2 Players/Asst. Coach Sent Off-Playoff Hopes Dashed
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ 2009 playoffs hopes were dashed tonight by the Charlotte Eagles who took a 3-1 victory at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Pittsburgh played without starting forward Randolph Jerome who is nursing an injured ankle, then had to play two men down because of ejections early in the second half.
The match was loaded with opportunity and lightning. Just seconds after the Eagles took the opening kick and played a long ball into the Pittsburgh end, Cody Bragg sent it back out of the Hounds’ defensive third to midfield where it was misplayed by Charlotte’s backs. Jeff Hughes, starting at forward for Jerome, noticed the confusion, stayed onside then bolted up the pitch on a breakaway. His 20-yard shot was initially deflected by Eagles goalkeeper Steward Ceus, who came off of his line to play Hughes’ attack, but the ball hopped high off of Ceus’ hands, bounced behind him and skipped directly into the goal giving Pittsburgh an early 1-0 lead.
However, the Riverhounds did not stay ahead long as the Eagles attacked sharply and speedily down Pittsburgh’s left side. The feed from Diego Martins to Ben Page was crisp, and Page’s shot darted past the Hounds’ Danny Waltman, bringing the match to a 1-1 tie in just the 6th minute of action.
In the 13th minute, Dustin Swinehart headed in a goal off of a direct kick from Diego Martins from about 25-yards out. That gave Charlotte a 2-1 advantage and that’s the way it would stay for the remainder of the half.
Each team could have added goals though. At around the 20-minute mark, Waltman swatted away a shot to the upper 90 as the Eagles swarmed Pittsburgh’s left post. In the 26th minute, Pittsburgh’s Tony Labudovski missed on a second breakaway; this one from the left side that went wide right. Tommy Gray, in the 29th minute, sent a shot from the right that also just missed the nets. In the 31st minute, Charlotte’s Jorge Herrera delivered a ball into the side of the Pittsburgh webbing, and on the following attack, the Riverhounds’ Hughes carried the ball up the right side into the Charlotte end but shot just wide of the Eagles’ goal. In minute 35, the Hounds volleyed one inside the Charlotte area, but Niko Katic’s header sailed way tall over the crossbar. In the 44th minute, after the teams exchanged possessions, Ben Page drilled a shot from 30 yards straight away. It bent toward the left post, but Waltman was able to slap it down then pounce on it before Dustin Swinehart could get a toe on the rebound. In stoppage time, another Pittsburgh shot sailed over the bar, as Justin Evans attempted to pivot and one-time a cross from the right. The first half ended with Charlotte leading 2-1.
A game that was heated through the first half boiled over in the early moments of the second stanza. The physical play intensified to the point that two Riverhound players, Niko Katic, in the 51st, and Jason Kutney, one minute later, were dealt red cards for “violent conduct”. Hounds’ Assistant Coach Paul Child, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, was also ordered off of the bench and into the dressing room for complaining about the officials’ decisions. Playing two men down the Hounds finally broke, giving up a goal to Amaury Nunes in the 59th minute. Nunes was just outside the Hounds’ goal box when he received a cross from Jorge Herrera. Charlotte took a 3-1 lead.
Despite playing 9-on-11 soccer, Pittsburgh kept up the valiant attack with several scoring chances just missing in the late minutes. On the defensive side, Waltman made a number of key saves keeping the Riverhounds in the match until the end.
Charlotte’s 3-1 victory gives the Eagles 28-points in the USL-2 standings and clinches a playoff berth. Pittsburgh, with 19-points, was eliminated from the postseason with the loss.
The Hounds finish the season next Saturday night August 15th with a home match versus Crystal Palace Baltimore at Chartiers Valley Stadium in Pittsburgh. It will be Fan Appreciation Night and Riverhounds Academy Night. All Academy members are expected to be in attendance prior to the start of the match. Tickets are available at www.riverhounds.com, by phone during business hours at 412-539-1191, and will be available on game night.
Chris Shovlin – Riverhounds Director of Publicity and Media Relations – 412-952-1933.
