After tying the game with three goals in under ten minutes, Hartford’s comeback effort fell short in the late stages of the second half tonight.
Pittsburgh’s leading scorer Albert Dikwa struck first for the visitors tonight, giving them a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute on an unconventional goal. Marc Ybarra’s shot from inside the box was deflected by Joe Rice, then off of Niall Logue, bounced off the right post and fell to Dikwa, who headed the ball in from the goal line. Two minutes later, Dikwa tallied his second goal of the game and his 14th of the season. He headed a cross from Kenardo Forbes off the post, then cleaned up his own miss on the rebound and scored.
Down two goals early, Hartford created a few chances to get back into the game that fell just short. Elvis Amoh chipped a shot over Pittsburgh’s keeper Jahmali Waite that bounced just a few feet away from the open goal, but Pat Hogan raced to the goal line in the knick of time to clear the ball away. Andre Lewis challenged Waite two minutes later on a well-struck shot from outside the box, but the Hounds’ keeper made a quality two-handed save. Hartford would stay down 2-0 going into halftime.
Pittsburgh continued to control the game, getting a third goal from Marc Ybarra in the 52nd minute. After 26 minutes of being down 3-0, Hartford began to chip away at the Hounds’ lead. Juan Pablo Torres lobbed a perfect pass into the box for Matt Sheldon, who headed in Hartford’s first goal. Three minutes later, Antoine Hoppenot scampered across the end line and found Danny Barrera at the top of the box, and the 32 year old veteran slotted his first goal of the season past Waite. With momentum and a packed home crowd now behind them, Hartford continued to knock on the door and quickly broke through to equalize in the 86th minute. Hoppenot was the goal scorer this time, scooping up a deflected pass in the box and beating Waite to the bottom left corner of the net.
Former Hartford Athletic striker Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. spoiled the miraculous comeback effort from Hartford almost instantly after the home side tied the game. In the 88th minute, Obregón Jr. received the ball in Hartford’s box, turned, took a touch, and fired his shot to the top right corner of the net to give the visitors the lead back. After six minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and Hartford fell 4-3.
Sheldon’s and Barrera’s goals were their firsts of the season, respectively. Hoppenot recorded his third goal and third assist, and Juan Pablo Torres tallied his second assist.
Hartford Athletic return to action this Saturday against El Paso Locomotive FC. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM.
FAST STATS
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 12 (6) Pittsburgh 14 (7)
Corners: Hartford 7 Pittsburgh 10
Fouls: Hartford 14 Pittsburgh 16
Offsides: Hartford 3 Pittsburgh 0
Possession: Hartford 57.1% Pittsburgh 42.9%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 83.1% Pittsburgh 71.7%
Saves: Hartford 3 Pittsburgh 2
SCORING SUMMARY:
Pittsburgh: 13′ – Dikwa
Pittsburgh: 18′ – Dikwa
Pittsburgh: 52′ – Ybarra (Rovira)
Hartford: 78′ – Sheldon (Torres)
Hartford: 81′ – Barrera (Hoppenot)
Hartford: 86′ – Hoppenot
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:
13 (GK) Joe Rice, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (Rad, 69′); (MF) Beverly Makangila (Torres); 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 19 (DF) Luke Merrill (Hoppenot, 55′); 72 (DF) Edgardo Rito (Kibato, 65′); 77 (MF) Andre Lewis, 50 (DF) Niall Logue (Barrera, 55′); 7 (FW) Prince Saydee, 9 (FW) Elvis Amoh
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC STARTING LINEUP:
26 (GK) Jahmali Waite, 6 (DF) Nathan Dossantos (Etou, 65′); 5 (DF) Arturo Osuna, 3 (DF) Patrick Hogan, 7 (FW) Langston Blackstock (Biasi, 65′); 4 (DF) Daniel Rovira, 11 (MF) Kenardo Forbes, 2 (MF) Danny Griffin, 23 (MF) Marc Ybarra, 9 (FW) Albert Dikwa (Obregón, 70′); 19 (FW) Edward Kizza (Farrell, 83′)
