PITTSBURGH (Sept. 12, 2026) — An eighth-minute rocket of a goal by Sam Bassett proved to be the only score of the match, and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds came away with a 1-0 win over Loudoun United FC tonight at rain-soaked F.N.B. Stadium.
The rain didn’t prevent another sellout crowd of 5,150 — the team’s fourth in a row — which saw goalkeeper Nico Campuzano record his 10th clean sheet of the season and ninth in USL Championship play for the Hounds (11-9-5).
The Hounds have won 16 of 20 all-time meetings with Loudoun (3-9-11), including all three in 2026.
First half
The deciding moment of the match came on just the second shot of the contest.
The Hounds’ pressure won the ball in the attacking half when Perrin Barnes poked the ball away and to the feet of Charles Ahl. Ahl looked inside from the left, where Bassett had space to take a touch to his right foot before blasting a shot from 25 yards into the right side of the net for his sixth goal of the year and third in the past five matches.
Trevor Amann thought he had doubled the lead in the 19th minute when he raced to the front of goal to meet a low cross from Bassett and put it into the net, only for the offside flag to turn the crowd’s cheers into boos as the celebration was halted.
Loudoun created more chances late in the half, and in the 35th minute, the Hounds were let off the hook on a corner kick. The ball was allowed to bounce around in the box, and Loudoun’s Eddy Davis III struck the left post with his shot before Victor Souza was able to head the ball clear.
Second half
Eliot Goldthorp was up to win an early header in the box for the Hounds, but his effort three minutes after the break bounced wide to the left.
Halftime substitute Giorgi Lomtadze had a good look at goal for Loudoun in the 59th minute, but his curling shot from the right side didn’t bend quite enough to hit the target.
The rain, which had been torrential for long stretches of the match, died down in the final 30 minutes, and both teams created chances in the better conditions. Lomtadze had a golden look at the net when a low cross from the left side slipped between the defense and Campuzano, but with only scattered traffic in front of the net, Loudoun man lifted his shot over the goal.
Albert Dikwa came off the bench for the Hounds and nearly added to the score when he raced to the back post to meet a cross from Ahl on the right side. Dikwa headed the ball downward and on goal, but Loudoun goalkeeper Jordan Farr reacted quickly to push the ball over the goal.
Campuzano sealed the result in stoppage time by diving low and to his right to push a shot by Abdellatif Aboukoura around the post, negating the final shot by either side.
Modelo Man of the Match
Sam Bassett’s moment of individual brilliance made him the star of the night, and he also contributed two chances created and six total crosses, while adding six recoveries and a pair of tackles won defensively.
What’s next?
The Hounds moved into third place — at least temporarily — with the win, and they will travel to face the side they leaped, Detroit City FC, on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in Michigan. Detroit (10-6-7) was scheduled to play at Sacramento later tonight.
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-3) — Nico Campuzano; Perrin Barnes, Owen Mikoy, Victor Souza; Charles Ahl (Yu Tsukanome 77’), Jackson Walti, Robbie Mertz, Danny Griffin; Eliot Goldthorp (Junior Etou 77’), Sam Bassett, Trevor Amann (Albert Dikwa 67’)
Loudoun United FC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Jordan Farr; Kwame Awuah, Jacob Erlandson, Noah Adnan, Pacifique Niyongabire (Marcos Dias 77’); Sean Young (Rida Zouhir 77’), Bolu Akinyode (Giorgi Lomtadze 46’); Abdellatif Aboukoura, Akil Watts (Liam Butts 86’), Richard Aman (Christian Torres 59’); Eddy Davis III
Scoring summary
PIT — Sam Bassett 8’ (Charles Ahl)
Discipline summary
LDN — Sean Young 49’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Victor Souza 87’ (caution – tactical foul)
LDN — Abdellatif Aboukoura 90+6’ (caution – dissent)
