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USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

MLS Leaders End Hounds' Historic Cup Run

June 6, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


CINCINNATI - The best cup run in Pittsburgh Riverhounds history came to an end tonight, as MLS-leading FC Cincinnati netted three second-half goals to defeat the Hounds, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at TQL Stadium.

Brandon Vazquez, Álvaro Barreal and Santiago Arias scored for Cincinnati, which will face the Birmingham (USL) vs. Miami (MLS) winner in semifinals.

Tola Showunmi scored his first professional goal for the Hounds, who had knocked off the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew of MLS to reach this point of the tournament.

First half

The start of the match was marred by a shoulder injury suffered by Hounds' leading scorer Albert Dikwa, who was on the receiving end of a hard foul by Obinna Nwobodo. The Cincinnati midfielder received a yellow card, but Dikwa was unable to continue in just the 14th minute.

The game progressed largely as a battle in the midfield, but the Hounds showed some moments of danger and forced Cincinnati into taking three yellow cards total.

Jahmali Waite was forced into the first of his three saves with a good close-range stop on Vazquez, while the Hounds' best chance was a Danny Griffin shot off a misplayed clearance that went just wide of the near post.

Second half

The hosts went ahead in controversial fashion in the 56th minute.

Luciano Acosta played a pass through to Dominique Badji, and the forward appeared to get a slight touch on the ball to continue it through to Vazquez in an offside position. Vazquez finished the shot as the Hounds pleaded for the call, but after referee Elvis Osmanovic conferred with his linesman, the goal was allowed to stand.

In the 71st minute, Cincinnati put some distance between the teams with a fabulous volley by Barreal, who also scored the winning goal in last year's Open Cup meeting between the teams. Barreal hit a corner kick from Acosta on the full volley, and the shot curled into the corner of the net with Waite having no shot to reach it.

FCC added a stoppage time goal on a header from a corner kick by Arias, but the Hounds fought to the finish and added one of their own when Showunmi received a ball off the defender's foot in the right side of the box, and the 22-year-old picked out the low, far corner for his first career goal.

Heineken Man of the Match

Danny Griffin made the most of a tough situation after Dikwa's injury, moving into a higher role on the field. The midfielder-by-trade put in a quality shift, completing 44 of 65 passes, including a team-leading 15 in the attacking third of the field, and he also won possession six times and recorded one shot.

What's next?

The Hounds dive back into USL Championship play with a battle between Eastern Conference leaders, as they welcome the Charleston Battery (7-3-3) to Highmark Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, June 10.

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-4-1) - Jahmali Waite; Luke Biasi (Tony Lopez 65'), Nate Dossantos, Joe Farrell, Arturo Ordóñez, DZ Harmon (Tola Showunmi 79'); Dani Rovira (Illal Osumanu 65'), Junior Etou, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 46'); Albert Dikwa (Marc Ybarra 14')

FC Cincinnati lineup (5-2-1-2) - Alec Kann; Raymon Gaddis (Álvaro Barreal 60'), Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga (Alvas Powell 80'), Nick Hagglund (Yerson Mosquera 46'), Santiago Arias; Junior Moreno, Obinna Nwobodo; Luciano Acosta (Arquímedes Ordóñez 75'); Dominique Badji (Yuya Kubo 60')

Scoring summary

CIN - Brandon Vazquez 56' (Dominique Badji)

CIN - Álvaro Barreal 71' (Luciano Acosta)

CIN - Santiago Arias 90+2' (Álvaro Barreal)

PIT - Tola Showunmi 90+4'

Discipline summary

CIN - Obinna Nwobodo 11' (caution - reckless foul)

PIT - Luke Biasi 23' (caution - tactical foul)

CIN - Ian Murphy 29 (caution - tactical foul)

CIN - Dominique Badji 35' (caution - persistent infringement)

CIN - Luciano Acosta 74' (caution - delaying restart)

Riverhounds SC Media Relations

Phone: (412) 325-7229

Email: media@riverhounds.com

P

Photos, highlights, and postgame interviews from tonight are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/byyqqhxs75z5qdhiwd2wx/h?dl=0&rlkeyžryjs9yr96vtkyf2vmea7h01

Magical cup run ends in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI - The best cup run in Pittsburgh Riverhounds history came to an end tonight, as MLS-leading FC Cincinnati netted three second-half goals to defeat the Hounds, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at TQL Stadium.

Brandon Vazquez, Álvaro Barreal and Santiago Arias scored for Cincinnati, which will face the Birmingham (USL) vs. Miami (MLS) winner in semifinals.

Tola Showunmi scored his first professional goal for the Hounds, who had knocked off the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew of MLS to reach this point of the tournament.

First half

The start of the match was marred by a shoulder injury suffered by Hounds' leading scorer Albert Dikwa, who was on the receiving end of a hard foul by Obinna Nwobodo. The Cincinnati midfielder received a yellow card, but Dikwa was unable to continue in just the 14th minute.

The game progressed largely as a battle in the midfield, but the Hounds showed some moments of danger and forced Cincinnati into taking three yellow cards total.

Jahmali Waite was forced into the first of his three saves with a good close-range stop on Vazquez, while the Hounds' best chance was a Danny Griffin shot off a misplayed clearance that went just wide of the near post.

Second half

The hosts went ahead in controversial fashion in the 56th minute.

Luciano Acosta played a pass through to Dominique Badji, and the forward appeared to get a slight touch on the ball to continue it through to Vazquez in an offside position. Vazquez finished the shot as the Hounds pleaded for the call, but after referee Elvis Osmanovic conferred with his linesman, the goal was allowed to stand.

In the 71st minute, Cincinnati put some distance between the teams with a fabulous volley by Barreal, who also scored the winning goal in last year's Open Cup meeting between the teams. Barreal hit a corner kick from Acosta on the full volley, and the shot curled into the corner of the net with Waite having no shot to reach it.

FCC added a stoppage time goal on a header from a corner kick by Arias, but the Hounds fought to the finish and added one of their own when Showunmi received a ball off the defender's foot in the right side of the box, and the 22-year-old picked out the low, far corner for his first career goal.

Heineken Man of the Match

Danny Griffin made the most of a tough situation after Dikwa's injury, moving into a higher role on the field. The midfielder-by-trade put in a quality shift, completing 44 of 65 passes, including a team-leading 15 in the attacking third of the field, and he also won possession six times and recorded one shot.

What's next?

The Hounds dive back into USL Championship play with a battle between Eastern Conference leaders, as they welcome the Charleston Battery (7-3-3) to Highmark Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, June 10.

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-4-1) - Jahmali Waite; Luke Biasi (Tony Lopez 65'), Nate Dossantos, Joe Farrell, Arturo Ordóñez, DZ Harmon (Tola Showunmi 79'); Dani Rovira (Illal Osumanu 65'), Junior Etou, Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 46'); Albert Dikwa (Marc Ybarra 14')

FC Cincinnati lineup (5-2-1-2) - Alec Kann; Raymon Gaddis (Álvaro Barreal 60'), Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga (Alvas Powell 80'), Nick Hagglund (Yerson Mosquera 46'), Santiago Arias; Junior Moreno, Obinna Nwobodo; Luciano Acosta (Arquímedes Ordóñez 75'); Dominique Badji (Yuya Kubo 60')

Scoring summary

CIN - Brandon Vazquez 56' (Dominique Badji)

CIN - Álvaro Barreal 71' (Luciano Acosta)

CIN - Santiago Arias 90+2' (Álvaro Barreal)

PIT - Tola Showunmi 90+4'

Discipline summary

CIN - Obinna Nwobodo 11' (caution - reckless foul)

PIT - Luke Biasi 23' (caution - tactical foul)

CIN - Ian Murphy 29 (caution - tactical foul)

CIN - Dominique Badji 35' (caution - persistent infringement)

CIN - Luciano Acosta 74' (caution - delaying restart)

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