The Howler

This concludes a series of features highlighting the biggest Riverhounds moments over the past 12 months. Earlier entries on the list are linked at the bottom of the story.

For all the moments to celebrate in 2022, nothing felt as good for players and fans alike as snatching a playoff win on the road.

The Hounds advanced through this year’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by knocking off Birmingham Legion FC on penalty kicks, 8-7, after twice rallying to tie the game 2-2, once in regulation and again in extra time. It was the Hounds’ first postseason victory since 2019, and it stunned a Legion-record crowd of 10,277 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. (See the original match recap here.)

The match was set up by a tight regular-season series between the two clubs. Though the Hounds had the Legion’s number by winning the first four meetings all-time, including a 1-0 win in May at Highmark Stadium, the Legion got their first win over the Hounds on Sept. 14, a 2-1 match in Alabama that proved to be the difference in who would have home field for the postseason meeting.

The Hounds had to weather an early storm from a team that was in form and playing in front of a raucous crowd, but Robbie Mertz nearly poached an early goal for the Hounds with some clever footwork in the box. Still, the Legion carried play, and Jahmali Waite made two of a career-high seven saves before the interval — and that would be far from his only heroics.

Birmingham thought they had a winner on their hands in the 72nd minute when Prosper Kasim headed the hosts in front and force Bob Lilley to send in as many attacking options as possible from the bench.

Lilley’s last card to play was sending in Edward Kizza, and the impact was instant. Thirty-eight seconds after setting foot on the field, Kizza found himself on the end of a Mertz cross, and he made no mistake with the header for a 90th-minute equalizer.

The Legion pushed back in extra time, and Bruno Lapa gave the hosts a 2-1 lead in the 99th minute. But it was Kizza who was the hero again, this time finishing on a perfectly weighted low cross from fellow substitute William Eyang in the 116th minute.

The drama was far from finished, however, even as the Hounds seemed to have a commanding lead in the shootout after Waite stopped Birmingham’s first two penalties. Legion goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg, himself a substitute put in specifically for penalties, made two stops of his own, and the shootout continued to extra kicks at 3-3.

Eight consecutive shot-takers held their nerve as the shootout progressed to the 10th kick — one away from each goalkeeper having to take a shot — but Waite came up with his third stop to deny Grayson Dupont. The Hounds’ last remaining field player, fittingly, was Kizza, and the Ugandan striker left no doubt with a well-placed finish to end the match.

The Hounds flooded the goal box in celebration after the marathon win, and not even being pelted with plastic giveaway balls from some of the Legion faithful could put a damper on the zenith of a sometimes up-and-down season.

That USL Playoffs presented by @Hisense_USA feeling 🙌 pic.twitter.com/GyGBrmscUr

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) October 29, 2022

After the match, AL.com columnist Joseph Goodman chronicled the match from the vantage point of the Legion supporters section — read the full column here — and perhaps the clearest way to understand the unbridled joy of the Hounds’ best moment of 2022 is to see the opposite from the Legion view.

“The epic game against treasure-thieving Pittsburgh, of all cities, was like a tragedy in five acts: joy, anger, rebirth, burning confusion and then the pain of sudden death. A friend said to me that he had never had more fun having his heart broken, and I will raise a toast to that truth.”

Previous Best of 2022 features
#5 — Cup Clash in Cincy
#4 — Great Dane hits 100
#3 — High-Flying July
#2 — Home sweet home

This continues a series of features highlighting the biggest Riverhounds moments over the past 12 months. Earlier entries on the list are linked at the bottom of the story.

The only entry on this year’s list that isn’t an on-field moment is still a “game-changer” — to use the words of Hounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger — and it will be one that has a positive impact on the club long beyond 2022.

On Nov. 2, Shallenberger was joined by representatives from Allegheny Health Network, as well as state and local government officials to officially open the AHN Montour Health + Sports Medicine Complex at the center of the complex’s full-sized indoor field. And while all of the speakers that day talked of benefits for the Hounds, AHN, the borough of Coraopolis and the entire Pittsburgh region, it was Shallenberger who delivered the most heart-felt comments of the morning with the pride and gratitude of seeing a project he spearheaded come to fruition after more than four years in the making.

The facility is at the center of much of the future growth for the Riverhounds and Riverhounds Academy, giving the pro team a state-of-the-art location for training year-round, in all conditions. As the widest single-span building of its kind, the facility rivals that of NFL and NCAA football teams, and it gives the Hounds an edge compared to pro teams at all levels of U.S. soccer.

Apart from the Hounds-specific usage, the size and amenities at AHN Montour allow the team to host events such as the Riverhounds Holiday Classic, which is being played this week with 3-v-3 and 7-v-7 tournaments for local teams, as well as community events and renting field space for other sports. Upon completion of the seven additional outdoor fields at the complex — joining two existing outdoor fields — AHN Montour will be able to host regional and national events than previously would not have been possible in Western Pennsylvania.

A fuller look back at the ribbon-cutting and more details about the AHN Sports Medicine amenities on site can be found in the original release and photo gallery from the grand opening less than two months ago. But when the Hounds convene for the start of the pro team’s preseason next month, it will be the start of a new era for the club in a truly cozy home.

Previous Best of 2022 features
#5 — Cup Clash in Cincy
#4 — Great Dane hits 100
#3 — High-Flying July

This continues a series of features highlighting the biggest Riverhounds moments over the past 12 months. Earlier entries on the list are linked at the bottom of the story.

It’s not a singular moment that makes up the third entry in the Best of 2022, but rather an undefeated summer month that propelled the Hounds back toward the top of the top of the table and provided thrills throughout.

The Hounds entered this past July riding a three-game skid — the longest in the Bob Lilley era — and had given up nine goals during that stretch. But it was almost as if flipping the page on the calendar brought a new beginning for the Hounds, who plowed through the competition with five wins and a draw in six matches during the month.

First up was a 3-0 win on July 1 at the New York Red Bulls II behind a pair of goals by Russell Cicerone. And while the result was somewhat expected against the last-place Baby Bulls, finishing off a clean sheet got things moving in the right direction entering a critical homestand.

A Wednesday matchup with Indy Eleven — always a close match throughout the series’ history — seemed headed for a scoreless draw until Albert Dikwa came off the bench to net a 79th-minute winner in front of Jahmali Waite‘s second straight shutout. But even with the momentum of a two-game win streak, it would’ve been hard to predict the offensive outburst the home crowd was treated to three days later.

Fellow playoff team Miami FC came to Highmark Stadium, and a near-sellout crowd of 4,703 had plenty to cheer about on a day of set-piece domination. Jelani Peters scored twice by heading in a corner kick and blasting home the rebound off a training-ground free kick — marking only his second and third goals with the Hounds. Shane Wiedt closed the Hounds’ scoring with another headed set-piece finish as the defenders shone brightest in a commanding 4-1 win worth watching again.

Tonight's match highlights, presented by @fordtech91! #PITvMIA #HOUNDTAHN pic.twitter.com/2tIo0WxicM

— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) July 10, 2022

It’s harsh to call a road draw at one of the better teams in the Western Conference a disappointment, and the Hounds’ 1-1 tie at New Mexico United was a good result on July 16, despite ending the team’s winning streak. More good news rolled in that week, as two valuable new additions joined the Hounds: forward Edward Kizza on loan from the New England Revolution and midfielder Robbie Mertz returning to his hometown team on a transfer from Atlanta United 2.

HE’S COMING HOME!

We have agreed to transfer terms with Atlanta to bring Robbie Mertz back to Pittsburgh!

Find out more: https://t.co/gBxYdWd36p#HOUNDTAHN @robbiemertz14 pic.twitter.com/ovafuW6TJx

— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) July 20, 2022

Both players would make their Hounds debuts off the bench July 23 in a road match at Hartford Athletic, and while the run of play saw the Hounds in command, the team trailed by a goal on a world-class strike in the second half by Conor McGlynn.

Mertz was on the field less than a half-hour before making his impact, as he set up Cicerone for a game-tying goal in the 74th minute. Yet the game still looked like it was headed to a draw until an unlikely hero emerged in stoppage time.

Here it is, folks.

The winner by @wiedt_bread23 with almost no time left.

3 points locked in.#HFDvPIT #HOUNDTAHN pic.twitter.com/LW9tFvO5kC

— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) July 24, 2022

Wiedt’s second goal in three games brought the Hounds home with three points and a world of momentum, and a sellout crowd of 5,073 turned out to close out the month with a July 30 meeting against FC Tulsa. While the match against Tulsa wasn’t a seven-goal thriller like the teams’ previous meeting, the Hounds’ defense posted a third July shutout to make Dikwa’s goal stand up for a 1-0 win.

In total, the 16 points from 18 games moved the Hounds from sixth place to third in the Eastern Conference, and the crowds for the matches at Highmark Stadium helped the team have its best-attended season in 10 years on the South Shore.

Adding all those moments together, the good times of July were clearly some of the Best of 2022.

Previous Best of 2022 features
#5 — Cup Clash in Cincy
#4 — Great Dane hits 100

This continues a series of features highlighting the biggest Riverhounds moments over the past 12 months. Earlier entries on the list are linked at the bottom of the story.

The Riverhounds entered the 2022 season with a strong core of returning players, but perhaps the biggest acquisition of the offseason was the addition of Dane Kelly, the USL Championship’s all-time leading scorer.

Kelly, a former league MVP and Golden Boot winner, came to the Hounds as a free agent with 99 goals to his name, putting him one shy of the century mark. But with a returning attacking group that included Russell Cicerone, Alex Dixon and Albert Dikwa, how Kelly would fit into the group was something of a mystery, even after the Jamaican veteran bagged a couple of preseason goals.

But when the Hounds’ lineup sheet was turned in for the team’s season opener at Memphis on March 12, there was Kelly leading the line.

The whistle blew for the first 45 minutes on a below-freezing Tennessee night, and there was no shortage of drama even before Kelly got involved, as first-year goalkeeper Chase Vosvick turned in an early penalty stop, and Memphis defender Graham Smith was sent off after going in for a reckless tackle after already being booked.

But just as it looked like the game was going to hit the halftime break with no score, there was Kelly with a history-making two touches to finish.

The heads-up run between defenders to get on the end of Dixon’s pass was vintage Kelly, as was the calm finish around the goalkeeper from close range. That goal sent the Hounds on their way to a 3-0 win to open the season, which in turn sparked the team to a club-best 4-0-1 start to the season.

Kelly finished the season having run his USL Championship total to 106 goals — a total that likely will lead the league for years to come, as no player is within 25 of that mark — but it will be his first goal as a member of the Riverhounds that will remain memorable as the milestone marker.

Previous Best of 2022 features
#5 — Cup Clash in Cincy

This is the first in a series of features highlighting the biggest Riverhounds moments over the past 12 months.

The 2022 season saw the return of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after two years without being contested because of the coronavirus pandemic.

And, as often is the case, the cup draw set up a juicy matchup for the Riverhounds in the third round.

The Hounds traveled to face old nemesis FC Cincinnati, now a member of MLS, on Tuesday, April 19, at TQL Stadium, and the dedicated group of fans who made the trip from Pittsburgh were treated to a contest much tighter than one would have expected based on pre-match betting lines that rated the Hounds as a nearly 4-to-1 underdog.

It took extra time to settle the affair, and though Cincinnati eventually prevailed 2-0 on a pair of goals by Álvaro Barreal, a game effort by the Hounds illustrated once again how narrow the gap is between MLS and USL Championship teams.

The Hounds looked the brighter of the two sides in the opening half, outshooting Cincinnati 6-3, but the Hounds had to weather a storm after the break as the hosts tried desperately to find the net. Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite shined in only his second professional start — his first coming two weeks earlier in the second round of the cup — as he made five second-half saves, including a second-chance stop on Nicholas Markanich and a tip over the bar of a long-range blast by Barreal.

The highlight of the game came with seven minutes remaining in regulation after Waite made an initial save on Luciano Acosta. The ball made its way to Markanich on the right side of the penalty area, and the FCC player thought he had picked out the far corner of the open goal until Arturo Ordóñez raced back to the goal to head the ball safely away from the line.

Barreal broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 95th minute and doubled the lead four minutes later, as the Hounds seemed to run out of steam in a game that came just four days after playing a league road match at Las Vegas.

The defeat ended the team’s cup run and dropped the Hounds to 1-6-0 all-time against MLS teams. However, all six defeats have been by either a single goal or have come in extra time, despite the fact that five of the six games have been on the road.

Take a look back at some of the images of our #5 Moment of 2022:

(Nov. 9, 2022) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC goalkeeper Jahmali Waite made his international debut, starting for the Jamaican National Team and helping them to a 1-1 draw against World Cup-bound Cameroon this afternoon at the Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Waite, 23, played all 90 minutes for the Reggae Boyz to add another personal milestone to his first professional season. 

After signing with the Hounds as a free agent out of the University of Connecticut this spring, Waite worked his way into the starting role and finished 2022 with eight shutouts in 25 games across all competitions. He also played the hero role with seven saves and three additional stops in a shootout to advance the Hounds past Birmingham Legion FC in this year’s USL Championship Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The match in Cameroon was the African nation’s first of two final tune-up matches for the FIFA World Cup. But Waite and Jamaica — ranked 64th in the world in the latest FIFA World Rankings, and playing their final match of 2022 — came prepared. Jamaica took the lead in the 60th minute on a goal by Justin McMaster before the hosts — ranked 43rd — tied the match in the 74th minute through a Djawal Kaiba strike that was redirected off a defender’s leg.

The Hounds are currently beginning preparations for the 2023 USL Championship season, starting with the team’s preseason camp to commence in late January or early February. The 2023 regular season is scheduled to begin in March.