The launch of Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 in USL League Two came with a resounding victory, as the young Hounds fired their way to a 5-0 win over the Cleveland Force in the season opener Sunday afternoon at F.N.B. Stadium.
Israel Neto scored the match’s first two goals on his way to finishing with a hat trick, while Caleb Borneo added a first-half goal and Bennett Painter converted from the penalty spot in the second half for Hounds 2 (1-0-0).
“I think we were creating chances and controlling the game early like we wanted to do, especially in their half, whether it’s winning second balls or being on the front foot with the ball,” Riverhounds 2 head coach Josh Kremers said. “We weren’t quite firing on all cylinders, but then the first goal came, and that really opened the game for us. From there, I think it probably snowballed a bit, and we could have had a couple more.”
Neto, an unsigned player who has been training since preseason with the First Team, pounced on the opportunity to see game action, beginning with a high, curling shot that got under the bar in the 17th minute. He then provided the highlight of the match in the 40th minute as the Hounds won possession in the center circle. Neto surveyed the field and went for goal from nearly 50 yards away, catching the goalkeeper off his line for a 2-0 lead.
“As soon as I turned and saw the goalie was out, I had to take a chance,” Neto said. “It’s amazing to finally get some minutes. I’ve been waiting and waiting for so long, and to finally be able to get some minutes in an actual game after I’ve been training for a couple of months, I’m just happy to be here and grateful for the opportunity.”
Borneo, the former Akron player now at UNC-Greensboro, made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time by pouncing on the rebound of a saved shot. Hounds 2 had the edge in total shots on the day, 20-6.
Neto completed the hat trick in the 52nd minute when he received a pass in the box from Larsen Rogers before cutting to the goal line on his left foot and firing inside the near post.
Painter, a Bowling Green player, finished the scoring in the 87th minute by scoring on a penalty kick after he was denied from the spot in the first half. Hounds 2 goalkeeper Jack Moxom, one of the team’s players from Pitt, made two saves to record the clean sheet.
“It’s a fun group, and we’re new to USL2 as a club, but it’s fun to bring all these guys from different backgrounds and different schools, put them together and see them on the field together. I thought today was really fun to watch them as much as it was to coach them,” Kremers said.
