Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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The Rhinos' Christian Volesky tugs on the hair of Willie Hunt as Stephen Okai approaches. -- RIVERHOUNDS

Riverhounds fume after decisive late penalty

by • Coverage •

By Matt Gajtka
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the second time this season, the Riverhounds were undone by a disputed referee’s decision against the USL’s top team, the Rochester Rhinos.

Unlike in April at Highmark Stadium, when a non-call immediately led to the Rhinos’ winning strike, this rain-drenched 1-0 defeat Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium turned on the sound of referee Jaime Herrera’s whistle in the 79th minute.

Rochester’s Tony Walls served a short ball into the penalty area, where Riverhounds defender Anthony Arena was called for pushing Alex Dixon to the turf. The resulting protest got coach Mark Steffens and assistant Niko Katic booted from the match by Herrera, and Walls pumped the penalty kick behind keeper Calle Brown.

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Pedro Alvarez is batting .196 in June, with one home run and three RBIs. -- GETTY

Tuesday 10 Qs: Branson, Brandon, bad safety

by • Tuesday 10 Qs • , , ,

By Dejan Kovacevic
After rifling through the 100-plus questions submitted, I’ve got your Tuesday 10 Qs and, symmetrically enough, your Tuesday 10 As, too.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

Tuesday12Qs-1

bpn8pitt: I try not to be one of those fire-the-hitting-coach fans. But I do find it odd that Jeff Branson escapes all criticism. We gush and marvel at the genius of Ray Searage and Jim Benedict. Shouldn’t we hold the hitting side to a similar standard?

I know you will cite some successes in Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte, but I’m wondering if Pedro Alvarez, Jordy Mercer, Tony Sanchez, among others, were brought along properly. I’m also wondering if the same decision makers may have rushed along Gregory Polanco.

DK: Man, we really need a Recency Bias bell around here or something.

Was 2014 really all that long ago?

Was it a different Branson who was in charge then? Different players? Different manager overseeing it all? Different process being applied?

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Kevin Kerr celebrates his second-half strike that proved to be Saturday's lone goal. -- TERRY O'NEIL / RIVERHOUNDS

Kerr strike supports Riverhounds’ clean sheet

by • Coverage •

By Matt Gajtka
Three nights after a spotlight match for soccer in Pittsburgh, the atmosphere at Highmark Stadium could hardly have been more different.

But the USL season must go on and, despite not truly shifting into gear until the final 20 minutes, the Riverhounds checked a couple items off their to-do list in blanking expansion FC Montreal, 1-0, before 1,015 on a dreary, soggy Saturday evening.

They not only became the last of 24 USL teams to record a league shutout but also preserved a one-goal lead at Highmark for the first time in three chances, this in contrast to squandered late advantages against Louisville City FC and Saint Louis FC.

Couple that with two extra-time goals allowed in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup loss to D.C. United, and the Riverhounds were rather motivated to close it out against an inexperienced group in FC Montreal, the feeder program for the Montreal Impact of MLS.

“It seems like it’s been a long time coming,” assistant coach Josh Rife said. “We’ve been on the wrong end of some games where you feel like you have most of the play and you’re creating opportunities.”

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Keith Butler is the Steelers' defensive coordinator after 12 years as linebackers coach. -- GETTY

Friday Insider: Butler playbook back to basics

by • Friday Insider • , , ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

No, the Steelers’ new defensive playbook won’t fit on the front of an index card.

That’s why Cam Heyward, among others in the fold, have bristled when asked during offseason workouts if Keith Butler’s system will be simpler than that of his predecessor, Dick LeBeau, for the sake of the defense’s many youngsters. As Heyward put it during minicamp this week, “That would be pigeonholing the whole team. It’s up to the younger guys to study their playbook and grasp the concepts.”

Turner's

Undoubtedly, that’s true.

But equally undoubtedly, the playbook will be smaller.

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Podcast: Riverhounds, Pirates on 970 ESPN

by • Podcasts • ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Here’s the podcast of my weekly appearance on 970 ESPN with David Todd. We talked mostly Riverhounds but also some Pirates. Good stuff. If I haven’t said this in a while, I really enjoy his show and, in particular, our weekly get-together.

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A 10-image panorama of the scene at Highmark Stadium on Wednesday night. -- DAVE DiCELLO

Column: This is the time for Pittsburgh FC

by • Columns •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Maybe it was the whole stunning, stirring sight.

Maybe it was the 3,988 fans filling all 3,500 seats at Highmark Stadium, stringing the rest around the perimeter and highlighted by the singing, chanting, stomping, dancing Steel Army supporters section so loud it might have reverberated between Mount Washington and Downtown skyscrapers across the Mon.

Maybe it was the way those fans at one point roared in unison for a routine throw-in, fully aware of its significance even before the linesman could raise the flag.

Maybe it was when one of the participants went down and milked an injury, and a fan stood and shouted, “Get up! This is Pittsburgh, dammit!”

Yeah, actually, it might have been that last one.

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The Riverhounds and D.C. United align for the national anthem Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. -- DAVE DiCELLO

DiCello: Golden night at Highmark Stadium

by • Photos • ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

So I invited Dave DiCello to Highmark Stadium for the landmark meeting between the Riverhounds and D.C. United, and a gorgeous photo gallery broke out.

As always, click or tap any photo to enlarge it on your laptop, tablet or app.

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