Hounds Fall on the Road at Tampa Bay
USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Hounds Fall on the Road at Tampa Bay

Published on March 21, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


It was not the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' night on the Gulf Coast, as the team fell 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Former Hounds striker Russell Cicerone opened the scoring for the Rowdies (2-0-0), and MD Myers and Evan Conway accounted for the other goals. Goalkeeper Nico Campuzano finished with four saves for the Hounds (1-2-0).

The match was the third straight on the road to start the season for the Hounds, only the third time in 27 seasons the club has not had a home date in their first three.

First half

While the Hounds had their share of the ball, finishing the match with 55.6 percent of possession, there was little success building an attack, and the team ended with zero first-half shots and only two for the match.

Both teams yielded little space at the back in the first half, as the Rowdies also failed to record a shot on goal until stoppage time, when Cicerone made the breakthrough.

Marco Micaletto had room with the ball in a wide right position, and he sent a long diagonal ball into the box and toward the back post. Cicerone slipped between defenders and rose to head the ball into the net, and the Hounds' top scorer in 2021 and 2022 scored for the first time against his former club.

Second half

Albert Dikwa won an early free kick little more than 25 yards from goal, and the result was one of the Hounds' best chances, when Sam Bassett struck a free kick that got over the wall and just missed wide of the right post only two minutes into the half.

Campuzano came up with a pair of big saves to keep it 1-0, denying Lewis Hilton at close range in the 50th minute and stopping a header at the back post by Max Schneider on the hour mark. Junior Etou also had a chance for the Hounds in the 73rd minute, but he couldn't keep a headed chance down when he elevated over a defender to meet Max Viera's cross.

The Rowdies doubled their lead in the 77th minute when Cicerone hit Myers in stride as he was breaking toward goal. Myers shot quickly before Campuzano could make it all the way out off his line and before a defender could close him down.

Conway wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time, sliding to turn home a low pass across goal by Myers with one of the final kicks of the match.

Modelo Man of the Match

Perrin Barnes turned in a strong effort on a difficult night, winning 8 of 12 duels, recording six clearances, winning four free kicks and connecting on 41 of 50 passes (82.0 percent).

What's next?

After a snow postponement last week, the Hounds will finally begin U.S. Open Cup play this Wednesday, March 25, when they host USL League Two opponent Steel City FC. It is the final match to be played in the First Round, and the winner will advance to host amateur side Virginia Dream in the Second Round.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) - Nico Campuzano; Guillaume Vacter (Junior Etou 46'), Victor Souza, Beto Ydrach; Perrin Barnes, Sam Bassett, Danny Griffin (Jackson Walti 80'), Max Viera; Bradley Sample (Robbie Mertz 66'), Charles Ahl (Eliot Goldthorp 66'); Albert Dikwa (Trevor Amann 80')

Tampa Bay Rowdies lineup (4-2-3-1) - Jahmali Waite; Charlie Ostrem, Nate Dossantos, Brian Schaefer, Dion Acoff (Louis Pérez 66'); Max Schneider, Lewis Hilton; Sebastian Cruz, Pedro Dolabella (Karsen Henderlong 84'), Russell Cicerone (Evan Conway 90'); Marco Micaletto (MD Myers 66')

Scoring summary

TBR - Russell Cicerone 45+2' (Marco Micaletto)

TBR - MD Myers 77' (Russell Cicerone)

TBR - Evan Conway 90+4' (MD Myers)

Discipline summary

TBR - Dion Acoff 41' (caution - persistent infringement)

PIT - Junior Etou 56' (caution - reckless foul)

TBR - Marco Micaletto 62' (caution - reckless foul)

TBR - Russell Cicerone 90' (caution - delaying restart)

PIT - Trevor Amann 90+3' (caution - reckless foul)

Check out the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 21, 2026


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