PITTSBURGH (Aug. 29, 2026) — It felt like a playoff match in August as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and league-leading Tampa Bay Rowdies battled to a 0-0 draw this evening at F.N.B. Stadium.
A physical match throughout, the stalemate featured 31 fouls and Hounds head coach Rob Vincent was sent off late in the match for leaving the technical area to voice his objections to a challenge from behind in front of the Tampa Bay bench.
With the draw, the Hounds (10-9-4) keep their record of having only one home loss to the Rowdies (13-3-6) in 11 all-time meetings.
First half
Neither team sat back in the contest, and Eliot Goldthorp had a golden chance in the fifth minute when he shook two defenders at the top of the box by cutting onto his left. His shot looked to be headed for the far corner, but Rowdies defender Ethan Bartlow retreated back to head the ball away at the top of the 6-yard box.
The Rowdies pushed back minutes later and won a free kick from 30 yards out. The delivery toward the center of the box found the head of former Hounds defender Nate Dossantos, but Nico Campuzano was positioned well to catch for the save — one of only two he had to make for his ninth shutout of the season and eighth in league play.
Danny Griffin made an important sliding block midway through the half to deny Marco Micaletto on a chance from left of the penalty spot, while Goldthorp had a chance shortly before halftime after chesting the ball down inside the box, but his shot rose over the goal.
Second half
Trevor Amann came close to putting the Hounds on the board when he met a Sam Bassett corner kick in front of the near post, but his firm effort rippled the side netting, fooling some in the crowd to thinking the ball had gone in.
Charles Ahl had a good look at goal from the top of the box, just after the hour mark, but after cutting the ball across to make space, his curling effort also drifted high.
The physical play began to boil up in the 72nd minute, when Eliot Goldthorp received the third card of the match — the second to a Hounds player — for persistent infringement. Minutes later, Rowdies veteran Laurence Wyke challenged through the back of Amann in front of the Tampa Bay bench, but no foul was given. That led both Vincent and goalkeepers coach Jon Busch to dart off the bench in protest, and the end result was Vincent’s first red card as a head coach.
The physical play continued with Ahl picking up a booking and Wyke taking the worst of his challenge on Junior Etou, but with both teams receiving set piece chances, neither could create a breakthrough.
Another former Hounds player, goalkeeper Jahmali Waite, recorded the clean sheet in the Rowdies goal.
Modelo Man of the Match
Jackson Walti was as sound as anyone in the middle of the park, as evidenced by his match best 94.4 percent connection rate (34 of 36) on passes. He also won 8 of 11 duels and chipped in with two interceptions and two clearances in a box-to-box performance.
What’s next?
Another Florida team awaits on the ledger, as the Hounds will head south to face Miami FC (5-10-7) on Saturday, Sept. 5. Miami is off this weekend, and Hounds won the season’s first meeting in Pittsburgh, 2-0 on May 30.
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-3) — Nico Campuzano; Beto Ydrach, Owen Mikoy, Victor Souza; Sam Bassett (Yu Tsukanome 68’), Danny Griffin, Jackson Walti, Robbie Mertz; Charles Ahl, Trevor Amann, Eliot Goldthorp (Junior Etou 76’)
Tampa Bay Rowdies lineup (4-2-3-1) — Jahmali Waite; Charlie Ostrem, Nate Dossantos, Ethan Bartlow, Dion Acoff; Max Schneider, Laurence Wyke; Russell Cicerone, Marco Micaletto (Pedro Dolabella 57’), MD Myers (Louis Pérez 69’); Karsen Henderlong (Evan Conway 69’)
Scoring summary
None
Discipline summary
TBR — Max Schneider 27’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Trevor Amann 63’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Eliot Goldthorp 72’ (caution – persistent infringement)
PIT — Head coach Rob Vincent 74’ (sent off – abusive language)
PIT — Charles Ahl 75’ (caution – tactical foul)
