Early goal enough to keep rolling

Riverhounds unbeaten in seven of past eight, move into tie for first

Riverhounds SC beat LoudounUnited FC for the second time this season with a 1-0 victory Saturday night in HighmarkStadium.

The Riverhounds (7-4-3) created offensive opportunities and outshot Loudoun, 128, but they struggled to tack on a second goal after taking an earlylead in the 6th minute.

Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said he was frustrated withthe team’s execution.

“I’m not really happy with any of the phases of our game tonight,” he said. “I’m relieved we got the result. It’s an important three points, but it’s kind of a hollow three points.”

The three points moved the Riverhounds into a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference Atlantic with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who lost, 2-1, Saturdayto Miami FC.

Pittsburgh entered the night with just one loss in its past seven matches, a 2-1 road loss June 30 to Loudoun (2-100). That match marked Loudoun’s first victory over Pittsburgh in the clubs’ history. The Riverhounds had previously beat Loudoun this season, a 3-2 win on the road June

In their third matchup of the year, the Riverhounds attacked early, scoring in the 6th minute when forward Alex Dixon sent a cross through the middle of the box. The ball appeared to deflect off Albert Dikwa before hitting Russell Cicerone, who later confirmed the goal scored off ofhis jaw.

Dikwa initially was credited with the goal, but an official scoring change reflected that Cicerone had touched it last; Dikwa was given the assist.

The goal marked Cicerone’s sixth of the season, a single-seasonbest for him.

“I think I’ve hit a little bit of alull the last couple of games,” Cicerone said. “But I keep trying to put in the work, trying toget into good areas.”

After Cicerone’s early score, the Riverhounds had a series of chances to quickly add to their 1-0 lead, but none translatedto a goal.

“We had some moments where we should have finished some chances and ended up with our share of goals, but just the structure of the play’s not good enough,” Lilleysaid.

In the 18th minute, midfielder Kenardo Forbes tried a shot from outside the box that missed wide left. In the 36th minute, Dixon got another shot off from outside the box, but it was scooped up by Loudoun goalkeeper Jermaine Fordah. Five minutes later, a Cicerone pass set up Dixon with a clean look, but it bangedoff the left post.

Loudoun dominated possession in the first half, 61% to 39%, but the Riverhounds tallied six shots to Loudoun’s one.

The Riverhounds came into the second half with momentum; in the 49th minute, a Todd Wharton cross set up Forbes for a good look from the middle of the box, but Loudounblocked the attempt.

“I thought we started the second half well, connected, got some moments, some chances, some corners,” Lilley said. “We came with a little more intent to actually connect a few passes. And I thought we had some good moments; we just were not executing at the attacking end.”

In the 70th minute, Loudoun’s Darluis Paz tried to even the score with a wellplaced shot from outside the box, but Riverhounds keeper Daniel Vitiello saved it cleanly. In the 79th minute, Dixon sailed a ball toward the upper left corner of the goal, but Fordah made a leaping save to prevent the Riverhounds from increasingtheir lead.

Loudoun had two final chancesto even the score with a free kick and corner kick in stoppage time, but the Riverhoundsheld on for the win.

“When this team’s playing at our best, chances are going to come and we just got to make that more consistent,” Ciceronesaid.

The Riverhounds go back on the road next weekend, facing off Friday night against the New York Red Bulls II.