Hogan scores first goal with club in victory

Visiting Le Rouge was last unbeaten in USL this season

With a completely revamped lineup it was somewhat expected Riverhounds SC would have something of a slowstart this season.

But this is around the time the team had hoped it would start to put it all together and makean early run to solidify a postseasonberth.

“We knew that we had to right the ship by Game 10,” Riverhoundscoach Bob Lilley said.“You can’t be at Game 17, halfway through the year, trying to make up points where you have to get three and you’re pressing and you can’t bepatient.”

There had been signs Riverhounds SC was about to put it all together before they went on the road for a twogame swing that included the team’sfirst win of the season.

Now,after avenging its 2023 opening round USL championship playoff loss to Detroit City FC, the Riverhounds have a bona fide winning streak for the first time this season.

Defender Pat Hogan scored his first goal with the Riverhounds (2-3-2) since being acquired prior to last season and Danny Griffin added some much-needed insurance with a late first half penalty kick tally in a 2-0 victory against Le Rouge (5-1-0) — the last unbeaten and untied team remaining in the league — in front of a regular-season record crowd of 6,099.

“It was definitely nice to reaffirm.We had a rough start, it was slow, but it’s not about how you start, but how you finish,” Hogan said. “As we progress, we can keep building momentum on these wins and keep the momentum going.”

Like the team’s last home game against Tampa Bay on April 6, the Riverhounds controlled the attack throughout the early going, worked their set pieces and consistently pressured Detroit City in the attacking zone. The big difference was the Riverhounds were able to convert that pressure into goals.

Amazingly, the team was able to put forth this kind of effort despite being without striker Edward Kizza, the reigning USL Championship Player of the Week, who was held out for precautionary reasons.

“We’ve been a little all over the map. It’s nice to see that, after that game in Rhode Island (on April 13), we get that win on the road (at Phoenix last week) and they were able to build to a high level again,” Lilley said. “But you’re going to have to play at this high level to get results.”

Hogan netted the first as the Riverhounds missed on a corner kick but were able to maintain possession and work the ball deep into the box. The ball eventually came to the right of the cage for Robbie Mertz who lofted a perfect pass to Hogan for the header past Le Rouge goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher at 19:58 for a1-0 lead.

It was the first goal the Riverhounds scored at home since Albert Dikwa hit the back of the net in the 63rd minute of a 3-2 victory against Tulsaon Sept. 30, 2023.

“Me and Bob had a discussiona couple weeks ago where (he said) I need you to be more brave and go attack things,” Hogan said. “You’re one of the tallest guys (6-foot-4) … You’re goingto need to find a way and attack space and, if the ball lands there, get your head on itand hopefully score.”

They padded their advantage a little more than 14 minuteslater.

Junior Etou had a brilliant run for nearly 30 yards and went right through the box where he was tackled away from the ball by Detroit City defender Devon Amoo-Mensah. Though Amoo-Mensah got the ball first, he was hit with a yellow card and the Riverhounds were awarded a penalty kick for a foul in the box.

Griffin took the shot and, to his credit, Steinwascher guessed correctly and lunged to his right for the ball. Steinwascher actually got a hand on the shot, but though the ball slowed it curled inside the left post at 34:18 to put the Riverhounds ahead by two goals.

Riverhounds midfielder Kenardo Forbes, the league’s all-time leader in assists, also became the USL Championship all-time leader in minutes played. He set the record in the 55th minute with 21,238 inhis career.