foul in the attacking half, Sam Bassett stepped up to the set piece and struck a phenomenal right-footed free kick directly into the top left corner to break the deadlock.

• 86’–87′ — Late Brooklyn Onslaught: Brooklyn pressed hard for an equalizer in the closing minutes. Campuzano tipped a CJ Olney Jr. long-range effort over the bar in the 86th minute, then comfortably snared a Thomas Vancaeyezeele attempt a minute later.

• 90+4′ — Hounds Lock It Down: Guillaume Vacter came on for Bassett in the 90th minute to solidify the defensive shape, as Pittsburgh comfortably navigated three minutes of stoppage time to seal the road victory.

Full Match Statistical Snapshot

• Shots on Target: Pittsburgh 4 | Brooklyn 4

• Corners: Pittsburgh 4 | Brooklyn 3

• Fouls Committed: Pittsburgh 15 | Brooklyn 12

• Yellow Cards: Pittsburgh 2 (Mikoy, Wälti) | Brooklyn 0

Post Match Reaction

Look for reaction to follow from Riverhounds Head Coach Rob Vincent after the match here.

Lineups

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (3-4-2-1):

Nico Campuzano (GK); Lasse Kelp, Victor Souza, Owen Mikoy; Sam Bassett, Robbie Mertz, Jackson Wälti, Danny Griffin; Yu Tsukanome, Eliot Goldthorp; Trevor Amann.

Subs Used: Junior Etou for Yu Tsukanome (63′), Charles Ahl for Eliot Goldthorp (63′), Guillaume Vacter for Sam Bassett (90′).

Subs Not Used: Jacob Randolph, Max Viera, Perrin Barnes, Beto Ydrach, Bradley Sample.

Brooklyn FC:

Jackson Lee (GK); Gabriel Alves, Callum Frogson, Vuk Latinovich, Ryan McLaughlin; Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Taimu Okiyoshi; CJ Olney Jr., Tommy McNamara, Stefan Stojanovic; Markus Anderson.

Subs Used: Pierre da Silva for Stefan Stojanovic (62′), Jaden Servania for Tommy McNamara (70′), Juan Obregón for Markus Anderson (89′), So Nishikawa for Gabriel Alves (89′), Malik Pinto for Ryan McLaughlin (89′).