Williams Penalty Fires Hounds Past Las Vegas
USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Williams Penalty Fires Hounds Past Las Vegas

Published on September 28, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


PITTSBURGH - Augi Wiliams converted from the penalty spot in the 30th minute, and that would prove to be the only goal as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds won for the second straight match, defeating Las Vegas Lights FC tonight at Highmark Stadium, 1-0.

Goalkeeper Jacob Randolph made four saves to record his third shutout in six matches across all competitions - and his first in USL Championship play - this season for the Hounds (10-9-7).

The match was originally scheduled to be played last night, but it was moved by the USL after Las Vegas (6-13-7) had its travel plans unexpectedly disrupted, preventing the Lights from arriving until late Saturday.

First half

Both teams made quick attempts to get around the defense and create from the goal line. The Lights' Patrick Leal got a dangerous ball into the Hounds box that was cleared from the front of goal by Guillaume Vacter minutes into the match, and shortly afterward, Junior Etou combined with Robbie Mertz to get to the end line, but his low cross was smothered by Lights goalie Raiko Arozarena.

That early move by Etou signaled what was to come, as Mertz played him through again in the 28th minute. The Hounds wing back cut toward the goal before being tripped by the sliding challenge of Younes Boudadi, causing referee Amin Hadzic to point immediately to the spot.

Williams stepped up to convert the penalty kick on the half-hour mark, scoring to the bottom right corner past the dive of Arozarena. It is the team-leading eighth goal of the season for Williams, who is a perfect 3-for-3 from the penalty mark with the Hounds.

Randolph was largely untested in the first half, but he did make his first save in the 37th minute to catch a curling effort by Lights leading scorer Johnny Rodriguez.

Second half

The Hounds could have doubled their lead five minutes after the break when Luke Biasi picked out a pass to hit Bradley Sample arriving late into the penalty area. Sample had time to take a settling touch before firing a shot that struck the crossbar squarely and bounced back into play.

Traffic continued moving mostly in the Hounds direction - the team outshot Las Vegas by a 19-6 margin - but the Lights did put three more shots on goal, including a free kick by Gennaro Nigro that Randolph caught cleanly in the 68th minute.

Randolph's best save came in the 81st minute, when he got low again to deny and hold a shot through some traffic by Giorgio Probo. Minutes later, the Hounds had another great chance go wanting, as Chase Boone 's flicked header to the back post fell to the feet of Vacter, whose volley attempt went over the bar.

In stoppage time, Arozarena came up with the biggest of his five saves to deny Brigham Larsen from getting his first Hounds goal. Las Vegas has one last chance when a long goal kick by Arozarena was flicked forward, but Rodriguez couldn't find the target as he tried to chip Randolph with the ball bouncing in front of him.

Modelo Man of the Match

Junior Etou was everywhere along the left side during his 80 minutes on the pitch. The wing back won the penalty kick that was the game's only goal, totaling four touches in the Las Vegas box, six clearances defensively and winning 9 of 12 duels overall.

What's next?

On an unexpected short week, the Hounds now prepare to head south to face Miami FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. Miami (5-15-6) has struggled through September with three 1-0 defeats in four matches, but they did draw 1-1 with the Hounds in their first meeting July 29 in Pittsburgh.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) - Jacob Randolph; Guillaume Vacter, Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach; Junior Etou (Illal Osumanu 80'), Bradley Sample (Jackson Walti 80'), Danny Griffin, Luke Biasi; Robbie Mertz (Bertin Jacquesson 72'), Charles Ahl (Chase Boone 72'); Augi Williams (Brigham Larsen 86')

Las Vegas Lights FC (4-2-3-1) - Raiko Arozarena; Nate Jones, Elias Gärtig, Anthony Herbert, Younes Boudadi (Nighte Pickering 70'); Rory O'Driscoll, Giorgio Probo; Edison Azcona (McKinze Gaines 31'), Patrick Leal (Christopher Pearson 70'), Coleman Gannon (Gennaro Nigro 18'); Jonathan Rodriguez

Scoring summary

PIT - Augi Williams 30' (penalty)

Discipline summary

None

Check out the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 28, 2025


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