PITTSBURGH (July 11, 2026) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds completed group play in the Prinx Tires USL Cup without a regulation loss after defeating Loudoun United FC, 2-0, tonight at F.N.B. Stadium.
Trevor Amann scored from the penalty spot in the first half, and Albert Dikwa doubled the lead in the second half. Mitch Budler made three saves to record his first professional clean sheet in the Hounds’ goal.
The Hounds finish with a 2-0-2 record in Group 6, but the winner of the Charleston-Charlotte match tonight — delayed by storm — will win the group, and the Hounds will be at least one point short of wild card contention.
First half
With a rotated lineup from last weekend’s defeat against Brooklyn, the Hounds came out on the front foot and nearly took the lead after four minutes when Dikwa struck the crossbar with a shot from near the penalty spot set up by a pass from Jorge Garcia.
The opening goal came in the 19th minute after Amann got a step behind Loudoun defender Salvatore Mazzaferro, who tripped the Hounds striker inside the penalty area. Amann slotted the penalty into the left side of the net for his fifth goal across all competitions this season.
Budler, making his second start of the season, came up with his biggest save three minutes later. Kwame Awuah set up Loudoun leading scorer Thor Úlfarsson with a cross lifted in from the left side, but Budler reacted well to deny Úlfarsson’s header at close range.
Amann thought he had a second goal minutes before halftime, but his finish was negated by the offside flag on a very close play at the top of the box.
Second half
The Hounds’ search for a second goal almost yielded a goal of the season candidate, but Charles Ahl’s outswinging volley from 20 yards curled inches wide of the top right corner of the goal.
Ahl would get involved in the scoring in the 66th minute, however, when he delivered an inch-perfect cross from the left side. The ball carried just far enough to be out of the reach of Loudoun’s defenders and goalkeepers, dropping onto the right foot of Dikwa for a one-touch finish at the back post that he made look easy for his seventh overall goal of the season.
Budler had one more intervention to make to preserve his clean sheet. With the ball bouncing in the box, he closed down the angle on Úlfarsson and got an arm to the ball on a close-range effort, deflecting the 83rd-minute chance high and off the crossbar.
Modelo Man of the Match
Jackson Walti played two-way orchestrator in the center of the park in a 90-minute shift. Walti won 10 of 14 duels and 4 of 5 tackles in the match, while leading the team with 92 touches on the ball and connecting on 62 of 72 passes, all of which were team highs in the match.
What’s next?
With both competitions over for 2026, all the Hounds’ focus turns back to defending their USL Championship title. Next up is a visit to expansion club Sporting Jacksonville (0-11-4) at 7:30 p.m. this Wednesday that will be shown nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-4-2) — Mitch Budler; Junior Etou (Charles Ahl 45+1’), Illal Osumanu, Guillaume Vacter (Victor Souza 61’), Perrin Barnes (Owen Mikoy 71’); Jorge Garcia, Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin (Robbie Mertz 71’), Max Viera; Albert Dikwa, Trevor Amann (Eliot Goldthorp 61’)
Loudoun United FC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Ethan Bandré; Kwame Awuah, Salvatore Mazzaferro (Sean Young 71’), Jacob Erlandson, Noah Adnan; Bolu Akinyode, James Murphy; Abdellatif Aboukoura, Arquimedes Ordóñez, Andrés Souper (Pacifique Niyongabire 61’); Thor Úlfarsson
Scoring summary
PIT — Trevor Amann 19’ (penalty)
PIT — Albert Dikwa 66’ (Charles Ahl)
Discipline summary
LDN — Salvatore Mazzaferro 17’ (caution – last man foul in box)
LDN — Noah Adnan 42’ (caution – tactical foul)
LDN — Jacob Erlandson 45+2’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Eliot Goldthorp 63’ (caution – reckless foul)
LDN — Kwame Awuah 90+2’ (caution – dissent)
