Preview: Hounds vs. Phoenix Rising FC
Published on April 30, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH - Riding high at home, the Hounds will try to maintain their perfect mark at F.N.B. Stadium when they close out a homestand by facing their first Western Conference opponent of the season taking on Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.
The Hounds have five wins from five matches at F.N.B. - two league, two Open Cup and last week's 3-0 win over Greenville Triumph in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. They will look to keep that mark going against a Phoenix side that, through the randomness of unbalanced scheduling, is coming to Pittsburgh for a second consecutive year after playing to a 0-0 draw in the 2025 regular-season finale.
Trevor Amann took on the starring role with two goals in the win over Greenville, as the Hounds showed they can create goals even with Albert Dikwa getting a scheduled night off in the No. 9 role. Phoenix has been in the middle of the pack defensively with eight goals allowed in seven league games, and the Hounds will look to keep getting numbers forward in the same way that led to Max Viera getting his first professional goal jumping forward from his wing back position last Saturday.
The Hounds also held on to record the clean sheet in the USL Cup win for only their second shutout of the season in all competitions. The team has yet to blank an opponent in league play this year, and to do so this weekend, they will need to slow down in-form Frenchman Ihsan Sacko, whose five goals matches Dikwa's total in 2026 and leads Phoenix.
The match will also see the return of former Hounds defender Luke Biasi, who signed with Phoenix in free agency after four seasons in Pittsburgh and a starting role in the team's 2025 title run. Biasi played 120 matches for the Hounds from 2022-25, and he stands to be only the second player ever to have 100 appearances for the club and later suit up against them after Dani Rovira did the same a year ago in a substitute role for Rhode Island FC.
At the stadium, the match's Austin Powers Night promotion will be a source of laughs and retro fun, with the first 750 fans entering the stadium receiving a free T-shirt. At halftime, a Retro Costume Contest will be part of the entertainment, with competitors aiming to win a prize pack from Jerry's Records, the venerable Squirrel Hill record shop overflowing with 60s and 70s throwbacks on its shelves.
The new month also brings new food specials to F.N.B. Stadium, and this month is the return of a pair of favorites from previous years, the Bacon Beer Cheese Burger at the Train Grill and Cheesesteak Nachos at Nacho Junction. Themed items special for Austin Powers Night include "Mini-Me Corn Dogs" and "Goldmember Chicken Tenders" dipped in a golden BBQ sauce.
Tickets for the match are still available at Ticketmaster and at the F.N.B. Stadium Box Office.
Fans who have to watch from home will be able to follow along on SportsNet Pittsburgh's channels. The match will be shown live in its entirety on SNP+, and action will be joined in progress on the main SportsNet Pittsburgh station after coverage of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball concludes. The match also will be streamed live on ESPN+, and SNP channels will have replays of the contest through Sunday and Monday.
Match Info
Riverhounds (3-3-1) vs. Phoenix Rising FC (2-2-3)
Date: Saturday, May 2
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: F.N.B. Stadium
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Odds: Hounds +105 / Draw +220 / Phoenix +240 (FanDuel)
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtag: #PITvPHX
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