May 6, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
SEASIDE, Calif. – A late goal cost Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the second road game in a row, and the team was held to a 2-2 draw in their first-ever meeting with Monterey Bay FC tonight at Cardinale Stadium.
Albert Dikwa scored twice for the Hounds (2-2-5) to pull into a tie for the USL Championship scoring lead with seven goals. Two former Hounds scored for Monterey Bay (3-2-4), Alex Dixon in the first half and Christian Volesky with the tying goal in stoppage time.
The match was the Hounds seventh on the road in the first nine matches to start the USL Championship season.
First half
Dikwa got the scoring started with a calm finish in the 16th minute, but it was the work of Kenardo Forbes that set him up. The Hounds’ captain pounced quickly in midfield to force a turnover and drove at the defense before slipping a ball wide for Dikwa’s finish. It was the first assist of the season for Forbes, the Hounds and league’s all-time assists leader.
Dixon thought he had tied the game by getting on the end of a long pass just three minutes later, but the offside flag negated the scoring chance for Monterey Bay.
Dikwa nearly went on a breakaway by forcing a turnover of his own in the 36th minute, but Alex Lara committed a foul and took the tactical yellow card to snuff out the chance.
Dixon tied the game in the 44th minute by getting inside the box to receive a pass from Volesky, and his right-footed finish sent the game to halftime level.
Second half
Luke Biasi gave the Hounds a chance to go back in front in the 56th minute when he got inside the box on the right side of the end line and was tripped by Max Glasser, winning a penalty kick. But Union goalkeeper Antony Siaha read Dikwa’s penalty kick correctly, diving low and to his left to smother the shot.
Dikwa wouldn’t be denied on a corner kick in the 74th minute, however, as the striker slid to slam the ball into the net after Arturo Ordóñez’s initial header was blocked in traffic.
The Hounds tried to hold on for the three points, but Adrian Rebollar got free along the goal line for Monterey Bay and fired a low, hard pass into the box that allowed Volesky to redirect into the net for a tying goal just seconds into stoppage time.
Hounds Man of the Match
Albert Dikwa moved into a share of the league lead with his sixth and seventh goals of the season, though a saved penalty prevented him from reaching his second hat…