Hounds Advance in PK Shootout Over Hartford
Published on November 1, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Riverhounds advanced in the USL Championship Playoffs in dramatic fashion, winning a penalty kick shootout 4-2 over Hartford Athletic after playing to a 0-0 draw through 120 minutes of regulation and extra time tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Hounds goalkeeper Eric Dick saved the first penalty kick of the shootout, Hartford missed on their fourth attempt, and Bertin Jacquesson, Robbie Mertz, Augi Williams and Sean Suber made the Hounds a perfect 4-for-4 from the spot to advance in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.
The fourth-seeded Hounds advance to host No. 8-seed Detroit City FC, which sprung a 1-0 upset over No. 1 Louisville City FC tonight. That Eastern Conference Semifinal will be Saturday, Nov. 8 at a time to be determined.
First half
Hartford jumped out on the front foot and had the ball in the net on a rebound after just two minutes, only to have the goal disallowed for forward Kyle Edwards being offside on the initial shot.
Once the Hounds settled into play, chances began to come on their end. The best came in the 29th minute, when Beto Ydrach headed a free kick from Mertz on goal, but Hartford goalkeeper Antony Siaha got low to make the lunging save.
Siaha and Hounds goalkeeper Eric Dick each made three saves in the match to record the dual shutouts. The clean sheet is Dick's 27th with the Hounds, moving him past Hunter Gilstrap for second in club history.
Second half
The Hounds looked to create more after the break, and Junior Etou hit a good early cross to Danny Griffin that forced a save two minutes after halftime. Hartford mostly operated on the counter, though Michee Ngalina got an early open look from the top of the box, only to curl his shot wide of the right post.
Griffin slipped Mertz through toward goal in the 68th minute, but a sliding block kept him from hitting the target.
Mertz had one more chance in stoppage time on a cross from Ydrach. Players from both teams dove and threw their bodies to get the ball, and Mertz was barely beaten to the crucial touch at the top of the 6-yard box.
Extra time
Set pieces provided most of the chances in extra time, with Hartford needed to scramble away multiple corners and Suber missing the mark on a header just before the midway point.
Jacquesson slipped a ball through through to Mertz in the box late in stoppage time, but it was a sliding block by former Hounds defender Joe Farrell that again kept the Hounds' man from testing Siaha.
Once the match reached the shootout, Dick stopped the first shot by Hartford's Hadji Barry with his trailing leg. Both teams converted until Hartford's fourth kick, which Samuel Careaga put over the crossbar. That meant Suber was able to put the match away with his low conversion, as the Hounds advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Modelo Man of the Match
Robbie Mertz was ever-present in the match, playing all 120 minutes and converting in the shootout. The Pittsburgh native also connected on 46 of 51 passes (90.2 percent), had a team-leading seven recoveries of possession and won a trio of free kicks.
What's next?
After improving to 3-4 all-time in penalty kick shootouts, the Hounds are set to host Detroit City FC at a time to be determined on Saturday, Nov. 8. The teams met once before in the postseason, when Detroit scored a 1-0 upset over the Hounds to open the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs.
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) - Eric Dick; Guillaume Vacter (Illal Osumanu 88'), Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach; Junior Etou, Bradley Sample (Bertin Jacquesson 91'), Danny Griffin, Luke Biasi (Perrin Barnes 62'); Robbie Mertz, Charles Ahl (Jackson Walti 78'); Augi Williams
Hartford Athletic lineup (3-4-3) - Antony Siaha; TJ Presthus, Joe Farrell, Adrián Diz Pe (Owen Presthus 80'); Emmanuel Samadia, Beverly Makangila (Junior Moreira 45'), Marlon Hairston (Jack Panayotou 117'), Sebastian Anderson; Michee Ngalina (Josh Belluz 90+3'), Kyle Edwards (Jonathan Jiménez 60', Hadji Barry 117'), Samuel Careaga
Scoring summary
None
Discipline summary
PIT - Luke Biasi 8' (caution - tactical foul)
HFD - Beverly Makangila 43' (caution - reckless foul)
PIT - Robbie Mertz 58' (caution - unsporting behavior)
HFD - Antony Siaha 58' (caution - unsporting behavior)
HFD - Marlon Hairston 90' (caution - reckless foul)
HFD - Head coach Brendan Burke 90' (caution - dissent)
HFD - Junior Moreira 90+8' (caution - tactical foul)
HFD - Josh Belluz 109' (caution - reckless foul)
Penalty kick shootout summary
Hartford (Goalkeeper: Siaha) - Barry (saved), Farrell, Panayotou, Careaga (miss)
Pittsburgh (Goalkeeper: Dick) - Jacquesson, Mertz, Williams, Suber
United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 1, 2025
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- New Mexico United Advances to Western Conference Semifinals with 2-0 Victory Over San Antonio FC - New Mexico United
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- LouCity's Historic Campaign Comes to Abrupt First-Round Ending at Hands of Detroit - Louisville City FC
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