Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC continued their unbeaten run to the season by defeating Maryland Bobcats FC 2-0 in the Second Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
The win marked their fifth game in all competitions without a loss to start their campaign. This time, the Hounds were propelled by some fresh faces as head coach Bob Lilley played a heavily rotated side that included many of the club’s young players. Leading the youthful crop was winger Toby Sims, whose two goals marked the first professional goals of his career.
Sims broke open a cagey first half in the 37th minute when Luis Argudo got onto the end of Jesse Williams’ touchline through ball and lofted a cross for Sims to slot home just inside the post. The Englishman then doubled Pittsburgh’s lead in the 56th minute. 17-year-old Wyatt Borso drilled a cross the width of the pitch that found its way past a fallen Bobcat defender and onto the foot of Sims. Sims controlled and then curled his shot past the outstretched arm of Maryland’s keeper.
The first-year pro made the most of his cup opportunity by bagging his first goals under contract and in a Hounds shirt. Sims, a typical wingback, took advantage of Lilley’s surprise decision to play him further up the pitch.
“I found out yesterday when he released the starting 11,” said Sims, who was an All-American at Chowan University, an NCAA Division 2 program in North Carolina. “I never played that position before, so I was a bit apprehensive going into the game. I definitely got more comfortable as the game went on. I got more touches and it paid off in the end.”
Sims was one of a handful of new additions to Lilley’s squad that got a chance to prove themselves, as the experienced coach turned over his starting lineup to keep key members of the first team fresh for the upcoming west coast road trip in USL Championship league play. The crew of newly crowned professionals did not let the chance slip away and gave their boss more to think about as the season progresses.
“We want to build depth, we want to keep growing,” said Lilley, who is now tied with Bob Bradley and Adrian Heath for fourth place in the Modern Era with 19 career coaching wins in the US Open Cup. “We asked them to step up, take care of this game, and they did. That’s important for their psyche.”
Sims expressed his eagerness to squeeze out more playing time for himself, perhaps in an unexpected new position.
“Getting the opportunity was something I definitely felt like I needed to take. Hopefully further down the line it gets me more minutes, if not I’ll keep working ‘til I do.”
Both teams struggled in the first half hour of the match to create a pattern of play, leading to a stalemate on possession and no significant chances. Eventually the Hounds chipped away at Maryland’s left side of the defense, Argudo sneaking behind on multiple occasions before providing the assist to Sims that ended the deadlock.
In the second half, Lilley switched his attack plan to the right and Sims exposed the back line’s vulnerability once again. The Bobcats look lost for options at a comeback, settling for unsuccessful long balls that Pittsburgh’s stingy center backs swallowed up to kill off the game.
Jahmali Waite started in goal for the Riverhounds, making just two second half saves to earn the clean sheet in his professional debut.
The Riverhounds await to see their Third Round opponent in the 107th US Open Cup, as the draw will be announced on Friday, April 8.
