Open Cup Preview: Hounds vs. Philadelphia Union
May 19, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
It's a battle for Pennsylvania in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16, as the Hounds will take on the cross-state MLS team, the Philadelphia Union, for the very first time.
The Hounds are the state's oldest professional team, having been founded in 1999, and they are bidding for their third-ever appearance in the Open Cup quarterfinals after reaching the final eight in 2001 and 2023. The Union, meanwhile, have reached the Open Cup final three times since they joined MLS in 2010, but this is the farthest they have progressed in the competition since their last appearance in the final in 2018.
The Union have gotten off to a hot start in their league season and lead the Eastern Conference with a 9-3-2 record. They are on a seven match unbeaten streak across all competitions, which includes advancing on penalties in the Round of 32 against Indy Eleven, and the team's last loss came against the same New York City FC side the Hounds defeated in their Round of 32 match.
Israeli international forward Tai Baribo leads MLS with 11 goals this season for the Union, and 21-year-old midfielder Quinn Sullivan has seven assists on the season, best for Philadelphia and one off the league lead.
The Hounds, on the other hand, have hit a scoring drought in recent matches. The match-winning header by Beto Ydrach against NYCFC is the team's only goal in four May outings, though the Hounds have only conceded three goals in those same four contests, recording clean sheets in the NYCFC win and a 0-0 league draw at Louisville.
With their third three-match week since the start of April, in addition to a late return flight from last Saturday's match in Colorado Springs, expect coach Bob Lilley to continue to rotate his squad in an effort both to keep legs fresh and find the right combination in attack.
The Hounds will be trying to make history repeat itself, as they have won both of their previous Round of 16 matches. In 2001, the Hounds went on the road for a 2-1 win over fellow A-League side El Paso Patriots, and two years ago, they defeated the eventual MLS champion Columbus Crew by a 1-0 score at Highmark Stadium.
Fans hoping to watch the match will be able to stream all the action live on Paramount+, while CBS Sports Golazo Network again will have their whip-around show cutting in for action from all of the Wednesday Round of 16 matches. The Hounds also will have their Spanish-language radio broadcasters, Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2, carrying the match on the HD FM dial and streaming through their app.
Match info
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16
Riverhounds vs. Philadelphia Union
Date: Wednesday, May 21
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Subaru Park, Chester, Pa.
Odds (after 90 minutes): Hounds +700 / Draw +390 / Philadelphia -320 at FanDuel
Streaming: Paramount+
Radio: Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Live statistics: U.S. Open Cup Match Hub
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtags: #USOC2025, #PHIvPIT and #Grittsburgh
United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 19, 2025
- Takeaways from Roots 2-4 Loss at North Carolina FC - Oakland Roots
- Open Cup Preview: Hounds vs. Philadelphia Union - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Miami FC Continues Unbeaten Streak After Defeating League Leaders in a Thriller - Miami FC
- Lexington SC Falls to FC Tulsa 0-2 Despite Gritty Effort at Home - Lexington Sporting Club
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