PITTSBURGH (Aug. 9, 2025) — Guillaume Vacter headed in his first professional goal to bring the Pittsburgh Riverhounds back for a 1-1 draw with Orange County SC tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Vacter, a native of Paris and first-year pro out of UConn, got the goal for the Hounds (7-6-6) in the 67th minute after Sean Suber flicked a corner kick onward across the face of goal. The draw extended the Hounds current run to nine matches without defeat.
Ethan Zubak put Orange County (7-7-3) ahead with a header of his own in the first half.
First half
The visitors put the Hounds under pressure in the early stages of the match, and the need to defend led to the Hounds picking up three yellow cards in the first 33 minutes and 16 total fouls before the break.
The defending nearly got action to the break, but in the 40th minute, Zubak elevated to meet a cross from Stephen Kelly on the right side to open the scoring with the first shot on target by either team.
The Hounds nearly got the goal back immediately after conceding, as Augi Williams arrived in the box to put his own header on goal, but Orange County goalkeeper Colin Shutler made a diving save — the first and best of his three on the night.
Second half
Tables were turned in the second half, and the Hounds began to get forward more and force Orange County to concede set pieces; fouls were 8-2 Orange County in the second 45 minutes.
A flurry in the box minutes after the break from a corner kick led to chances by Suber and Danny Griffin being blocked before Griffin lifted the third attempt over the bar. Jackson Walti also forced a save out of Shutler with his shot in the 63rd minute.
A set piece got the Hounds on the board, as Robbie Mertz fired a ball toward Suber making the near-post run. The center back put a glancing touch on the ball to move it along to the back post, where his defensive partner Vacter was waiting to get his first goal after twice hitting the post earlier this season.
Suber had one chance at a game-winner in stoppage time — again from a corner kick — but his header in traffic went just over the crossbar for the final shot of the match.
Modelo Man of the Match
Guillaume Vacter scored his first professional goal while continuing his strong run of play. The center back finished with a team-leading five clearances and won 6 of 8 aerial duels (8 of 12 duels overall).
What’s next?
The Hounds wrap up their four-game homestead with a marquee matchup against their longest-running rivals, the Charleston Battery. The Battery (13-4-2) suffered a 4-1 setback tonight in a battle for first place with Louisville City FC.
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-1-2) — Eric Dick; Guillaume Vacter, Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach; Luke Biasi (Junior Etou 76’), Jackson Walti (Bradley Sample 76’), Danny Griffin, Perrin Barnes; Robbie Mertz (Jason Bouregy 89’); Bertin Jacquesson (Brigham Larsen 76’), Augi Williams (Charles Ahl 46’)
Orange County SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Colin Shutler; Ryan Doghman, Nico Benalcazar, Tom Brewitt, Nicola Ciotta (Koa Santos 65’); Stephen Kelly, Kevin Partida (Vuk Latinovich 85’); Chris Hegardt (Ashton Miles 85’), Ousmane Sylla (Tristan Trager 74’), Mouhamadou War (Bryce Jamison 65’); Ethan Zubak
Scoring summary
OC — Ethan Zubak 40’ (Stephen Kelly)
PIT — Guillaume Vacter 67’ (Sean Suber)
Discipline summary
PIT — Beto Ydrach 22’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Bertin Jacquesson 28’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Augi Williams 33’ (caution – persistent infringement)
OC — Chris Hegardt 60’ (caution – reckless foul)
OC — Kevin Partida 78’ (caution – persistent infringement)
PIT — Bradley Sample 90’ (caution – tactical foul)
OC — Colin Shutler 90+1’ (caution – delaying restart)
