(March 9, 2024) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds kicked off their 25th anniversary season in the Southwest this afternoon, but the Hounds were unable to find the net and fell to a 1-0 defeat against New Mexico United at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M.
Greg Hurst scored the game’s only goal less than two minutes before halftime, and New Mexico (1-0-0) goalkeeper Alex Tambakis made two saves to get the clean sheet.
New Hounds (0-1-0) goalkeeper Eric Dick made four saves in the loss, while Pittsburgh native Robbie Mertz became the 17th player to reach 100 games played with the Hounds
First half
The Hounds had the first chances of the game little more than a minute in, as Kenardo Forbes nearly found himself with a clear path to goal before New Mexico conceded the corner kick. From the corner, the ball came to the feel of Danny Griffin at the top of the box, but his shot through traffic was saved by Tambakis.
New Mexico gained the edge after the early stages, and Dick made a pair of excellent saves to keep the match scoreless, parrying away Jacobo Reyes’ shot in the 15th minute and moving across his goal to deny a header by Harry Swartz in the 20th minute.
But the home team pulled ahead in the 44th minute when Reyes slipped a low pass between the Hounds’ center backs to Hurst, who received the ball in stride, dribbled around Dick and got just enough on the shot to roll it into the net before the Hounds could recover.
Second half
The Hounds tightened up defensively in the second half, allowing the hosts just one shot after halftime, but creating chances remained a challenge.
The team’s best chances came late in the match. In the 85th minute, Sean Suber lifted a cross into the box from the right side, and Edward Kizza was able to get open on the receiving end, but his headed attempt was slightly off-balance and missed to the right of the goal.
Three minutes later, the Hounds won a corner kick — one of eight in the match to just three for New Mexico — and the ball popped high in the air to Langston Blackstock at the top of the penalty area. He struck a shot on the volley, and it took a slight deflection on its way to goal, going right to the hand of Tambakis.
Hounds Man of the Match
Eric Dick, making his Hounds debut and his first league appearance in more than a year, was strong in the Hounds goal with four saves, including two from close range in the game’s first 20 minutes. He was also aggressive in the air, handled crosses well, and his only goal allowed came from a 1-on-1 situation with the attacker.
What’s next?
The Hounds come back to Pittsburgh for their home opener at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16, when they host Orange County SC at Highmark Stadium. Orange County opens its season later tonight at Sacramento.
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-4-2) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou (Pierre Cayet 84’), Mike DeShields (Luke Biasi 46’), Illal Osumanu, Dani Rovira (Sean Suber 84’); Danny Griffin, Kenardo Forbes (Langston Blackstock 71’), Jackson Walti, Robbie Mertz; Edward Kizza, Babacar Diene (Emmanuel Johnson 71’)
New Mexico United (4-1-4-1) — Alex Tambakis; Chris Gloster, Karen Ryden, Talen Maples, Arturo Astorga; Jacobo Reyes (Nicky Hernandez 75’); Marco Micaletto, Mukwelle Akale (Sergio Rivas 81’), Zico Bailey, Harry Swartz (Dayonn Harris 81’); Greg Hurst
Scoring summary
NM — Greg Hurst 44’ (Jacobo Reyes)
Discipline summary
PIT — Illal Osumanu 35’ (caution – reckless foul)
NM — Zico Bailey 42’ (caution – tactical foul)
NM — Harry Swartz 48’ (caution – delaying restart)
PIT — Babacar Diene 51’ (caution – dissent)
NM — Nicky Hernandez 90’ (caution – reckless foul)
NM — Dayonn Harris 90+1’ (caution – reckless foul)
NM — Marco Micaletto 90+4’ (caution – tactical foul)
