Hounds Defeat Steel City in Open Cup
USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Hounds Defeat Steel City in Open Cup

Published on March 25, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Riverhounds warded off a game effort from USL League Two amateur side Steel City FC, claiming a 2-1 victory in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tonight at Highmark Stadium.

Danny Griffin and Charles Ahl scored for the Hounds to win the first Open Cup match between two Pittsburgh-area teams since 1957. Nick Graeca scored from the penalty spot to cut into the lead, but the Hounds held on to win their seventh straight cup match against lower-division opposition.

The Hounds advance to host another amateur side, Virginia Dream FC, on Tuesday, March 31 in the Second Round, the last round before MLS teams enter the competition.

First half

The Hounds were on the board in the sixth minute from the first corner kick of the match. Eliot Goldthorp sent the ball to the back post, where Griffin curled around a group of players to corral the loose ball. The Hounds captain fired a shot through traffic that made its way into the net at the near post for his third career Open Cup goal.

Steel City defended gamely, and goalkeeper Martin Dominguez made four of his five saves for the guests before halftime, including a point-blank stop on Trevor Amann in the 37th minute. The Hounds conceded little, however, limiting Steel City to a single first-half shot.

Second half

Hounds goalkeeper Nico Campuzano made his lone save of the match early in the half to deny Dylan Sumner, as the visitors pushed forward more after the break. But after the Hounds made three changes in the 59th minute, the substitutes combined for the second goal.

Sam Bassett played a long, diagonal ball to Perrin Barnes breaking behind the defense on the right side. Barnes looked up to find Ahl arriving to the middle of the box, and Ahl did the rest, receiving the pass and calmly finishing in the top right corner of the net in the 66th minute.

Steel City pulled a goal back in the 76th minute after Hounds defender Owen Mikoy was called for a foul along the right edge of the box. Graeca converted the penalty kick to the bottom right corner, past the outstretched arms of Campuzano.

But the visitors suffered a setback in the 86th minute when defender William Afawubo was sent off for receiving a second yellow card, committing a tactical foul on Junior Etou after having previously been booked for dissent arguing a goal kick call.

Modelo Man of the Match

Junior Etou put in a two-way shift from the left wing back position, finishing with a match-high three chances created, connecting on 38 of 45 passes, winning 9 of 12 duels and earning three free kicks for the Hounds.

What's next?

Before the next round of the cup, the Hounds go back into league play for their first-ever meeting with new USL Championship team Sporting Jacksonville on Saturday, March 28. The new club lost tonight to Miami FC, 4-2, to drop to 0-2-1 on the young season.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) - Nico Campuzano; Owen Mikoy, Victor Souza, Illal Osumanu; Junior Etou, Danny Griffin (Sam Bassett 59'), Jackson Walti (Brigham Larsen 71'), Max Viera (Perrin Barnes 59'); Robbie Mertz (Bradley Sample 71'), Eliot Goldthorp (Charles Ahl 59'); Trevor Amann

Steel City FC lineup (4-3-3) - Martin Dominguez; Zander Plizga, Joel Sangwa, Sean Regan, Victor Koah (William Afawubo 67', sent off 86'); Nick Graeca, Cam Territo, Carlos Santamaria (Nolan Hutter 80'); Dylan Sumner (Luke Kost 90'), Nathan Prex (Sam Boehm 67'), Anass Hadran (Nicholas Niebauer 80')

Scoring summary

PIT - Danny Griffin 6'

PIT - Charles Ahl 66' (Perrin Barnes)

STC - Nick Graeca 76' (penalty)

Discipline summary

STC - Carlos Santamaria 26' (caution - tactical foul)

STC - William Afawubo 70' (caution - dissent)

PIT - Brigham Larsen 78' (caution - reckless foul)

STC - William Afawubo 86' (caution - tactical foul)

STC - William Afawubo 86' (sent off - second cautionable offense)

Check out the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 25, 2026


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