(April 8, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC suffered its first setback of the season, falling 1-0 on the road against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks after going down a man Saturday night at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Romario Williams scored in the 80th minute for Colorado Springs (3-1-1) in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Robbie Mertz received a red card in the 48th minute to put the Hounds (1-1-3) down a man for most of the second half. Jahmali Waite saved a penalty kick in the 75th minute to keep the match scoreless, and Arturo Ordóñez received a second yellow card in the final minute, reducing the Hounds to nine players at the final whistle.
First half
The first half was almost completely devoid of scoring chances, as neither team put a shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Most of the shots in the first half were from distance, including an early effort by Williams for the Switchbacks and a long-range chipped effort that went over the bar by the Hounds’ Albert Dikwa.
The Hounds did have the ball in the net just before halftime, when Tony Lopez put the ball home after Marc Ybarra’s shot struck him amongst the traffic in front of the net. The goal was disallowed for handling, however, ending the Hounds’ best chance of the half.
Second half
Things changed dramatically in the early moments, when Mertz was ordered off the field just three minutes into the half for a challenge that caught Jairo Henriquez above the ankle. That increased the intensity of the game dramatically, as a total of eight cards would be shown after having none in the first half.
Despite being down a man, the Hounds held on until Pat Hogan was called for a tug on the jersey of Maalique Foster in the penalty area, giving the Switchbacks a chance to take the lead at the spot in the 75th minute. But Waite stood his ground against the stutter-stepping Foster and reacted to stop the chipped penalty kick with ease.
Five minutes later, the match’s lone goal would be scored by Williams, who got on the end of a low cross from the left by Patrick Seagrist and slotted home the finish on his first touch from 7 yards out.
The Hounds pushed numbers forward to try and get a late tying goal, earning a free kick and two corners in second-half stoppage time. But late in the mayhem created in the Switchbacks’ box, Ordóñez was whistled for a challenge with a high boot, resulting in his second yellow card of the game and his own red card to reduce the Hounds to nine men.
Heineken Man of the Match
Luke Biasi made his second straight start at right back and had a solid night for a back line that nearly held on for the clean sheet. Biasi won 8 of 12 duels, led the team with three interceptions and three fouls won, and he completed 20 of 22 passes for a 90.9 percent clip — best among the starting 11.
What’s next?
The Hounds return to Highmark Stadium for just their second home match of the season when they host the Rio Grande Valley FC at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 15. The Toros (1-0-3) did not have a match this weekend after being knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday by South Georgia Tormenta of USL League One.
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Jahmali Waite; Nate Dossantos (Dani Rovira 63’), Pat Hogan (Joe Farrell 79’), Arturo Ordóñez (sent off 90+5’), Luke Biasi; Trevor Zwetsloot (Langston Blackstock 85’), Kenardo Forbes; Marc Ybarra (Illal Osumanu 79’), Tony Lopez (Tola Showunmi 63’), Robbie Mertz (sent off 48’); Albert Dikwa
Colorado Springs Switchbacks lineup (3-5-2) — Christian Herrera; Duke Lacroix, Macauley King, Matt Mahoney; Patrick Seagrist, Steven Echevarria (Maalique Foster 61’), Speedy Williams, Drew Skundrich, Deshane Beckford (Aaron Wheeler 77’); Jairo Enriquez (Jimmy Ockford 89’), Romario Williams
Scoring summary
COS — Romario Williams 80’ (Patrick Seagrist)
Discipline summary
PIT — Robbie Mertz 48’ (sent off – serious foul play)
COS — Romario Williams 51’ (caution – reckless foul)
COS — Macauley King 52’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Pat Hogan 74’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Trevor Zwetsloot 84’ (caution – persistent infringement)
PIT — Arturo Ordóñez 85’ (caution – tactical foul)
PIT — Dani Rovira 87’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Arturo Ordóñez 90+5’ (sent off – second caution, reckless foul)
