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Pittsburgh Riverhounds

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Julian Hall’s brace leads Red Bull New York past Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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Players from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (right) and Red Bull New York battle for the ball in a Third Round match in the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC
Players from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (right) and Red Bull New York battle for the ball in a Third Round match in the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC

Red Bull New York (the artist formerly known as the New York Red Bulls) defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 3-1, on Saturday night in Round 3 of the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. A brace from one of Major League Soccer’s top goal scorers this season Julian Zakrzewski Hall and team captain Emil Forsberg sent the MLS side into the next round. The light crowd in Harrison, NJ, reportedly under 1,000 fans, were loud the entire night.

They will face Hudson River Derby rivals New York City FC in Round 4 between April 28-29. RBNY will host that match, in a series where NYCFC has yet to beat the Red Bull in any knockout competition (USOC, Leagues Cup, or MLS Cup Playoffs).

Saturday marks RBNY head coach Michael Bradley’s first USOC win from the sideline. He elected to use a starter heavy XI against the Riverhounds, something he explained after the match came down to respect for the opponent as his team’s ethos.

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“We’ve said over and over again…  that we are going to go for it every single game. And if you say that, that means you don’t get to pick and choose. We value the Open Cup in a big way,” Bradley said. “(We are going to try) and put a team on the field every single game that is ready to go after things.”

New York’s offense included Julian Hall and the team’s USOC headline maker Mohammed Sofo on offense alongside Rafael Mosquera. Team captain Emil Forsberg led the midfield alongside teenagers Adri Mehmeti and Nehuén Benedetti. Finally a near regular backline stood in front of backup goalkeeper John McCarthy.

The first half was all New York, demonstrating how effectively the home side could control the game. Controlling the ball for nearly 3/4ths of the half it took until the 25th minute for the breakthrough. A foul outside the penalty area set-up Red Bull captain Emil Forsberg for a free kick which he sent into the top right corner. Riverhounds’ keeper Nico Campuzano had little chance to stop it.

The goal was not unsimilar to the one Forsberg scored against FC Dallas last year in the Round of 16. 

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New York added another a few minutes later in the 28th minute. A cross from the left side from Mohammed Sofo found Forsberg, who passed back to Nehuén Benedetti. The Argentina native one touched the ball forward to an on the run Julian Hall slotting a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Hall doubled his goal count right after the halftime break when Forsberg found him in the box in the 47th minute. His low right footed shot got past Campuzano and made any realistic chance of a Hounds comeback very low.

“Of course I want to score goals, but my main objective is to make as much of an impact as I can,” Hall said about his impact on the field. “Thankfully, I got two tonight, and now I’m just ready for the game on Saturday.”

The goals mark Hall’s first two-ever USOC cup goals. The 18-year-old Manhattan native has seven goals across all competitions for New York in 2026, and has been one of MLS’s biggest stars so far in the season.

New York nearly made it 4-0 in the 51st minute when Rafael Mosquera’s curving shot attempt from outside the right area of the box just barely went wide left of the goal. 

The Hounds controlled the ball even less in the second half, only keeping it for about 20% of the 45 minutes. The team only had three shots in the half but did claw back a goal in the 79th minute. Eliot Goldthorp sent in a cross to the box that Trevor Amann headed into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1. Former Ocean City (N.J.) Nor’easters keeper John McCarthy would lose out on his clean sheet. But with the win he extended his Lamar Hunt US Open Cup unbeaten streak to 11 matches, going 7-0-4 in that span.

One of the only other unfortunately notable moments of the half came in the 67th minute, when Hounds’ Lasse Kelp was replaced by Victor Souza with a concussion substitute after a collision. The other party, New York’s Roald Mitchell, was subbed off a few minutes later for Jorge Ruvalcaba.

The Hounds exit the tournament with a disappointing result, unable to make it a conquering of Big Apple MLS teams after being New York City FC last year.

Speaking of the blue side, when asked about playing NYCFC next in the Open Cup, coach Bradley said he and his team were incredibly excited. 

“We are really excited. Obviously, I’ve watched the (Hudson River Derby) from afar. I was at the game here last season and so I think it speaks for itself in terms of the two clubs and everything that it means when two teams in the same city now play and are ready to go after each other,” said the former US Men’s National Team captain. “Obviously, there’s important games and there’s work to do between now and then. But for sure, when that game comes around, we will be ready, and we’re going to be really excited.”

2026 US Open Cup Round 2: Pittsburgh Riverhounds end Virginia’s dream

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Eliot Goldthrop of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds scores a penalty kick goal against Virginia Dream FC in the Second Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Eliot Goldthrop of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds scores a penalty kick goal against Virginia Dream FC in the Second Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

On a gorgeous early spring evening at Highmark Stadium on Tuesday night, the hosting Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC started slow but found their footing in the second half to see off amateur challengers Virginia Dream, 2-0. The result secured the Riverhounds’ advancement to the Round of 32 for the third consecutive U.S. Open Cup.

“We just had to try some things, find some creativity,” said Pittsburgh Head Coach Rob Vincent. “I think we were just too happy to play around the perimeter, so I don’t think it was a lack of intensity, just some creativity and bravery.

“So that’s what we addressed at halftime, and we came out in the second half and got more chances earlier on. Once you get a goal or two it forces them to open up and gives you a bit more room and time.”

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Despite being massively out-possessed in the first half, the visitors from Virginia admirably held to their effective low block and stifled the Riverhounds attack. While Pittsburgh put together some strong sequences of passing the lack of space made finding the final pass difficult, and several corners and set pieces went wanting amongst a relatively undersized ‘Hounds starting XI.

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The major event of note in the first half was thus relegated to a yellow card issued to Pittsburgh forward Trevor Amann for time-wasting, mostly out of frustration as a promising attack was called offside before he fired a shot into the back of the net. Otherwise, the Riverhounds remained stymied through the halftime whistle, with Dream FC surely happy with their defensive play despite remaining mostly in their own half.

Vincent’s halftime message seemed to work, as the ‘Hounds came out flying to start the second half. Amann had a huge opportunity less than a minute in when a bouncing ball found his feet in the box, but his rocket shot was blocked by a Virginia defender. Moments later, Pittsburgh earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, which Eliot Goldthorp put inches above the crossbar. 

Their next free kick in the 51st minute proved more fruitful. Veteran midfielder Robbie Mertz stood over the ball 35 yards from goal and left-of-center, from where he swung in a pinpoint effort to the back post. The service found a lurking Danny Griffin for an easy tap-in and, finally, a breakthrough for the ‘Hounds. The goal was Griffin’s second of the 2026 tournament and the fourth of his career in Open Cup play for Pittsburgh, tying him with his sideline boss Vincent for the most in the club’s history.

Pittsburgh wouldn’t wait long for their second. In the 58th minute, Goldthorp embarked on a magnificent run beyond several defenders, ultimately managing to stave off heavy physical pressure in the Virginia box before drawing a foul that immediately earned a point to the penalty spot.

Well-earned, Goldthorp stepped up to take the penalty himself and coolly slotted it into the bottom-right corner to give the ‘Hounds a two-goal advantage. Not to shirk his defensive duties, Goldthorp also picked up a yellow card just a few minutes later for a late foul in his defensive third. He nearly followed that up with another stunning, if accidental, goal, as he floated in a cross that beat everyone – Dream FC ‘keeper Hector Guerrero included – but banged off the far post and back out.

Finally, after the hectic start to the half, Pittsburgh slowed things down and settled into calmer possession. After subs from both sides, and another yellow for Virginia for dissent, the hosts continued to apply a slow, steady pressure as they sought a third goal while the game progressed into the latter stages.

While the third never materialized, the Riverhounds did have a great chance to find it when Max Viera crossed a beautiful ball centrally for Brigham Larsen. All alone near the penalty spot, the big British forward was unable to keep his one-time shot on target, unluckily pushing it just wide to the dismay of the home crowd.

Ultimately, the final whistle sounded with Pittsburgh securing a thorough shutout victory. While Virginia Dream FC exited the 2026 Open Cup having spoiled one professional team’s tournament, the Riverhounds again reached the Round of 32 and await a to-be-determined opponent from Major League Soccer that will be unveiled during Thursday’s draw.

2026 US Open Cup Round 1: Pittsburgh Riverhounds win Modern Era’s first Steel City derby

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Pittsburgh Riverhounds goalkeeper Nico Campuzano leaps for the ball against Steel City FC in the First Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds goalkeeper Nico Campuzano leaps for the ball against Steel City FC in the First Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

In a much anticipated all-Pittsburgh derby, the first in the city in the Modern Era (1995-present) of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, it was the professional Riverhounds that secured advancement in a tight-fought contest against the difficult amateurs Steel City FC from just north of the rivers.

Charles Ahl and Danny Griffin scored a goal in each half to the lead the Riverhounds to a 2-1 win at Highmark Stadium. It was the first time the Hounds had faced an amateur team in the tournament since 2019. With the win, Pittsburgh has now won seven of their last eight Open Cup games at home.

The Hounds wasted no time in getting the scoring started in the first half. Robbie Mertz took an early corner for the hosts that the Steel City defense was unable to clear out of their box. Captain Danny Griffin would pounce on the loose ball inside the six-yard box and slam home a right-footed effort to give the Hounds a rapid 1-0 advantage.

Despite an aggressive press from the visitors, Steel City struggled to string together the sequences necessary to progress into dangerous spaces, and left plenty of room in behind for the hosts to counter effectively. Fortunately for Steel City, Martin Dominguez was phenomenal in goal during the first half to keep their deficit at just one.

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In the 34th minute, Robbie Mertz made a quick-paced run up the middle of the defense and was threaded a nice pass by Trevor Amann. Mertz managed to fire a strong effort at goal, but it was reflexively parried by Dominguez and gathered up.

Amann would have two clear-cut chances of his own. The first came in the 37th minute, as a defensive turnover forced by Mertz allowed him to slot the ball centrally to Amann – all alone 10 yards from goal. But Dominguez would make a stellar save on Amann’s attempted pull shot across goal.

Dominguez would come up huge again minutes later as Amann was fed a through-ball over the top of the defense from the Hounds midfield. Once again one-on-one, Amann tried to finesse a low shot around Dominguez, but the Steel City netminder came up huge again to keep him off the scoreboard.

Ultimately, the halftime whistle would go with Steel City fortunate to be down just one, as the hosts entered the break with the advantage.

It wouldn’t be long in the second half before the hosts managed to find their elusive second goal. After a triple substitution that brought on Charles Ahl, Perrin Barnes, and Sam Bassett, the former two newcomers would combine to double the Hounds lead.

Flying up the right wing, a brilliant through ball found Barnes in acres of space. The speedy wingback had plenty of time to control and cut back a cross to Ahl, alone near the penalty spot. Ahl had all the space in the world himself to compose a careful right-footed curler beyond Dominguez into the top-right corner.

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But Steel City wouldn’t go quietly. Just a few minutes later, in the 74th minute, the visitors would earn a penalty after Carlos Santamaria was brought down on the right side of the box. Nick Graeca would step up for Steel City and slot home a strong penalty to the bottom-right corner, beyond Campuzano in net to make it 2-1.

They’d unfortunately make that comeback effort more difficult in the 86th minute, as Steel City’s Will Afawubo picked up a second yellow card and saw himself sent off for a late challenge. Try as they might, and with the benefit of a seven-minute stoppage time addition, Steel City couldn’t overcome the man disadvantage as the Hounds would see out their 2-1 lead to the final whistle.

Riverhounds coach Rob Vincent did not mince words post-game about what was a close-fought game against a cross-town rival.

“A million miles away from where we want to be,” said Vincent. “Really, really poor. If we played at our level, it should have been a comfortable win, no disrespect to Steel City.”

Charles Ahl of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates with Jackson Walti after scoring a goal against Steel City FC in the FIrst Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Charles Ahl of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates with Jackson Walti after scoring a goal against Steel City FC in the FIrst Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

“We were excited about the performance,” said Steel City coach Dan Brower. “We’re of course disappointed in the result, but happy with how we played and made it tough for them.”

The victory gives the Riverhounds the club’s 20th all-time US Open Cup win in the club’s 22nd appearance in the competition. Of those 20 wins, 11 of them have come in the last seven tournaments.

The Riverhounds are now through to the Second Round next Tuesday when they’ll host cupset darlings from Round 1, the Virginia Dream, at Highmark Stadium. Steel City will head back across town to await the start of their USL League Two season coming up in May.

2023 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: FC Cincinnati reaches 2nd Semifinal after pulling away from underdog Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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Photo: FC Cincinnati
Photo: FC Cincinnati

Boasting an impressive undefeated streak at TQL Stadium in all competitions this season, FC Cincinnati and the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds had some similar qualities in terms of being on hot streaks. Cincinnati entered the match atop MLS’ Eastern Conference while Pittsburgh currently are second in the USL-C’s Eastern Conference, winning their last four league matches and going undefeated in their last nine across all competitions.

But the MLS side used early goals in the second half to propel them into the US Open Cup Semifinals with a 3-1 victory to continue their record of not losing at home and advance in the competition.

Rather than bunker down and defend FCC’s attack like several lower division clubs often do, Pittsburgh opted to take a more proactive strategy and challenged the MLS side. In the 23rd minute, Pittsburgh’s Luke Biasi took a page from the cities’ NFL counterparts and essentially made a football tackle against a streaking Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta, who had space for a run at the top of the Pittsburgh box.

Biasi only got a yellow for his effort with the gamble paying off in the moment as Acosta’s free kick sailed well over the Riverhound’s goal. This play followed through the half as both teams amassed four yellow cards and 14 fouls. The teams would hit halftime a bit bruised and scoreless.

After a handful of substitutions to begin the second half, Cincinnati took a much more commanding presence and would shortly break through to open the scoring. A beautiful, but controversial, passing sequence lead to Cincinnati scoring in the 56th minute with Brandon Vazquez putting the home side ahead. It was thought that Dominique Badji was offside but after conversations among officials, the goal would stand. The goal is Vazquez’s second of the 2023 Open Cup tourney and eighth all-time.

Alvaro Barreal added to the lead as he turned a corner from Acosta into a one-timer. The rocket from the top of the box launched into the left corner of the net to give FCC a 2-0 lead.
Despite many substitutions, Pittsburgh couldn’t generate enough momentum to pull themselves back into the match.

Extra time did see more scoring as Cincinnati’s Santiago Arias headed in a Barreal corner then shortly after, Pittsburgh’s Tola Showummi snuck in behind the FCC defense to get one back for the Riverhounds.

This will be FCC’s first trip back to the Open Cup Semifinals since 2017 when the club was still in the USL.

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Pittsburgh Riverhounds make history with shutout of Columbus Crew

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Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)
Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)

There was a record breaking crowd and one magical goal. For the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, that’s all they needed.

Bob Lilley and company are heading to the next round, the Quarterfinals, of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The USL Championship club — who currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference — upset the Columbus Crew SC at their home, Highmark Stadium, on Wednesday night. It will be the Hounds’ first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2001. 

Albert Dikwa supplied the game-winning goal, assisted by hometown kid Robbie Mertz. Dikwa slotted the ball low to the corner of the net, past Crew goalkeeper Evan Bush, after Mertz found him between two Crew defenders.

Mertz said he was a bit worried about a potential offside call, but the goal was ruled fair.

“I kind of hesitated, because I was looking for … Then I saw the secondary run from Dikwa,” Mertz said. “I was concerned about offsides when I initially left my foot, but he wasn’t offside. In those situations, it happens very quickly. Thankfully, there was enough to it.”

Pittsburgh didn’t park the bus, or let off the gas at all. Columbus did out-posses the Riverhounds, but that was to be expected, according to Mertz.

“I think we knew coming into the game that they’re a possession-oriented team,” he explained. “They out-posses teams in MLS 60, 65 percent of the time. We weren’t under any illusion that we would be an exception to that. But we did say that we wanted to give pressure when it made sense. I think we did that.

“In the second half, we started to tire a little bit,” Mertz continued. “It was natural for us to come under a little bit of pressure during that point of the game. That’s something we talked about, in this competition and the league, that we want to avoid being under a ton of pressure at the end of games … At the end of the day, you need to do what you’ve got to do. Everyone was sacrificing a lot to win.”

This is the second-straight shutout win against an MLS side in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup action. The Riverhounds are the first lower division club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to accomplish that. In fact, only two lower division clubs have ever shutout multiple MLS teams in a single tournament (1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos, 2022 Sacramento Republic FC), but the Riverhounds are the first to do it in consecutive games.

Pittsburgh got to the Round of 16 after a road win against the New England Revolution. However, before coming out to face Columbus, the Riverhounds didn’t put too much pressure on themselves — or think too much about facing “an MLS team.”

Riverhounds vs. Columbus | U.S. Open Cup '23

“You can’t think too much about the opponent,” goalkeeper Jahmali Waite said. “At the end of the day, they have 11 guys against our 11 guys. You go out there and stick to the game plan, play as a team and compete, and then good things will happen.”

Waite — who earned his fourth clean sheet of the season — made three saves against Jacen Russell-Rowe, Thomas Roberts and substitute Gibran Rayo. The goalkeeper had to be alert, with Columbus recording a whopping 75 percent of possession.

“It’s difficult, but that’s part of the job as a goalkeeper. You have to be focused, switched on all the time,” Waite, who represents the Jamaican national team, said. “So, being able to follow the ball and not let it out of your sight, see their players and communicate to the guys where they need to be, it’s a lot of focus, but we work on it in practice. We do that all the time in practice.”

Mertz gave credit to his goalkeeper, calling him a steady presence.

“He’s been steady all year. Not just performance wise, but emotionally in the locker room,” Mertz said. “He’s a steady guy. That’s what we needed coming into tonight. He came up when he needed to tonight. There are scary moments, when the ball goes into the box, during set pieces. Tonight, he was always in the right position. That’s a testament to the work he puts in during training … He’s stellar.”

Pittsburgh recorded nine shots, with two on target. In addition to Dikwa’s goal, Danny Griffin — who re-joined the Riverhounds just this month — added another attempt on Bush.

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Meanwhile, for the Crew, manager Wilfred Nancy said that his side was trying to “catch up” to Pittsburgh after the goal. He did state that it was intention to rest regular starters, due to the busy congestion of the Open Cup and MLS season.

“We’ve done this since the beginning. The idea was to give time to everyone,” Nancy said. “We have a lot of games. For me, it was a no brainer that we had to rotate … The plan was the same thing as the last game when we played in the Cup. We have a lot of games and we had to rotate.”

Home support brings Pittsburgh players needed energy

The Riverhounds had a record-breaking crowd at Highmark Stadium of 6,107 fans. Attendance has been up significantly this season. Even on Saturday against the Las Vegas Lights, Pittsburgh saw their fourth-highest attended game.

Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said that propelled his team to a win. 

“It’s important for the club. We’ve been building this and growing certainly these nights, these opportunities to pack the house and have an MLS team here,” Lilley said. “We want to introduce the game to more people. The fans played a big part tonight. We were tired in the second half, and the game got stretched and wide open. We need to get ahold of the ball a little more. The fans pulled us through… It wasn’t pretty at the end. There was energy in the building, and our guys had something to hold on to.

Lilley said that pulling a crowd like Wednesday night’s wasn’t easy in such a crowded sports town.

“Soccer in Pittsburgh has always been a fringe sport. It’s deserving to be more than that. It’s global, and it’s so conscious in the world,” Lilley explained. “In Pittsburgh, we have support for the league, the exposure. There are huge sports teams in this town. It’s hard to work your way into the market. Nights like tonight show the growth of soccer here and what we’re trying to do to give this community the vision for the kids, who aspire to play at a professional level.”

Mertz said that, before the game, his brother was comparing the club’s theme of a “White Out” to that of the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup attendance in 2009.

“I remember those days. There was a comparison to that,” Mertz said. “The atmosphere was incredible from the get go. I can’t say enough about what it was like to have that type of atmosphere.”

Waite said he felt the energy from the crowd before the first kick.

“Even coming into the stadium before we went out for warmups, the energy was there,” the Jamaican said. “It’s good for us. At home, we feed off that energy. As long as we keep performing, then they feed off that. Then, you see what happens.”

No fear heading to Cincinnati

Next up for Pittsburgh is FC Cincinnati, a side they know well from their former USL days.

However, Cincinnati isn’t the same team. They’ve vastly improved from their horrendous start in MLS and are MLS Cup title contenders. Their home stadium is a fortress, but the Riverhounds players are not backing down.

“It’s two teams playing. Even though we’re on the road, we’re not going to back down and sit back and let them work us all game,” Waite said confidently. “We’re going to go in and, whatever game plan the coach gives us, we’re going to stick to that. We’re going to try to keep playing our style of play the best as we can, creating chances and limiting their chances.”

Mertz said that the Riverhounds have quality to beat a third MLS side in this tournament.

“It can go either way. It was one of these nights where you have to think of the opportunity to be out there,” he said. “To get to partake in a night like that… I’m just really thankful. We thought things were aligning for us.”

“It’s a special moment for the club, for sure.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Pittsburgh Riverhounds edge New England Revolution to earn first MLS upset in 22 years

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Robbie Mertz of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds battles for the ball against the New England Revolution in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Robbie Mertz of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds battles for the ball against the New England Revolution in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Head Coach Bob Lilley pulled off one the biggest wins of his storied career on Tuesday night, as his squad beat the New England Revolution on the road, 1-0.

A 44th minute goal from Springfield, Mass. native Danny Griffin ended up being the difference maker, as the USL Championship team pulled off the road upset at Gillette Stadium to advance to the Round of 16.

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It was the first time that the Riverhounds had upset a MLS side since knocking off the Colorado Rapids in the Second Round of the 2001 US Open Cup. And it was the first time they beat team from the top division on the road. 

It was clear from the opening whistle that the Riverhounds were not simply going to roll over, despite playing an MLS team on the road after a relatively quick turnaround from a draw on Saturday away against Monterey Bay. The Revolution — fresh off a league win at Toronto on Saturday — started a lineup that was similar to the one they used against Hartford in the previous round of the competition, featuring a number of younger players such as Damian Rivera and Latif Blessing. Blessing found himself involved in the action early on, and ended up picking up the game’s first yellow card in the 19th minute. He was somewhat fortunate to avoid a second yellow with a crunching tackle of Joseph Farrell six minutes later that sent the Pittsburgh defender crumpling to the turf.

While the Revolution won the possession battle in the first half, Pittsburgh largely kept New England from creating serious attacking chances. Just when the game seemed destined to head into the half without a goal, a long pass along the ground from Marc Ybarra found its way through the Revolution defense, landing at the feet of a streaking Danny Griffin who tucked it away for the first goal of the contest and the first Open Cup goal of his career.

The 44th minute goal was Griffin’s first for the Riverhounds since returning to the club for his second stint in Pittsburgh.

Even after potential halftime adjustments, New England continued to struggle to find gaps in the Riverhounds defense. In the 63rd minute, the lack of attacking chances spurred Bruce Arena to call in reinforcements; the Revolution coach brought in four substitutes at once, including established Revolution veterans like Carles Gil and Brandon Bye. While the fresh legs seemed to bring at least some life to the Revolution, Pittsburgh continued to apply the pressure; a 73rd minute attempt being narrowly saved by Earl Edwards Jr. to prevent Pittsburgh from taking a 2-0 lead.

At the other end of the field, a 77th minute ball by Gil found a wide open Altidore inside the box, but he was unable to keep the ball on frame. Despite being one of the most well known figures in U.S soccer, this game was also Jozy Altidore’s first appearance in the US Open Cup since his 2006 pro debut with the New York Red Bulls. The 33 year old has appeared in six other domestic cup competitions during stints in Canada, England, Spain and the Netherlands.

Seemingly not content with their 1-0 lead, the Riverhounds brought in star striker Albert Dikwa in the 78th minute. While the joint leader in scoring in this USL Championship season did not find the scoresheet, his presence helped Pittsburgh prevent the Revolution from putting all their numbers forward. The last ten minutes of the match saw an increase in attacking pressure from the Revolution, as the supporters section behind the goal urged the squad on.

New England continued to maintain possession on Pittsburgh’s side of the field, but failed to create any serious chances. Their best opportunity came in the 87th minute, but goalkeeper Jahmali White was able to clear the dangerous cross away, and Pittsburgh was able to preserve his shutout for the four minutes of stoppage time to seal the upset.

While the Riverhounds has appeared in 19 US Open Cup competitions, the victory marks just the seventh time they’ve defeated a team within U.S. Soccer’s professional divisions.

“It never felt like we were under siege. The last 5-10 minutes got a bit hairy, but the key was we found outlets,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said. “We were positive with our play going forward, we were positive with the ball, and that gave us the energy and time to get back and defend properly.”

For Lilley, it was the second time that one of his teams had eliminated a MLS team. In 2014, his Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro) upset the defending US Open Cup champion D.C. United 1-0.

This was New England’s first loss to a non-MLS opponent in the Cup since the Charlotte Independence defeated them 1-0 back in the Fourth Round of the 2015 competition.

The Revolution had yet to ever lose a U.S. Open Cup game held at Gillette Stadium, and were unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions. (In year’s past, the Revolution has hosted some earlier round US Open Cup games at various smaller venues throughout the New England region.)

Head Coach Bruce Arena expressed disappointment with the squad’s performance after the game. “It was a pure performance on our part, there’s no excuses.” he said, “I give Pittsburgh a lot of credit, they played real hard and did a good job protecting the lead in the second half.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Two late goals give Pittsburgh Riverhounds repeat win over Maryland Bobcats

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Edward Kizza of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates scoring a goal against the Maryland Bobcats in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jeff Gamza @jgamza
Edward Kizza of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates scoring a goal against the Maryland Bobcats in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jeff Gamza @jgamza

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC found two late second-half goals to defeat the Maryland Bobcats FC, 2-0, in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament on Tuesday night at Highmark Stadium.

Forward Edward Kizza came off the bench as a second-half substitute to score the game’s breakthrough goal in the 81st minute, then Burke Fahling added insurance late in the 90th minute.

For much of the match, Bob Lilley’s squad played on the front foot but had nothing to show for it.

However, the Hounds took care of business to shake off a challenge from a pesky third-division Maryland side that showed plenty of confidence and willingness to keep bringing transition opportunities when they presented.

“It was nice to see the quality of those two goals.  It was nice to see the resiliency and the toughness to keep going,” Lilley said.

The Hounds entered the match with a handful of players making their first starts for the club. Lilley said he felt it was important for those players to fight through the difficult moments, and find a way to pull through for the victory.

With only a few mainstays in the starting eleven including Robbie Mertz in the holding midfield spot, Tony Lopez in the attacking midfield line, and Luke Biasi starting at right back, the Hounds dictated terms of the match for long stretches, holding 58% of possession and a 22-6 edge in shots.

Pittsburgh struggled to hit the target with their first-half chances, however, as Fahling was the first to force saves by Bobcats goalie Alex Sutton with consecutive shots in the 36th and 38th minute.

“We were getting behind them. It was a game, early, where there were a couple of goals in it (for us). We had some corners, but weren’t finishing in the final third,” Lilley said.

“When you don’t get the goals, they (Maryland) went into the half, thinking, it’s 0-0. Then stepped up the pressure, ran at our back line, and caused us some problems.”

The Bobcats threatened early in the second half — as leading scorer and former Tampa Bay Rowdies and DC United Academy product, Darwin Espinal — weaved into the penalty area after squeezing through a pair of Hounds defenders to force one of three saves by Garner in the 57th minute.

The Hounds did go to the bench with 20 minutes to play, and one of the fresh faces into the game was Kizza, whose last two goals for the club came as a substitute in last year’s USL Championship playoff win over Birmingham.

As the match entered the final 10-minute stretch, it remained scoreless, but the Hounds kept pushing forward.

Eventually, they found the game-breaking moment when Luke Biasi chipped a ball from the right side to the back post area, where Tola Showunmi rose to head the ball back to the front of the goal for Kizza.

The former University of Pittsburgh star had no problem driving home his one-time finish to give the Hounds the elusive lead.

Kizza credited Tola Showunmi with setting him up for what turned out to be a tap-in goal.

“The biggest thing (as a substitute) is asking how you can influence the game,” he said. “The guys who have been playing have already been giving all they can, so it’s about what you can do to help the team get a result and tonight, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is, you just want to make a difference.”

As the game entered stoppage time, a Hounds Academy product getting his first action with the senior club, Anders Bordoy, found himself with room to shoot from the top of the box and drilled a low shot toward the back post. Sutton made the initial save, but Fahling was in the right spot to put home the rebound.

A senior at Kiski Area High School and a Hounds Academy product who had his first Open Cup experience in 2015 as a ball boy at Highmark Stadium versus DC United, Bordoy made the most of his first playing experience in the Cup.

“I just walked out there, and it felt surreal,” he said about entering his first professional game. “To make an impact, too, for a goal was special. It was one of the best feelings I’ve felt in my life. Hopefully, there’s more of those to come.”

Lilley was impressed by his youngest player.

“For Anders to come on and recognize the space … there was no hesitation there,” Lilley said. “He’s got a gifted left peg and that ball was true. There wasn’t any spin on it. I don’t know if it was going in or was going to hit the post, but you can’t tag a ball much better. Anyone in our league would be happy with that quality of a strike.”

Despite his squad’s inability to find the back of the net for 80 minutes — despite being in control for much of the match — Lilley never thought much about making drastic lineup changes, as he kept plenty of belief in his lineup selections and the players he used in the match.

“We could have gone to the bench a lot earlier, but I wanted the guys to find a way,” Lilley said. “I wanted to put the responsibility on them, to step forward, and they were able to do that.”

2022 US Open Cup Round 2, Day 1 Review: MLS Next Pro wins debut, one amateur side survives

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Toby Sims Pittsburgh Riverhounds Maryland Bobcats 2022 US Open Cup
Toby Sims of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds dribbles against the Maryland Bobcats in the Second Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Cowger | Pittsburgh Riverhounds

The first MLS NEXT Pro team to enter the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup scored the league’s first win in the Second Round of the tournament, and USL League Two scored an upset over a nearby USL League One counterpart Tuesday night as 11 teams punched their tickets to the next round of the 107th edition of the US Open Cup. 

Round 2 continues Wednesday with 13 matches, with seven more to be decided Thursday. All of the games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ 

If you appreciate our coverage of the US Open Cup for the last (nearly) two decades, and want to see it grow in the future, consider joining our Patreon team by clicking above.

Several MLS clubs will join the competition in the Third Round, which will hold a draw Friday to determine the matchups. The draw is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. 

Here’s a look at all 11 Second Round matches from Tuesday.

Click here for a preview of all the Round 2 games on Wednesday and Thursday

North Carolina Fusion U-23s (USL League Two) 4:2 Charlotte Independence (USL League One)
American Legion Memorial Stadium – Charlotte, NC
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

The North Carolina Fusion U23 pulled off the first upset of the second round, knocking off their professional USL League One opponent Charlotte Independence 4-2 in Charlotte.

Charlotte opened the scoring after 14 minutes when Shalom Dutey found the end of a Ayrton Paez free kick just in front of goal near the post, beating Fusion goalkeeper Josh Perryman. Twenty-three minutes later, a shot by Faisal Almabaslat was blocked by Charlotte goalkeeper Keegan Meyer, but Luis Neto was right there to put away the rebound to draw the Fusion level 1-1. It took Charlotte just five minutes to regain the lead, as Ivan Luquetta took the ball to the touch line in the penalty area, then passed back to Paez for the goal.

The Fusion tied things up minutes into the second half when Joao Silva took a shot at the top of the box that deflected off a Charlotte defender. Charlotte was reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when Tresor Mbuyu was sent off for an altercation with a Fusion player after a hard tackle. With just a few minutes remaining in regulation, Charlotte goalkeeper Meyer fumbled an easy shot by Alexandre Horveno, and Tom Marriott scored on a wide-open goal. The Fusion cemented the upset in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Colton Sessoms easily scored on a 3-on-1 breakaway, the youngster’s fourth goal of the night, to book a spot in the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Maryland Bobcats (NISA) 0:2 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Championship)
Highmark Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

On a rainy Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, the USL Championship Riverhounds entertained the visiting Maryland Bobcats of NISA. A pair of goals from Toby Sims on either side of halftime was all the Riverhounds needed to see off the Bobcats 2-0 and advance to the third round. Simms’ first goal came in the 38th minute from the center of the penalty area off a Luis Argudo assist. Almost 10 minutes into the second half, Simms tallied from the left side of the penalty area on a Mohamed Sesay assist. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

St. Louis CITY 2 (MLS NEXT Pro) 2:0 Indy Eleven (USL Championship)
Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium (IUPUI) – Indianapolis, IN
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

St. Louis City 2 notched the first-ever Open Cup win for a MLS NEXT Pro team with a 2-0 victory over Indy Eleven of the USL Championship.

St. Louis drew first blood when Joshua Yaro sent an attempted clearance back into the box, where Era Armstrong collected the ball and beat Indy goalkeeper Tim Trilk. The reserve club of the future St. Louis MLS club doubled their lead in the 72nd minute when Armstrong passed to substitute Celio Martins, who then fed Wan Kuzain at the top of the box for the goal. From then on. Indy only managed a couple of chances on goal and the St. Louis reserves made their way to the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Michigan Stars FC (NISA) 0:3 Detroit City FC (USL Championship)
Keyworth Stadium – Hamtramck, MI
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

In a battle of former NISA rivals, the USL Championship Detroit City FC smoked the Michigan Stars 3-0 in Detroit.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "Champions" shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “Champions” shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Just as the first half looked to end scoreless, Detroit stuck twice on corner kicks. In the 45th minute, Connor Ruiz put away a Maximilliano Rodriguez corner kick. In the second minute of stoppage time, Rodriguez served up another corner, and this time Matthew Lewis headed the ball home for a 2-0 lead. For the rest of stoppage time, the air was filled with smoke from jubilant City supporters.

 

After a pair of crosses Detroit extended their lead to 3-0 in the 63rd minute. After Michigan headed away an initial cross, Michael Bryant sent the ball back into the box, where Connor Ruiz headed the ball to the feet of Matthew Lewis for his second goal of the game. From that point, Detroit easily saw out the remaining time to book their first ever appearance in the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Villages SC (USL League Two) 0:6 Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL Championship)
Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

The Villages SC of USL League Two were no match for the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship, with the hosts steamrolling to a 6-0 win. Lucky Mkosana quickly put the Rowdies ahead 2-0 with two goals early in the first half. Jordan Scarlett pushed the lead to 3-0 on a header from a Jake Areman free kick. In the 53rd minute Mkosana appeared to have completed his hat-trick, connecting on a cross from Jake Areman, however the goal was later credited to Kyle Greig.

The goals continued to flow in as Jake LaCava (63rd minute) and Laurence Wyke (73rd minute) finished the rout of their amateur opponents, and confirmed a spot in the third round for the Rowdies. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Des Moines Menace (USL League Two) 1:2 Union Omaha (USL League One)
Morrison Stadium (Creighton Univ.) – Omaha, NE
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

The Menace opened the scoring in the 15th minute when a shot from Gabriel Rodriguez struck the crossbar and was swatted away by Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu. Corey Hertzog then slammed home the loose ball. Five minutes later, Union found the equalizer when John Scearce headed home a corner from Joseph Brito.

Union Omaha kept control most of the second half, and with nine minutes remaining, Omaha gained the lead on a Menace mistake when Alefu Bertini accidentally headed a lobbed pass from Conor Doyle past his own goaleeper. Omaha withstood a desperate Menace search for an equalizer to win their debut Open Cup match and advance to the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Tulsa Athletic (NPSL) 1:2 FC Tulsa (USL Championship)
ONEOK Field – Tulsa, OK
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

The USL Championship’s FC Tulsa came out on top in the Tulsa derby, defeating the NPSL’s Tulsa Athletic, 2-1.

FC Tulsa wasted no time grabbing the lead, as Jorge Corrales sent a cross into the box that Brian Brown managed to put away while being pulled down by a Tulsa Athletics defender. FC Tulsa scored again in the 19th minute, this time on a Ronald Rodriguez header off a corner kick from Joaquin Rivas. Tulsa Athletic had a few promising free kicks in the rest of the half but the score remained 2-0 at the break.

Despite being outshot by a wide margin, Tulsa Athletic managed to cut the lead in half with thirteen minutes remaining. Halftime substitute Billy Nzojyibwami’s goal from the right side of the penalty area gave the amateurs a glimmer of hope. But FC Tulsa kept the visitors at bay in the final minutes to book their place in the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

D’Feeters Kicks (USCS / The Roja League) 1:3 San Antonio FC (USL Championship)
Lynchburg City Stadium – Lynchburg, VA
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

For 45 minutes, the amateur D’Feeters Kicks had hope of an upset over the professional San Antonio FC of the USL Championship. However, in four quick minutes that dream was interrupted.

San Antonio scored three goals in four minutes of the second half to separate themselves from their amateur guests en route to a 3-1 win. In the 53rd minute, Henrik Sakshaug scored from the top of the penalty area after a free kick pinballed between players from both teams. Just a minute later, a shot by Justin Dhillon deflected off a D’Feeters defender, allowing Connor Maloney to easily beat goalkeeper Anthony Rodriguez for San Antonio’s second goal. Three minutes later, Sakshaug struck again from the center of the penalty area, assisted by Shannon Gomez, and suddenly San Antonio were comfortably ahead 3-0.

D’Feeters regained a slight glimmer of hope when San Antonio goalkeeper Matt Cardone was unable to handle a long shot from the left side, allowing Sebastian Mendez to easily tap home the goal. With seven minutes remaining, D’Feeters were reduced to 10 men when Juan Ramirez was shown his walking papers after a hard foul. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Las Vegas Legends FC (NPSL) 0:5 New Mexico United (USL Championship)
Univ. of New Mexico Soccer Complex – Albuquerque, NM
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Chuck Nolan Jr.

The NPSL’s Las Vegas Legends saw their luck run out in the second round as New Mexico United of the USL Championship rolled to an easy 5-0 victory.

The hosts set the tone in the seventh minute when Chris Wehan converted a penalty after Sergio Rivas was fouled by the Legends’ Hector Casillas. Jerome Kiesewetter scored the first of his two goals from close range in the 17th minute, and Randy Ovouka placed his shot in the bottom left corner of the goal five minutes from halftime for a 3-0 lead at the break.

Carl Sainte made it 4-0 from a shot outside the penalty area shortly after halftime. Eduardo Guzman was sent off in the 82nd minute, leaving Las Vegas with 10 men. New Mexico was awarded another penalty with four minutes remaining after another foul by Hector Casillas in the box. Kiesewetter stepped to take the penalty and New Mexico cruised to a berth in the third round. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

El Paso Locomotive (USL Championship) 1:4 Central Valley Fuego (USL League One)
Lamonica Stadium (Clovis H.S.) – Clovis, CA
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Sean Walker

Villyan Bijev scored a brace, and USL League One side Central Valley Fuego stunned El Paso Locomotive of the USL Championships, 4-1 at Lamonica Stadium in Clovis, California.

Nathan Smith and Christian Chaney also scored for the Fuego, which needed less than five minutes to score and never looked back.

Bijev opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, chipping the goalkeeper from the left side of the box to put Central Valley up 1-0 mere moments into the game. The goals kept coming, too, through Smith’s golazo in the 15th minute and a second from Bijev in the 44th minute en route to a 3-0 halftime advantage. Chaney added a goal in the 62nd minute for the Fuego.

Eric Calvillo scored in the 90th minute for El Paso, which turned out to be the first Open Cup goal in Locomotive history for the 2019 debutants. El Paso was playing its second of three games in eight days after a four-match winless skid to open USL Championship play, and had traveled up the California coast following Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the San Diego Loyal in league play.  [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

LA Force FC (NISA) 2:5 Orange County SC (USL Championship)
Orange County Great Park (Championship Stadium) – Irvine, CA
BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Sean Walker

Former Real Salt Lake homegrown signing Milan Iloski had a goal and an assist as Orange County SC of the USL Championship rolled by the NISA’s LA Force, 5-2 at Championship Stadium in Irvine, California.

Daniel Pedersen, Sean Okoli, Mikko Kuningas and Kobi Henry each added a goal for Orange County, which converted five of its six shots on target into goals and out-shot the Force 22-15.

Samuel Goni scored a brace for LA Force FC, including a 37th-minute strike that pulled the Open Cup debutants within 3-1 at halftime. But Iloski dished a pinpoint backheel pass to Kuningas to restore Orange County’s three-goal lead, and Henry’s goal in the 69th minute helped seal the win for good.  [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

2019 US Open Cup Round 4: David Accam’s lone goal enough for Columbus Crew to oust Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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David Accam of the Columbus Crew scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Fourth Round win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | Twitter, IG: @schudel_ralph
David Accam of the Columbus Crew scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Fourth Round win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | Twitter, IG: @schudel_ralph

To kick off the Fourth Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds traveled to the Buckeye State to take on Columbus Crew SC. Columbus would defeat the Riverhounds 1-0, with David Accam getting the only tally of the game.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

MAPFRE Stadium was covered in Black & Gold with fans from both teams. On the field, there wasn’t much to talk about in the first half. It was a lackluster performance from both teams, with Columbus dominating possession with 69%. Both teams were able to hold their own but made little to no effort on creating good chances.

Columbus outshot Pittsburgh 6-3, and also made almost double the passes in just the first half alone.

Columbus had a little more offense in the second half, gaining more and more momentum to pressure Pittsburgh.

“Normal game like that. When a team sits in and makes it a defensive game, it’s difficult,” said Crew SC head coach Caleb Porter. “I think we came out fine. We had to be patient, and I think we were in the second half.”

It wasn’t until the 56th minute that Columbus Crew SC would get the first goal for the home side Black & Gold when he tapped home a cross from Pedro Santos. This would be Accam’s first goal for Columbus across all competitions. It was his seventh career US Open Cup goal after scoring a goal during the Philadelphia Union’s run to the Final last year, and tying for the tournament lead with five goals in 2016 with the Chicago Fire.

Crew SC came close to getting a second goal when Santos got a shot off of a half volley, but it was deflected out for a Columbus corner kick.

The golden chance to double their lead came in the 68th minute when Patrick Mullins was knocked down in the penalty box, giving Crew SC a penalty kick. Things didn’t go well afterward, as Pedro Santos went for the upper 90 but shanked the ball off the crossbar.

Pittsburgh got their first good look on goal in the 83rd minute when Kenardo Forbes, the hero from the Hounds’ Third Round win over Indy Eleven, took a shot that just went over the crossbar.

With the win, Columbus Crew SC advance to the Fifth Round of the US Open Cup for the first time since 2016. It was a welcome result after losing their opening round game the last two years.

“Tournament football. That’s what it’s about. It’s about winning and advancing,” said an upbeat Porter. “Next week we want to get in the round of eight.”

Now that the Open Cup has started, it’s fallen within a difficult time, especially for the Columbus Crew. With many injuries, and now dealing with multiple key pieces out due to national team duty, dealing with lineup changes and rotations are now weighing heavy for the Black & Gold.

When asked how he would prioritize this, Porter went on to say with a chuckle, “When you look at how many guys we have injured or gone, I don’t know if there was much of a choice.”

Columbus now awaits the Thursday drawing to see who their next opponent is in the Round of 16.

2019 US Open Cup Round 3: Super sub Kenardo Forbes saves Pittsburgh Riverhounds, earns rare date with MLS

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Kenardo Forbes of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates his 85th minute goal against Indy Eleven in the Third Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Riverhounds SC
Kenardo Forbes of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates his 85th minute goal against Indy Eleven in the Third Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Riverhounds SC

When playing in a one-and-done tournament like the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, all that matters for each club is to survive and advance to the next round.

Nobody knows that better than Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s veteran head coach, Bob Lilley and one of his most trusted players, Kenardo Forbes.

While Lilley’s Hounds struggled to create many scoring opportunities for much of its Third Round Open Cup match against USL Championship foe Indy Eleven, all they needed was one opportunistic moment to pull out a 1-0 win at Highmark Stadium on Wednesday night.

“I like that we dug in a little bit in the second half and at least got in the game,” said Lilley, who won his 18th career US Open Cup game as a coach, tying him for fourth among all coaches in the Modern Era. “In the first half, I don’t think we had a shot on goal. We had two long range efforts by Neco (Brett), but nothing in the box.”

With a scoreless match hanging in the balance, Lilley found salvation from a player that’s been the field general for his teams since 2015, when they were in Rochester together.

Lilley turned to Forbes as his first substitute in a match that was in danger going to extra time.

Four minutes after entering the match, the 31-year old Jamaican midfielder received a pass from Noah Franke, who broke toward the box from the right side, drawing a trio of Indy Eleven defenders, then found his veteran teammate in a wide open space to his left.

With plenty of room and space to work, Forbes drilled a shot into the lower left side of goal in the 85th minute to deliver some Open Cup magic that turned out to be the game-deciding strike.

“You know it was open, like 10 yards open, like 20 yards out, so I had to shoot it,” Forbes said, as he provided a simple explanation.

On the other side, Indy had its share of chances, and failed to capitalize.

At the center of many of its best chances, was Eleven forward Thomas Enevoldsen — who was denied twice by diving saves from Riverhounds keeper Kyle Morton, who earned the clean sheet for the Hounds, finishing the night with five saves.

The Hounds changed things up tactically, slightly from what they’ve doing for most of this year, opting to come out in a 5-3-2 formation intended to press Indy’s possession efforts.

In the first half, Indy had its way in this chess match, keeping the ball at a 63 percent rate, with the only two shots on target, the only three corners and attempting a hundred more passes than the Hounds.

Kenardo Forbes of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates his 85th minute goal against Indy Eleven in the Third Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Riverhounds SC
Kenardo Forbes of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds celebrates his 85th minute goal against Indy Eleven in the Third Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Riverhounds SC

The first dazzling save came in the 41st minute, when the Danish striker waiting just outside the center of the Pittsburgh 18-yard box. Enevoldsen would strike first time, unleashing a right footed effort that would have found the upper left 90 – if not for the outstretched paw of Morton.

“It’s just one of those things you gotta shuffle over make sure you kind of have your part of the hole covered right,” Morton said after the match.

Then in the 50th minute, Enevoldsen struck a shot from outside the box. The driven shot resulted another top-notch stop by Morton. Former Riverhound, Tyler Pasher nearly redirected the rebound into net.

To that point, the Hounds couldn’t muster a shot on frame.

Then, they started to bring a bit more energy and finally began to disrupt Indy’s ability to possess the ball out of the back, which they seemed to be doing with ease for most of the first 55 minutes.

Brett finally earned the Hounds’ first shot on target of the night in the 59th minute after taking advantage of an Indy give-away.

The striker sent a low blast at the cage, which was corralled by Indy’s goalkeeper Jordan Farr.
In the 71st minute, Thomas Vancaeyezeele sent in a cross to Anthony Velarde, who was sitting right in the center of the box. The first-year pro opted not to shoot, but then dumped it off to Sammy Kahsai.

Kahsai took a rip, then the ball stayed in the air, redirected by both Brett and Ryan James, who dropped a header into the waiting hands of Farr.

As the match entered the final ten minutes of regulation, both teams subbed on All-USL veterans. Indy brought on the USL’s all-time leading scorer Dane Kelly in the 73rd minute.

While it was Forbes who found the game-winner after coming on for Kahsai in the 81st minute, a 20-goal scorer in USL a season ago, Enevoldsen had yet another shot at redemption in the 88th minute after midfielder Kenney Walker played in a header that found the Danish forward wide open at the back post.

With a chance to slide the shot inside the near post, Enevoldsen instead tried to sneak it under Morton to the right side, and the ball dribbled wide of the post.

The Hounds held on, and earned an opportunity to take on an MLS club for the first time since 2015, even if it wasn’t exactly what Lilley drew up.

“Second half at least we made runs in behind them. We did press at times and we put some balls in good areas,” Lilley explained. “But we didn’t execute well.”

Forbes though, made the most of his chance in a rare opportunity to come on as a sub to help his team out when they weren’t playing its best.

“For the first time in a while, I got on the field when a couple of guys are tired, advantage for me, so I take advantage of it,” Forbes said. “It was good even though we made a couple errors in the back. It was just one of those games.”

For the second time in five years the Hounds have now advanced to the Open Cup’s 4th Round, as the last time the Hounds advanced this far, they beat the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a late regulation strike from Rob Vincent that proved to be the difference in 2015.

On Thursday morning, Pittsburgh will find out its next opponent (a Major League Soccer club that will enter the tournament at this stage, at a site and date, most likely June 11 or 12, to be determined).

While the two sides take different paths in this tournament, with Pittsburgh getting an additional shot at Open Cup glory, the clubs are just getting started with each other, as they’ll meet again in a USL Championship match on Saturday, and again later this season.

“The game is about scoring goals.” Indy Eleven Head Coach Martin Rennie. “Tonight we hardly gave up any chances and ended up with a defeat. In the first half we actually played really well.
We were in complete control of the game and passed the ball well and again had a couple of decent chances. “We have to take those, because, if you don’t, the game stays tight and there’s the chance that if you don’t take the next one, or the next one, or the next one then the other team might get one, and that’s what happened tonight.”

Lineups:

Riverhounds SC: Kyle Morton – Ryan James, Uchenna Uzo, Joe Greenspan, Tobi Adewole, Noah Franke – Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Sammy Kahsai (Kenardo Forbes 80’) , Anthony Velarde (Robbie Mertz 82’) – Neco Brett (Dani Rovira 87’), Steevan Dos Santos
Subs not used – Austin Pack, Mark Forrest, Kevin Kerr, Christian Volesky

Indy Eleven: Jordan Farr – Matthew Watson, Neveal Hackshaw, Karl Ouimette – Patrick Barrett, Macauley King, Kenneth Walker, Tyler Gibson – Tyler Pasher, Thomas Enevoldsen, Joshua Penn (Dane Kelly 72’)
Subs not used – Alioune Diakhate, Ayoze Garcia Perez, Emerson Nieto, Mitchell Osmond, Mario Perez

Scoring Summary:
PIT – Kenardo Forbes 85’ (Noah Franke)
Misconduct Summary:
PIT – Ryan James 43’ (caution)
PIT – Joe Greenspan 74’ (caution)

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