Hounds Blank Detroit for Second Straight Win
April 27, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH - On the day it was announced Pittsburgh would be getting a women's team in the USL W League, the Riverhounds added an emphatic second W by taking a 2-0 victory over Detroit City FC tonight at Highmark Stadium in front of a regular-season record crowd of 6,099.
Pat Hogan and Danny Griffin from the penalty spot accounted for the goals by the Hounds (2-3-2), and goalkeeper Eric Dick made the only save asked of him for a third clean sheet in four matches.
The Hounds' win snaps a six-game winning streak to start the season for Detroit (5-1-0), which had won its first five league games and a U.S. Open Cup match.
First half
From the beginning, the Hounds were on the front foot, as Opta stats said 48 percent of the first 15 minutes was played in the Hounds' attacking third of the field. Bradley Sample had a good early look at the goal that deflected off a Detroit defender, but the ball skipped wide with the goalkeeper moving the wrong direction.
From a corner kick minutes later, Hogan headed the home team in front with his first goal as a member of the Hounds. The ball cycled around before cross from the right and was headed back to the same side where Robbie Mertz controlled it. His second ball in found Hogan unmarked, and he powered the header into the net in the 20th minute.
Junior Etou created the Hounds' second goal when he received a short pass 40 yards from goal and turned on the jets. He darted past a trio of Detroit defenders to get into the box, and the referee pointed to the spot after he went down from a sliding challenge by Darren Amoo-Mensah.
Griffin stepped up to take the 35th-minute penalty, and though Detroit goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher guessed correctly, Griffin hit the low shot with enough power to put it in off Steinwascher's hand for his first goal of the season.
Second half
The Hounds came out looking for a third goal, and a great chance presented itself when Kenardo Forbes - who became the USL Championship's all-time minutes leader during the match with 21,265 - set up Langston Blackstock hit a powerful shot from 18 yards that barely rose over the bar.
Dick was called into action in the 56th minute to stop Detroit's only shot on target, a header by Maxi Rodriguez that forced the Hounds goalie to leave his feet and catch for the save going to his right.
The Hounds continued to stay locked in defensively, limiting Detroit to only six total shots (one on target) and just eight touches inside the Hounds' box. The visitors' woes were compounded in stoppage time, when captain Stephen Carroll was sent off for a dangerously high tackle on Dani Rovira.
Modelo Man of the Match
Pat Hogan checked all the boxes, as the newly mustachioed center back did much more than score his first Hounds goal. Hogan also won 8 of 9 aerial duels for the ball and led the Hounds' clean sheet effort with a match-high six clearances.
What's next?
The Hounds' first true homestand of the season rolls on when they host Miami FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at Highmark Stadium. Miami (2-5-1) is coming off their best result of the season, as they knocked off San Antonio FC tonight, 2-1.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 27, 2024
- San Antonio FC Falls 1-2 at Miami FC - San Antonio FC
- Birmingham Legion FC Falls to Memphis 901 FC - Birmingham Legion FC
- Hounds Blank Detroit for Second Straight Win - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Six Players Score in LouCity's Rout of the Hartford Athletic - Louisville City FC
- Detroit City FC Struggles to Get Going in Pittsburgh, Picks up First Loss of 2024 - Detroit City FC
- Hartford Fall on Road to Louisville - Hartford Athletic
- Louis Perez Scores Second Goal Of 2024 In Loss - North Carolina FC
- Miami FC Claims Huge Victory over San Antonio FC 2-1 in Impressive Form - Miami FC
- Martinez Scores 75th-Minute Match Winner - Indy Eleven
- Battery Thrash Las Vegas 6-0 at Patriots Point, Markanich Scores Four - Charleston Battery
- Pittsburgh Awarded USL W League Team for 2025 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Match Notes (4.27.2024) - Oakland Roots SC vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC - Oakland Roots
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
