PITTSBURGH (July 29, 2023) — A second-half flurry helped the Pittsburgh Riverhounds snap their two-game skid, as the Hounds scored three times in the first 16 minutes after the break to rally for a 4-2 win over Memphis 901 FC tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Joe Farrell, Dani Rovira, J.C. Obregón and Tola Showunmi all scored for the Hounds (11-4-8), who maintained their hold on first in the Eastern Conference. Luiz Fernando and Rodrigo da Costa scored for Memphis (8-6-6), which led 2-0 after 35 minutes.
The match was littered with milestones, including two pieces of team history. Farrell’s goal was the 1,000th in the Riverhounds’ 24-season history, while the sellout crowd of 5,466 was the largest for a regular-season match in Highmark Stadium history.
First half
While play was even for much of the first half, the Hounds fell behind early for a third straight match in the 11th minute. Aaron Molloy threaded a low pass through the defense to Fernando, who was able to take a touch, turn and shoot from just inside the penalty area.
The visitors doubled the lead in the 35th minute from a corner kick, as Molloy served a ball to the back post, where Da Costa was first to rise to the ball and headed it home.
Danny Griffin nearly pulled a goal back for the Hounds when Kenardo Forbes fed him a low pass at the top of the box, but his curling shot was stopped by a diving save, one of four by Memphis’ Drew Romig.
The Hounds broke through on the ensuing corner kick in the 41st minute, when Griffin dribbled into the box from a short corner and played the ball into traffic in front of goal. In a crowd of players, Farrell eventually booted the ball into the net to make it 2-1 and score the historic Hounds goal.
Second half
With momentum on their side, the Hounds continued to put the pressure on Memphis, and the goals started flying in.
Forbes worked his way to the goal line and sent a left-footed cross to the back post in the 49th minute. Rovira sprinted forward from his right back position and slammed a well-placed shot off the underside of the crossbar to score his first professional goal in his 98th appearance for the Hounds.
Six minutes later, Showunmi broke down the left flank after a turnover left Memphis scrambling back. He found Obregón open in front of goal, and though Romig stopped the initial shot, Obregón was first to follow up and score his first since being acquired by the Hounds at the start of the month.
Showunmi added the team’s fourth in the 61st minute — scoring his second in as many games — by receiving a pass down the middle from Marc Ybarra and holding up play long enough to create room to shoot into the bottom corner of the net.
The Hounds saw out the match with their lead by limiting Memphis to one shot and zero touches inside the Hounds’ box in the second half.
Heineken Man of the Match
Kenardo Forbes was another player to reach a personal milestone with his 50th assist for the Riverhounds on Rovira’s tying goal, and he also was at his best moving the ball around the park tonight, connecting on 42 of 45 passes (93.3 percent), sending in five crosses and even adding a clearance on the defensive end.
What’s next?
The gauntlet of tough conference matches continues at home with the third-place Tampa Bay Rowdies (11-5-5) coming to Highmark Stadium for a match next Saturday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. The Rowdies kept pace with a 3-0 win at home tonight over FC Tulsa.
Riverhounds SC lineup (5-3-2) — Jahmali Waite; Junior Etou (Robbie Mertz 75’), Nate Dossantos (Pat Hogan 75’), Joe Farrell, Arturo Ordóñez, Dani Rovira; Kenardo Forbes (DZ Harmon 85’), Danny Griffin, Marc Ybarra; Tola Showunmi (Luke Biasi 63’), J.C. Obregón (Albert Dikwa 63’)
Memphis 901 FC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Drew Romig; Akeem Ward, Jelani Peters (Leston Paul 83’), Graham Smith (sent off 90’), Rece Buckmaster; Emerson Hyndman, Aaron Molloy; Laurent Kissiedou (Nighte Pickering 63’), Lucas Turci (Carson Vom Steeg 63’), Luiz Fernando (Dylan Borczak 83’); Rodrigo da Costa
Scoring summary
MEM — Luiz Fernando 11’ (Aaron Molloy)
MEM — Rodrigo da Costa 35’ (Aaron Molloy)
PIT — Joe Farrell 41’
PIT — Dani Rovira 49’ (Kenardo Forbes)
PIT — J.C. Obregon 55’
PIT — Tola Showunmi 61’ (Marc Ybarra)
Discipline summary
PIT — J.C. Obregón 56’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
MEM — Graham Smith 56’ (caution – dissent)
MEM — Graham Smith 90’ (sent off – second caution/reckless foul)
MEM — Aaron Molloy 90’ (caution – dissent)
