When No. 20 Pitt needed a spark to break down a physical, unbeaten No. 18 Louisville side on Alumni Night, the breakthrough came via a distinct Western Pennsylvania pipeline—albeit one forged through two completely different paths.
In the 39th minute at Ambrose Urbanic Field, substitute winger Anders Bordoy tracked down a central feed from Pablo Portero, drove down the left flank, and picked out freshman Mamadou Tall arriving in stride at the far post. Tall cleaned it up for his team-leading fourth goal of the season, sealing a 1-0 victory and pushing the Panthers up to No. 2 in the national RPI.
It was the second time this season the duo connected for a match-winner, highlighting an interesting dynamic in Jay Vidovich’s frontline: two players tied to roots locally, who’ve taken different paths and came out of two different schools that bear the Kiski name, to get to Pitt, offering contrasting styles that make Pitt’s attack lethal.
The Panthers look to stay in strong form but will have a difficult road task, as they face Syracuse on Friday night (7 p.m. in Syracuse, NY) — but with two players with local roots who have grown confidently into roles this season — Pitt’s attack is finding more options.
Anders Bordoy: Local Roots & USL Pathway
A local product who starred at Kiski Area High School, Bordoy’s ascension through the Pittsburgh soccer landscape was accelerated early. In 2023, while still in high school, he earned a USL Championship Academy contract with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, getting an early taste of the professional environment.
Bordoy spent his first two collegiate years at Memphis, where he made 21 starts and 36 appearances — adding two goals and six assists — while transitioning his offseason training in Pittsburgh with Steel City FC, helping build the club’s standard across its transitions in the NPSL and USL League Two in the midst of the club’s run of regular season Division titles.
Speaking with Pittsburgh Soccer Now in the offseason, Bordoy reflected on the mindset and standard required to transition to Pitt, where he needed a little time to transition, adding two assists while making seven starts in 14 matches during what also was an uncharacteristic season for a program that had reached a the Elite Eight the year prior, and two College Cups over a three year span before that.
“Tt’s a different group than last year for sure. We had some guys graduate. We just have a solid group of guys who are willing to fight for each other, which I think is the most important part,” Bordoy shared, and eluded to his growing role within the locker room and on the field.
“So we’ve added talent and quality. Um, well, also the returners are continuing to add that. Our team culture right now is the best it has been. We just have a solid group of guys who are willing to fight for each other, which I think is the most important part.”
At Pitt, Bordoy has been utilized as a playmaking contributor, mostly on the wing, where he’s generated a team-high three assists thus far this season, along with a goal.
Former Steel City teammate Gabe Norris—an Allegheny Valley native from Highlands who grew up playing alongside Bordoy—has watched Bordoy’s maturation up close. For Norris, Bordoy represents a breath of fresh air in an era dominated by rigid tactical structures.
“I think watching him grow as a person and mature has been really awesome,” Norris shared on Sounding Off on Soccer Podcast. “He’s that type of player who just—you want to get him the ball, right? Something always happens when he’s on the ball. He likes to run at people, which I don’t think you typically find with wingers very often. I think the game’s kind of changing where you get these real robotic wingers, and I think Anders shows what soccer used to look like: get the ball, make something happen, run at people, be confident.”
That willingness to take risks directly aligns with Jay Vidovich’s philosophy at Pitt, where players are constantly urged to show “courage on the ball” and be fearless in 1v1 situations.
“He took that person on, he forced them onto their heels, and made something happen,” Norris added, pointing to Bordoy’s scoring moments this season. “When you look at him as a player, you want to get him the ball and something will usually happen. I just love his confidence.”
Mamadou Tall: From Senegal to The Kiski School
Tall arrived in Western Pennsylvania by way of Senegal, bursting onto the regional radar at The Kiski School in Saltsburg. Local soccer fans got their first look at Tall’s raw physical traits and tactical ceiling during back-to-back appearances at the Pine-Richland-hosted JRK Memorial Classic, where his combination of frame, skill, and nose for goal made him an immediate ACC target.
Now a freshman at Pitt, Tall has adjusted rapidly to high-level college soccer—not just as a finisher, but as a central focal point who holds up play, defends from the front, and extends possessions with his back to goal.
The Evolution of a Modern No. 9
Tall’s ability to unbalance defenses by laying off backheels and connecting play isn’t an accident—it’s the product of an intentional evolution during his time at Kiski School under head coach Jonty Loukes.
Loukes recalls that when Tall first arrived, he felt the pressure of replacing former Kiski standout Donovan Phillip, an explosive attacker known for turning defenders and creating individual brilliance. Early on, Tall tried to emulate that style before realizing his true superpower.
“I wanted Mamadou to understand that he didn’t need to be that type of player to be extremely effective,” Loukes told Pittsburgh Soccer Now. “He is at his best when he plays a simple game—but he does the simple things exceptionally well. We worked a lot on holding the ball up, bringing other players into the game, playing with two or three touches, and then getting himself into the box to finish.”
“Once he understood that, I think everyone around him started to see just how good he was and how valuable he could be to a team. He didn’t need to beat two defenders and score to have an impact on the game. His ability to hold the ball, connect play, bring others into the attack, and then get into dangerous areas is what makes him so effective.”
That development is yielding massive dividends for Jay Vidovich’s side.
“I think you see a lot of that same development now at Pitt,” Loukes added. “I’ve heard his teammates on the field calling for them to play the ball into Mamadou because they know he can hold it up, bring them into the game, and help the team move up the field. That, to me, is a great indication of how much he has developed as a player and how much his teammates trust him.”
Unselfish Leadership & Mutual Respect
While Tall’s tactical growth stands out on the pitch, his character off it made him a beloved figure at Kiski School. Loukes shared a pivotal moment from Tall’s junior year that captured his selfless nature after committing to Pitt:
“Mamadou injured his knee, and although he was a massive part of our team, we knew that the right thing to do was to shut him down for the remainder of the season so that he could recover properly,” Loukes recalled. “For a player who had just committed to Pitt, I knew it had to be incredibly difficult for him to watch from the sidelines.”
“But Mamadou was at every training session and every game. He was constantly supporting his teammates and encouraging them throughout the season… He was able to put his own disappointment aside and continue to invest in the team and the people around him. That’s the type of person he is.”
That same passion and team-first mentality have immediately endeared him to his new teammates at Ambrose Urbanic Field. Following Friday’s win over Louisville, Bordoy offered high praise for what the freshman brings to the locker room and the attack:
“I knew my job. It was 0-0 and I had to get something to change. I was able to just use my abilities, try to get to the endline and pass it to Mama. I mean, he’s on fire. Anything going off his foot right now is going to go in.”
“He’s unbelievable. The tenacity he has to get into the box and the passion he has to get into the box, find those tap-ins… His ability to run in behind, it’s dangerous. It stretches the center backs, gives everyone room, and his hold-up play is just great. Defenders can’t read him—they don’t know if he’s going to come down or go in behind. He’s been a huge addition this year.”
A Growing Blueprint
With Pitt entering a crucial stretch of conference play—starting Friday night on the road at Syracuse—the chemistry between Bordoy’s directness on the wing and Tall’s hold-up play gives Vidovich a lethal, multi-dimensional front line.
Whether starting or providing a game-changing spark off the bench, these two Western PA-connected attackers have found themselves as integral catalysts in Pitt’s pursuit of being an ACC contender and making a deep postseason run.
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