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Dikwa, Bassett fire Hounds to home win

Albert Dikwa celebrates his first goal in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' 3-2 win over Sporting Club Jacksonville on March 28, 2026 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC) — *Albert Dikwa celebrates his first goal in the Hounds’ 3-2 win over Sporting Club Jacksonville on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (March 28, 2026) — A five-goal thriller greeted fans at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ first home match of the USL Championship season, and the Highmark Stadium crowd went home happy with a 3-2 victory tonight over USL newcomers Sporting Club Jacksonville.

Albert Dikwa scored from open play and from the penalty spot for the Hounds (2-2-0), and Sam Bassett scored a highlight-reel strike from more than 30 yards out into the top corner of the net. Mohamed Traore and Emil Jääskeläinen scored as Sporting (0-3-1) attempted to make a second-half comeback.

Dikwa’s second goal was his 40th total in a Hounds uniform, making him the second to reach that plateau with the club.

The night began with the unveiling of the team’s championship banner, celebrating the club’s first-ever league title winning the USL Championship in 2025.

First half

For the second straight match, the Hounds were on the board early, this time with a seventh-minute goal. Beto Ydrach chipped a ball into the box toward the penalty spot, and shouts for a penalty came from the crowd as Charles Ahl was knocked over by his defender.

Undeterred, Dikwa hurdled Ahl’s legs to be first to the loose ball, and he turned back toward the goal to finish with his right foot into the top right corner.

The Hounds’ lead doubled in the 27th minute with a brilliant goal seemingly from nothing. Bassett intercepted a Jacksonville pass backward, but the visitors still had numbers behind the ball.

The midfielder carried the ball toward goal moving to his right, and as he closed on 30 yards from the target, Bassett struck a right-footed curler that left leaping goalkeeper Christian Olivares no chance as it soared into the top left corner.

Ydrach then came up with a huge play to keep it 2-0 at halftime. Jacksonville’s Harvey Neville drove a cross through the box from the left side, and Jääskeläinen rose above everyone to put a header on goal. Ydrach had retreated to just the right spot to head the ball upward off the crossbar, allowing his teammates to clear the ball.

Second half

The Hounds went ahead 3-0 in the 50th minute after Dida Armstrong was called for handling the ball on the ground in a sliding challenge on Bradley Sample. Dikwa stepped up for the penalty and scored low under the diving Olivares, netting his third of the season and 40th for the Hounds.

Sporting fought back though, and the visitors were on the board in the 58th minute from a corner kick. Jordan Rossiter shot from the top of the box through traffic, and the ball deflected off Traore in front, sending the opposite direction of diving goalkeeper Nico Campuzano and softly into the net.

Four minutes later, Jacksonville struck again. Neville thumped a ball forward from just inside the halfway line, and Jääskeläinen won the battle to get to the bouncing ball and struck a low finish to his left.

The Hounds tightened up after the lapses, and the visiting side were held to a single, blocked shot over the final 28 minutes and stoppage time.

Modelo Man of the Match

Albert Dikwa had his first brace since rejoining the Hounds this offseason, reviving memories of his 2023 Golden Boot season. He also won possession five times — second-most on the team — and won a pair of free kick leading the line.

What’s next?

The Hounds head back into U.S. Open Cup play on short rest, as they will host amateur side Virginia Dream FC in the Second Round on Tuesday, March 31 at 7 p.m.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) — Nico Campuzano; Victor Souza (Illal Osumanu 79’), Beto Ydrach, Owen Mikoy; Junior Etou, Danny Griffin, Bradley Sample, Perrin Barnes; Sam Bassett (Eliot Goldthorp 63’), Charles Ahl (Robbie Mertz 63’); Albert Dikwa (Trevor Amann 89’)

Sporting Jacksonville lineup (4-2-3-1) — Christian Olivares; Harvey Neville, Mohamed Traore, Ryan Edwards, Dida Armstrong; Brem Soumaoro (Jacob Evans 85’), Jordan Rossiter; Ezekiel Soto (Thomas Roberts 46’), Raffery Pedder, Ahmad Al Qaq (Kieran Sadlier 56’); Emil Jääskeläinen

Scoring summary

PIT — Albert Dikwa 6’
PIT — Sam Bassett 27’
PIT — Albert Dikwa 50’ (penalty)
JAX — Mohamed Traore 58’ (Jordan Rossiter)
JAX — Emil Jääskeläinen 62’ (Harvey Neville)

Discipline summary

PIT — Albert Dikwa 42’ (caution – reckless foul)
JAX — Head coach Liam Fox 45+5’ (caution – dissent)
JAX — Ahmad Al Qaq 53’ (caution – reckless foul)
JAX — Brem Soumaoro 69’ (caution – reckless foul)

Game Day: Hounds vs. Sporting Jacksonville

Bradley Sample volleys the ball forward in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' U.S. Open Cup win over Steel City FC on March 25, 2026 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC) — *Bradley Sample volleys the ball forward in the Hounds’ U.S. Open Cup win over Steel City FC on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC)*

Match Info

Riverhounds (1-2-0) vs. Sporting Club Jacksonville (0-2-1)
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Highmark Stadium
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Odds: Hounds -145 / Draw +260 / Jacksonville +370 on FanDuel
TV: KDKA+
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: SiriusXM FC, Ch. 157 (English); Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtag: #PITvJAX

PITTSBURGH (March 26, 2026) — The Hounds are in the midst of a stretch of four matches in 10 days thanks to their advancement in the U.S. Open Cup, but the second of those contests is the team’s first home match in league play, when they welcome USL Championship newcomers Sporting Club Jacksonville to Highmark Stadium on Saturday.

Though it is still the first month of the season, much of the team’s messaging this week has been to try and get things sorted after a 3-0 defeat last weekend in Tampa Bay. Wednesday night’s Open Cup match ended with a result, a 2-1 win over Steel City FC, but the performance was far from convincing in the eyes of head coach Rob Vincent, who will look for more against a struggling league newcomer.

The Hounds were able to rotate some players in the midweek win, particularly in the midfield, where Danny Griffin, Robbie Mertz, Bradley Sample, Charles Ahl, Jackson Walti and Sam Bassett all played, but none of them recorded more than 71 minutes and four played less than an hour. Griffin and Ahl both found the net for the first time in the match, as the Hounds are now up to six goals through their first four matches with no player having more than one.

The opportunity to claim three points at home is one the Hounds don’t want to pass on, especially against a Jacksonville team also on three days rest but making the 800-mile trip north. Jacksonville grabbed an early lead Wednesday against Miami FC, but the hosts couldn’t hang on and eventually fell 4-2 to their in-state opponents. The team also fell 3-0 to Hartford Athletic in its season opener, but a 1-1 road draw at Rhode Island FC proved the newly arrived side is able to put up a fight.

Kieran Sadlier, a veteran of the English and Irish leagues, captains the new side and had both goals against Miami. The Jacksonville roster also has its share of USL veterans, including defenders Mohamed Traore and Wahab Ackwei, most recently of Phoenix and El Paso, respectively, and another large group who made the move upward from MLS Next Pro.

Off of the pitch, Saturday will also be a celebration of the team’s 2025 USL Championship title as the first home league match of the year.

The team’s championship banner will be unveiled before the start of the match, and the post-match festivities will be punctuated by the first of three scheduled fireworks shows for 2026. The first 1,000 fans through the gate will also get to take home a miniature replica championship banner. The Tailgate Zone will open at its usual 5 p.m. time, with stadium gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets for the match are still available through Ticketmaster or at the Highmark Stadium Box Office.

Fans unable to make it to the stadium will have plenty of ways to catch the action. KDKA+ will have the live, local broadcast with ESPN+ having the streaming feed. There are also multilingual listening opportunities, as the match will be broadcast nationally on SiriusXM FC, Ch. 157 in English, and by the Hounds’ official Spanish-language radio partner, Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2.

Downloadable Game Notes

Game Notes vs Jacksonville, 3/28/26 Download

Hounds take Open Cup battle of Pittsburgh

Charles Ahl celebrates his goal with Jackson Walti in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' 2-1 win over Steel City FC in the U.S. Open Cup on March 25, 2026 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC) — *Charles Ahl celebrates his goal with Jackson Walti in the Hounds’ 2-1 win over Steel City FC in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday at Highmark Stadium. (Photo: Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC)*

PITTSBURGH (March 25, 2026) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds warded off a game effort from USL League Two amateur side Steel City FC, claiming a 2-1 victory in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tonight at Highmark Stadium.

Danny Griffin and Charles Ahl scored for the Hounds to win the first Open Cup match between two Pittsburgh-area teams since 1957. Nick Graeca scored from the penalty spot to cut into the lead, but the Hounds held on to win their seventh straight cup match against lower-division opposition.

The Hounds advance to host another amateur side, Virginia Dream FC, on Tuesday, March 31 in the Second Round, the last round before MLS teams enter the competition.

First half

The Hounds were on the board in the sixth minute from the first corner kick of the match. Eliot Goldthorp sent the ball to the back post, where Griffin curled around a group of players to corral the loose ball. The Hounds captain fired a shot through traffic that made its way into the net at the near post for his third career Open Cup goal.

Steel City defended gamely, and goalkeeper Martin Dominguez made four of his five saves for the guests before halftime, including a point-blank stop on Trevor Amann in the 37th minute. The Hounds conceded little, however, limiting Steel City to a single first-half shot.

Second half

Hounds goalkeeper Nico Campuzano made his lone save of the match early in the half to deny Dylan Sumner, as the visitors pushed forward more after the break. But after the Hounds made three changes in the 59th minute, the substitutes combined for the second goal.

Sam Bassett played a long, diagonal ball to Perrin Barnes breaking behind the defense on the right side. Barnes looked up to find Ahl arriving to the middle of the box, and Ahl did the rest, receiving the pass and calmly finishing in the top right corner of the net in the 66th minute.

Steel City pulled a goal back in the 76th minute after Hounds defender Owen Mikoy was called for a foul along the right edge of the box. Graeca converted the penalty kick to the bottom right corner, past the outstretched arms of Campuzano.

But the visitors suffered a setback in the 86th minute when defender William Afawubo was sent off for receiving a second yellow card, committing a tactical foul on Junior Etou after having previously been booked for dissent arguing a goal kick call.

Modelo Man of the Match

Junior Etou put in a two-way shift from the left wing back position, finishing with a match-high three chances created, connecting on 38 of 45 passes, winning 9 of 12 duels and earning three free kicks for the Hounds.

What’s next?

Before the next round of the cup, the Hounds go back into league play for their first-ever meeting with new USL Championship team Sporting Jacksonville on Saturday, March 28. The new club lost tonight to Miami FC, 4-2, to drop to 0-2-1 on the young season.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) — Nico Campuzano; Owen Mikoy, Victor Souza, Illal Osumanu; Junior Etou, Danny Griffin (Sam Bassett 59’), Jackson Walti (Brigham Larsen 71’), Max Viera (Perrin Barnes 59’); Robbie Mertz (Bradley Sample 71’), Eliot Goldthorp (Charles Ahl 59’); Trevor Amann

Steel City FC lineup (4-3-3) — Martin Dominguez; Zander Plizga, Joel Sangwa, Sean Regan, Victor Koah (William Afawubo 67’, sent off 86’); Nick Graeca, Cam Territo, Carlos Santamaria (Nolan Hutter 80’); Dylan Sumner (Luke Kost 90’), Nathan Prex (Sam Boehm 67’), Anass Hadran (Nicholas Niebauer 80’)

Scoring summary

PIT — Danny Griffin 6’
PIT — Charles Ahl 66’ (Perrin Barnes)
STC — Nick Graeca 76’ (penalty)

Discipline summary

STC — Carlos Santamaria 26’ (caution – tactical foul)
STC — William Afawubo 70’ (caution – dissent)
PIT — Brigham Larsen 78’ (caution – reckless foul)
STC — William Afawubo 86’ (caution – tactical foul)
STC — William Afawubo 86’ (sent off – second cautionable offense)

Experienced defender Miles joins Hounds 2

PITTSBURGH (March 25, 2026) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 will welcome High Point University and former Orange County SC defender Ashton Miles to the team for its first season in USL League Two.

Hailing from Fullerton, Calif., Miles already has a wealth of experience playing in the USL Championship. Beginning as an academy signing in 2022, Miles played more than 3,000 minutes in 66 appearances in all competitions for Orange County, scoring two goals and assisting two others in his four years with the team.

“We’re excited to welcome Ashton Miles to the Riverhounds organization as a key part of our pathway,” Riverhounds 2 head coach Josh Kremers said. “Ashton has already shown his quality at the professional level, earning significant minutes with Orange County SC in the USL Championship and demonstrating that he can compete and impact games in a demanding environment.  He has started his collegiate career at High Point this spring, where he will have an immediate impact within an already very strong squad.”

The 21-year-old brings leadership experience, as he also captained Orange County’s pre-professional side, OCSC II. Miles also broke new ground with the California club as their first player to progress from OCSC II into a professional contract with the First Team.

Miles’ signing marks the second player who has joined Hounds 2 from High Point University, joining midfielder and Pittsburgh native Koven Johnson.

Riverhounds 2 will take the field for the first time when they host Cleveland Force at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, May 17 at 4 p.m. More Hounds 2 news can be found online at http://riverhounds.com/hounds-2-news, and on social media by following @RiverhoundsTwo.

Rowdies roll past Hounds in St. Pete

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds' Danny Griffin is pressured on the ball by the Tampa Bay Rowdies' Marco Micaletto in the team's match March 21, 2026 at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies) — *Danny Griffin is pressured on the ball by the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Marco Micaletto in the teams’ match Saturday at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies)*

(March 21, 2026) — It was not the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ night on the Gulf Coast, as the team fell 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Former Hounds striker Russell Cicerone opened the scoring for the Rowdies (2-0-0), and MD Myers and Evan Conway accounted for the other goals. Goalkeeper Nico Campuzano finished with four saves for the Hounds (1-2-0).

The match was the third straight on the road to start the season for the Hounds, only the third time in 27 seasons the club has not had a home date in their first three.

First half

While the Hounds had their share of the ball, finishing the match with 55.6 percent of possession, there was little success building an attack, and the team ended with zero first-half shots and only two for the match.

Both teams yielded little space at the back in the first half, as the Rowdies also failed to record a shot on goal until stoppage time, when Cicerone made the breakthrough.

Marco Micaletto had room with the ball in a wide right position, and he sent a long diagonal ball into the box and toward the back post. Cicerone slipped between defenders and rose to head the ball into the net, and the Hounds’ top scorer in 2021 and 2022 scored for the first time against his former club.

Second half

Albert Dikwa won an early free kick little more than 25 yards from goal, and the result was one of the Hounds’ best chances, when Sam Bassett struck a free kick that got over the wall and just missed wide of the right post only two minutes into the half.

Campuzano came up with a pair of big saves to keep it 1-0, denying Lewis Hilton at close range in the 50th minute and stopping a header at the back post by Max Schneider on the hour mark. Junior Etou also had a chance for the Hounds in the 73rd minute, but he couldn’t keep a headed chance down when he elevated over a defender to meet Max Viera’s cross.

The Rowdies doubled their lead in the 77th minute when Cicerone hit Myers in stride as he was breaking toward goal. Myers shot quickly before Campuzano could make it all the way out off his line and before a defender could close him down.

Conway wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time, sliding to turn home a low pass across goal by Myers with one of the final kicks of the match.

Modelo Man of the Match

Perrin Barnes turned in a strong effort on a difficult night, winning 8 of 12 duels, recording six clearances, winning four free kicks and connecting on 41 of 50 passes (82.0 percent).

What’s next?

After a snow postponement last week, the Hounds will finally begin U.S. Open Cup play this Wednesday, March 25, when they host USL League Two opponent Steel City FC. It is the final match to be played in the First Round, and the winner will advance to host amateur side Virginia Dream in the Second Round.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) — Nico Campuzano; Guillaume Vacter (Junior Etou 46’), Victor Souza, Beto Ydrach; Perrin Barnes, Sam Bassett, Danny Griffin (Jackson Walti 80’), Max Viera; Bradley Sample (Robbie Mertz 66’), Charles Ahl (Eliot Goldthorp 66’); Albert Dikwa (Trevor Amann 80’)

Tampa Bay Rowdies lineup (4-2-3-1) — Jahmali Waite; Charlie Ostrem, Nate Dossantos, Brian Schaefer, Dion Acoff (Louis Pérez 66’); Max Schneider, Lewis Hilton; Sebastian Cruz, Pedro Dolabella (Karsen Henderlong 84’), Russell Cicerone (Evan Conway 90’); Marco Micaletto (MD Myers 66’)

Scoring summary

TBR — Russell Cicerone 45+2’ (Marco Micaletto)
TBR — MD Myers 77’ (Russell Cicerone)
TBR — Evan Conway 90+4’ (MD Myers)

Discipline summary

TBR — Dion Acoff 41’ (caution – persistent infringement)
PIT — Junior Etou 56’ (caution – reckless foul)
TBR — Marco Micaletto 62’ (caution – reckless foul)
TBR — Russell Cicerone 90’ (caution – delaying restart)
PIT — Trevor Amann 90+3’ (caution – reckless foul)

Open Cup announces Second Round draw

PITTSBURGH (March 20, 2026) — U.S. Soccer has announced the pairings for the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, handing the Pittsburgh Riverhounds a potential home match in the last round before MLS teams enter the competition.

The winner of the Riverhounds/Steel City FC First Round match, which was rescheduled and will be played this Wednesday, March 25, will host Virginia Dream out of the amateur National Premier Soccer League at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31. Virginia Dream, based in Falls Church, Va., advanced to the Second Round with a 2-1 victory on the road yesterday at MLS Next Pro team Carolina Core FC.

The team to advance from that match will be entered in the draw for the Third Round, where the 16 winners and 16 MLS teams entering in that round will be paired for matches to be played April 14-15. The Hounds are 3-2 against MLS opponents since 2023, defeating the New England Revolution, Columbus Crew and New York City FC in the cup.

Tickets for the rescheduled First Round match are still on sale via Ticketmaster or by calling the Highmark Stadium Box Office at 412-865-GOAL. Tickets for the Second Round match will go on sale after completion of the the First Round match.

Game Day: Hounds at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Pittsburgh Riverhounds midfielder Sam Bassett dribbles toward goal in the team's 3-2 win over Loudoun United FC on March 14, 2026 at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC) — *Hounds midfielder Sam Bassett dribbles toward goal in the team’s 3-2 win over Loudoun United FC last Saturday at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)*

Match Info

Riverhounds (1-1-0) vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-0-0)
Date: Saturday, March 21
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Odds: Hounds +240 / Draw +210 / Tampa Bay +105 at Fan Duel
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on X/Twitter
Match hashtag: #TBRvPIT

(March 19, 2026) — With an unexpected full week of training under their belt, the Hounds are set to go on the road for the third straight match to open the season with a visit to the Gulf Coast to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The weather-induced postponement of the Hounds’ First Round U.S. Open Cup match shuffled the team’s training schedule slightly, but it means the Hounds will at least come in with a full week between matches to face a Rowdies team that has not played since Opening Day on March 7.

That rest could be important for the Hounds, who will probably need to show off their depth in the days to come. With the potential for cup matches in consecutive weeks, the Hounds could play five matches in 14 days beginning with their Florida visit. Fortunately, the injury report is clearing up, as well, with Robbie Mertz making his season debut off the bench in last weekend’s win at Loudoun and Eliot Goldthorp back in training with the full squad this week.

The Hounds’ attack looked potent in that win over Loudoun with Albert Dikwa, Bradley Sample and Sam Bassett serving as the finishers, but some of the match’s underlying numbers were even more convincing. The team held 64 percent of possession, its 2.82 expected goals (xG) number would have been among the team’s top three a season ago and the team’s eight shots on goal (on 14 total shots) was the highest since they posted the same number in a 4-0 win at Miami FC on Oct. 5, 2024.

But on the flip side of the ball, the Hounds have conceded two goals in consecutive matches, something that also had not occurred since May 25 and June 1 of the 2024 season, and eliminating critical mistakes in the back third has been a topic in training and film study to start the year.

The Rowdies are a very different team to the squad that finished 10th in the East and missed the playoffs a season ago, and they were 1-0 winners at Birmingham Legion FC to begin their season. Among the moves made by Dom Casciato, who was hired as the coach at Tampa Bay midway through last season, was the signing of four veterans who are former Riverhounds and appeared in the opener: forward Russell Cicerone (2021-22), midfielder Louis Pérez (2021), defender Nate Dossantos (2022-23) and goalkeeper Jahmali Waite (2022-23). Add in backup goalkeeper Austin Pack (2019), and the Rowdies have a very Pittsburgh South look for 2026.

Saturday night’s match will be the first of the year to be televised on SportsNet Pittsburgh, and ESPN+ will stream the match live. Replays of the contest will air throughout the weekend on both SportsNet Pittsburgh and its sister channel, SNP+.

Radio Las Palmas, 92.9 FM HD2, the official Spanish-language radio partner of the Hounds, will also carry a live broadcast of the 7:30 p.m. matchup.

Downloadable Game Notes

Game Notes at Tampa Bay, 3/21/26 Download

Hounds trio named in USL’s weekly honors

PITTSBURGH (March 17, 2026) — After their first win of the season, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds are well-represented on the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 2 with forward Albert Dikwa and midfielder Bradley Sample in the first 11 and midfielder Charles Ahl claiming a bench spot in the weekly honors.

Dikwa finished with a goal and an assist in the Hounds’ 3-2 win over Loudoun United FC, scoring from the penalty spot in the 26th minute for his first goal since returning to the team this offseason. He then added the assist on the team’s second goal, scored by Sample, when he rose to head a 48th-minute corner kick back across goal. For the match, Dikwa finished with four total shots and nine touches in the Loudoun box as he remained busy on the attack.

Sample’s performance was highlighted by his go-ahead goal, also his first of the season, on which he showed quick reflexes to redirect Dikwa’s header into the goal with a header of his own. Sample was busy on both ends of the field in the victory, winning 8 of 9 duels contested — including all three aerial duels — and winning possession four times.

Ahl earned his spot in the honors with his first assist of the season on the Hounds’ third goal, finding Sam Bassett as he darted toward the box for the Hounds’ third goal. He remained busy on the ball, connecting on 55 of 65 passes (84.6 percent), of which 27 were in the attacking third. He also won possession a team-high six times.

THE HOUNDS TBD…

Open Cup match postponed to March 25th

PITTSBURGH (March 17, 2026) — The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round match between Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Steel City FC has been postponed due to conditions caused by wintry weather. The match now is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at Highmark Stadium.

The decision to postpone was reached between the clubs in consultation with the U.S. Soccer Federation. With the possibility of more snow in the area and below-freezing temperatures expected tonight, the decision was made with both player safety and fan safety in mind, and the postponement will allow the historic first all-Pittsburgh Open Cup match in 69 years to be played in more suitable conditions.

All tickets and parking purchased for tonight’s original match date will be honored for the rescheduled contest. Fans can contact the Highmark Stadium Box Office at 412-865-GOAL or at ticketing@riverhounds.com with any questions about the rescheduled date.

Pairings for the Second Round of the Open Cup still will be announced later this week, with the Riverhounds/Steel City winner being placed into the draw as a single entry, pending the match result.

Hounds victorious in five-goal affair

Sam Bassett (19) is joined by teammates (from left) Charles Ahl, Albert Dikwa and Max Viera after scoring his first Pittsburgh Riverhounds goal in the team's 3-2 win at Loudoun United FC on March 14, 2026 at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC) — Sam Bassett (19) is joined by teammates (from left) Charles Ahl, Albert Dikwa and Max Viera after scoring his first Hounds goal in the team’s 3-2 win at Loudoun United FC on Saturday at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va. (Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC)

LEESBURG, Va. (March 14, 2026) — Goals by Albert Dikwa, Bradley Sample and Sam Bassett got the Pittsburgh Riverhounds over the finish line, as the team came away with its first win of the season 3-2 over Loudoun United FC this afternoon at Segra Field.

The Hounds (1-1-0) trailed after an early goal by Thor Úlfarsson but scored the next three in the contest before Sean Young got Loudoun (0-1-0) back into the match with a goal quickly after the Hounds’ third.

Possession was tilted in the Hounds’ favor with 63.4 percent of the ball, as the team improves to 14-2-2 all-time against the Northern Virginia club.

First half

The Hounds conceded first for the second straight match on a disjointed defensive play. Victor Souza stepped up to block an initial shot by Salvatore Mazzaferro, but the ball deflected across the box forcing Guillame Vacter to track it down. Vacter attempted to clear the ball, but Úlfarsson blocked the clearance, redirecting it directly into the Hounds net in the 20th minute.

Things were level again six minutes later, when Perrin Barnes got into the right side of the box and attempted to pass back to the middle. Mezzaferro ran through the Hounds wing back and conceded a penalty kick, which Dikwa converted for his first goal since rejoining the Hounds this season.

Second half

Only three minutes after play resumed, the Hounds were back in front from a corner kick. Dikwa made a back post run and won the initial header back across goal, and Sample was in the perfect spot and showed quick reflexes to head the ball into the net at the front post for his first goal of the season.

Dikwa nearly added another goal in the 64th minute with a left-footed volley of a cross from Charles Ahl, but his effort struck the left post and stayed out.

The lead jumped to 3-1 in the 69th minute when Bassett finished a team move that began from the Hounds’ own half. Beto Ydrach found Bassett open beside the center circle, and Bassett kept the ball moving forward to Ahl. Seeing open space, Bassett continued his run forward to receive the ball back from Ahl, and he took two touches past a defender before finishing with his left inside the box.

Loudoun fired right back straight from the ensuing kickoff, working a team move of their own that culminated with Richard Aman setting up Young, who took a touch across the top of the box to set up a curling finish on his right foot.

The Hounds had a fourth goal in the net, but Barnes’ finish was nixed by the offside flag. Still, the Hounds were able to close out the match, which also included a second-half appearance by Robbie Mertz returning from injury.

Modelo Man of the Match

Bradley Sample turned in a two-way effort that included his first goal since last April. The midfielder also recovered the ball four times and won 8 of 9 duels in the middle of the park, adding a clearance and two free kicks won for good measure.

What’s next?

The Hounds step out of league play for their First Round U.S. Open Cup match hosting local USL League Two side Steel City FC on Tuesday, March 17. The matchup between the Hounds and their amateur counterparts will be the first all-Pittsburgh matchup in the Open Cup proper since 1957.

Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) — Nico Campuzano; Guillaume Vacter (Illal Osumanu 87’), Victor Souza, Beto Ydrach; Max Viera (Junior Etou 78’), Sam Bassett (Jackson Walti 70’), Bradley Sample (Robbie Mertz 78’), Perrin Barnes; Danny Griffin, Charles Ahl; Albert Dikwa (Trevor Amann 78’)

Loudoun United FC lineup (4-1-4-1) — Ethan Bandré; Kwame Awuah, Salvatore Mazzaferro, Bolu Akinyode, Noah Adnan; James Murphy (Elvis Amoh 80’); Arquimides Ordóñez, Jack Panayotou (Richard Aman 64’), Andrés Souper (Sean Young 64’), Pedro Santos (Luca Piras 19’, Marcos Dias 80’); Thor Úlfarsson

Scoring summary

LDN — Thor Úlfarsson 20’
PIT — Albert Dikwa 26’ (penalty)
PIT — Bradley Sample 48’ (Albert Dikwa)
PIT — Sam Bassett 69’ (Charles Ahl)
LDN — Sean Young 70’ (Richard Aman)

Discipline summary

PIT — Charles Ahl 16’ (caution – reckless foul)
LDN — Noah Adnan 16’ (caution – dissent)
LDN — Arquimides Ordóñez 79’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Jackson Walti 82’ (caution – tactical foul)

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