Pittsburgh Riverhounds
September 26, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (11-9-8) vs. New York Red Bulls II (12-10-6), 5 p.m., Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J. — First round, USL playoffs
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
The Riverhounds and the traveling Steel Army celebrate the playoff clinching in the rain. -- USL
September 20, 2015
The Riverhounds are in the USL playoffs, almost against their will.
OK, so that’s a little rough, but this team — unlike any I’ve covered in my career when it comes to self-destructiveness — had to survive 20 harrowing minutes and several Harrisburg misses to prevail, 2-1, Saturday night at the Skyline Sports Complex and finish fifth in the Eastern Conference standings at 11-9-8.
Lebo Moloto and Kevin Kerr scored first-half goals a minute apart, Vini Dantas was an offensive force for the first time maybe all season, and Calle Brown was exceptional down the stretch while also benefiting from several late misfires by the City Islanders.
September 19, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (10-9-8) vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (11-10-6), 7 p.m., Skyline Sports Complex, Harrisburg, Pa.
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
Riverhounds wing back Tyler Pasher tries to negotiate past a Rochester defender Wednesday night. -- RIVERHOUNDS
September 16, 2015
On Wednesday night at Highmark Stadium, the Riverhounds were strangely passive, then productively ambitious, only to concede a goal late.
Was that a match or a microcosm?
“Seems to be the story of the season,” defender Anthony Arena observed.
While it’s tempting to categorize the 1-1 result against the USL regular-season champion Rochester Rhinos with the rest of the squandered points from this up-and-down year, Wednesday’s deflating draw could end up being the latest segment of a rather sluggish postseason push.
The Hounds are 1-1-4 since Aug. 8 and have tied three straight, but they can still clinch a playoff berth with a win in Saturday’s season finale at Harrisburg.
September 16, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (10-9-7) vs. Rochester Rhinos (15-1-9), 7 p.m., Highmark Stadium
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
September 14, 2015
After three straight series wins for the Pirates, the National League Central title is suddenly looking more available. I’m sensing some of you are a little more emotionally engaged this week than last!
Here’s a sampling of a quality batch of questions, with a changeup thrown in at the end:
jimmy streich: What would happen if the Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs all finished tied for the division and San Francisco finished with the same record as a wild card team. How would the decide who wins the Central and which two are wild cards?
MG: A week ago at this time, I did not anticipate receiving such a question, but now, with the Pirates 2 1/2 games behind the Cardinals and the Cubs still mathematically alive for a division title, why not take a look at some contingencies?
September 12, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (10-9-6) vs. Wilmington Hammerheads (3-15-8), 7 p.m., Legion Stadium, Wilmington, N.C.
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
Goalkeeper Calle Brown punches away a Charleston shot attempt Saturday. -- RIVERHOUNDS
September 6, 2015
The shock factor is gone at this point, but the consequences remain.
For the fifth time this season — all but one of those at home — the Riverhounds failed to protect a one-goal lead in the 80th minute or beyond.
Maikel Chang‘s 93rd-minute deflection provided the latest of those late reversals Saturday night at Highmark Stadium, giving the Charleston Battery a 1-1 draw that might as well have been a loss, judging from the reactions of the home side’s players and coaches.
“It stings,” assistant coach Josh Rife said, visibly seething. “Every game matters, every point matters. We deserved three points tonight. The exciting thing is we have something to play for, but to have a ball that’s mishit, that takes a little bit of a skip, nutmegs one of our defenders and kind of bounces into the goal … ”
September 5, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (10-9-5) vs. Charleston Battery (10-6-9), 7 p.m., Highmark Stadium
TV, video: 22 The Point, USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
August 29, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (9-9-5) vs. Louisville City FC (13-4-6), 7:30 p.m., Slugger Field, Louisville, Ky.
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
August 22, 2015
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Match: Riverhounds (9-8-5) vs. Charlotte Independence (6-6-8), 7:10 p.m., Ramblewood Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
Video: USL YouTube
Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes
New York Red Bulls II defender Karl Ouimette celebrates one of his two extra-time goals Saturday. -- USL
September 26, 2015
Hounds eliminated by New York in extra time
by Matt Gajtka • Coverage • Riverhounds
The Riverhounds’ season ended in fitting, yet excruciating fashion Saturday night in Harrison, N.J., as they lost, 4-2, in extra time to New York Red Bulls II in a first-round USL playoff match.
Defender Willie Hunt scored twice for the Hounds, including the go-ahead goal in the first overtime period, but New York answered with two set-piece strikes from fullback Karl Ouimette to take the lead — and eventually the game.
“Very frustrating,” Hunt said, referencing the many times the Riverhounds wasted a late lead this season. “Set pieces have been our Achilles heel all year unfortunately.”
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