Early scoring blitz earns win over Hartford

July 20, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC press release

PITTSBURGH — An early bombardment by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds gave the team its first consecutive win since May. The Hounds scored three goals in the first 21 minutes to take down Hartford Athletic 3-1 tonight at Highmark Stadium.

The Hounds (5-9-6) provided a sellout crowd of 5,620 and a national TV audience on ESPN2 with early action with goals from Edward Kizza, Langston Blackstock and Emmanuel Johnson.

Mamadou Dieng scored late in the first half for Hartford (5-11-2), after which the teams went 45 minutes without conceding a goal.

First half

Anyone who arrived late missed the game’s first big moment, when a sharp pass into the penalty area by Bradley Sample sent Junior Etou into the box. Etou had a step on Deshane Beckford, who was defending, and the Hartford player hit Etou, sending him to the ground.

Kizza took the penalty and scored in the fifth minute with a low left-footed shot, the fastest goal the Hounds have scored in a match this season.

In the 20th minute, Blackstock received a pass wide on the left from a corner kick in the second phase, and he wormed his way into space near the goal line. The second-year wingback struck the ball with power, and with little angle to speak of, lifted it high and inside the near post for his first professional goal.

The celebrations had barely stopped in the 21st minute when Johnson was rewarded for his individual effort. Hartford played the ball back to keeper Greg Monroe, who was slow to react when Johnson slowed him down. As the keeper cleared the ball, Johnson leaped into his path and blocked the ball back into the net for his first goal as a member of the Hounds.

Hartford took the lead in the 34th minute when Emmanuel Samadia curled a ball into the penalty area from the left side. Tall forward Dieng was the first to collect the pass and head the ball past goalkeeper Eric Dick.

Dick’s biggest save came just before halftime, when he stopped Dieng from close range after a Hounds turnover. The ball bounced to Hartford’s Michee Ngalina, who fired the rebound into the net but was ruled offside on Dieng’s first shot.

Second half

After the break the score dried up, but Hartford had a great chance with a free kick inside the penalty area. The Hounds wall did its job and blocked Ngalina’s shot.

Kenardo Forbes had a chance saved by Monroe in the 71st minute, shortly after he entered the game. It would be the Hounds’ last shot on goal, but the team held Hartford without a shot from the 57th minute until stoppage time, when Dick Kyle Edwards made his only save of the second half.

Model Man of the Match

Emmanuel Johnson scored the Hounds’ third goal in a display of exceptional individual effort, and the effort was there all night. He won just five of 16 duels, but that total of 16 contested duels was five more than any other player and came in 63 minutes. He also led the team with six touches in the Hartford penalty area and won three free kicks, equaling a team high.

What’s next?

The Hounds claim their third straight win when they close out their July home stretch by hosting Loudoun United FC (7-6-5) on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. Loudoun had the weekend off but hosts Charleston on Wednesday.

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