Riverhounds set to begin 2020 USL Championship playoffs on the road
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At this point in the season, all the Pittsburgh Riverhounds can do is focus on what they can control.
Their postseason position wasn’t theirs to decide, but Saturday night they wanted to put themselves in the best position they could. In their last game of the regular season, they came up with a 2-1 win over Philadelphia Union II.
“For me, our job is to get ready,” Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said after the match. “Maximizing our points tonight was key, and we can only control how we perform.”
Pittsburgh’s victory meant Hartford Athletic had to win Sunday night against New York Red Bulls II to capture the top spot in Group F, and they did so with ease.
Hartford scored two second-half goals, including a solid strike from Connor McGlynn in the 75th minute.
The Riverhounds travel to Louisville City FC for the first round of the playoffs. The match at Louisville’s Lynn Family Stadium is set for 7:30 on Saturday.
The Hounds played their first game of the season in Louisville this year and beat LouCity, 3-1.
Louisville beat the Riverhounds, 2-1, in the first round of the playoffs last year at Highmark Stadium.
In Saturday’s match, defender Ray Lee got the Riverhounds on the board in the first 15 minutes.
Pittsburgh native Robbie Mertz laid off a pass to Lee in the box, and the veteran defender snuck it past Philadelphia keeper Benjamin Martino for his first goal of the season.
ENJOY THE BUILDUP. ENJOY THE GOAL. #UNLEASH #PITvPHI pic.twitter.com/EDvv7E0BvY
— x-Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) October 3, 2020
Philadelphia got it equalizer in the 63rd minute when Jack McGlynn converted a penalty kick.
The Riverhounds almost responded in the 77th minute when Thomas Vancaeyezeele hit a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, but Martino was able to track it on the left side of his goal mouth.
The winner came from Riverhounds forward Albert Dikwa in the 92nd minute. The Garoua, Cameroon native entered the game off the bench in the 69th minute and scored his third goal of the season.
“In my head, I was thinking that I had to make right on this chance. I missed on a few opportunities earlier in the half, and that goal was probably the best chance I had. I knew I had to make it, and I did.”
It came via a corner kick from Kenardo Forbes, who was making his first start since returning from a quad/hip injury earlier this season. Dikwa finished it off with a header to the back post.
YOUR GAME-WINNING GOAL. #UNLEASH #PITvPHI pic.twitter.com/NAyOsDbSVA
— x-Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) October 4, 2020
Forbes said he felt a little rusty in his first start back. He said there were a few missed passes here and there, but the final one to Dikwa felt good.
The Riverhounds were happy to finish the regular season on the right note.
“Tonight was a really good test for the postseason, because any team can come out and give you a tough go for 90 minutes,” Forbes said. “There aren’t really a lot of blowouts in the playoffs, so I’m happy that we came out on top today.”