Takeaways and Player Grades: Riverhounds’ defensive identity search continues

The Riverhounds’ three-match road trip to open the season hit a major speed bump at Al Lang Stadium, as they fell 3-0 to an inspired and revamped Tampa Bay Rowdies side playing with something to prove after a disappointing 2025 campaign.

The loss may have stung a little bit more for Riverhounds fans as leading the Rowdies charge was none other than former Riverhound, Russell Cicerone, who opened up his scoring account with his new club, delivering a goal and an assist, while 2025 All-USL Championship second team selection MD Myers came off the bench to convert the second goal for the Rowdies midway through the second half.  Evan Conway added a late goal to add more salt to the already wounded Hounds.

The loss leaves the Hounds to pick up the pieces as they are once again looking to shrug off another sluggish start to a season.  Pittsburgh has begun the 2026 campaign losing two of its first three matches and surrendering seven goals in this stretch.

For large portions of the match, the Riverhounds were on the ball, dominating possession in the first half by 60/40 margin, despite trailing due to stoppage time goal.  Instead of eventually finding channels and runners in the box, Pittsburgh was regularly thwarted and turned back by a very well-organized Tampa Bay defensive structure that limited Pittsburgh all night long.

Pittsburgh would walk off the field having attempted just two shots — one from an early second half free kick opportunity and the other from a header chance from Junior Etou from a delivery sent in by Max Viera.

One other note, from a recent, historic standpoint, the Hounds have a notorious record in early season matches at Al Lang Stadium.  This is not an excuse, but it does mark a trend. Even in some of Bob Lilley’s best seasons, they had stinkers early in the season in the Florida heat (two previous losses were by 3-0 and 3-1 margins). Overall, the Hounds are now 2-6-1 all-time at Al Lang Stadium though one of the club’s biggest wins ever also came late in the 2023 campaign at Al Lang, when the Hounds topped Tampa Bay to claim the USL Players Shield.

Head Coach Rob Vincent has been trying to build a team identity as the Hounds look to play more attractive soccer and be better on the ball.

Sure, the Hounds had the ball — but they didn’t have the bite.

Match Takeaways

1. The Stoppage-Time Curse

For the second time in three matches, the Hounds allowed their guard to drop in first-half stoppage time.

After 45 minutes of neutralizing the Tampa attack — though being under pressure because they were struggling with Tampa Bay’s press and disruptive tactics — allowing Russell Cicerone a free header in the box was a “backbreaker” as Rob Vincent noted post-match.

It turned a controlled, scoreless tactical battle which it appeared that the Hounds had to reverse another slow start — into a desperate second-half chase.

There were a number of fingers to point as it was a team breakdown in defending — from the initial clearance of Tampa’s initial advance (Souza plays a long ball intended to Diwka who was being hounded by a pair of Rowdies defenders) that was played back into a dangerous open space.  From there Bradley Sample had a great chance to clear it away from any danger but an akward attempt saw the ball land to the foot of Marco Micaletto — who was in space between Guillaume Vacter and Perrin Barnes, who slipped a bit trying to adjust to Sample’s misplayed ball.  Vacter failed to close the gap to disrupt Micaletto’s pass attempt. Then Cicerone, who was one of the best executors and may have refined making effective runs into spaces when he was playing with the Riverhounds in 2021 and 2022 — carved out a spot where he could do damage with a pinpoint header.

2. Possession Without Purpose

The Hounds finished with 55.6% possession, but the stat sheet tells a grimmer story: ZERO shots in the first half and only two for the entire match.

While the build-up play through Danny Griffin and Sam Bassett looked fluid at times, the Hounds lacked any kind of assertive or creative play when they entered the final third while trying to possess in more narrow spaces through the middle.  Once again, Pittsburgh also only attempted 12 crosses and generated

They completely lacked the final touch Rob Vincent has been calling for — with the most glaring statistic being out shot 17-2.  Target forward Albert Dikwa was largely isolated, drawing heavy coverage from the central backline of Tampa Bay which include former teammate Nate Dossantos. Another former teammate Jahmali Waite was not tested at all — as the Jamaican international who was heading to meet up with the Reggae Boyz after the match — didn’t even register one save.

3. ‘Unacceptable’ Defensive Slide

The Hounds have now conceded multiple goals in three straight matches for the first time since July 2023.

While the shift to a more expansive style under Vincent is exciting, the defensive discipline and structure that made them so hard to break down — trademarks that defined the club over the previous eight years and culminating with last season’s title run has been missing.

“For this club, that’s unacceptable,” Vincent stated after the match about how the team has performed on the defensive side .

At the start of the second half, Vincent replaced center back Guillaume Vacter with winger Junior Etou, adding another attacker and switching things up. Vacter did go down with an injury in the 36th minute, but was able to continue on through the end of the first half.

You have to wonder, on the first goal, as Vacter was the first defender on the point who could have quickly closed space Marco Micaletto took possession after Bradley Sample’s inadvertant clearance attempt.  Micaletto had just enough time to see and connect with Russ Cicerone breaking toward the back side of box into space between Hounds too stretched back line for the match’s first goal.

The match still hung in the balance for a good portion of the second half, but Pittsburgh continued to be turned back — often times willing to pull the ball back and keep possessing the ball.

Then came the second goal — where the Hounds were completely caught with too many numbers going forward.

“We’ve moved toward a more expansive style of play this year, but that cannot come at the expense of our defensive discipline. We got caught out on the counter for the second goal because we were pushing numbers forward too aggressively, too early,” Vincent acknowledged.

The second goal, a counter-attack finished by MD Myers, was a textbook example of being caught out while pushing numbers forward too aggressively.

With the Hounds pushing numbers forward — and potentially stubborningly playing through the middle (where the ball was intercepted) instead of laying it out wide to Barnes who had space on the left wing — Tampa was able to get into a counter attack right through the middle of the field — giving Cicerone tons of space to operate.

Cicerone, who is one of only seven players in league history to reach the 60-goal, 25-assist milestone, picked out a perfect pass to the outside shoulder of Myers who was a slight step ahead of Hounds’ defender Beto Ydrach and found room to slide his shot past keeper Nico Campuzano who came off his line.

The final goal came in the dying moments of stoppage time.  Though the Hounds came to the Gulf Coast with intentions of making Tampa chase the match — as the match came to a close the hosts were the ones who picked apart an exhausted Pittsburgh side scrambling back after spending a lot of energy trying but constantly failing to generate any kind of attacking presence in the match.

4. Silver Linings: Barnes work rate high, Goldthorp and Mertz can provide more attacking options

On a night with few highlights, Perrin Barnes was a workhorse, winning 8 of 12 duels and providing one of the few consistent outlets on the wing. Additionally, seeing Eliot Goldthorp make his season debut alongside a returning Robbie Mertz provides some hope that the Hounds’ creative engine is nearing full strength just in time for the home opener.

Mertz and Goldthorpe have not started a match yet, so it will be interesting to see how the team’s dynamic evolves as they start to be utilized more in the team’s rotation.

5. No Time for a Hangover

The “Pittsburgh Derby” against Steel City FC is no longer a preseason curiosity—it’s now going to be a vital get-right game.

The Hounds’ schedule is going to get very busy and Vincent will have to lean into a heavy squad rotation.

With the Open Cup match rescheduled for this Wednesday at Highmark, the Hounds must find their defensive footing quickly. A loss to a local rival after a 3-0 drubbing would make for a very long week in the Steel City.

Player Grades

Starters

Subs

• Junior Etou (46’): 6 – Brought energy and a physical presence, but missed a high-percentage header.

• Robbie Mertz (68’): 6.1 – Still working back to full match fitness; struggled to impact the final third.

• Eliot Goldthorp (68’): 6.0 – Made his season debut; limited touches as the Hounds were chasing.

• Trevor Amann (75’): 5.9 – Late cameo; couldn’t find a sights-on-goal against his former teammate Jahmali Waite.

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).