Riverhounds鈥� unbeaten streak ends at nine in setback to Charleston
Chris Cowger | Riverhounds SC
Pittsburgh coach Bob Lilley was disappointed in how his team played in the first half of last week’s match against Orange County SC, which resulted in a draw.
Lilley’s squad scored in the 11th minute of Saturday’s match against Charleston for an early lead, but the Battery rallied for a 2-1 victory in front of a soldout crowd of 6,115 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh’s Station Square.
The loss ended the Riverhounds’ nine-match unbeaten streak, as Lilley’s team lost for the first time since a 1-0 setback on June 14 at the Indy Eleven.
“This is a game we should have one,” said Lilley following the loss to Charleston during his postmatch press conference. “They are going to create chances, but we can’t be wasteful when we have chances in the box.”
The loss drops Pittsburgh to 7-7-6 with 10 matches remaining in the regular season. The Hounds have accumulated 27 points and are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings of the USL Championship. Lilley’s team is seeking a top-four position for the playoffs, which is currently held by North Carolina FC, who has 30 points.
Pittsburgh begins a three-game road trip this upcoming Saturday at Birmingham Legion FC. The Hounds have matches against Tampa Bay and Oakland before returning to Highmark Stadium for a battle against Louisville City FC, who sits atop the table in the Eastern Conference.
Birmingham is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings and Tampa Bay holds the 12th spot, while Oakland is 11th in the Western Conference table, but Lilley will do everything in his power to prevent his team from overlooking the upcoming competition.
“I’m disappointed that the back end of this homestand flamed out a bit with a lot of draws and a loss against Charleston,” Lilley said. “We have an opportunity to go on a run and earn a top four spot in the standings, but we have to start winning games and getting three points consistently, and it doesn’t matter if it’s home or away.
“In terms of playing against a lesser team, we are the same as every club. We haven’t proven we are a top club, our road record is useless, and if we are not ready when we go to Birmingham, we will get our (expletive) kicked.”
Pittsburgh’s tally came almost immediately following a save from Eric Dick in the 10th minute that led to a run that was capped off by Danny Griffin.
Following Dick’s stop on Rubio Rubin from close range, the Hounds went on the attack, as Griffin placed a diagonal ball from Pittsburgh’s half that found Robbie Mertz more than 50 yards away.
Mertz geared down and fired a pass to Luke Biasi, who sent a cross to the head of Beto Ydrach at the back post.
Griffin, who sprinted nearly 80 yards to arrive late in the box, turned Ydrach’s header toward goal. Griffin’s first attempt banged off the right post before the defensive midfielder pounced on the rebound for his fifth goal of the season, which set a career high.
“Anytime I get a chance, I want to be as accurate as possible,” Griffin said. “I was active and pounced on it. It felt good to find the back of the net. We just didn’t create enough after getting the early goal. Obviously, you can’t sit on a lead against a team like that.”
Lilley called Dick’s stop an “unbelievable save,” but he was upset that Charleston tied the match in stoppage time when MD Myers chipped a high ball to the back post that Rubin headed into the goal right before the first-half whistle was blown.
“We did well to get the lead, but it was disappointing that we gave up a goal right before halftime,” Lilley said. “We made a massive mistake at that time of the game to let in the goal. “I thought both goals they scored were bad goals from our end, but we were also lucky on a few occasions, so maybe it all evens out.
“The reality of it is the game is 90 minutes, and we haven’t put that together yet. We also need to bury our chances, especially at close range. We probably have more misses inside six to eight yards than anyone.”
The Battery carried the momentum into the second half and scored the game winner in the 55th minute when Myers gained possession of a deflected pass in the Hounds box, but Dick raced off his line to break up the attempt before Myers could shoot. Unfortunately for the home team, the loose ball fell to the feet of Rodriguez, who placed his shot around Dick and between Pittsburgh’s retreating defenders for the goal and a 2-1 lead.
Hounds newcomer Chase Boone fired a low, hard pass across the goal from the left that Augi Williams fell forward to get a touch at the back post, but he couldn’t make a clean connection, which allowed Charleston keeper Luis Zamudio to scramble across the goal and make the save before the ball could cross the line.
Pittsburgh’s last significant chance came in the 84th minute when Bradley Sample headed a cross from Charles Ahl toward goal, but the ball bounced off the woodwork to keep the Battery in the lead.