Late Goal Limits Riverhounds to Draw in Indy

April 29, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release

Jack Blake scored with nine minutes remaining for Indy Eleven, which forced Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to settle for a 1-1 draw tonight at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Hounds (2-2-4) led for most of the match after Albert Dikwa put the team ahead in the 18th minute. Indy (1-3-3) got their late goal when Blake chipped the ball into the net after a clearance attempt only reached just outside of the Hounds’ box.

It was the sixth road game in eight USL Championship matches for the Hounds in 2023, and the 10th time in 12 all-time matches with Indy that the game has been settled by one goal or fewer.

First half

The Hounds started off with more of the ball in the early stages of the game, and it paid off with an early goal.

Luke Biasi hit a big diagonal ball from the back line that just dropped in over the Indy defense. Dikwa received it in stride, and Indy goalkeeper Yannik Oettl stumbled just enough off his line to allow the striker to hit the ball into the open net. It was Dikwa’s fifth goal of the year, which leads the Hounds and moves him one off the USL Championship lead, and it was the second assist of the season for Biasi.

Robbie Mertz had a chance to double the lead six minutes later when Edward Kizza found him alone in the right side of the box, but Oettl held his ground to make the save on that chance.

Indy, which entered the game leading the league in possession, began to get more of the ball and finished the match with 62 percent – still 2 percent below their average. But the Hounds limited chances. They blocked three shots in the final 10 minutes of the half, and the only one that got through – off the foot of Solomon Asante – was saved well by Jahmali Waite with a dive to his left.

Second half

The Hounds again had the first good chance of the half, as Dikwa was tripped up in a one-on-one situation with his defender. The ball stayed alive for the Hounds, and Robbie Mertz slid a pass across to Kenardo Forbes for a curling shot saved by Oettl.

Indy would only record one shot in the second half, but they made it count after some sustained pressure.

Former Hounds defender Robby Dambrot played a cross into the Hounds box, and Waite came off his line to punch it away. The ball made it just beyond the edge of the box, where Blake lofted a one-touch finish over all the traffic in the box and into the net.

Neither team could break the deadlock,…