Press Releases

Team of the Week includes center back Ordóñez

Arturo Ordóñez of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

PITTSBURGH (May 30, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defender Arturo Ordóñez was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 12, the league announced this afternoon.

Ordóñez was the difference-maker in the Hounds’ 1-0 win Sunday at Loudoun United FC, scoring the game-winning goal in the 78th minute in addition to a stellar defensive outing. Ordonez had a game-high six clearances, won all three of his tackles and came out on top in 7 of 8 overall duels for the ball.

This is the first Team of the Week selection for Ordóñez, a second-year center back from Salou, Spain, who joined the Hounds after a successful career at the University of Pittsburgh. It is the second straight week Ordóñez has been honored, however, as he earned a bench spot on the Team of the Week last week before moving into this week’s top 11.

The full USL Championship Team of the Week can be found at uslchampionship.com.

The Hounds are back home this Saturday, June 3, when they host Phoenix Rising FC at 7 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. Tickets for the match are available through Ticketmaster and at the Highmark Stadium Box Office.

Kizza, Fahling earn Team of the Week honors

PITTSBURGH (May 23, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC had a total of four players honors in the USL Championship’s weekly honors, led by forward Edward Kizza and defender Burke Fahling as part of the starting 11 in the Team of the Week for Week 11 announced this afternoon.

Kizza scored a pair of first-half goals in the Hounds’ 4-1 win over Las Vegas on Saturday at Highmark Stadium, and he also connected on 22 of 24 passes and won 9 of 15 duels for the ball in his standout performance.

Fahling assisted on Kizza’s headed second goal with a cross from his right back position. He was on the ball plenty with a team-leading 72 touches, and his defensive numbers were strong against Las Vegas, winning possession seven times, taking 8 of 12 duels and adding two clearances.

For Kizza and Fahling, it is the first Team of the Week honor this season, and they were joined by two teammates selected to bench spots on the team. Defender Arturo Ordóñez earned a bench spot after heading in his first goal of the season, and midfielder Kenardo Forbes picked up the assist on Ordóñez’s goal to highlight his game against Las Vegas.

Kizza also was the runner-up in Player of the Week voting, finishing behind only Detroit goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher. To see the full Team of the Week, visit uslchampionship.com.

The Hounds are back on the field at Highmark Stadium tomorrow night for their Round of 16 match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Columbus Crew. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. for the match, and limited seats and standing-room tickets are still available via Ticketmaster or at the Highmark Stadium Box Office.

Hounds to host Columbus Crew in Round of 16

PITTSBURGH (May 11, 2023) — The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 16 is coming to Highmark Stadium after Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was drawn to host the next round against the Columbus Crew of MLS.

The Hounds, fresh off their 1-0 road upset of the New England Revolution, will be at home against an MLS team for the first time since 2015, when they hosted D.C. United in a thrilling 3-1 extra time loss in front of a sellout crowd.

The Round of 16 match will be played either May 23 or 24, with the date and time to be confirmed by U.S. Soccer. Tickets for this year’s Round of 16 match will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster and the Highmark Stadium Box Office.

This will be the second-ever competitive meeting between the Hounds and Crew. The teams previously met in the 2019 Open Cup in a match the Crew won, 1-0, and they also met during this year’s preseason in a closed-door scrimmage in Ohio.

The Hounds are bidding to reach the Quarterfinals for only the second time in their history, last doing so in 2001. The winner of the Hounds-Crew match will go on the road for the quarterfinals against the winner between the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati.

Dikwa lands on league’s Team of the Week

PITTSBURGH (May 9, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC striker Albert Dikwa was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 9 of the season, the league announced this afternoon.

Dikwa scored both of the Hounds’ goals in the team’s 2-2 draw Friday night at Monterey Bay FC, which pulled him into a tie for the league lead with seven goals in 2023. The striker was his usual physical presence in the attacking areas of the field, winning a match-high four fouls and getting five touches inside the Monterey Bay box, which was the second-most in the match.

The 25-year-old striker from Cameroon also made some team history with his two-goal game. Dikwa now has 23 goals as a member of the Hounds, which moves him into the team’s all-time top 10 — one behind 2013 USL Pro MVP José Angulo for ninth on the list.

This is the second Team of the Week honor this season for Dikwa, who led the squad as Player of the Week after his first career hat trick in Week 2 of the season. To see the full Team of the Week, visit uslchampionship.com.

Dikwa and the Hounds are back in action tonight in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, where they will face the New England Revolution of MLS in a Round of 32 match at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Danny Griffin returns to Riverhounds

PITTSBURGH (May 3, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has reached an agreement to bring Danny Griffin back to Pittsburgh, adding a mainstay of the team’s midfield from 2020-22 and a fan favorite back to the fold this season.

Griffin, 24, arrives via a transfer from Huntsville City FC, Nashville SC’s affiliate in MLS NEXT Pro, and the Hounds hold his rights through the 2025 season. Terms of the transfer were not disclosed.

“Danny shows up every day in every way. He brings energy to the group, quality on the pitch and is certainly one of the most complete and versatile players I have coached,” Hounds head coach Bob Lilley said. “As an organization, we are delighted to have Danny back in Pittsburgh helping us chase a championship.”

In three seasons with the Hounds, Griffin put together a streak of reliability unmatched in club history. He played in all 85 USL Championship matches (regular-season and postseason) during his time with the Hounds, and his streak of 82 consecutive regular-season games is a club record.

Last season, Griffin led the Hounds in tackles (52) and passes intercepted (75), and he also became the first Hounds player to eclipse 3,000 minutes in a regular season with 3,055 minutes — all but 5 minutes of the 34-match season.

“I’m absolutely buzzing right now. To say I’m excited isn’t enough to describe the feeling. Pittsburgh became a home to me after I made the move from Connecticut to Pittsburgh, and I know the coaches, Bob and Viss (assistant coach Dan Visser), and the owner, Tuffy (Shallenberger), have always been supportive of me and my career,” Griffin said. “I’m ecstatic to be back in Pittsburgh. I’ve been following the team while I was gone, and I’m happy to say that I’m coming back home.”

In addition to his durability and skill as a ball-winner in midfield, Griffin showed his offensive talents by recording five goals and three assists during his first stint with the Hounds. This season with Huntsville, Griffin scored one goal in five matches.

Pending approval by USL registration, Griffin would be eligible for selection beginning with the Hounds’ next match, this Friday, May 5 when the team visits Monterey Bay FC for a 10 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff.

Hounds heading to New England in Open Cup

PITTSBURGH (April 27, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was given a marquee matchup on the road, as the Hounds will travel to face the New England Revolution of MLS in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

(Edit: Details added at 9 p.m.) The match is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday, May 9 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

The draw, shown live via Bleacher Report’s B/R Football platform, set up the eighth all-time meeting between the Hounds and an MLS side in this year’s Round of 32. It also sets up a matchup between the most veteran coaches of the USL Championship and MLS with 300-game winners Bob Lilley of the Hounds and Bruce Arena of the Revolution leading their teams.

The Hounds are one of eight USL Championship teams remaining in the nation’s oldest soccer competition.

The match will be the first-ever meeting between the Hounds and Revolution, who currently lead the Eastern Conference in MLS after missing the playoffs a year ago. The Hounds are 1-6 in their previous seven outings against MLS teams, but all six defeats came by the slimmest margins — three of the losses were in extra time, and the other three were by one goal.

This is the fifth time the Hounds have advanced to the Fourth Round of the U.S. Open Cup, having done so most recently in 2019. The first of those instances was in 2001 — also the year the Hounds scored a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids of MLS — when the Quarterfinals were the tournament’s fourth round.

Forbes claims place on Team of the Week

Kenardo Forbes was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after his goal in the Riverhounds' 2-0 win over Rio Grande Valley FC on Saturday, April 15 at Highmark Stadium.

PITTSBURGH (April 18, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC midfielder and captain Kenardo Forbes was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 6, the league announced this afternoon.

Forbes scored the second goal for the Hounds’ in their 2-0 win over the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Saturday night. According to the USL Championship’s statistics, Forbes’ header of a cross from Dani Rovira was just the second headed goal in the storied career of the league’s all-time assists leader.

The midfielder also connected on 36 passes and had two shots on goal for the Hounds, nearly adding a second goal with a blast off the crossbar. Forbes was involved defensively, as he successfully won 5 of 7 duels and won possession a match-high 10 times.

The goal was Forbes’ first of the year, and his 18th as a member of the Hounds, as he closes in on the top 10 in club history. It is also the first Team of the Week honor this season for Forbes, a six-time all-league selection.

The Hounds are back in action this weekend when they head to Texas for a match at El Paso Locomotive FC this Saturday, April 22, at 9:30 p.m. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

To see the full USL Championship Team of the Week, visit uslchampionship.com.

Bobcats rematch on tap in U.S. Open Cup

Arturo Ordóñez dribbles the ball away from a tackle in the Riverhounds' 2-0 win over the Maryland Bobcats in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup Second Round at Highmark Stadium.

PITTSBURGH (April 6, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC will face a rematch in the Third Round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, as the Hounds were drawn for a second straight year to host Maryland Bobcats FC out of the National Independent Soccer League in the third tier of U.S. Soccer.

The match at Highmark Stadium will be played either Tuesday, April 25 or Wednesday, April 26, with the exact date and kickoff time to be announced in the coming days. Tickets for the match will be general admission and go on sale through Ticketmaster tomorrow at 10 a.m.

The Hounds and Bobcats met last year in the Second Round of the Open Cup, with the Hounds advancing 2-0 at Highmark Stadium behind a pair of goals by Toby Sims. The Hounds were knocked out in the Third Round in 2022 after pushing their match at FC Cincinnati of MLS all the way to extra time before losing in the added period, 2-0.

This is the fourth consecutive Open Cup that the Hounds have advanced to at least the Third Round. Hounds coach Bob Lilley has never lost to a lower-division opponent in Open Cup play, and he holds a 3-0 record in such matches with the Riverhounds.

The full draw for the Third Round — which includes 18 MLS teams, 20 USL Championship teams and 10 lower-division teams — was shown live via Bleacher Report through their online channels. Broadcast details for the Third Round matches also will be announced by the U.S. Soccer Federation in the days to come.

Hounds launch new USL Academy League Girls Team

The Riverhounds Development Academy Girls huddle up before an ECNL match at Highmark Stadium.

PITTSBURGH (April 6, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Riverhounds Development Academy are announcing the launch of their USL Academy Girls Team, which will compete this summer in the new league’s debut season nationwide.

The Hounds, who once again will field a team in the USL Academy League’s boys competition this summer, now have in place the next step in the girls’ development pathway with a platform for the RDA top players, as well as top college-age players from the region who are aspiring to reach the professional level of the women’s game.

“We are delighted to take the next step in the pathway for the girls’ side of the RDA. We really enjoy competing in the USL Academy boys’ platform, so for us, this was a natural step. The focus will be to provide a professional environment through training and games for our top performing RDA players, in addition to players in the college game,” Riverhounds Academy Director Scott Gibson said.

“Our USL Academy teams will start training in June and will have access to a team of our RDA staff, goalkeeping coaches, and our full speed and strength program. Our RDA players are preparing for life in the collegiate game, and working together through the summer with players already playing in college will breed an extremely high-level opportunity for all.”

The first USL Academy League Girls Team will be made up of Riverhounds Academy girls from the 2004-2007 birth year age groups, Under-20 players in college, as well as a limited number of overage (20 and older) players allowed on the roster. The team will compete in a summer schedule against other teams from some of the top clubs across the USL.

Both the boys and girls USL Academy League teams will train at both Highmark Stadium and the AHN Montour Health + Sports Medicine Center in Coraopolis, and it will play its home matches at Highmark Stadium. A full USL Academy League schedule for the girls’ and boys’ teams will be released in the weeks to come.

Hounds seal deal with defender Osumanu

Illal Osumanu clears the ball during the Riverhounds' preseason match against Penn State

PITTSBURGH (April 5, 2023) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed defender Illal Osumanu for the 2023 season. The deal, pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval, is a one-year contract with a team option for 2024.

Osumanu, 26, is a native of Accra, Ghana, who most recently appeared for Union Omaha in USL League One. With the Owls, he made a total of 32 appearances between regular season and postseason, and he played every minute of Omaha’s 2021 playoff run to the League One title.

“Illal is an athletic defender who brings intensity to the group and can play anywhere across the back line or as a defensive midfielder,” Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said. “He reads the game well and will continue to grow as he gets more comfortable with our system, and we think he will be a great addition for the 2023 USL Championship season.”

Before joining the pro ranks in Omaha, Osumanu played college soccer in West Virginia, first for the University of Charleston in 2016 before transferring to Marshall University, where he played three seasons. His time at Charleston finished with a trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship game, while with the Thundering Herd, he played in 59 matches and helped the team to its first Conference USA title and first NCAA Tournament appearance.

His time as an amateur player included also stints with three USL League Two teams: West Virginia Chaos (2017), Michigan Bucks (2018) and West Virginia Alliance (2019).

Osumanu has been with the Hounds since preseason this year, and now that his signing is confirmed, he will be eligible for selection beginning with the team’s next match this Saturday, April 8, when the Hounds visit the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in an 8 p.m. kickoff.

Press Releases

Presented By